Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 10587)
The official title is the "Environmental Planning Act of 2013."
The State recognizes the importance of environmental planning in nation-building and development and commits to develop competent, virtuous, productive, and well-rounded professional environmental planners through honest and effective licensure examinations and regulatory programs.
Only persons registered and licensed by the Board of Environmental Planning and holding a valid Certificate of Registration and Professional Identification Card are authorized to practice environmental planning in the Philippines.
Members must be Filipino citizens, of good moral character, holders of a Master's Degree in Environmental Planning or its equivalent, registered and licensed environmental planners with at least seven years of practice, not affiliated with schools offering environmental planning courses, members in good standing of the Accredited Professional Organization (APO), and not convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude.
Activities include providing professional services such as technical consultation, plan preparation, environmental assessments, curriculum development, teaching, serving as expert witnesses, ensuring compliance with environmental laws, and other activities as determined by the Board.
Applicants must be Filipino citizens or from countries with reciprocity policies, hold specified educational degrees with corresponding on-the-job training, possess good moral character, and have no convictions involving moral turpitude.
Offenders may be subject to imprisonment for six months to five years, fines from One hundred thousand pesos to Five hundred thousand pesos, or both, for acts such as practicing without a license, falsifying documents, or using revoked certificates.
Foreign environmental planners must secure a Temporary/Special Permit, have qualifications and permits from their country and the Philippines, work with a Filipino counterpart, and obtain an employment permit from the Department of Labor and Employment.
The Board can issue, suspend, revoke, or reinstate Certificates of Registration, supervise licensure exams, adopt rules and regulations, investigate violations, and impose disciplinary actions consistent with this Act.
Registered environmental planners must comply with continuing professional education programs prescribed by the Board to renew their Professional Identification Cards every three years.