THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REP! 
First Regular Session 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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Introduced by Senator S. R. Osmeiia 111 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
According to Stephane Garelli of the Switzerland-based International 
Institute for Management Development (IMD), the world is moving into a 
knowledge-based economy and as a consequence, nations begin to develop 
policies to entice the best talents. “The battlefield for world competitiveness is 
moving to Bytes and Brains. In a Darwinian world, the winners are indeed the 
fastest and fittest to adapt.” 
In a recently released report, the United Nations Development Program’s 
Human Development Index, listed the Philippines among developing countries 
that are “dynamic adopters” in terms of technological achievements and 
capacities. 
In the UNDP’s new technology achievement index (TAI), the 
Philippines was at the no. 44 slot among 72 countries (both developed and 
developing economies) surveyed, under the “dynamic adopters” category which 
included 25 others. The country has also ranked no. 22 in UNDP’s list of 30 
leading exporters of high-tech products exceeding Israel, Hong Kong, Brazil and 
Indonesia. 
With the country’s base of high-tech products for exports and of high-level 
technical skills now much sought abroad, the government’s vision of a newly 
industrialized economy by the turn of the century has strong foundations. 
However, if these skilled individuals continue to find opportunities abroad more 
attractive, the vision may suffer the same fate that other good intentions in 
previous government encountered. 
In its recently released World Competitiveness Yearbook, IMD noted that 
the Philippines has been one of a few countries losing its technical people to the 
United States. The IMD report said that between 1994 and 1995, some 57,000 
Filipinos who hold higher education degrees were “imported” by the US. The 
average is nearly a thousand highly skilled individuals per year. 
Every year, more than 800,000 Filipinos leave for jobs abroad, according 
to data from Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), and the 
share of persons with higher education or with sophisticated technical skills has 
been growing in recent years. The Philippine economy benefits substantially 


from these through dollar remittances of Filipinos employed abroad. However, 
although remittances are a significant source of foreign exchange, the money is 
typically spent on consumer goods and adds little to an economy’s productive 
capacity. 
The proposed bill aims to tap the expertise of these overseas Filipino 
professionals to help accelerate economic development of the country in order to 
meet the goals for the next millennium. It provides for the methodologies by 
which these overseas Filipinos may concretely assist in Philippine development 
processes, notably in the areas of transfer and exchange of technology. 
Moreover, it is worth mentioning that their burning desire to come back to their 
land of birth is coupled with their ardent desire to contribute their share in the 
development and progress of our country. Hence, by allowing them to practice 
in the Philippines, we give them an opportunity to render service to their 
motherland where their skills and expertise will be most needed and welcomed. 
Senator 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS F THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINE 
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First Regular Session 
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S E N A T  
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S. No. 
Introduced by Senator S. R. OsmeAa 111 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE TRANSFER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND 
THE PRACTICE OF PROFESSIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES BY OVERSEAS 
FILIPINO PROFESSIONALS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 
Philippine in Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 7. Policy Declarafion - Science and technology is essential in 
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national development and progress. 
In pursuance of this objective, the 
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Government shall enlist the participation of Filipino overseas, particularly high 
level scientists and professionals in various technical fields, and shall provide 
proper incentives and programs so as to secure their services in priority 
development areas of the public and private sectors, with the view of promoting 
information exchange and contributing to the modernization and industrialization 
of the country. 
SEC. 2. lncenfives - Given the significance of upgrading technologies 
and the productivity of the people in pursuit of national economic development, 
the Government shall develop and provide adequate incentives to Filipino 
expatriates whose expertise and training can play a vital role in the 
industrialization efforts of the country. 


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SEC. 3. lrnplernenfafion - The Department of Science and Technology 
and the Department of Foreign Affairs shall develop and implement appropriate 
measures to ensure attainment of this Act, to include the Balik Scientist Program 
under Executive Order No. 143, as certified by the Department of Science and 
Technology. 
SEC. 4. Practice of Overseas Professionals in fhe Philippines - The 
Professional Regulation Commission, may upon recommendation of the 
concerned Professional Regulatory Board, authorize the registration without 
examination, and the issuance of a certificate of registration and a professional 
license to any Filipino whether or not he has lost his citizenship when he was 
overseas, who has been in the practice of his profession in a foreign country or 
state, subject to the provisions of this Act. 
SEC. 5. Qudificafions - For the registration without examination and 
the issuance of a certificate of registration and a professional license under this 
Act, the applicant must submit proof that: 
(a) He is a natural-born Filipino, as shown by his birth certificate as a 
Filipino or other documentation as may be required, whether or not 
he has lost his Philippine citizenship when he went overseas; 
(b) He is’at least twenty-seven years of age; 
(c) He is registered and holder of a valid certificate of registration and/or 
valid professional license to practice his profession issued by the 
government body concerned in a foreign country or state whose 
requirements for registration or licensing are substantially the same 
as those required and contemplated by the Philippines laws; 
(d) He has been in the practice of his profession in the country or state 
mentioned in paragraph (c) of this Section for at least five (5) years 
immediately preceding his application; and 


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(e) He is a person of good moral character, and he has not been 
convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude; nor sanctioned 
administratively by any government instrumentality including the body 
that regulates the practice of his profession. 
SEC. 6, Requirements - The applicant shall file an application under 
oath stating his personal circumstances, his intention to practice in the 
Philippines and the Office address that he will be using, and his undertaking to 
abide by all regulations pertaining to the practice of the profession in the 
Philippines. 
SE C. 7. lmplementing Guidelines - All concerned Departments and 
agencies, particularly the Department of Science and Technology, Department of 
Foreign Affairs, and the Professional Regulation Commission, shall within ninety 
(90) days upon this Act’s approval, promulgate the necessary guidelines to put 
into effect the purposes and provisions of this Act. 
SEC. 
8. 
Repealing Clause - All laws which are inconsistent and 
contrary to the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed. 
SEC. 9. EHectivity - This Act shall take effect fifteen (I 
5) days following 
its complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,