SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS G. ESCUDERO 
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EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Civil Engineering Law, Republic Act No, 544, which governs the practice of 
Civil Engineering in the Philippines, was last amended 49 years ago, 
Since then, the number of registered civil engineers has grown to over 100,000 
today. 
A new role for the civil engineer has likewise evolved in the light of the 
globalization and cross-boarder practice. 
Whereas before the civil engineer was 
confined to the application of technical knowledge with a boarder range of issues to deal 
with, the civil engineer now has to face the challenges of integrating the socio-economic 
and environmental issues with the technical aspects of the construction projects. The 
civil engineer is constantly challenged to design and build developments in a manner that 
is environmentally sound, socially acceptable, and globally competitive. 
This bill, with its proposed amendments of the law, seeks to achieve the following 
objectives: 
1. To attune the law to national development needs; 
2. To strengthen the profession and enable civil engineers to cope with the 
formidable challenges brought about by globalization and cross-boarder 
practice; 
3. To continually upgrade the level of competence of the civil engineers through: 
a, peer recognition of specialization in civil engineering; 
b, continuous professional development; and 
c. the strengthening of the accredited professional organization of civil 
engineers; 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this proposed legislation is 
earnestly sought. 
4 
FRANCIS G. ESCUDERO 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
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Introduced by Senator FRANCIS G. ESCUDERO 
AN ACT 
FURTHER AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 544, AS AMENDED, OR THE 
CIVIL ENGINEERING LAW 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
1 
SECTION 1. Sections 2, 4, 13, 16 and 19 ofRepublir; Act No. 544, as amended, 
2 
are hereby further amended to read as follows: 
3 
4 
"Section 2. Definition of Terms. 
5 
6 
(a) 
The practice of civil engineering within tbe meaning and 
7 
intent of this Act shall embrace services in the fonn of consultation, 
8 
design, preparation of plans, specifications, estimates, erection, 
9 
installation and supervision of the construction of streets, bridges, 
10 
highways, railroads, airports and hangars, port works, canals, river 
11 
and shore improvements, lighthouses, and dry docks; buildings, 
12 
fixed structures for irrigation, flood protection, drainage, water 
13 
supply and sewerage works; demolition of pennanent structures; and 
14 
tunnels. The enumeration of any work in this section shall not be 
15 
construed as excluding any other work requiring civil engineering 
16 
knowledge and application. 
17 
18 
(b) 
The tenn "civil engineer" as used in tbis act shall mean a 
19 
person duly registered with the Board for Civil Engineers in the 
20 
manner as hereinafter provided. 
21 
22 
(C) 
ACCREDITED PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION 
23 
OF CIVIL ENGINEERS (APOCE) SHALL MEAN THE 
24 
PHILIPPINE INSTITUTE OF CIVIL ENGINEERS (PICE) 
25 
WHICH IS THE OFFICIAL NATIONAL ORGANIZATION 
26 
OF ALL REGISTERED CIVIL ENGINEERS IN THE 
27 
PHILIPPINES AS ACCREDITED BY THE PROFESSIONAL 
28 
REGULATION COMMISSION." 
29 
30 
31 
"Section 4. 
Powers and duties of the Board. - The Board of 
32 
Examiners of Civil Engineers is vested with authority, confonnable 
33 
with the provisions of this Act, to administer oaths, issue, suspend 
34 
and revoke certificates of registration for the practice of civil 
35 
engineering, [issue certificates of recognition to civil engineers 
1 


1 
already registered under this Act for advance studies, research, 
2 
and/or highly specialized training in any branch of civil engineering, 
3 
subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Public Works and 
4 
Communications,] to investigate such violations of this Act and the 
5 
regulations, there-under as may come to the knowledge of the Board 
6 
and,. for this purpoSe, issue subpoena and subpoena duces tecum to 
7 
secure appearance of witnesses in connection with the charges 
8 
presented to the Board, to inspect at least once a year educational 
9 
institutions offering courses in civil engineering, civil engineering 
10 
works, project or corporations, established in the Philippines and, 
11 
for safe-guarding of life, health and property, to discharge such 
12 
other powers and duties as may affect ethical and technological 
13 
standards of the civil engineering profession in the Philippines. For 
14 
the purpose of this act, the Director of the Public Works and/or his 
15 
authorized representative in the provinces and chartered cities shall 
16 
be ex-officio agents of the Board and as such shall be their duty to 
17 
help in the enforcement of the provisions of this Act. 
18 
19 
The Board may[, with the approval of the Secretary of Public Works 
20 
and Communications issue] PROMULGATE such rules and 
21 
regulations as may be deemed necessary to carry out the provisions 
22 
of this act. 
THE LATEST EDITION OF THE CIVIL 
23 
ENGINEERING CODE, THE MANUAL OF PROFESSIONAL 
24 
PRACTICE OF CIVIL ENGINEERS AS PREPARED BY THE 
25 
APOCE AND APPROVED BY THE BOARD SHALL FORM 
26 
PART 
OF 
THE 
IMPLEMENTING 
RULES 
AND 
27 
REGULATIONS. The Board shall also adopt a code of ethics in 
28 
the practice of civil engineering and have an official seal to 
29 
authenticate its official documents." 
30 
31 
"SECTION 4 (A). CERTIFICATE OF SPECIALIZATION - IN 
32 
ORDER 
TO 
ENCOURAGE 
THE 
CONTINUING 
33 
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF REGISTERED CIVIL 
34 
ENGINEERS, 
rHE 
ACCREDITED 
PROFESSIONAL 
35 
ORGANIZATION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS (APOCE) BY THE 
36 
PROFESSIONAL REGULATION COMMISSION SHALL BE 
37 
VESTED WITH AUTHORITY CONFORMABLE WITH THE 
38 
PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT, TO ISSUE A CERTIFICATE 
39 
OF 
SPECIALIZATION 
TO 
A 
REGISTERED 
CIVIL 
40 
ENGINEER WHO HAS DEMONSTRATED HIS ADVANCE 
41 
KNOWLEDGE, 
EXPERIENCE, 
EDUCATION, 
AND 
42 
TRAINING IN A RECQGNIZED BRANCH OF CIVIL 
43 
ENGINEERING: 
PROVIDED, THAT AT THE INITIAL 
44 
EFFECTIVITY OF THIS ACT, THE SPECIALIZATION OF 
45 
CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AND ENGINEERING, 
46 
GEOTECHNICAL 
ENGINEERING, 
STRUCTURAL 
47 
ENGINEERING, TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING, AND 
48 
WATER RESOURCES AND HYDRAULICS ENGINEERING 
49 
SHALL BE SO RECOGNIZED. 
PROVIDED FURTHER, 
50 
OTHER SPECIALIZATION MAY ADDITIONALLY BE 
51 
RECOGNIZED BY THE APOCE. SPECIALISTS IN EACH 
52 
RECOGNIZED BRANCH MAY FORM A SPECIALTY 
53 
ORGANIZATION 
OF 
CIVIL 
ENGINEERS 
(SOCE): 
54 
PROVIDED FURTHER THAT THIS SOCE IS AFFILIATED 
2 


, 
' 
1 
TO AND RECOGNIZED BY THE APOCE. 
PROVIDED 
2 
FINALLY, THERE IS ONLY ONE SOCE FOR EACH 
3 
RECOGNIZED 
BRANCH 
OF 
CIVIL 
ENGINEERING, 
4 
WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO MEMBERSHIP IN OTHER 
5 
VOLUNTARY PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS. 
THE 
6 
HOLDER OF SUCH CERTIFICATE OF SPECIALIZATION 
7 
MAY USE THE SPECIALIST TITLE IN THE SIGNING OF 
8 
RELEVANT PLANS AND DOCUMENTS. 
9 
10 
THE APOCE SHALL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO 
11 
SUSPEND 
OR 
REVOKE 
A 
CERTIFICATE 
OF 
12 
SPECIALIZATION PREVIOUSLY ISSUED ON GROUNDS 
13 
OF VIOLATION OF ANY OF THE PROVISION OF THIS 
14 
ACT." 
15 
16 
17 
"Section 13. Oath of Civil Engineers. - All successful candidates in 
18 
the examination shall be required to take a professional oath before 
19 
the Board Examiners of Civil Engineers or other government 
20 
officials authorized to administer oaths, prior to entering upon the 
21 
practice of the civil engineering profession. ALL REGISTERED 
22 
CIVIL ENGINEERS SHALL ALSO TAKE THEIR OATH AS 
23 
MEMBERS 
OF THE 
ACCREDITED 
PROFESSIONAL 
24 
ORGANIZATION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS (APOCE) AND 
25 
SHALL COMPLY WITH ALL THEIR MEMBERSHIP 
26 
REQUIREMENT." 
27 
28 
29 
"Section 16. Refusal to Issue Certificate - The Board of Examiners 
30 
for Civil Engineers shall not Issue a certificate to any person 
31 
convicted by a court of a competent jurisdiction of any criminal 
32 
offense involving moral turpitude, or to any person guilty 
of 
33 
immoral or dishonorable conduct, or to any person of unsound 
34 
mind. THE BOARD SHALL NOT ISSUE A CERTIFICATE 
35 
TO ANY PERSON WHO IS NOT A MEMBER OF GOOD 
36 
STANDING OF THE APOCE. In the vent of a refusal to issue a 
37 
certificate to any person, the Board shall give to the applicant a 
38 
written statement setting forth its reason for such action, which 
39 
statement shaH be incorporated in the records of the Board." 
40 
41 
42 
"Section 19. Transitory Provisions. As soon as this Act takes effect, 
43 
any person desiring to practice the profession of civil engineering 
44 
shall be required.to obtain a certificate of registration in the manner 
45 
and under the conditions hereinafter provided. All civil engineers 
46 
duly licensed under the provisions of Act Numbered Twenty-nine 
47 
hundred and eighty-five, as amended, at the time this Act takes 
48 
effect, shall be automatically registered under the provisions hereof. 
49 
Certificates of registration held by such persons in good standing 
50 
shaH have the same force and effect as though the same have been 
51 
issued under the provisions of this Act. 
CERTIFICATES OF 
52 
SPECIALIZATION 
ISSUED 
TO REGISTERED 
CIVIL 
53 
ENGINEER 
BY 
THE 
. BOARD 
OR 
ACCREDITED 
54 
PROFESSIONAL 
ORGANIZATION 
FOR 
CIVIL 
3 


.' 
I 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
ENGINEERING (APOCE) HELD BY SUCH PERSONS IN 
GOOD STANDING SHALL HAVE THE SAME FORCE AND 
EFFECT AS THOUGH THE SAME HAVE BEEN ISSUED 
UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT." 
SEC. 2. 
Repealing Clause. - All other laws, decrees, presidential issuances, 
8 
proclamations, and administrative regulations inconsistent with or contrary to the 
9 
provisions of this Act are hereby amended, modified or repealed accordingly, 
10 
specifically, among others, Executive Order No. 495 dated 06 December 1992. 
11 
12 
SEC. 3. 
Separability Clause. - In the event that any provision of this Act is 
13 
declared void or unconstitntional such declaration shall not affect the validity of the 
14 
unaffected provisions of this Act. 
15 
16 
SEC. 4. 
Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
17 
after its complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
18 
Approved, 
4