SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
Second Regular Session

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodrig
Representative Maximo B. Rodriquez, Jr.

4752

EXPLANATORY NOTE

House Bill No.

The Constitution, Article XII, Section 14, provides:

The sustained development of a reservoir of national talents
consisting of Filipino scientists, entrepreneurs, professionals,
managers, high-level technical manpower, and skilled workers
and craftsmen in all fields shall be promoted by the State.

In line with this Constitutional mandate, the professional regulatory laws of the forty
six professions under the Professional Regulation Commission created their respective
Professional Regulatory Boards to regulate the professions.

At present, the composition, functions and term of office of the Professional
Regulatory Boards set by their respective professional regulatory laws are varied, not
standardized and rationalized viz-a-viz the magnitude of professional regulatory works and
licensure examination given.

Moreover, the Professional Regulatory Boards play a pivotal and sensitive role in the
regulation of their respective professions and only highly qualified professional need to be
appointed through an improved nomination and selection process. They also need to be
empowered by providing them the appropriate compensation and benefit package,
administrative and funding support to efficiently and effectively carry-out their tasks.

Hence, this proposed legislation.

RUFUS B. RO! UEZ

MAXIMO B. woctioure, JR.



SIXTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
Second Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriquez, Jr.

House Bill No. 4752

AN ACT
PRESCRIBING THE RATIONAL COMPOSITION, POWERS AND FUNCTIONS AND
TERM OF OFFICE OF THE PROFESSIONAL REGULATORY BOARDS, THE MANNER
OF THEIR SELECTION, APPOINTMENT, COMPENSATION AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES

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

Section 1. Title, - This Act shall be known as the "Professional Regulatory Boards Act of
2014"

Section 2. Declaration of policy. It is hereby deciared a policy of the State to establish,
maintain, and support a credible and trustworthy licensure examination and effective and
efficient regulation and development of the practice of profession that will produce
Sompetent, proficient, virtuous, productive and well-rounded professionals for nation butlding
and global competitiveness.

Towards. this end the Professional Regulatory Boards, under the Professional
Regulation Commission, are hereby empowered fo effectively perform their tasks and that
their rational composition, powers and functions, term of office, manner of selection,
appointment and compensation are hereby prescribed and standardized

Section 3. Composition - All Professional Regulatory Boards of established professions
under the Professional Regulation Commission shall be composed of a Chairman and at
least two Members, except for professions such as accountancy, dentistry, marine deck
officer, marine engineer officer, medicine, midwifery, nursing, optometry, physical therapy
and occupational therapy, professional teachers, radiologic technology, real estate service,
and social work who have more than two members prescribed by their respective
professional regulatory law. The number of members of a Professional Regulatory Board
may be increased to a maximum of six (6) depending on the number of examinees and
professionals being regulated which shall be determined and fixed by the Professional
Regulation Commission.

Section 4. Term of Office, — The Chairmen and Members of the Professional Regulatory
Boards shall have a term of Office of three (3) years from the date of their appointment or
unti their successors shall have been qualified and appointed, and may be reappointed to
their positions for another term of three (3) years immediately after the expiry of their term,
Provided, That the holding of such position shall not be more than two (2) terms nor more
than six (6) years, whichever is longer; Provided further that the appointment to fill up the
unexpired term of a predecessor shall not be considered as a complete term; and Provided
Finally, that a Member who has served two terms can qualify to be promoted or appointed as
Chairman of the Professional Regulatory Board.


Section 5. Manner of Appointment - The Chairmen and Members of the Professional
Regulatory Boards shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines from a list of three
(3) recommendees for each position ranked by the Professional Regulation Commission
{eure list of five (6) nominees for each position submitted by the accredited professional
organization.

ion. rofessional Regulation Commission together with the Association of
professional Regulatory Board Members shall promulgate guidelines ane procedures on the
process of nomination and selection of Chairmen and Membsts of Professional Regulatory
Pee vlembers for appointment within 60 days after the approval of this Act.

Section 6, Powers and Functions, ~ The Professional Regulatory Boards shall have the
following powers and functions.

a) Tosupervise, oversee and reguiate the practice of their respective professions;

b) To promulgate rules and regulation and guidelines necessary in carrying out the
provisions of their respective professional regulatory laws,

c) To determine and evaluate the qualifications of the applicants for registration with or
without licensure examination;

4) Topreseribe the subjects in the licensure examinations, determine the syllabi of the

subjects and their relative weight, prepare, adopt, and amend its table of

Specifications, construct the test questions in the examinations, Eovre and rate the
eeeruination papers, and submit the examination resutts to the Commission,

@) To issue together with the Commission, certificates of realsvation and professional
Te ards to applicants who heve passed the licensure examinations of thelr
profession;

f) _Toissue special/ temporary permits to foreign professionals engineers to practice the
profession in the country;

g) To administer professional oaths and conduct individual and mass oath taking
activities for new professionals. Pursuant thereto, the Professional Regulatory
ace are authorized to collect and dispose reasonable oath taking fees neces&o°y

Hothe conduct of mass oath taking subject to the guidelines and procecires to be
promulgated by the Professional Regulatory Boards and the Professional Regulation
Commission,

h) To examine and monitor the conditions affecting the practice of their profession in

goordination with concemed government agencies and adopt measures for the

cpancement and maintenance of high professional, ethical and technical standards.

Ftreuant thereto, the Boards may inspect offices and establishments both public

and private where professionals practice or ought to practice their profession in

ander to determine and enforce compliance to the provisions of the respective
professional regulatory laws and issue Certificates of Compliance for the purpose,

i) In coordination with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), assess and assist
Te eorevelopment of appropriate curricular offerings by educational institwiots, He
Well as inspect the faciities, faculty, equipment and other aspects of offering
weucational program of their profession fo ensure compliance to quality requirements

of the profession;


j) To adopt a Code of Ethics and Professional and Technical Standards for the
practice of the profession, and coordinate and monitor its implementation;

k) To investigate, in accordance with the rules on administrative investigation
promulgated by the Professional Regulation Commission, violations of their
professional regulatory laws and its Implementing Rules and Regulations, the Code
of Ethics and the Professional and Technical Standards of their profession ,
administrative policies, orders and issuances promulgated by their respective
Professional Regulatory Boards;

1) To issue subpoena duces tecum to secure the attendance of witnesses or the
production of documents in connection with administrative cases before the Board;

m) To hear and decide administrative cases filed against professionals and firms and
offices both public and private employing professionals. The hearing shall be
presided by the chairman or a member of the Board with the assistance of an
attorney of the Commission. The decision of the Board may be appealed to the
Commission and to the Court within fifteen (15) days from notice, otherwise the
decision shall become final and executory;

n) To adopt an official seal of the Board and prescribe the seal of their respective
profession:

0) To submit an annual report on the proceedings and accomplishments during the year
and/ or recommendations of the Board to the Commission thirty (30) days after the
close of each calendar year;

p) To prosecute or institute criminal action against any violator of this Act and/ or the
rules and regulations of the Board;

q) To create a Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Council and prescribe
guidelines and criteria on the program in consultation with their respective integrated
and accredited professional organization and academe;

i) Issue a cease or desist order to any person, associations, partnership or corporation
engaged in violation of any provision of their respective professional regulatory law
and implementing rules and regulations;

s) To perform regulatory, administrative, and quasi-legislative functions as mandated
under RA. 8981, otherwise known as the PRC Modernization Act of 2000 and such
other functions as may be necessary in order to implement the provisions of this Act

Section 7. Compensation — The Chairman and Members of the Professional Regulatory
Boards shall receive compensation equivalent to Salary Grade 29 and Salary Grade 28
respectively. Provided, That they shall be entitled to leave benefits, year-end bonus,
representation and transportation allowance, other allowances and benefits provided under
existing laws, and retirement benefits provided under Republic Act No. 1568 as amended by
RA. No. 3595.

Section 8. Funding

1) The amount necessary to carry out this Act including the annual funding requirements
necessary for the operations of the Professional Regulatory Boards shall be incorporated
under the appropriation of the Professional Regulation Commission in the General
Appropriations Act; 2) The annual funding requirement for the implementation of this Act
shall be sourced from the annual income of the PRC.


Section 9. Implementing Rules and Regulation The Chairman of the Professional
Regulation Commission is hereby directed to take such steps as are necessary for the
immediate implementation of this Act

Section 10. Separabilty clause. If, for any reason, any part oF provision of this Act is
Seclared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected thereof
shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 11. Repealing clause. All laws, presidential decrees. executive orders, letters of
petructon and SUC charters contrary to or inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or
amended accordingly.

Section 12. Effectivity clause. This Act shall take effect immediately

Approved,