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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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1 
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27 1'1 :20 
Second Regular Session 
SENATE 
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS G. ESCUDERO 
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 conskady challenged a0 design and build developments 
in a manner that i s  environmentally sound, socially acceptable, and globally 
competitive. 
This bill, with its proposed amendments of the taw, 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 Drofessional 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. 


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“7’1 
FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
~~V 29 
f’? 20 
Second Regulnr Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS G. ESCUDERO 
AN ACT 
FURTHER AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 544, 
AS 
AMENDED, OR THE CIVIL ENGINEERING LAW 
Be it eiiacted by the Senate and t k  House o ~ ~ e ~ ~ e ~ y ~ ~ a ~ ~ ~ e s  
ojaftfie Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Sectitions 2, 4, 13,16 and 19 of Republic Act No. 544, as 
amended, are hereby further amended to read as follows: 
”Section 2. Definition of Tzrms. 
(a) 
The practice of civil engineering within the meaning 
and intent of this Act shaIl embrace services in the form of 
consultation, design, ~
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estimates, erection, installation and supervision of the 
construction of streets, bridges, highways, railroads, 
airports and ha~gars, port warks, c ~ f i a k ~  
ri~er aad s h i ~ e  
~ ~ n p r o v e m e ~ ~ ,  
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and dry dtiock~; buildings, 
fixed structures for irrigation, flood protection, drainage, 
water supply and sewerage works; demolition of 
permanent structures; and t~nne%s. 
The e n u ~ ~ e ~ a ~ o ~  
of 
any work in this section shall not be construed as 
excluding any other work requiring civil engineering 
knowledge and appIkahion. 
(b) 
The term “civil engineer” as used in this act shall 
mean a person duly registered with the Foard for Civil 
Engineers in the manner as ~ n e r e ~ ~ ~ a ~ ~ e r  
provided. 
(C) 
ACCREDITED 
PROFESSIONAL 
ORGANIZATfON OF CIVIL 
~~~~~~~~~ 
(APOCE) 
SHALL MEAN THE ~~~~~~~~N~ 
~~~~~~~~~~ 
OF CIVIL 
P 4 G ~ N E E W  (PICE) WHICH 
1s THE 
OFFICIAL 
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OF ALL REGISTERED 
GIVE ~
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EM 
THE ~~~~~~~~~~.~ 
-45 
ACCREDITED 
v 
‘THE 
‘kS3I&)k%ilK& 
REGULATION COMMISSION.” 
. ~ . ~ “ i i p ~ s  - 
~~ 


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"Section 4. Pmoers and dillies of the Board. - The Board of 
Examiners 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 advance studies, research, and/or 
highly 
specialized training in any branch of civil engineering, 
subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Pubtic Works 
and Communications,] to investigate such violations of 
this Act and fie regulations, t h e r ~ u ~ ~ e ~  
as may come to 
the knowledge of the Board and, for this purpose, issue 
siibpoaia mid stibpoena duces fecurn 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, project or corporations, established in 
the Philippines and, for ~
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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 ~
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For the purpose 
of this act, khe Director of the Public Works and/or his 
authorized representative in the provinces and chartered 
cities shall be ex-oscio agents of the Board and as such 
shall be their duty to hetp in the enforcement of the 
provisions of this Act. 
The Board may[, with the approval of the Secretary of 
Public Works and Communications issue1 PROMULGXTE 
such rules and regulations as may be deemed necessary to 
carry out the provisions d this act. 
T H E  LATEST 
EDITION OF THE CIVIL E
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CODE, THE 
MANUAL OF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE OF CIVIL 
ENGINEERS AS PREPARED BY THE APOCE AND 
&& FORM PART OAF 
THE ~
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The Board shall also adopt a code of ethics in the practice 
of civil engineering and have an official seal to authenticate 
its official dOcUnI@nkL'" 
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RECOGNIZED BRANCH OF CIVIL ENGINEERING: 
PROVIDED, THAT AT THE INITIAL EFFECTIVITY OF 
THIS 
ACT, 
THE 
SPECIALIZATION 
OF 
CONSTRUCTION 
MANAGEMENT 
AND 
ENGINEERING, G ~ O ~ E C ~ N ~ ~ L  
ENGINEERING, 
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING, TYiANSPORTATION 
ENGINEERING, AND WATER RESOURCES AND 
HYDRAULICS 
ENGINEERING 
SHALL 
BE 
SO 
RECOGNIZED. 
PROVIDED FURTHER, 
OTHER 
SPECIALIZATION 
MAY 
ADDITIONALLY 
BE 
RECOGNIZED BY THE APOCE. SPECIALISTS IN 
EACH RECOGNIZED BRANCH MAY FORM A 
SPECtALTY ~ R ~ A N ~ ~ A ~ O N  
OF ClVIL ENGINEERS 
(SOCE): PROVIDED FURTHER THAT’ THIS SOCE IS 
AFFILIATED TO AND RECOGNIZED BY THE APOCE. 
PROVIDED FINALLY, THERE IS ONLY ONE SOCE 
FOR EACH ~
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BRBNCH OF CIVIL 
ENGINEERING, 
WITHOUT 
PREJUDICE 
TO 
MEMBERSHIP 
IN 
OTHER 
VOLUNTARY 
PROFESSIONAL ~ ~ ~ A N ~ ~ A ~ I O N ~ .  
T H E  HOLDER 
OF SUCH CERTIFICATE OF SPECIALIZATION MAY 
USE THE SPECIALIST TITLE IN 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 
PROVISION OF THIS ACT? 
“Section 13. 
Oath of Civil Engineers. - All successful 
candidates in the examination shaN be required to fake a 
professional oath before the Board Examiners 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 T H E  A ~ C R ~ ~ I ~ E D  
~ R O ~ E S S ~ ~ N A ~  
ORGANIZATION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS (APOCE) 
AND 
SHALL 
COMPLY 
WITH 
ALL 
THEIR 
MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENT.” 
‘*Section 16. Refusal fa Issue CertiJicute - The Board of 
Examiners for Civil Engineers sldI not ksue a certificate 
to any person convicted by a court- of a competent 
jurisdiction of any criminal offense involving moral 
htrpitude, or to any person guilty 
of immoral or 
dishdnorable C O ~ U C ~ ,  
QC to any ~ C T S Q ~  
of unsound mind. 
THE, BOARD SHALL NOT ISSUE A CERTIFICATE TO 
STANDING OF THE APOCE. In the vent of a refusal to 
issue a certificate to any person, the Board shall give to the 
ANY PERSON WHO rs NOT A MEMBER OF GOOD 
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applicant a written statement setting forth its reason for 
such action, which statement shall be incorporated in the 
records of the Board.‘‘ 
“Section 19. Trnnsitory Provisions. 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 CI\7IL 
ENGINEER 
BY THE BOARD OR ACCREDITED 
PROFESSIONAL 
ORGANIZATION 
FOR 
CIVIL 
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, proclamations, and administrative reguldtions inconsistent with or 
contrary to the provisions of this Act are hereby amended, modified or 
repealed accordingly, specifically, among others, Executive Order No. 495 
dated 06 December 1992, 
SEC. 3. 
Sepmnbifity Clause. - In the event that any provision of 
this Act is declared void or unconstitutional such declaration shall not affect 
the validity of the unaffected provisions of this Act 
SEC. 4. 
Eflictivify Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) 
days after its complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation. 
4