Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 9297)
Republic Act No. 9297 is also known as the Chemical Engineering Law of 2004.
The policy is to supervise and regulate the practice of chemical engineering vital to national development, upgrade chemical engineering education to be on par with the best in the world, and reserve the practice of the profession to Filipino citizens.
Practice of chemical engineering means rendering or offering professional chemical engineering service for a fee, reward, salary, or even without compensation. It is synonymous with rendering chemical engineering service.
They include consultation, investigation, estimation, planning, feasibility studies, designing, preparation of specifications, supervision of installation, operation and quality management (excluding chemical analysis and lab operation), research and development, and teaching of chemical engineering subjects.
The Board is composed of a Chairman and two (2) members, appointed by the President from nominees of the accredited national chemical engineering organization, under the administrative control of the Professional Regulation Commission.
They must be natural-born Filipino citizens, holders of a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering or equivalent, registered chemical engineers with at least 10 years active practice, members of the accredited national organization, and without pecuniary interests in related academic institutions or review centers.
The licensure examination is held twice each calendar year on dates and venues prescribed by the Professional Regulation Commission.
It covers Physical and Chemical Principles, General Engineering, and Chemical Engineering, with Chemical Engineering constituting at least 40% of the examination.
The applicant must be a Filipino citizen of good moral character, a graduate of a government-recognized chemical engineering degree program or equivalent, and not have been convicted of an offense involving moral turpitude.
They receive a Certificate of Registration and Professional Identification Card, permission to practice chemical engineering, the right to use a professional seal on plans and documents, and membership rights in the integrated and accredited professional organization.
Only persons properly licensed and registered with a valid Certificate of Registration and Professional Identification Card may practice chemical engineering.
No, only natural persons licensed as chemical engineers may practice. However, licensed chemical engineers may form partnerships with other licensed engineers or architects using the title 'Chemical Engineers' in their partnership name.
Practicing without valid registration or while suspended/revoked, impersonating a certified chemical engineer, using another’s certificate or seal, and providing false information to the Board or Commission.
Violations are misdemeanors punishable by fines between ₱10,000 to ₱1,000,000 and/or imprisonment from six months to five years, or both, at the court's discretion.
Yes, under exceptions such as foreign chemical engineers called for consultation or specific projects, or those hired as professors or lecturers, subject to Board verification and restricted to their contracted work, and subject to foreign reciprocity.
Any design, plan, specification or related documents for industrial plants submitted to government agencies must be signed and sealed by a registered chemical engineer to be processed or approved.
All chemical engineers registered at the time RA 9297 takes effect are automatically registered under the new law.
It is an updated list of all duly licensed and registered chemical engineers stating their names, registration numbers, and places of business, made available to interested parties.
Suspension or revocation can occur for misrepresentation, acts inimical to the profession, gross immorality, or crimes involving moral turpitude.