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© one, ZOMAR 2012

‘Quezon City, Metro Manila

Fifteenth Congress
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 6039.

Introdaced By: HON. CARLOS M. PADILLA

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘The 1987 Constitution, under Article XII, Section 14, provides that:

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‘consisting of Filipino scientists, entrepreneurs, professionals,
managers, high-level technical manpower, and skilled workers
and crafismen 7

In line with this Constitutional mandate, Republic Act No. 8981 created the
Professional Regulation Corantission to administer, implement, and enforce regulatory
policies of the national goverament with respect to the regulation and ficensing of the
‘various professions and occupations under its jurisdiction, including the enhancement and
maintenance of professional and occupational standards and ethics und the enforcement of
the rules and regulations relative thereto.

Moreover, the Professional Regulatory Boards which are under the administrative
supervision of the PRC are tasked to monitor the cooditions affecting the practice or
‘occupation under their respective jurisdictions and whenever necessary, adopt such
measures as may be deemed proper for the enhancement of the profession or occupation
and/or the maintenance of high professional, ethical and technical standards.

‘As can be seen fiom the foregoing, continuing professional education is vital
necessary to enhance and maintain high professional and occupational, ethical

and
and technical standards in the practice of the different professions in the Philippines.

Hence, there is an urgent need to institute measures that will strengthen the
Continuing Professional Education Program of the government.
Accordingly, the immediate passage of this act is hereby enjoined.

SM. PADILLA



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Fifteenth Congress
Second Regular Session

HousE BLL. No,__ 8088

Introduced By: HON. CARLOS M. PADILLA.

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING AND STRENGTHENING CONTINUING
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR ALL PROFESSIONALS IN
THE PHILIPPINES

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 “Continuing Professional
Education Act of 2011",

SECTION 2. Declaration of Poticy.- It is hereby declared a policy of the State to
promote and upgrade the practice of professions in the country. Towards this end, the
state shall institute measures that will continuously improve the competence of
Filipino professionals in accordance with international standards of practice, thereby
‘ensuring their contribution to the upliftment of the general welfare, economic growth and
development of the nation,

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms.- The following terms shail be defined under
this Act:
a. “APO” refers to the Accredited Professional Organization

». “Continuing Professional Education” or “CPE” refers to the inculcation,
assimilation and acquisition of knowledge, skills, proficiency and ethical
and moral values, after the initial registration of a professional, that raise
and enhance the professional's technical skills and competence;

¢ “CPE Provider” refers to a natural person or a juridical entity which
include among others, accredited or non-accredited professional


‘organization, firm, partnership, corporation or institution which offers,
organizes or arranges CPE programs, activities or resources for
implementation or administration;

4 “CPE Programs, Activities or Resources” refers to the regime of CPE
which enhance the competence of the professional by upgrading or
updating knowledge and skills for the profession as brought about by
modemnization and scientific and technical advancements in the profession.
‘The scope shall be beyond the basic preparation for admission to the
practice of the regulated profession. Its content shall be retated to the
Practice of the profession.

“Conventions” refers to the gathering of registered and licensed
professionals which shail include, among others, conferences, symposia or
assemblies for round table discussions;

£ “Post Graduate Degree Program” refers to masteral or doctoral degree
which the professional is currently enrolled;

& “PRC” refers to the Professional Regulation Commission;
A. “PRBs” refers to the Professional Regulatory Boards;

i “Sel€Directed Leaming Package” refers to learning which uses course
manuals o accredited learning modules. Accredited learning modules
include self-instructional materials or programs which may be in the form
of printed manual, audio and video cassette tapes, films, computer-assisted
learning, study kits, learning aids and modules or the use of information
highway and has defined objectives and adequate content relative 10
professional practice.

SECTION 4. Strengsheming the CPE Prgrom- The existing Continuing
Professional Education Program of the Professional Regulation Commission is
hereby institutionalized and strengthened, and along with this, there shall be
formulated and implemented a CPE Program in each of the regulated professions
with the following objectives:

a. To provide and ensure the continuous education of registered and licensed
professionals in accordance with the latest trends in their profession
brought about by modernization as well as scientific and technological
advancement;

b. To raise and maintain the professionals’ capability in delivering quality
professional services;


¢. To attain and maintain the highest standards and quality in the practice of
professions;

d. To address the professionals’ need for continuing ethical education and
values formation;

¢. Tomake the Filipino professionals globally competitive; and

f. To promote the general welfare of the public.

SECTION 5. Nature of CPE Programs. - The CPE programs consist of properly
planned and structured educational activities, the implementation of which requires
the participation of a determined group of professionals to meet the requirements of
maintaining and improving the occupational, technical and ethical standards of
professions. These shall include but not limited to the following:

a. Trainings and seminars to enhance the practice of profession;

b. Conduct of conventions of accredited professional organizations;

. Academic Post Graduate Degree Programs;

d. Self-Directed learning packages such as the preparation and authorship of
technical papers, teaching manvals and books; and

€. Technical tours and workshops;

f. Professional exchange programs.

SECTION 6. Program implementatios- The over-all implementation of the
CPE Program shall be undertaken by the Professional Regulation Commission and
the Professional Regulatory Boards for each profession which shail:

a. formulate and review of CPE Program in each of the regulated
professions;

b. formulate, adopt and promulgate guidelines and procedures for the
implementation of the CPE Program;

¢. organize CPE Councils for each of the regulated professions and
promulgate guidelines for their operation;

d. coordinate with concerned government agencies and private organizations
in the implementation of CPE Program and other measures provided
under this Act.


SECTION 7. CPE Coungil. - These is hereby created a CPE Council in every
regulated profession which shall be uuder the supervision of the Professional
Regulatory Board and shall be composed of a Chairman and two (2) Members.

The Chairman of each of the CPE Coxncif shall be the Chairman of the
Professional Regulatory Board, the first member shall be the President or Officer of
the Accredited Professional Organization and the second member shall be the
President or Officer of the national organization of deans or department chairman of
schools, colleges or universities offering the course of the regulated profession, and in
case of the absence of this organization, the second member shall be appointed by
PRC chosen from the recommendees of the PRB of the professionals from the
academic sector.

The term of office of the Chairman and Members of the CPE Council shall be
co-terminus with their respective term of office in the PRB, APO and the national
organization of deans and department chairman of schools, colieges or universities.

The PRB shall also determine the CPE council’s budget, including travel
expenses, allowances and per diems when attending official CPF council meetings
oF attending to matters assigned to thers

SECTION 7. Functions of the CPE Cosneif. - The CPE Council for each
Profession shall have the following functions:

a. Evaluate and approve applications for accreditation of CPE providers;

b. Evaluate and approve application for. accreditation of CPE programs,
activities or sources as to their relevance to the profession and determine
the number of CPE credit units (CUs) to be camed on the basis of the
contents of the program, activity or resource submitted by the CPE
providers;

c. Evaluate and approve applications from exemption from CPE
Tequirements;

4. Monitor the implementation of the CFE provider! of their program,
activities and resources;

¢€. Periodically access and upgrade cvitens for accreditation of CPE providers
aud CPE programs, activities and iescurces; and

€ Perform such other functions sai may be necessary, desirable and
incidental to the proper implementation and execution of CPE programs
and policies.

SECTION 9. Secretariat. - A CPE Council Secretasiat is hereby created under
the Professional Regulation Commission, which shall be headed by an Executive
Director to be appointed by the Chairman of PRC. The CPE Council secretariat shal]
provide technical, administrative and operational support to the CPE Councils and
the Professional Regulatory Boards in the implementation of CPE programs,


SECTION 10.

ia in the Aceredi the Practice of Prof 7 wing
professional education for every professional registered under the PRC is hereby
declared a mandatory requirement in the renewal of professional license and in the
accreditation system for the practice of professions.

SECTION 11. Applications and Incentives. - CPE credit units eared by a
professional may be applied as equivalent to the training requirements for promotion
in positions in government agencies and private firms and in teaching positions in
academic institutions,

SECTION 12. 2 if jowal ization. - The
Accredited Professional Organization (APO) shall assist the PRC and PRB in the
implementation of the Continuing Professional Education Program and for this
purpose, organize a CPE Committee of the APO.

SECTION 13, Role jes and i an
All concemed government agencies and private firms and Organizations empl
Professionals shall include the CPE as part of their human resource development plan
and program and allocate the necessary funding requirement for the attendance of
their professionals in CPE programs,

SECTION 14, Funding. ~(a) The amount necessary to carry out this Act shall
be incorporated under the appropriation of the Professional Reguiation Commission
in the General Appropriations Act; and (b) The annual funding requirement for the
implementation of this Act shall be sourced from the annual income of the PRC.

SECTION 15. implementing Rules and Regulations, - The PRC ‘together with
the Professional Regulatory Boards in consultation with the APOs shall promulgate
the rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this Act within six
months upon the enactment of thereof.

SECTION 16. Separabifity Clouse. - The provisions of this Act are hereby
declared separable, and if any clause, sentence, provision of section hereof, should be
declared invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the other provisions of this Act which
can be given force and effect without the provisions which have been declared invalid.

SECTION 17. Repealing Clause. - Ail laws, decrees, executive orders and other
administrative issuances and parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions
of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 18. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
Publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation,

Approved.