THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
1 
Second Regular Sessibn 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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6 ,rr , 
S E N A T E  
S. B. No. E 
q7"04 
Introduced by SENATOR EDGARDO J. ANGARA 
EZ~PLANATORY NOTE 
The new millennium poses bigger and even more difficult challenges. 
The increasing population puts more pressure on our natural resources. The 
twin demands of the environment and the people brings to fore the recognition 
of agroforestry as the key to resource rehabilitation, sustainable development 
and preservation of these natural resources. 
Interestingly, the Philippines is one of the first countries to practice 
agroforestry. For a country with an estimated twenty million (roughly 24%) of 
its population living in the uplands, the magnitude of the practice of 
agroforestry cannot be overstressed. As a land-use management system, 
agroforestry is new market opportunities, new business investments, 
sustainable agricultures, land stewardship, habitat for wildlife, improved water 
quality, and diversified farm income. 
In particular, agroforestry practices help landowners to diversify 
products, markets, and farm income; improve soil and water quality; reduce 
erosion, non-point source pollution and damage due to flooding; enhance land 
and aquatic habitats for fish and wildlife; and improve biodiversity while 
sustaining land resources for generations to come. A critical mass of quality 
agroforestry practitioners, therefore, is necessary to advance agroforestry 
systems and practices to a scale significant for improving the quality of lives in 
the upland and throughout the landscape. 
Yet, despite its irrefutable importance in the country's drive for 
sustainable agricultural development, agroforestry face a challenge in 
integrating itself as a profession / field of endeavor in the country's policies. To 
address the increasing demand for field technicians equipped with the needed 
agroforestry knowledge and skills, this unique field, which is neither 
Agriculture nor Forestry demand its recognition as a new and separate 
occupational cluster of study. 
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Although it has been considered as the main production technology I 
tool in the implementation of the Community-Based Forest Management 
Program as exemplified in Executive Order No. 263 series of 1995, and is 
among the fields of agriculture and fisheries that is exemplified in the 
Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA) of 1997, there is an 
evident lack of a governing body that will assess, evaluate, standardize, and 
enhance the Agroforestry curriculum. 
This brings to fore the necessity of this measure. 
It is envisioned that this bill would establish the distinct role of 
agroforestry as a science and as a profession in providing the farm households 
with stable and ready source of sufficient food to reduce the upland farmers’ 
food insecurity. After all, agroforestry is an essential part of the effort to feed 
the people in our uplands by allowing the production of “more food on less 
land and less labor.” 
Approval of the measure is earnestly sought. 
Senator 
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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
1 
Second Regular Session 
1 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
6 
Frri - I 
~7 
S. B. No. % 
qQo$ 
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR EDGARDO J. ANGARA 
AN ACT TO STANDARDIZE AND ENHANCE THE 
PRACTICE OF AGROFORESTRY IN THE COUNTRY, 
CREATING THE BOARD OF AGROFORESTRY 
UNDER THE PROFESSIONAL REGULATIONS COMMISSION, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 
Phil&pines in Congress duly assembled 
ARTICLE I 
TITLE, DECLARATION OF POLICY, OBJECTIVES 
AND SCOPE OF PRACTICE 
SEC. 1. 
Short Tide. This Act shall be known as the 'FMippiue 
Agrohresriy Act of 2006. 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. It is hereby declared the policy of the 
State to respond to the need of professionalizing the field of agroforestry in the 
country as a tool towards sustainable socio-economic development and 
environmental protection. 
Toward this end, the State shall establish and maintain a Board of 
Agroforestry that shall conduct, among others, a national board examination to 
all graduates of a four-year degree program in agroforestry or its equivalent, 
regulate, and sustain the practice of the profession for efficient and effective 
public service. 
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SEC 3. Objectives. This Act shall provide for and govern: 
a) The standardization and regulation of agroforestry education; 
b) The giving of licensure examinations to graduates of recognized 
agroforestry schools for the purpose of registration; 
The promotion and development of agroforestry research in the country; 
and 
The regulation, control, and supervision of the practice of Agroforestry 
in the Philippines. 
SEC. 4. Defitions. For purposes of this Act, 
“Board refers to the Professional Regulatory Board of Agroforestry, 
hereby created as the regulatory body, under the administrative, 
executive and policy supervision of the Professional Regulations 
Commission (PRC), for the practice of Agroforestry in the Philippines 
and tasked with powers, functions and responsibilities herein prescribed; 
“Commission ”refers to the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC), 
created under Republic Act No. 8981 or the “Professional Regulations 
Commission Modernization Act of 2000;” 
‘Xgroforester” refers to any person who has passed the licensure 
examination for the agroforestry professional administered by the 
BoardKommission, taken the oath of an Agroforester, and duly 
registered and issued with a certification of good standing and is allowed 
under this act to engage in or to perform activities, acts or services 
constituting the professional practice of agroforestry including those 
who hold a position in the government service or teaches subjects in 
schools, colleges or universities, requiring the knowledge of 
Agroforestry;’ 
‘Xgrohrestzf’refers to the science, arts and practice that deals with the 
production, arrangement and utilization of woody perennials in 
combination with other agricultural crops, animals, aquatic and /or 
other resources either zonal, mixed simultaneously or sequentially 
grown for the twin purpose of conservation and socio-economic 
productivity; and 
“Agrohresttyprofessiondpractice” 
refers to the activities, acts, services 
or pursuits exclusively performed by PRC registered and licensed 
professional agroforesters, the scope thereof is prescribed andor 
specified herein. 
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a) Preparation and certification of Agroforestry systems and interactive 
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diagnosis and design, feasibility studies, and specifications for the 
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production, harvesting, processing, utilization and marketing of woody 
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perennials and agricultural crops and or animals for multiple products 
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and services including conservation and cleaner production practices; 
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b) Development of management plans with a step-by-step time-line plans 
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with recommendations on appropriate species and strategies for the 
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unique site; a plan for long-term fertility management; for marketing 
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final products including budget and economic projections; farm and 
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pasture diversification plans of ranches, fruit growers and farms to 
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diversity products and integrate more tress into their plantings, with 
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appropriate species and techniques to support existing crops, reduce 
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expenses and increase the diversity and economic resiliency of the 
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project. These may include animal fodder, windbreaks, much bank, 
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shade integrated timber or native trees, and ma other practices; 
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c) Planning and implementation of agroforestry nurseries including seed 
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orchards, tissue-culture and clonal banks operations; soil and water 
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resources conservation measures’ conduct of environmental risk and 
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impact assessments and geospatioal analysis and management of 
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resources; and wood products manufacturing and marketing; 
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d) Provision of related activities or services such as the conduct of 
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agroforestry experiments, research, extension, development, training or 
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communications; the teaching of subjects in academic institutions ad for 
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licensure examinations in conformity with Section 11 of Republic Act 
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No 8981; undertaking, supervision and or administration of studies, 
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program, stations, center, community/ provincial/ regional/ national 
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offices of government agencies and institutions requiring agroforestry 
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professionals; technical or management consultants needed by or 
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required of local government units, private corporations, foundations, 
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non-government association and foreign assisted projects; and 
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SEC. 5. Scope ofpractice, The practice of Agroforestry shall include, but 
not be limited to, the following: 
e) All agroforestry concerns, projects, business activities or related services 
must be certified by a professional Agroforester before such will be 
accepted by any entity for registration, getting business permits or 
licenses in municipalities, any financial institutions, legal transactions 
and the like. Such requirement shall ensure that agroforestry activities 
will conform to the observance of the requirements of good agroforestry 
environmental protection, pollution prevention, conservation, health 
risk and cleaner production practices affecting the natural resources and 
the ecosystem. Furthermore, the certification of and by an Agroforester 
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on projects/ businesses is an evidence of careful studies made on the 
projects in accordance with Strategic Agriculture and Fisheries 
Development Zones (SAFDZs), the land use and zoning ordinances, 
protection of watersheds areas, the housing and land use regulations as 
provided for in Republic Act No. 8435 and other laws. 
ARTICLE I1 
PROFESSIONAL REGULATORY BOARD OF AGROFORESTRY 
SEC. 6. fie Professional Regulatory Board of Agroforestty and i& 
Composition. The Professional Regulatory Board of Agroforestry, hereinafter 
referred to as the 1Board, “under the supervision and administrative control of 
the Professional Regulation Commission, hereinafter referred to as the 
“Commksion, ”shall be composed of a Chairman and four (4) members, to be 
appointed by the President of the Philippines from a list of three (3) 
recommendees for each position and ranked by the Commission from a list of 
five (5) qualified nominees endorsed by the accredited professional 
organization of certified agroforesters, within ninety (90) working days after 
the approval of this Act. 
The Board shall elect a vice-chairman from among its members for a 
term of one (1) year. The Chairman shall preside in all meetings of the Board 
and in the event of a vacancy in the office of the chairman, the vice-chairman 
shall assume the post until such time as a chairman is appointed. 
SEC. 7. Qualifications of MembeIs of the Professional Regulatoqy Board. 
A member of the Board shall, at the time of his I her appointment, possess the 
following qualifications: 
a) Must be a natural-born citizen and resident of the Philippines; 
b) Must have engaged in the practice of Agroforestry for at least ten (10) 
years; 
c) Must be of good moral character and must not have been convicted of a 
crime involving moral turpitude; and 
d) Must not have any bcuniary interest, for a period of at least one (1) year 
prior to his or her appointment, directly or indirectly, in any school, 
college, university or institution conferring an academic degree 
necessary for admission to the practice of agroforestry or where review 
classes in preparation for the licensure examination are being offered or 
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conducted, nor shall he / she' be a member of the faculty or 
administration thereof at the time of his / her appointment to the Board. 
SEC. 8. Tern of Ofice. The chairman and members of the Board shall 
hold office for a term of three (3) years without prejudice for reappointment to 
another term, but in no case shall he/she serve continuously for more than six 
(6) years. 
At the expiration of the term of the Chairperson, the most senior of the 
remaining members of the Board shall assume and perform the duties and 
functions and receive the emoluments and entitlements of the Chairperson. 
The incumbent members of the Board shall continue to serve their respective 
remaining terms until their successors shall have been appointed and have 
qualified in accordance with this Act. 
SEC 9. PoweB and Functions of the Board, The Board shall exercise the 
following powers, functions and responsibilities, in addition to the pertinent 
general functions of the Commission under Republic Act 8981: 
To create a registry of agroforestry professionals in the country; 
To prepare, conduct and administer the agroforestry licensure 
examinations; 
To provide information and other educational materials, promotions and 
networking sewices to facilitate the activities of the Board; 
To hear and investigate cases, issue summons and subpoena duces tecum, 
and conduct summary proceedings in cases arising from violations of 
this Act: 
To suspend, revoke, reissue, reinstate certificates of registration or 
licenses for cause allowed by law; 
Subject to the approval of the Commission, to adopt and promulgate 
rules and regulations implementing this Act, including its Code of Ethics 
to effectively execute the provisions of this Act; and 
To exercise such other powers as may be provided by law as well as 
those which may be implied from, or which are necessary or incidental 
in carrying out the express powers granted to the Board to achieve the 
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SEC. IO. Ground for Suspembn or Removal of Memben of the Board 
The President of the Philippines, after due process has been undertaken by and 
upon recommendation of the Commission, may suspend or any member of the 
Board for cause on the following grounds: 
a) Neglect of duty or incompetence; 
b) Violation or tolerance of any violation of this Act or any of its 
c) Final judgment of a crime involving moral turpitude; 
d) Manipulation or rigging of the agroforestry licensure examination 
results, disclosure of secret and confidential information in the 
examination questions prior to the conduct of the said examination or 
tampering of grades; and 
implementing rules and regulations; 
e) Graft and Corruption. 
ARTICLE I11 
EXAMINATION, REGISTRATION AND LICENSURE 
SEC 11. IIThe Agroforestqy Licensure Examination. All applicants for 
registration for the practice of agroforestry shall be required to undergo a 
licensure examination to be given by the Board in such places and dates as the 
Commission may designate subject to the requirements prescribed by the 
Commission. 
SEC 12. Qualifications of Applicam for Examhation. Any person 
applying for examination shall establish, to the satisfaction of the Board, the 
following requisites: 
a) That he / she is a Filipino citizen and a resident of the Philippines; 
b) That he / she is of good moral character; 
c) That he / she is a holder of a. degree of Bachelor of Science in 
Agroforestry conferred by a school, college, or institute duly recognized 
and / or accredited by the CHED or other authorized government 
offices; and 
d) That he / she has not been convicted of an offense involving moral 
turpitude. 
SEC 13. Scope of E e a t i o n .  The licensure examination for licensed 
agroforesters shall cover, but are not limited to, the following subjects: 
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a) Crop Science in Agroforestry Systems; 
b) Animal Science in Agroforestry Systems; 
c) Integrated Pests and Disease Management; 
d) Soil Science and Water Conservation; 
e) Agroforestry Science and Technology system; and 
f) Applied Sociology and Extension. 
The Board, upon approval of the Commission, may revise or exclude any 
of the subjects and their syllabi, and add new ones as the need arises. 
SEC. 14. Rating in the Licensure hkmination. To qualify as having 
passed the licensure examination for agforesters, a candidate must obtain a 
general average of seventy five percent (75%), with no grade lower than sixty- 
five percent (65%) in any given subject. 
SEC.15. ReposofRating. The Board shall submit to the Commission the 
rating obtained by each candidate within ten (10) calendar days after the 
examination, unless extended for just cause. Upon the release of the results of 
the examination, the Commission shall send by mail the rating received by 
each examinee at his / her given address using the mailing envelope submitted 
during the examination. 
SEC. 16. Oath. All successful candidates in the examination shall 
required to take an oath of profession before any member of the Board or 
before any government official authorized of the Commission or any person 
authorized by law to administer oaths upon presentation of proof of hisher 
qualification, prior to entering upon the practice of the profession. 
SEC. 17. Issuance o f .  Ce&cate 
of Registration and Professianal 
Identification Card A certificate of registration shall be issued to examinees 
who passes the licensure examination subject to payment of fees prescribed by 
the Commission. The Certificate of Registration shall bear the signature of the 
chairperson of the Commission and the chairman and members of the Board, 
stamped with the official seal of the Commission and of the Board, indicating 
that the person named therein is entitled to the practice of the profession with 
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this Act. 
all the privileges appurtenant thereto. The said certificate shall remain in full 
force and effect until withdrawn, suspended or revoked in accordance with 
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A Professional Identification Card bearing the registration number date 
of issuance, expiry date, duly signed by the chairperson of the Commission, 
shall likewise be issued to every registrant renewable every three (3) years. 
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SEC 18. Roster of Licensed Agroforesters. A roster showing the names 
and place of business of all registered professional agroforesters shall be 
prepared and updated by the Board, and copies thereof shall be made available 
to any party as may deemed necessary. 
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her profession. 
SEC. 19. Indcation of CerLificate of Re@&ation, IdenLification Card and 
Professional Tax Receipt. The licensed Agroforester shall be required to 
indicate his / her certificate of registration number, the date of issuance, the 
duration of validity, including the Professional Tax Receipt number on the 
documents he / she signs, uses, or issues in connection with the practice of his / 
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SEC. 20. Refusal to Issue C&Zcate 
of Registration and Professional 
Identification Card. The Board shall not register and issue a certificate of 
registration and Professional Identification Card to any successful examinee 
convicted by the court of competent jurisdiction of a criminal offence 
involving moral turpitude or guilty of immoral and dishonorable conduct to 
any person or unsound mind. In the event of refusal to issue certificate for any 
reason, the Board shall give the applicant a written statement setting forth the 
reasons for such action, which statement shall be incorporated in the record of 
the Board. 
Sec. 21. Suspension and Revocation of Cerrifcate of Regismtion and 
Professional Identification Card and Cancellation of Special Penni?. The Board 
shall have the power, upon the notice and hearing, to suspend or revoke the 
practitioner’s certificate of registration and professional identification card or 
suspend hidher from .the practice of hidher profession or cancel hidher special 
permit for any of the causes or ground mentioned under Section 23 of this Act 
or any of the provisions of this Act, and its implementing rules and regulations, 
the certified Public Accountant’s Code of Ethics and the technical and 
professional standards of practice for certified public accountants. 
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SEC. 22. Reinstatement, Reissuance and Replacement of Revoked or 
Lost CeMcates. The Board may, after the expiration of two (2) years from the 
date of revocation of a certificate of registration and upon application and for 
reasons deemed proper and sufficient, reinstate the validity of a revoked 
certificate of registration and in so doing, may, in its discretion, exempt the 
applicant from taking another examination. 
A new certificate of registration to replace lost, destroyed, or mutilated 
certificateflicense may be issued, subject to the rules and promulgated by the 
Board and the' Commission, upon the payment of the required fees. 
ARTICLE IV 
PENAL AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS 
SEC. 23. Penal Provisions. Any person who shall practice the 
Agroforestery profession in the Philippines within the meaning of this Act 
without a certificate of registration and / or professional license in accordance 
herewith, or any person presenting or using as his / her own Certificate of 
Registration or professional licensure belonging to another, or any person 
giving any false or forged evidence to the Commission in order to secure a 
professional license, or any person assuming, using or advertising as a 
registered professional agroforester without having been conferred such title, 
or advertising any title description tending to convey the impression that he or 
she is a registered professional Agroforester, shal1,'upon conviction, by a fine of 
not less than Fifty Thousand Pesos (50,000.00) or by imprisonment for a period 
not exceeding two (2) years or both, at the discretion of the court. 
SEC. 24. EmpIoyment of Agrofhrestem in the Government. 
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furtherance of the national government's program for sustainable agricultural 
development, there is a need to adopt mechanisms for the placement and 
employment of agroforestry graduates in the government sector. 
Thus, it is hereby mandated that ,all municipalities with at least twenty 
per centum (20%) of the total upland area of the municipality shall create at 
least one (1) plantilla position for Agroforestry Officer at the Municipal 
Agriculturist Office, all provinces shall create at least one (1) plantilla position 
for Agroforestry Specialist at the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist. The 
aforesaid agroforestry plantilla positions shall be occupied by a professional 
Agroforester as defined in this Act. 
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Whenever necessary, national government agencies concerned in 
agroforestry-related activities may also create plantilla positions for 
agroforesters as they may deem appropriate. 
The Board shall initiate the development of a position classification 
standards to be led by the Civil Service Commission in collaboration with the 
Department of Agriculture, the Department of Interior and Local Government 
and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, one (1) year after 
the approval of this Act in accordance with existing Salary Standardization 
Laws. 
SEC. 25. Implementing Rules and Regulations. Within ninety (90) days 
after the effectivity of this Act, the Board, subject to the approval of the 
Commission and in coordination with accredited national professional 
organization of licensed agroforesters, shall adopt and promulgate the rules and 
regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
SEC. 26. Funding Provision. The chairperson of the Professional 
Regulation Commission shall immediately include in the Commission's 
programs the implementation of t h i s  Act, the funding of which shall be 
included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
SEC. 27. T r m 2 o y  ProviSon. The incumbent chairman and members of 
the Board shall continue to serve in their respective positions under the terms 
for they have been appointed under Presidential Decree No. 692, without the 
need of new appointments. 
All graduates with Bachelors Degree, Major in Agroforestry shall be 
allowed to take the Agroforestry Licensure Examination within two (2) years 
from the effectivity of this Act under the rules and regulations to be 
promulgated by the Board subject to the approval by the Commission. 
SEC 28. Foreign Reciprocity Except in the case of persons otherwise 
exempt under the provisions of this Act, no agroforester who is a citizen of a 
foreign country or a particular state shall be granted any of the rights of 
privilege under this Act, unless the country or state of which he is a subject or 
a citizen permits agroforesters who are Filipino citizens to practice within its. 
territorial limits on the same basis as the subjects or citizens of such country or 
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state but under the circumstances shall such a set-up be initiated by the 
Philippine Government. 
SEC. 29. Enforcement The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) 
shall be the enforcement agency of the Board. As such, the Commission shall 
implement the concerned provisions of this act, enforce its Implementing 
Rules and regulations (IRR) as adopted by the Board, conduct investigations of 
complaints including violations of the Code of EthicslConduct of the profession 
and prosecute when so warranted. If necessary, the Commission may seek the 
assistance of other duly constituted authorities in the enforcement of the law. 
SEC 30. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Act or an application 
thereof to any person or circumstance is held to be invalid, the other provisions 
of this Act, and the application of ,such provision to other persons or 
circumstances, shall not be affected thereby. 
SEC. 31. Repealing Clause. All existing laws, orders, rules and 
regulations or parts thereof deemed inconsistent with the provisions of this Act 
are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 32. E.etiviv. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following 
its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in any two (2) newspapers of 
general circulation, whichever comes first. 
Approved, 
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