"HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES
RECEIVED

95 ull 2018
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES Dare: QO eh 2016

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES | TIM: é
Quezon City | By: Ziti — E |

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS REGISTRATION UNIT

First Regular rie 9 BILLS AND INDEX SERVICE

House Bill No. __~

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

EXPLAl RY NOTES
While the duty to regulate the practice of each profession is vested by law in the various
Professional Regulatory Boards (Boards) created to govern the different professions, the
complementary role of the professional organizations in this respect cannot be overemphasized.
Hence, our regulatory laws for the various professions define not only the mandate and functions
of the Boards but also those of the professional organizations to be accredited by the Professional
Regulation Commission (Commission) upon the recommendation by the Boards.

Included among these functions is their duty to submit nominations to vacancies in the Boards
pursuant to pertinent laws and regulations. Likewise, national policies directly affecting the
practice of professions, including the Code of Ethics and Code of Technical Standards for the
Profession are developed and promulgated in close consultation and coordination with the
accredited professional organizations (APOs).

The Boards also conduct inspection and monitoring of firms, establishments and higher
educational institutions with the assistance of the APOs. The latter also take part in the
implementation of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programs for each
profession as members of the CPD Councils. Even in technical discussions and in consultations
on bills relating to the practice of profession, the APOs are normally invited to send
representatives as resource persons.

‘The PRC began to accredit professional organizations in the different professions in 1975. One
of the first professional regulatory laws which mandate the integration of the profession was
Republic Act No. 7836, also known as the Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994,
as amended. There are at present seventeen (17) professions whose laws provide for the
integration of the profession.

‘This measure will institutionalize and streamline the concept of integration across all professions
with the creation of an Accredited and Integrated Professional Organization (AIPO) for each of
the regulated professions that will be national in scope. Membership in the AIPO for each
profession shall be also compulsory.

The proposed set-up will also provide a stable platform for the expeditious discussion and
resolution of all issues and concerns relating to the practice of each profession, as well as allow
easier collaboration and cooperation between the Commission, the Board and the professionals
they are supposed to regulate.

For the foregoing reasons, the expeditious approval of this bill is earnestly requested.



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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

2167

House Bill No. *

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

AN ACT
MANDATING THE INTEGRATION OF PROFESSIONS BY CREATING AN
ACCREDITED INTEGRATED PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS (AIPOs) FOR
EVERY PROFESSION, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES

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

ARTICLE I
GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Integration of the Professions
Act of 2016".

Section 2. Statement of Policy, - The State, thru the Professional Regulation
Commission (Commission) and the Professional Regulatory Boards (Boards) for each
profession, recognizes the vital role of professionals in nation-building by promoting the
sustained development of a reservoir of quality and competent professionals through the
administration of the licensure examinations and the provision of the highest standards of

professional practice

In pursuance thereof, the different professional organizations shall be tapped to provide
assistance and support to the Commission and the Boards; and to further strengthen and
empower these professional organizations, their integration into a single, accredited national
organization for each profession shall be considered a priority thrust of the government.

Section 3. Objectives. ~ This Act provides for the:

(a) Institutionalization of the concept of integration of professionals in each professions into
an Accredited Integrated Professional Organization (AIPO) for said profession across all
professions;

(b) Mandate and functions of the AIPO;


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(©) Criteria and procedure in the creation of the Accredited Integrated Professional
Organization (AIPO) in each profession; and

(d) Regulation and supervision of the operations of the AIPOs.

Section 4. Definition of Terms. - The following terms, as used in this Act, shall mean:

(a) Accreditation refers to the power of the Commission to certify or recognize an entity as
the AIPO for a certain profession;

(b) Integration refers to the process of unification of all registered and licensed professionals
into a single national professional organization through their automatic and mandatory
membership thereto;

(c) Boards refer to the Professional Regulatory Boards;

(a) Commission refers to the Professional Regulation Commission;

(e) Accredited Integrated Professional Organization (AIPO) refers to the single national
organization representing a particular profession and to which membership by all
registered and licensed professionals is automatic and mandatory by express provision of
Taw; and

(0) Professional Regulatory Laws (PRLs) refer to the legal charter creating and governing the
various Boards, defining their functions and providing for the rules and policies that

govern the practice of a specific profession.

Section 5. Functions of the AIPO. - The AIPO shall have the following powers,
functions and responsibilities:

(a) To submit nominations to vacant positions in the Boards in accordance with the
provisions of Executive Order No. 496 and other relevant laws as well as rules and
regulations;

(b) To engage in consultations with the Board and the Commission on any and all matters
affecting the practice of professions;

(c) To assist the Boards in the conduct of inspection and monitoring of firms, establishments
and corporations organized for the practice of professions, as well as higher educational
institutions ofiering academic courses for the licensure examinations;

(@) To participate in the preparation of the Tables of Specification (TOS) of the licensure
examination subjects, Codes of Ethics and Code of Technical Standards of Professional
Practice, among others;

() To encourage and oversee its members in pursuing and participating in Continuing
Professional Development programs and other activities aimed to uplift and advance the
standards of the profession;

(f) To maintain an updated registry of its members;


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(g) To provide its members with all the benefits and privileges appurtenant to their AIPO
‘membership pursuant to its constitution and by-laws;

(h) To issue Certificates of Good Standing to its members upon payment of the prescribed
fees and dues;

(i) To exercise supervisory powers over the other professional organizations under it;

() To represent the interests of its members on all issues and concerns pertaining to or
affecting the profession; and

(k) To assist the Board and the Commission, as may be required under the circumstances.

Section 6, Mechanics for Integration. — The following are the criteria and procedure to

be observed in the integration of the various professions:

6.1 Creation of an Umbrella Organization, All existing professional organizations shall
unify and integrate into a single national organization under the supervision of the
Commission, thru the concerned Board. Stakeholder consultations shall be undertaken

for this purpose.

6.2 Composition of the Board of Trustees. This new organization shall be incorporated or
registered as a non-stock and non-profit organization to be governed by a Board of
Trustees. The initial Board of ‘Trustees shall be composed of representatives from the

existing professional organizations on the basis of the number of their total membership.

There shall be a minimum of five (5) to a maximum of fifteen (15) members of the Board
of Trustees that will be chosen depending on the number of professional organizations
existing at the time of integration.

The members of the subsequent Board of Trustees shall be elected annually or as often as
provided by the constitution and by-laws in the manner provided therein.

6.3 Articles of Incorporation and By-laws. The Commission shall come up with a
standard Articles of Incorporation and By-laws that will govern the operations of all
AIPOs. The Articles of Incorporation and By-laws, as adopted by each profession, shall,
upon approval by the Commission, be submitted to the Securities and Exchange

Commission (SEC) for registration.

The Articles of Incorporation and By-laws referred to above shall be adopted by all the
other AIPOs that will be subsequently created after the approval of this Act.


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6.4 Accreditation by the Commission. The umbrella organization shall apply for
accreditation with the Commission. Should the applicant meet the conditions to be
certified and recognized as the AIPO for a given profession, the corresponding Certificate

of Accreditation shall then be issued by the Commission,
‘The accreditation to be granted by the Commission shall be permanent in nature.

Section 7. Supervisory Powers of the Commission over the AIPOs.— The Commission
shall exercise supervisory powers over the operation of the AIPOs and, thus, may call upon its
Board of Trustees and/or other officers who, under this Act, shall be accountable for all the

activities and programs undertaken by the AIPO.

Section 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the Commission, in consultation with the Boards for the different
professions and all relevant professional organizations, shall issue the rules and regulations to

implement the provisions thereof.

Section 9. Appropriations. - The funding necessary to enforce the provisions of this Act
shall be included in the annual budget of the Commission pursuant to the General Appropriations

Act.

Section 10. Separability Clause. ~ If any section or provision of this Act or any part
hereof be declared unconstitutional or invalid, the same shall not affect the remaining sections

and/or provisions otherwise considered as valid and legal.

Section 11. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders,
resolutions, and other administrative issuances or part/s thereof which are inconsistent or in

conflict with this Act are hereby repealed, amended and/or modified accordingly.
Section 12. Effectivity. ~ This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete

publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the

Philippines.

Approved,