Objectives
- Govern examination, registration, and licensure of metallurgical engineers.
- Supervise and regulate metallurgical engineering practice.
- Develop and update metallurgical engineering curricula in line with CHED standards.
- Promote continuing professional education (CPE).
- Facilitate integration of the metallurgical engineering profession.
Definitions
- Practice of Metallurgical Engineering: Rendering metallurgical engineering services, whether compensated or not.
- Metallurgical Engineering: Covers mineral processing, extractive metallurgy, adaptive and physical metallurgy, and fuel technology.
- Metallurgical Plant: Facilities involved in mineral and metal extraction and processing.
- Metallurgical Engineer: Individual duly registered and licensed to practice metallurgical engineering.
Scope of Practice
- Includes consultation, design, management, supervision, teaching, research, environmental studies, and training related to metallurgical plants.
- Includes any work deemed metallurgical engineering by the Board.
Creation and Composition of the Board
- Establishes the Professional Regulatory Board of Metallurgical Engineering under PRC.
- Composed of a chairperson and two members appointed by the President from Commission recommendations.
- Board to be organized within six months of the Act's effectivity.
Powers and Duties of the Board
- Regulate and supervise metallurgical engineering practice.
- Evaluate registration applicants and conduct licensure exams.
- Issue certificates of registration, identification cards, and special permits.
- Enforce compliance including inspections.
- Approve curricula and promulgate IRRs, code of ethics, and professional standards.
- Investigate and adjudicate administrative cases.
- Administer oaths, issue official seal, and submit annual reports.
- Prosecute violations and regulate Continuing Professional Education (CPE).
Qualifications and Terms of Board Members
- Must be Filipino, degree holders in metallurgical engineering, registered and active practitioners for at least 10 years.
- No direct pecuniary interests or administrative roles in educational institutions related to metallurgy.
- Terms last three years, renewable once but not exceeding six years total.
- Receive compensation as per the General Appropriations Act.
Licensure Examination and Registration
- Licensure examination mandatory except for specific exemptions.
- Exams administered at least once annually.
- Subjects include mineral processing, metallurgy, fuel technology, law, ethics, mathematics, and others.
- Passing requires at least 70% general average and 50% per subject.
- Applicants must be Filipino or from reciprocal countries, of good moral character, degree holders, and free from conviction for moral turpitude.
Examination Fees and Results
- Applicants pay prescribed fees to take exams.
- Board reports exam results to the Commission within 15 days.
Exemptions from Examination
- Graduates before 1978 with 15 years experience may be registered without exam.
- Doctorate holders in related fields may also be exempted.
- Requires submission of authenticated credentials and professional report or thesis.
Metallurgical Plant Foreman Certification
- Applicants must be Filipino, of good moral character, with relevant educational background and experience.
- Board may regulate classifications and rules for foremen certification.
Certificates and Identification
- Certificates of registration and professional IDs issued to qualified individuals.
- Certificates bear signatures and official seals.
- Certificates and IDs remain valid until revoked or suspended.
- Certificates of specialization may be issued to experts.
- Registered engineers must use an official seal on relevant documents.
Fees for Registration
- Fees prescribed by the Commission must be paid upon registration.
Temporary/Special Permits
- Issued to foreign metallurgical engineers for consultation, teaching, or recognized specialties.
- Practice limited to specific tasks as authorized.
Refusal, Revocation, and Suspension of Registration
- Grounds for refusal or revocation include conviction for moral turpitude, dishonorable conduct, fraud, gross incompetence, illegal practice, and addiction impairing professional capacity.
- Procedures include notice, hearing, investigation, and possibility of appeal.
Reissuance of Certificates
- Revoked certificates may be reinstated after two years upon petition and proof of fitness.
- Lost or damaged certificates and IDs may be replaced upon payment.
Practice Regulation
- Only licensed individuals may practice metallurgical engineering.
- Firms cannot be licensed but partnerships of licensed engineers may practice.
- Metallurgical plants must have licensed engineers.
Vested Rights and Registry
- Existing registered metallurgical engineers automatically registered under the Act.
- Commission maintains a publicly accessible roster of all registered professionals.
Foreign Reciprocity
- Registration of foreign metallurgical engineers contingent on reciprocity agreements.
Professional Obligations
- Engineers must indicate their registration and tax details on professional documents.
- Certificates must be posted conspicuously in offices.
- Compliance with Continuing Professional Education requirements is mandatory.
Professional Integration
- Establishes one national integrated professional organization of metallurgical engineers.
- All registered engineers automatically become members upon payment of dues.
Penal Provisions
- Fines between ₱10,000 to ₱1,000,000 and/or imprisonment from 1 month to 5 years for illegal practice, fraud, impersonation, and misuse of registration credentials or titles.
Additional Provisions
- Act does not affect other professions.
- Enforcement supported by Commission lawyers and law enforcement.
- Board to promulgate IRR, Codes of Ethics, and technical standards.
- Funding provided under the General Appropriations Act.
- Repeals Presidential Decree No. 1536 and related inconsistent regulations.
- Effective 15 days post-publication in official or widely circulated newspapers.
- Transitory provisions for smooth registration of existing certificate holders and board members.
- Contains separability clause protecting the remainder of the Act if parts are invalidated.