Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 5680)
Republic Act No. 5680 is known as the Philippine Physical and Occupational Therapy Law.
Physical therapy is the art and science of treatment done through therapeutic exercises, heat, cold, light, water, manual manipulation, electricity, and other physical agents.
Physical therapy technicians are persons who have not acquired a bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy but are qualified through in-service training and practical experience to assist in applying physiotherapeutic procedures under the direction of a licensed physical therapist in a hospital or institution.
The Board issues, suspends, revokes, or re-issues certificates of registration, conducts examinations for physical and occupational therapists, sets ethical and professional standards, and oversees education and practice conditions under the Act.
Applicants must be Filipino citizens or foreigners from countries with reciprocal practice rights, at least 21 years old, of good health and moral character, have finished high school or equivalent, hold a recognized degree in Physical Therapy or Occupational Therapy, and have completed at least nine months of internship or supervised clinical experience.
Any person who practices without a valid certificate may be charged with a misdemeanor and upon conviction faces a fine of not less than PHP 1,000 nor more than PHP 5,000, or imprisonment from one to five years, or both, at the court's discretion.
Board members hold office for a term of three years and until their successors are appointed and qualified, with the first Board having staggered terms of two or three years for members.
Yes, students may practice as part of their undergraduate training in an approved school, college, or university.
The curriculum must include subjects such as English, Mathematics, Speech, Political Science, Social Science, Humanities, Psychology, Spanish, Physics, Zoology, Chemistry before the main course, and in the main course: Anatomy, Physiology, Applied Kinesiology, Nursing Introduction, Massage, Electrotherapy, Prosthetics, Splinting, Bandaging, Exercise Therapy, Medical and Surgical Conditions, Neurological and Orthopedic Conditions, Rehabilitation Principles, Pathology, Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation, Administration, Ethics, and Medical Psychology.
The President of the Philippines appoints the chairman and members of the Board with the consent of the Commission on Appointments.