EXPLANATORY NOTE
The  Civil  Engineering  Law,  Republic Act  No.  544,  which  governs  the  practice  of civil
engineering in the Philippines, was last amended 54 years ago.
Since then, the number of registered civil engineers has grown to over 130,000 today.
A new role for the civil engineer has likewise evolved  in the light of globalization and  cross-
border  practice.     Whereas  before  the  civil  engineer   was  confined   to   the  application  of
technical   knowledge and skills in the successful implementation and completion of projects,
the  civil  engineer  is  now confronted  with  a  broader 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, therefore, seeks to achieve the following objectives: .
1.   To attune the law to the needs for national development;
2.   To  strengthen  the  profession  and  enable  the  civil  engineers  to  cope  with  the
formidable challenges brought about by globalization and cross-border practice;
3.   To continually upgrade the level of competence of the civil engineers through:
a.    peer recognition of specialization in civil engineering,
b.    continuing professional development, and
c.    strengthening of the accredited professional organization of civil engineers;
4.    To define more clearly the practice of civil engineering  in the Philippines by foreign
nationals;
5.   To make the law better serve and safeguard public interest by establishing a clear,
precise   and   practicable   delineation   of   professional   accountability   in   the   civil
engineering practice.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this Bill is earnestly sought.


NINETEENTH CONGRESS                  )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES    )
First Regular session                           )
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Introduced by Representative Rufus a. Rodriguez
House Bill No.  53 9 3
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 :
SECTION  1.   Sections 4,13,16 and  19 of Republic Act No.  544,  as amended,  are  hereby
further amended to read as follows:
"Section 4.  Powers and dufi.es of the Board. -The Board of Civil Engineers is
vested   with   authority,   conformable   with   the   provisions   of   this   Act,   to
administer oaths, issue, suspend and revoke certificates of registration for the
practice of civil engineering, [issue certificates of recognition to civil engineers
already  registered  under  this  Act  for  advanced  studies,   research,  and/or
highly  specialized  training  in  any  branch  of  civil  engineering,  subject  to  the
approval  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Public  Works  and   Communications,I  to
investigate such violations of this Act and the regulations, there under as may
come to the  knowledge  of the  Board  and,  for this  purpose,  issue  subpoena
and subpoena duces tecum  to secure appearance of witnesses in connection
with  the  charges  presented  to  the  Board,  to  inspect  at  least  once  a  year
educational  institutions  offering  courses  in  civil  engineering,  civil  engineering
works,  projects or corporations,  established  in  the  Philippines  and,  for safe-
guarding  of  life,  health  and  property,  to  discharge  such  other  powers  and
duties   as      may   affect   ethical   and   technological   standards   of   the   civil
engineering  profession  in  the  Philippines.    For  this  purpose  of this  act,  the
Director  of  the   Public  Works  and/or  his  authorized   representative  in  the
provinces and chartered cities shall  be ex-offi.c/.o agents of the Board and as
such  it shall  be their duty to help  in the enforcement of the  provisions of this
Act.
The  Board  may  [,  with  the  approval  of the  Secretary  of  Public  Works  and
Highways   and    Communications   issue]    PROMULGATE   such   rules   and
regulations as  may be deemed  necessary to  carry out the  provisions of this
act.     THE     CIVIL     ENGINEERING     CODE     AND     THE     MANUAL     OF
PROFESSIONAL  PRACTICE  OF  CIVIL  ENGINEERS  AS  PREPARED  BY
THE      ACCREDITED      PROFESSIONAL      ORGANIZATION      OF      CIVIL
ENGINEERS  (APOCE)  AND  APPROVED  BY  THE  BOARD,  SHALL  FORM
PART  OF THE  IMPLEMENTING  RULES AND  REGULATIONS.   The  Board
shall also adopt a code of ethics in the practice of civil engineering and have
an official seal to authenticate its official documents.
SECTION  4  (A;).     CERTIFICATE  OF  SPECIALIZATION  -  lN  OFTDER TO
ENCOURAGE   THE   CONTINUING    PROFESSIONAL    EDUCATION   AND
DEVELOPMENT             OF      REGISTERED      CIVIL      ENGINEERS,      THE


ACCREDITED   PROFESSIONAL  ORGANIZATION   OF  CIVIL   ENGINEERS
(APOCE)  BY  THE  PROFESSIONAL  REGULATION  COMMISSION  SHALL
BE VESTED WITH AUTHORITY CONFORMABLE WITH THE PROVISIONS
OF  THIS  ACT,  TO   ISSUE  A  CERTIFICATE  OF  SPECIALIZATION  TO  A
REGISTERED    CIVIL    ENGINEER    WHO    HAS    DEMONSTRATED    HIS
ADVANCED    KNOWLEDGE,    EXPERIENCE,    EDUCATION,    RESEARCH,
AND  TRAINING   IN  A  RECOGNIZED  BRANCH  OF  CIVIL  ENGINEERING;
PROVIDED,   THAT  AT  THE   INITIAL   EFFECTIVITY  OF  THIS   ACT,   THE
SPECIALIZATIONS  OF  PROJECT  MANAGEMENT  AND  CONSTRUCTION
ENGINEERING,      ENVIRONMENTAL      AND      ENERGY      ENGINEERING,
GEOTECHNICAL        ENGINEERING,        STRUCTURAL        ENGINEERING,
TRANSPORTATION  ENGINEERING,  AND  WATER  ENGINEERING  SHALL
BE     SO     RECOGNIZED.           PROVIDED     FURTHER,     THAT     OTHER
SPECIALIZATIONS    MAY   ADDITIONALLY    BE    RECOGNIZED    BY   THE
APOCE.    SPECIALISTS  IN  EACH  RECOGNIZED  BRANCH  MAY  FORM  A
SPECIALTY  ORGANIZATION  OF  CIVIL  ENGINEERS  (SOCE);  PROVIDED
FURTHER,     STILL,     THAT     THIS     SOCE     IS     AFFILIATED     TO     AND
RECOGNIZED  BY  THE  APOCE.     PROVIDED  FINALLY,  THAT  THERE  IS
ONLY    ONE    SOCE    FOR    EACH    RECOGNIZED    BRANCH    OF    CIVIL
ENGINEERING,   WITHOUT   PREJUDICE   TO   MEMBERSHIP   IN   OTHER
VOLUNTARY   PROFESSIONAL   ORGANIZATIONS.       THE   HOLDER   OF
SUCH  CERTIFICATE  OF  SPECIALIZATION  MAY  USE  THE  SPECIALIST
TITLE,   lN   ADDITION   TO  AND   NOT   REPLACING   HIS   CIVIL   ENGINEER
TITLE,  lN THE SIGNING OF RELEVANT PLANS AND DOCUMENTS.
THE APOCE  SHALL  HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO  SUSPEND  OR  REVOKE
A    CERTIFICATE     OF    SPECIALIZATION     PREVIOUSLY     ISSUED     ON
GROUNDS OF VIOLATION OF ANY OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT."
"Section   13.     Oath  of  C/.w./  Engt.neers.  -All  successful  candidates  in  the
examination shall be required to take a professional oath before the Board of
Civil  Engineers  or other government officials authorized  to administer oaths,
prior to entering  upon the  practice of the civil  engineering  profession.       ALL
REGISTERED  CIVIL  ENGINEERS  SHALL  ALSO  TAKE  THEIR  OATH  AS
MEMBERS  OF  THE  ACCREDITED  PROFESSIONAL  ORGANIZATION  OF
CIVIL   ENGINEERS   (APOCE)   AND   SHALL   COMPLY  WITH   ALL   THEIR
MEMBERSHIP   REQUIREMENTS.   ALL   REGISTERED   CIVIL   ENGINEERS
MUST  REMAIN  MEMBERS  IN  GOOD  STANDING  OF THE APOCE TO  BE
ABLE TO CONTINUE TO PRACTICE THE PROFESSION."
"Section  19.    Transi.tory Provt.st.ons -As  soon  as  this  Act takes  effect,  any
person   desiring   to   practice   the   profession   of   civil   engineering   shall   be
required  to  obtain  a  certificate  of  registration  in  the  manner  and  under  the
conditions  hereinafter  provided.    All  civil  engineers  duly  licensed  under  the
provisions   of   Act   Numbered   Twenty-nine   hundred   and   eighty-five,   as
amended,  at the time this Act takes effect,  shall  be  automatically  registered
under the provisions hereof.   Certificates of registration 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.     CERTIFICATES  OF
SPECIALIZATION  ISSUED  TO  REGISTERED  CIVIL  ENGINEERS  BY  THE
BOARD   OR  ACCREDITED   PROFESSIONAL   ORGANIZATION   OF   CIVIL
ENGINEERS  (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."


SECTION 2.   Separability Clause - Should  any provision of this Act or any part thereof be
declared  invalid,  the  other  provisions,  so far as they are  separable from  the  invalid  ones,
shall remain in full force of effect.
SECTION   3.       Repealing   Clause   -   All   other   laws,   decrees,   presidential   issuances,
proclamations,  and  administrative  regulations  inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions
of this Act are hereby amended, modified or repealed accordingly.
SECTION 4.   Effectivity Clause -This act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,