Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Motes Manila
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No. 8777

INTRODUCED BY
REP. ALFRED VARGAS

AN ACT
REGULATING THE LICENSURE, EXAMINATION, AND PRACTICE OF
PHYSICAL THERAPY IN THE PHILIPPINES, AND APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘The changing health and demographic trends that involve increasing
prevalence of non-communicable diseases and population aging are already
contributing to the rapid increases in the number of people experiencing
declines in function globally. This puts to importance the role of physical
therapists as movement and rehabilitation experts to examine each person
and development a treatment plan to improve their ability to move, reduce
or manage pain, restore function, and prevent disability.

Republic Act No. 5680 also known as “An Act Creating the Board of
Examiners for Physical Therapists and Occupational Therapists”, was
enacted on June 21, 1969. As amended, this has been the governing law on
standardizing and regulating Physical Therapists for more than 51 years.

Despite Physical Therapy being part of the allied health sciences
recognized internationally, being a five-year degree in tertiary education, and
being recognized by the Department of Health (DOH) Disease Control and
Prevention Bureau for their contributions in health and wellness for persons
with disabilities and the elderly, the DOH has yet to list Physical Therapy in
the Medicine and Health Services Group or in any group under the Index of
Occupational Services (IOS) for local government units.

Many physical therapists in the country have been considering to take
independent practice or work abroad because of the lack of competitive
salaries, security of tenure, and government positions available. In tertiary
hospitals, there are no established physical therapist positions and most
physical therapists are given volunteer or admin aide positions.


This bill seeks to institutionalize, update and upgrade the definition,
provide a description of the role of physical therapists in local government
units, and to align the professions regulatory framework with local and
international standards of practice for physical therapy. In turn, this
proposed measure shall protect and uphold the welfare of Filipino physical
therapists and ensure that they are globally competitive to provide services
to those in need.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly
sought.

AL) VARGAS


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No. 8777

INTRODUCED BY
REP. ALFRED VARGAS

AN ACT
REGULATING THE LICENSURE, EXAMINATION, AND PRACTICE OF
PHYSICAL THERAPY IN THE PHILIPPINES, AND APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

ARTICLE I
TITLE, DECLARATION OF POLICY, OBJECTIVES
AND DEFINITION OF TERMS

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “The Philippine
Physical Therapy Profession Act”.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State recognizes the importance
of physical therapy and physical therapists in nation building. Hence, it
shall develop and nurture competent, virtuous, productive, and well-
rounded physical therapists whose standards of practice and service shall
be excellent, world-class, and globally competitive through inviolable,
honest, effective, and credible licensure examinations and through
regulatory measures, programs, and activities that foster their continuing
professional growth. The State shall also establish quality standards for
physical therapists in linking Primary Health Care to community-based
rehabilitation and public health.

SECTION. 3. Objectives. — The Act provides for and shall govern:
a) the administration and conduct of licensure examination, and
registration and licensing of physical therapist;


b) the supervision and regulation of the practice of the physical therapy
in the Philippines; and

c) the upgrading of the physical therapy profession.

SECTION 4. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following
terms shall mean:

a) Accreditation — is a type of quality assurance process that utilizes
all aspects of review and assessment according to pre-defined
standards. Accreditation may be applied to physical therapy education
programmes or a programme of physical therapy service delivery;

b) Autonomy — is the ability of a reflective practitioner to make
independent judgments; open to initiate, terminate, or alter physical
therapy intervention. It means the responsibility of the professional to
manage his/her practice independently and to act according to the
rules of ethics and the code of professional conduct within a
framework of health legislation. Professional autonomy is usually
stated in the law, regulation, directives or rules governing the scope of
practice;

i, Clinical autonomy: Responsibility of the practitioner to decide
the programme of intervention and its modalities based on the
diagnosis that he/she makes;

ii, Management autonomy: Responsibility of the professional to
manage his/her practice independently;

iii, Professional autonomy: is usually stated in the law,
regulation, directives or rules. It means the responsibility of the
professional to make decisions regarding the management of a
patient/client based on one’s own professional knowledge and
expertise to manage his/her practice independently and to act
according to the rules of ethics and the code of professional
conduct within the framework of health legislation;

°)

Advanced scope of practice — physical therapists may develop a
scope of practice beyond the usual and customary physical therapist’s
practice as a result of attaining significant additional education,
professional experience, and/or enhanced _ competencies.
Specialization is an example of advanced scope of practice;

d) Accredited and Integrated Professional Organization (AIPO) -
refers to an integrated national organization, association, or society
that is granted accreditation by the Board and the Commission as the
Accredited Integrated Professional Organization of Physical Therapists;

e) Direct access — the patient/client directly asks the physical


h)

i)

therapist to provide services (the patient refers themselves) and the
physical therapist freely decides his conduct and takes full
responsibility for it. Also, the physical therapist has direct access to
patients/clients and determines their need for the physical therapist’s
examination/assessment and intervention/treatment without referral
from a third party.

Physical therapy is the set of services provided by physical therapists
to individuals and populations to develop, maintain and restore
maximum movement and functional ability throughout the lifespan.
The service is provided in circumstances where movement and
function are threatened by ageing, injury, pain, diseases, disorders,
conditions or environmental factors and with the understanding that
functional movement is central to what it means to be healthy.

Physical therapy involves the interaction between the physical
therapist, patients/clients, other health professionals, families, care
givers and communities in a process where movement potential is
examined/assessed and goals are agreed upon, using knowledge and
skills unique to physical therapists;

Physical Therapist is a person, having acquired a bachelor’s degree
in Physical Therapy is qualified through in-service training and
practical experience in the application of in carrying out the programs
and services within the spheres of promotion, prevention,
treatment/intervention, habilitation and rehabilitation. These spheres
encompass physical, psychological, emotional, and social wellbeing;

Health promotion — is the combination of educational and
environmental supports for actions and conditions of living conducive
to health. The purpose of health promotion is to enable people to gain
greater control over the determinants of their own health. 14 Health
promotion represents a comprehensive social and political process, it
not only embraces actions directed at strengthening the skills and
capabilities of individuals, but also action directed towards changing
social, environmental and economic conditions so as to alleviate their
impact on public and individual health. Health promotion, and the
associated efforts put into education, community development, policy,
legislation and regulation, are equally valid for prevention of
communicable diseases, injury and violence, and mental problems, as
they are for prevention of non-communicable diseases;

Self-referral — “Patients are able to refer themselves to a therapist
without having to see anyone else first, or without being told to refer
themselves by a health professional. This can relate to telephone, IT or
face-to-face service

Specialization — physical therapist specialization is the result of
advanced knowledge, skills and competence attained by a physical


therapist qualified in a specific area, within the scope of practice
recognized as physical therapy. This usually results from defined
training and educational pathways, associated with a formal process
for testing and recognizing the advanced level acquired;

k) Specialist physical therapist — is a physical therapist who has
formally demonstrated advanced clinical competence in a defined
specialty area within the scope of practice recognized as physical
therapy. A specialist physical therapist would be expected to practice
and/or teach in the specialty area of clinical practice and also to be
involved in evaluation and practice/service development and to
contribute to the body of knowledge relevant to their practice setting;

1) Primary health care — is the first level of contact of individuals, the
family and community with a nation’s health system bringing health
services as close as possible to where people live and work, and
constitutes the first element of a continuing health service process. It
is an essential health service based on practical, scientifically sound
and socially acceptable methods and technology made universally
accessible to individuals and families in the community;

m) Scope of Examination - refers to the range of topics or subjects
provided by the Board in the syllabi of the four areas of scope of
examination for physical therapy professionals in Sections 9 (m) and
15 of this Act.

SECTION 5. Scope and Practice of the Physical Therapy Profession. -
The scope and practice of the Physical Therapy profession is the application
of physical therapist’s extensive knowledge of the body and its movement
needs and potential is central to determining strategies for diagnosis and
intervention. The practice settings will vary according to whether the
physical therapy is concerned with health promotion, prevention,
treatment/intervention, habilitation or rehabilitation.

The scope of physical therapist practice is not limited to direct
patient/client care, but also includes: public health strategies, advocating
for patients/clients and for health, supervising and delegating to others,
leading, managing, teaching, research, developing and implementing health
policy at the local, national and international levels.

Physical therapists operate as independent practitioners as well as
members of health service provider teams. They are able to act as first
contact practitioners, and patients/clients may seek direct services without
referral from another health professional for the following purposes:

a) promoting the health and wellbeing of individuals and the general
public/society, emphasizing the importance of physical activity and
exercise;

b) preventing impairments, activity limitations, participatory restrictions
and disabilities in individuals at risk of altered movement behaviours


due to health factors, socio-economic stressors, environmental factors
and lifestyle factors;

©) providing interventions/treatment to restore integrity of body systems
essential to movement, maximize function and recuperation, minimize
incapacity, and enhance the quality of life, independent living and
workability in individuals and groups of individuals with altered
movement behaviours resulting from impairments, activity limitations,
participatory restrictions and disabilities

d) modifying environmental, home and work access and barriers to
ensure full participation in one’s normal and expected societal roles

The education and clinical practice of physical therapists will vary according
to the social, economic, cultural and political contexts in which they
practice. However, it is a single profession, and the first professional
qualification, obtained in any country, represents the completion of a
curriculum that qualifies the physical therapist to use the professional title
and to practice as an independent professional.

ARTICLE I
CREATION OF THE PROFESSIONAL REGULATORY
BOARD OF PHYSICAL THERAPY

SECTION 6. Creation and Composition of the Professional Regulatory
Board of Physical Therapy. - There is hereby created a Professional
Regulatory Board of Physical Therapy to be composed of a Chairperson and
three (3) Members, each Member representing one of the four (4) fields of
specialization listed in Section 15, Article III, hereof, to be appointed by the
President of the Philippines from a list of three (3) recommendees of the
Professional Regulation Commission for each position chosen from a list of
four nominees for each position submitted by the Accredited Integrated
Professional Organization of physical therapist. Provided, that a member
representing a field of specialization has at least a bachelor’s degree in that
particular field of specialization. The new Board shall be constituted within
three (3) months from the effectivity of this Act.

‘The Chairperson and the three (3) Members of the Board must be registered
professionals and issued with certificates of registration and professional
identification cards at the time of their appointment.

SECTION 7. Qualifications of Board Members. - The Chairperson and
Members of the Board, at the time of their appointment, must possess the
following qualifications:
a) Must be a natural-bom citizen and resident of the Philippines for at
least 5 years;
b) Must be at least forty years of age;
c) Must be of proven integrity and of high moral and ethical values in
his/her personal as well as professional conduct;
d) Must not have been convicted by a court in a final judgment in crime
involving moral turpitude;


Must be a holder of a Bachelor’s degree in the field of physical

therapy, or a holder of a Master or Doctorate degree in the field of

physical therapy from a school, college, or university recognized by the

Government or abroad, and has been engaged in the practice of

physical therapy profession for at least five (5) years before his/her

appointment;

f) Must not be connected with any school, college or university granting
a degree, or review center, that qualifies graduates of such degree for
admission to the licensure examination for physical therapy; and

g) Must not be an incumbent officer or trustee of the accredited
professional organization for physical therapists and in good standing

h) A duly registered physical therapist under this Act with a valid

certificate of registration and professional license and identification

card.

e)

SECTION 8. Term of Office. - The Chairperson and Members of the Board
shall hold office for a term of three (3) years or until their successors shall
have been qualified and appointed. They may, however, be appointed for a
second term. Any vacancy in the Board shall be filled for the unexpired
portion of the term only. Each member shall take an oath of office prior to
the assumption of duties.

‘The incumbent Chairperson and Members shall continue to serve until their
replacements shall have been appointed and qualified.

SECTION 9. Powers and Functions of the Board. - The Board shall have

the following powers and functions:

a) Promulgate, adopt and issue rules and regulations to carry out the
provisions of this Act;

Give and supervise the licensure examination for admission to the

practice of the physical therapy profession;

c) Supervise and regulate the licensure, registration and practice of the

physical therapy profession;

Administer the oath of a professional to the successful examinees in

the licensure examination for physical therapist in appropriate mass

oath-taking ceremonies to be held for the purpose;

Register and issue certificates of registration to successful examinees

in licensure examinations for physical therapists and to persons

qualified to register as physical therapists without examination;

f) Suspend or revoke the certificate, reinstate of registration, license and
professional identification card of a physical therapist for causes
provided herein;

g) Adopt an official seal of the Board as well as the seal of physical
therapy;

h) Adopt and promulgate a Code of Ethics for Physical Therapist and a

Code of Professional Standards for the Practice of the Physical

Therapy profession; endorsed by the accredited and integrated

professional organization of physical therapists;

Look into the conditions affecting the practice of the physical therapy

profession and whenever necessary, adopt measures as may be

b)

d)

e

i)


deemed appropriate for the enhancement or maintenance of high
professional and ethical standards of the practice of the physical
therapy profession;

j) Ensure, in coordination with the Commission on Higher Education
(CHED), that all educational institutions offering courses in physical
therapy education comply with the policies, standards and
requirements of the course prescribed by the CHED in the areas of
curriculum, faculty, library and facilities as well as to conform itself
with the Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF) necessary for
education and training provisions in the conformance towards
learning outcomes;

k) Hear/try and decide administrative cases involving violations of the
provisions of this Act and its Implementing Rules and Regulations
including the Code of Ethics for Physical Therapy and Code of
Professional Standards for the Practice of Physical Therapy Profession
and, for this purpose, issue subpoena and subpoena duces tecum to
secure the appearance of witnesses and the production of documents
and to testify in connection herewith;

1) Enforce compliance with the Continuing Professional Development Act
of 2016 otherwise known as Republic Act 10912. The CPD law shall
be mandatory for all physical therapists in coordination with the
accredited national association of physical therapy;

m) Prepare, adopt and issue, in consultation with the academe, specialist

physical therapist the syllabi or tables of specification of the subjects

for the licensure examinations and to amend the same;

Issue special permits to persons admitted to the practice of physical

therapy for a specific duration of time, and TESDA and DOH

certificate of registration and accreditation / recognition for advance
studies, researches and accomplishments that contribute to the
enrichment of the profession; and

Discharge and perform such other duties and functions as may be

necessary to carry out the objectives and purposes of this Act.

Except matters which are ministerial in nature, all policies and

functions of the Board embodied in resolutions as well as rules and

regulations issued by the Board shall be subject to the review and
approval of the Commission.

n)

0)

P

SECTION 10. Compensation and Allowance of the Chairperson and
Members of the Board. - The Chairperson and Members of the Board shall
receive compensation and allowances comparable to the compensation and
allowances received by the Chairpersons and Members of other Professional
Regulatory Boards.

SECTION 11. Removal and Suspension of the Chairperson and Members

of the Board. - The President may, upon recommendation of the
Commission, remove any Member of the Board for any of the following
causes:

a) Negligence;
b) Incompetence;


c) Immoral, dishonorable or unprofessional conduct;

d) Violation of, or abetting the violation of, the Professional Standards or
Code of Ethics for Physical Therapists; and/or

e) Conviction in a final judgment of a crime involving moral turpitude.

a) The right of the respondent to due process and be assisted by counsel
in an investigation shall be respected and upheld, The President may,
also upon recommendation of the Commission, preventively suspend a
Member under administrative investigation.

SECTION 12. Supervision of the Board, Custodian of its Records,
Secretarial and Support Services. — The Board shall be under the general
supervision and administrative control of the Commission. All records of the
Board including applications for examination, examination papers and
results, minutes of deliberation, administrative cases and other
investigations involving examinees and physical therapists shall be kept and
subject to the disposition of the Commission.

The Commission shall provide secretariat and support services to the Board
for the efficient and effective implementation of the provisions of this Act.

SECTION 13. Annual Report. - The Board shall, at the close of each
calendar year, submit an annual report to the Commission, of its
proceedings and accomplishments during the year and make
recommendations for the adoption of measures that will upgrade the
conditions affecting the practice of the physical therapy profession in the
Philippines.

ARTICLE Il
LICENSURE EXAMINATION AND REGISTRATION

SECTION 14. Licensure Examination. — All applicants for registration for
the practice of physical therapy shall be required to undergo and pass a
written examination as provided in this Act except those who qualify for
registration under Section 26 of this Act. The licensure examination for
physical therapy professionals shall be given by the Board in such places
and dates the Commission may designate subject to compliance with the
requirements prescribed by the Commission.

SECTION 15. Scope of Examination. - The examination for Physical
Therapy professionals shall basically cover the following fields:
a) Physical Therapy Application 1
b) Physical Therapy Application 2
* PT in Special Population
* PT in Pediatrics
© PT in Geriatrics
* PT in CBR and Public Health linking to Primary Health Care
©) Physical Therapy Application 3
* Professional Ethics


* Organization, Management
* Research
d) Physical Therapy Application 4

‘The Board, subject to the approval by the Commission, may revise or
exclude any of the subjects or add new ones as the need arises, and may
adjust or modify the percentage and in conformity with the latest
developments in the profession here and abroad.

SECTION 16. Qualifications of Applicants for Examination. - Each
applicant for examination shall establish to the satisfaction of the Board
that:
a) He/she is citizen of the Philippines subject to the provision on
reciprocity as contained hereunder;
b) He/she is of good moral character and must not have been convicted
of any crime involving moral turpitude; and
c) He/she is a graduate of at least a Bachelor of Science in Physical
‘Therapy degree or its equivalent degree as determined by the Board
from a school, college or university established and recognized by the
Government, or a recognized university abroad whose physical
therapy is recognized by the CHED.

SECTION 17. Fraudulent Application. - The Board may suspend or revoke
a certificate of registration and professional identification card already
issued, if a registrant has been proved or found to have made
misrepresentation/s in his application for examination.

SECTION 18. Rating in the Board Examination. - To pass the licensure
examination for physical therapy professionals, a candidate must obtain a
weighted general average rating of seventy-five percent (75%) and with no
grade lower than sixty percent (60%) in any given subjects. However, if an
examinee obtained a general weighted average rating of seventy-five percent
(75%) or higher but obtained a rating below sixty percent (60%) in any given
subject/s, he/she shall be allowed to take the examination in the subject/s
where a grade below sixty percent (60%) was obtained.

SECTION 19. Report of Ratings. - The Board shall submit to the
Commission the rating obtained by each examinee in the licensure
examination within a period of ten (10) days after the examination in the last
subject unless extended by the Commission for just and valid cause/s.

SECTION 20. Report on the Performance of Examinees in Licensure
Examination. - The Board, through the Commission, may recommend to
the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) the following:

a) The schools, colleges or universities whose successful examinees in
three (3) consecutive licensure examination for Physical Therapist is
less than eight percent (8%) of the total number of its candidates who
took the licensure examinations shall be recommended for close
monitoring of their Physical Therapy program; and


b) The names of schools, colleges, or universities whose successful
examinees in five (5) successive licensure examination for Physical
Therapy is less than eight percent (8%) of the total number of its
examinees in each of the licensure examination taken, and their
physical therapy course/ program shall be recommended for closure.

SECTION 21. Issuance of Certificate of Registration and Professional
License, and Identification Card. — A certificate of registration shall be
issued to examinees who passed the licensure examination for physical
therapists, as well as to a person that qualified to register as physical
therapist without examination, subject to the payment of fees prescribed by
the Commission. The Certificate of Registration, and professional license
which indicates that the person named therein is entitled to practice as
physical therapist with all the benefits and privileges pertaining thereto,
shall bear the signature of the Chairperson of the Commission and the seal
of the Commission and the Board. The Certificate of Registration and
professional license shall remain in full force and effect until revoked or
suspended in accordance with this Act.

A Professional Identification Card bearing the registration number, and date
of issuance, shall be renewed every three (3) years and upon satisfying the
requirements of the Board and the Continuing Professional Development Act
of 2016 or RA 10912.

SECTION 22. Initials. - The initials PTRP, which stands for Physical
Therapists Registered Philippines, shall be used following the name of the
registered physical therapist, especially when signing documents pertinent
to the practice of the profession.

SECTION 23. Non-issuance of Certificate of Registration and
Professional Identification Card. - The Board shall not register and issue
a Certificate of Registration to any successful examinee that has been
convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction of any criminal offense
involving moral turpitude, or has been found guilty of immoral or
dishonorable conduct after investigation by the Board, or has been declared
to be of unsound mind. The reason for the refusal shall be set forth in
writing.

SECTION 24. Revocation or Suspension of the Certificate of
Registration, Professional Identification Card or Cancellation of Special
Temporary Permit. - The Board may, after giving proper notice of hearing
to the party concerned, revoke the Certificate of Registration and
Professional Identification Card of physical therapist or suspend him/her
from the practice of the profession or cancel the special temporary permit of
a foreign national for unprofessional or unethical conduct, malpractice,
negligence, incompetence, or violation of any of the provisions of this Act, its
Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), Code of Ethics and Code of
Professional Standards for physical therapist, and Code of Good
Governance.


SECTION 25. Reinstatement, Re-issuance, or Replacement of
Certificate of Registration, Professional License and Identification
Card. - The Board may, after two (2) years from the date of revocation of
Certificate of Registration, reinstate any revoked Certificate of Registration
and reissue a Professional License and Identification Card, Provided, that
the cause of disqualification or revocation has already ceased to exist.

A new certificate of registration, professional license, or special permit, to
replace lost, destroyed, or mutilated ones, may be issued subject to the rules
as implemented by the Board.

SECTION 26. Continuing Professional Development. - All physical
therapist shall abide by the requirements, rules, and regulation in the
Continuing Professional Development Act of 2016 or RA 10912 to be
promulgated by the PRC Regulatory Board, subject to the approval of the
Commission, in coordination with the AIPO for physical therapy and the
representative of duly accredited education institutions. For this purpose,
the Board may create a CPD Council to implement the CPD program subject
to the guidelines as may be issued by the Board.

SECTION 27. Registration and Accreditation of Physical therapy
without Examination. - Upon approval of the application and payment of
the prescribed fees, certificate of registration and professional identification
card shall be issued to the applicant for registration without examination
who can prove to the satisfaction of the Board that items a, b, or c below has
been met:

a) He/she has at least a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from a
school, college or university established or recognized by the
Government; Provided, That the applicant has passed any of the civil
service examination in physical therapy, or has been granted
equivalent to second level eligibility by the Civil Service Commission
by virtue of PD 907, or passed the Career Service (Professional)
examination given by the Civil Service Commission; Provided further,
That the applicant has served the physical therapy industry in public
or private capacity for five (5) years before the effectivity of Republic
Act 8550;

b) He/she has a graduate degree (master or doctorate) in physical

therapy, or closely related fields such as community development,
public health, public administration and management from a school,
college or university, established or recognized by the Government:
Provided, That the applicant has served the health and social
industry in public or private capacity for at least ten (10) years;
Provided further, That the applicant has published five (5) research
and highly technical papers in reputable journals, books and
proceedings within the ten-year service in physical therapy;
He/she is a graduate of at least a bachelor’s degree in physical
therapy from a school, college or university, established or recognized
by the Government; Provided, That the applicant has served the
company (private sector) for a total of ten (10) years;

°)


Provided further, That he/she can show proof of achievements, awards,
commendations, or promotions of deserving performance and has published
at least two (2) technical papers in physical therapy.

The applicants are given one (1) year after the approval and publication of
the Implementing Rules and Regulations of this Act to register as physical
therapy without examination.

SECTION 28. Roster of Physical therapists. - The Board, in coordination
with the Accredited and Integrated Professional Organization, shall prepare,
update and maintain a Roster of physical therapists, their residence and
office addresses, dates of registration or issuance of certificate, and other
data which the Board may deem relevant.

The roster shall be open to the public, copies of which shall be made
available to any party subject to the guidelines which may be prescribed by
the Commission.

SECTION 29. Issuance of Special Temporary Permit. - Upon application
and payment of the required fee and subject to the approval of the
Commission, the Board may issue special temporary permits to physical
therapists from foreign countries whose services are urgently needed in the
absence or inadequacy of physical therapist for the purpose of promoting or
enhancing the practice of the physical therapy profession in the Philippines
to the following persons:

a) Foreign-licensed physical therapists called for consultation or a
specified purpose that is deemed essential to national development:
Provided, That the practice shall be limited only for the particular
work being engaged: Provided, further, That there is no Filipino
therapist qualified for such consultation or purpose;

Foreign — licensed physical therapist whose service shall be free and
who are highly needed under particular settings;

Foreign-licensed physical therapists engaged as professors, lecturers,
or critics in fields essential to occupational therapy education in the
Philippines, whose engagement is limited to teaching only; and
Foreign-licensed physical therapist recognized as an expert or
specialist whose service is deemed essential to the advancement of the
profession in the Philippines.

b}

eo)

dq)

The permit shall, among other things, include these limitations and
conditions: valid only for a period of not more than one (1) year subject to
renewal; the branch or specialty of physical therapy which the permit holder
can practice; and the specific place or places of practice such as clinic,
hospital, center, school/college/university offering the course of physical
therapy. The Board, subject to the approval by the Commission, shall
prescribe rule and regulations for the implementation of this particular
section.


SECTION 30. Foreign Reciprocity. — No foreign physical therapist shall be
given a certificate of registration/professional license and professional
identification card or be entitled to any of the privileges under this Act
unless the country of which the foreign physical therapy is a subject or
citizen specifically permits Filipino physical therapists to practice within its
territorial limits on the same basis as the subjects or citizens of said country
or state.

SECTION 31. Seal and Use of Seal. — Every Physical Therapist shall obtain
a seal of such design as the Board shall adopt and approve which shall be
impressed upon all documents, records, papers and/or instruments
prepared by/or under the direct supervision of or issued by a registered
Physical therapist only during the period of the validity of his professional
identification card.

SECTION 32. Indication of Number, Certificate of Registration,
Professional Tax Receipt, and APO Membership Official Receipt. - Every
registered physical therapist shall be required to indicate the number of his
certificate of registration, professional license and identification card, the
date of issuance and expiration of said card including the number of his
professional tax receipt, its date and place of issue, and AIPO Membership
Official Receipt Number on any and all documents that he signs, uses or
issues in connection with the practice of the physical therapy.

ARTICLE IV
PRACTICE OF THE PHYSICAL THERAPY

SECTION 33. Oath. - All successful examinees and those qualified for
registration without examination shall be required to take an oath of
profession before any member of the Board or any officer of the Commission
authorized by it, or any person authorized by law to administer oaths prior
to entering into the practice of the physical therapist.

SECTION 34. Acts Constituting the Practice of the Physical Therapist. -
Any single act or transaction embraced within the provision of Section 5
hereof shall constitute an act of engaging in the practice of the physical
therapy.

SECTION 35. Prohibition Against the Unauthorized Practice of the
Physical Therapist. — No person shall practice the physical therapy in the
Philippines or offer himself/herself as physical therapist, or use the title,
word, letter, figure or any sign tending to convey the impression that one is
a Physical Therapist, or advertise or indicate in any manner whatsoever that
one is qualified to practice the profession, unless he/she has satisfactorily
passed the Board licensure examination for physical therapy, or registered
as a physical therapist without examination, except as otherwise provided in
this Act, and is a holder of a valid Certificate of Registration and a
Professional Identification Card or a valid special temporary permit duly
issued to him/her by the Board and the Commission.


SECTION 36. Prohibition Against Corporate Practice. - The practice of
physical therapy is a professional service, admission to which shall be
determined upon basis of individual and personal qualification. No firm,
company, or association may be registered or licensed as such for the
practice of the physical therapy.

SECTION 37. Protection of Title. - No person shall practice or offer to be a
physical therapist, or use the title or word, letter, or any sign tending to
convey impression of being a physical therapist, nor advertise or indicate in
any manner whatsoever to be qualified to perform the work of a physical
therapist without passing the licensure examination given by the Board,
except as otherwise provided in this Act:

a) Engage in the practice of physical therapy by representing
himself/herself as a physical therapist without a valid registration,
professional license, or a valid temporary/special permit granted by
the Board pursuant to this Act;

Represent to be a physical therapist during the time that his/her
professional license is not valid or that his/her certificate of
registration has been suspended or revoked, or that his/her
temporary/special permit has been cancelled;

Allow anybody to use his/her certificate of registration and/or
professional license and/or temporary /special permit as a physical
therapist to enable such unqualified individual to engage in the
practice of physical therapy;

Use as his/her own the certificate of registration, professional license,
or temporary /special permit of another person; an

Violate any provision of the Code of Ethics as recommended by the
accredited national organization of physical therapists.

b)

°)

d)

¢)

SECTION 38. Prohibition Against Hiring Unlicensed Physical therapist.
— Government agencies, educational institutions, private corporations/
companies, and entrepreneurs in physical therapy are prohibited from
hiring unlicensed physical therapist whose work is defined in Section 5 of
this Act.

SECTION 39. Integration of Physical Therapists. — Physical Therapy
profession shall be integrated into one (1) national professional organization
of physical therapists which shall be duly registered with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC). The Board, subject to approval by the
Commission, shall accredit the said organization as the one and only
Accredited and Integrated Professional Organization (AIPO) of registered
physical therapists. All physical therapists whose names appear in the
Registry Book of Physical Therapists shall ipso facto or automatically
become members thereof and shall receive all the benefits and privileges
appurtenant thereto upon payment of AIPO membership fees and dues.

Membership in the Accredited Integrated Professional Organization (AIPO)


shall not be a bar to membership in other organizations of the physical
therapy profession.

SECTION 40. Code of Ethics and Professional Standards. - The Board
shall adopt and promulgate the Code of Ethics and the Code of Professional
Standards for Physical Therapists which shall be issued by the Accredited
Integrated Professional Organization (AIPO) of Physical Therapists.

SECTION 41. Vested Rights: Automatic Registration of Physical
Therapist. - All physical therapist who are registered and licensed under
Resolution at the time this Act takes effect shall automatically be registered
as physical therapists.

ARTICLE V
PENAL AND FINAL PROVISIONS

SECTION 42. Penal Provisions. — Any violation of this Act, including the
violations of the Implementing Rules and Regulations thereof, shall be meted
the penalty of a fine of not less than Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php 50,000.00)
or more than Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 500,000.00), or
imprisonment of not less than six (6) months, or both upon the discretion of
the court.

SECTION 43. Appropriation. - The Chairperson of the Professional
Regulation Commission shall immediately include in the Commission’s
programs the implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall be
included in the Annual General Appropriations Act and thereafter.

SECTION 44. Transitory Provision. - The existing Professional Board of
Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy shall continue to function in
the interim without another appointment until such time that the new and
separate Professional Regulatory Board of Physical Therapy shall have been
constituted pursuant to this Act.

SECTION 45. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within ninety (90)
days from the effectivity of this Act, the Chairperson of the Professional
Regulation Commission shall promulgate the implementing rules and
regulations, as well as the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice for
physical therapists, in coordination with other relevant stakeholders as may
be necessary to ensure the efficient and effective implementation of this Act.

SECTION 46. Separability Clause. - If any clause, sentence, paragraph, or
part of this Act shall be declared unconstitutional or invalid, such judgment
shall not affect, invalidate or impair any other part of this Act.

SECTION 47. Repealing Clause. The provisions of other laws, decrees,
executive orders, rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby
repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.


SECTION 48. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national
newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,