Amendment to Geodetic Engineering Law

Presidential Decree No. 202 is issued pursuant to the President’s constitutional powers and in relation to Proclamation No. 1081 (September 21, 1972), General Order No. 1 (September 22, 1972) (as amended), and Proclamation No. 1103 (January 17, 1973).
Section 1 amends Section 4 of Republic Act No. 4374 by adding a sub-paragraph.
Section 2 amends Section 15 of Republic Act No. 4374 by adding a sub-paragraph.
Presidential Decree No. 202 does not repeal Republic Act No. 4374; it modifies specific provisions only.

Republic Act No. 4374, as amended by Presidential Decree No. 202, is oriented toward meeting national needs for technical surveying and mapping in expanded land reform.
The amendment supports the utilization of technically trained personnel in geodetic and photogrammetric surveying and mapping for land capability surveys and for planning and programming economic development through surveying and mapping.
The amendment addresses shortages of qualified geodetic engineers by creating pathways through additional examinations and qualification routes for competent technical graduates.

Section 4 of Republic Act No. 4374, as amended, establishes two kinds of examinations: Junior Geodetic Engineer and Geodetic Engineer.
The Junior Geodetic Engineer examination is recognized as a distinct examination category from the Geodetic Engineer examination.
The Geodetic Engineer examination remains an established examination category under Section 4 as amended.

Section 15(e) of Republic Act No. 4374, as amended, sets the qualification requirements for candidates in the Junior Geodetic Engineer Examination.
A Junior Geodetic Engineer candidate must satisfy the foregoing requirements (a) to (c) under Section 15.
A Junior Geodetic Engineer candidate must complete either an Associate in Surveying or third year in Geodetic Engineering, or fourth year in Civil Engineering.
For Civil Engineering undergraduates, the candidate must also have completed or earned to their credit the following courses from a recognized school, college, or university: Laws on Natural Resources, Land Registration and Property, Land Reform Laws, Land Property Surveys, Photogrammetry and Cartography.
The certification issued to a qualified candidate under Section 15(e) authorizes the execution of land property surveys for judicial and administrative land registration proceedings.

Section 15(e) provides that the authorization given through the Junior Geodetic Engineer certificate applies for judicial and administrative land registration proceedings.
Section 15(e) includes a proviso that the new provision shall not affect those geodetic engineers to whom the Board has issued the Geodetic Engineering Certificates.