Implementing Rules of RA 7920 Electrical Eng'g

Legal basis and covered professionals

The Resolution is issued to implement Republic Act No. 7920 (the Electrical Engineering Law) through rules on registration, examinations, professional licensing, and discipline.
The Resolution defines RA 184 as the old Electrical Engineering Law (1947), and it establishes rules covering persons previously registered under RA 184.
Persons covered by the rules include Professional Electrical Engineers (PEE), Registered Electrical Engineers (REE), Associate Electrical Engineers (ASSO EE), Assistant Electrical Engineers (ASST EE), and Master Electricians (ME) and Registered Master Electricians (RME) (Rule 2).
Those registered under RA 7920 and those previously registered under RA 184 and subsequently registered under RA 7920 are treated as part of the REE and RME categories as defined (Rule 2).

Definitions and key terms

Syllabi are outlines embodying topics and concepts of major subjects prescribed in specific courses of study to serve as the basis for test questions in licensure examinations (Rule 2(a)).
Commission means the Professional Regulation Commission, and Commissioner means the Chairman of the Commission (Rule 2(b)-(c)).
Board means the Board of Electrical Engineering (Rule 2(d)).
CPE means Continuing Professional Education (Rule 2(e)).
PEE means Professional Electrical Engineer; ASSO EE means Associate Electrical Engineer; and ASST EE means Assistant Electrical Engineer (Rule 2(g)-(i)).
REE includes those registered as Registered Electrical Engineers under RA 7920, and those previously registered as ASSO EE or ASST EE under RA 184 and subsequently registered as REE (Rule 2(j)).
ME means Master Electrician; it covers those registered as such under RA 184 (Rule 2(k)).
RME includes those registered as Registered Master Electrician under RA 7920, and those registered as ME under RA 184 and subsequently registered as RME under RA 7920 (Rule 2(l)).
IIEE means Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers; DECS, CHED, and TESDA refer to their respective government agencies; and S.O. No. (B) means Special Order Number (B) (Rule 2(m)-(p)-(q)).

Board organization, seal, and decision rules

The Resolution provides an official seal for the Professional Electrical Engineer, as required under Section 4 (q) of Republic Act No. 7920; the seal is a dry circular seal with two concentric circles of specified diameters and ring appearance, with inscription requirements and placement of the name of the registrant and registration number (Rule 3).
The Board, in enforcing and administering RA 7920 and executing its powers, shall rely on or seek review, approval, supervision, assistance, support, and/or advice of the Commission through its offices and units (Rule 4).
The Board must meet en banc and vote personally to promulgate decisions, resolutions, orders, and policy/rule/regulation measures/directives/orders/circulars to implement RA 7920 (Rule 5(a)).
A valid action requires both a quorum and a majority vote; a quorum and majority consist of two (2) members of the Board (Rule 5(a)).
Board actions other than administrative-case decisions/resolutions/orders must be approved by the Commission and published in the Official Gazette or newspaper of general circulation to be valid, enforceable, and effective (Rule 5(b)).
Publication is not required for Board issuances that are internal, administrative, and not affecting the public, and that are not penal or disciplinary in nature (Rule 5(b)).
The Chairman of the Board serves as spokesman/representative/liaison for dealings with the Commission and may authorize/designate other members or the Secretary of the Professional Regulatory Boards if the Chairman is absent or indisposed (Rule 6).
The Chairman is responsible for assigning duties and supervising and managing members’ work (Rule 7).
All papers, communications, certificates, decisions, or other documents must be acted upon solely and exclusively by the Board within the Commission premises, and the Commission imposes appropriate sanction for violation of this rule (Rule 8).
The Board may issue an official opinion on the construction or interpretation of RA 7920, the Board’s Rules and Regulations, Code of Ethics, policies, issuances, and related matters as part of its quasi-legislative rule-making power, and official action is released through the authorized signatory (Rule 9).
Queries/communications that do not require collective official action or reply by the Board, or that are ministerially actionable, may be answered and signed by the Chairman or an authorized Board Member or authorized Secretary of the Professional Regulatory Boards (Rule 10).

Examination conduct and public scheduling

The Registered Electrical Engineer and Registered Master Electrician licensure examinations are held in City of Manila and other places twice a year (Rule 11(a)).
Exam places/venues and dates for the year are included in the Schedule of Professional Licensure Examinations issued by the Commission upon Board recommendation (Rule 11(a)).
The Board issues schedules of the interview/oral examination of applicants for registration as Professional Electrical Engineers, subject to Commission approval (Rule 11(b)).
For every scheduled examination, the Board issues a program stating subjects, their dates, time and percentage weights, instructions, and signatures of the Chairman and the Secretary of the Professional Regulatory Boards not later than twenty (20) days prior to the first day of the examination (Rule 12(a)).
Exam dates and venues must be published in a newspaper of general circulation and/or disseminated through schools, colleges and universities offering the courses and through the accredited and integrated electrical engineering association at least one (1) month prior to the first day of the examination (Rule 13(a)).

Registration requirements for PEE

Applicants for registration as a Professional Electrical Engineer (PEE) must submit the listed documentary requirements, including required PRC forms and civil/identity and background documents (Rule 14(a)(1)-(6)).
Applicants must submit PRC Application Form (PRC Form No. 101) and Permanent Registration Record Card (PRC Form No. 203) (Rule 14(a)(1)-(2)).
Applicants must submit proof of Philippine citizenship, which may include Certificate of Naturalization, voter’s affidavit/ID Card, and Philippine Passport/Visa (Rule 14(a)(3)).
Applicants must submit a Certificate of Live Birth and/or marriage contract if the applicant is a married female (Rule 14(a)(4)).
Applicants must submit NBI clearance (Rule 14(a)(5)).
Applicants must submit a Valid Certificate of Registration and a Valid Professional License as a Registered Electrical Engineer (Rule 14(a)(6)).
Applicants must submit a Certificate of Experience (PRC Form No. 104 (Revised August ’95)) duly accomplished and certified under oath, and experience is reckoned from the date the applicant took oath as an REE (or ASSO EE or ASST EE) (Rule 14(a)(7)).
Applicants must submit a Technical Report/Thesis/Dissertation Paper, where the proposed title and outline are submitted to the Board for approval as to subject matter, organization, technical content, and presentation; if disapproved, the Board advises the applicant citing reasons (Rule 14(a)(8)).
The Technical Report must be submitted as five (5) copies: four (4) retained by the Commission and the fifth copy returned to the applicant after it is stamped “RECEIVED”; the report must be legal size and book-bound (Rule 14(a)(8)).
The Technical Report must include the enumerated parts in the following order: Title Page, Letter of Transmittal, Preface, Table of Contents, List of tables/charts/drawings/etc., Summary, Body Text, Conclusions/Recommendations, Bibliography/References, Affidavit of sole authorship, Affidavit of PEE 1, Affidavit of PEE 2, Affidavit of PEE 3, Curriculum Vitae (with ID picture) (Rule 14(a)(8)).
Applicants must avoid unnecessary and irrelevant data, charts, drawings, pictures, and information not referred to in the discussion (Rule 14(a)(8)).
Applicants must submit affidavits signed by three (3) licensed professional electrical engineers attesting that the submitted experience record is factual and the technical paper was actually and solely prepared by the applicant (Rule 14(a)(9)).
The Board may call the vouching PEE for an interview in connection with the affidavit executed in favor of the applicant (Rule 14(a)(9)).
Applicants must submit a brief description of the most significant and outstanding achievement/contribution in electrical engineering (Rule 14(a)(10)).
After submission, the Board reviews the application by at least two (2) Board Members, who set schedules for oral examination/interview (Rule 14).
Those who qualify first for interview are interviewed first regardless of whether they were registered as ASSO EE or ASST EE or REE (Rule 14).
An individual interview is required to assess experience, competence, and readiness to render professional electrical engineering service, and the interview is scheduled as often as required throughout the year at the PRC head office in Manila (Rule 14).
Passing ratings on the oral examination/interview entitle the applicant to registration as a professional electrical engineer (Rule 14).
The Board posts results on the PRC Bulletin Board and furnishes results to examinees; release timing may differ from results for REEs and Registered Master Electricians (Rule 14).
An applicant who failed the oral examination/interview cannot re-apply until after at least one (1) year from the date of notice of failure, and re-application must follow Rule 14 (Rule 14).

PEE pathway from RA 184

An Assistant Electrical Engineer or Associate Electrical Engineer holding a valid Certificate of Registration and valid Professional License issued under RA 184 and with four (4) years or more of active electrical engineering practice after registration under that grade may apply for PEE registration only after registration as Registered Electrical Engineer under Sec. 42 (a), Art. V of RA 7920 (Rule 15).

Examination and requirements for REE and RME

Applicants for examination as a Registered Electrical Engineer (REE) must submit PRC application and record documents, proof of citizenship, civil status documents (as applicable), and academic records, including transcript and S.O. unless exempt by specified grounds (Rule 16).
REE exam applicants must submit PRC Application Form (PRC Form 101) for examination duly accomplished and Permanent Registration Record Card (PRC Form No. 203) (Rule 16(a)(1)-(2)).
REE applicants must submit proof of Philippine citizenship (Certificate of naturalization, Philippine Passport/Visa, voter’s affidavit/ID Card) (Rule 16(a)(3)).
REE applicants must submit Certificate of Live Birth and/or Marriage Contract if the applicant is a married female (Rule 16(a)(4)).
REE applicants must submit Transcript of Records with the name of the degree/course, date of graduation, and S.O. No., unless exempt due to CHED accreditation of a course or being a state school/college/university graduate (Rule 16(a)(5)).
Applicants for examination as a Registered Master Electrician (RME) must submit a PRC application and record documents, proof of citizenship, civil status documents (as applicable), academic records including S.O. (B) No., and a certificate/affidavit on specific record of practice or apprenticeship (Rule 17).
RME exam applicants must submit PRC Application Form (PRC Form 101) duly accomplished and Permanent Registration Record Card (PRC Form No. 203) (Rule 17).
RME applicants must submit proof of Philippine citizenship (Certificate of naturalization, Philippine Passport/Visa, voter’s affidavit/ID Card) (Rule 17).
RME applicants must submit Certificate of Live Birth and/or Marriage Contract if the applicant is a married female (Rule 17).
RME applicants must submit Transcript of Records showing the course name, graduation date, and S.O.(B) No., unless exempt due to accreditation by CHED, TESDA, DECS, or being a state school/college/university graduate (Rule 17).
RME applicants must submit a certificate or affidavit on specific record of practice or apprenticeship issued by instructors/trainers/supervisors who are themselves registered electrical practitioners, using PRC Form No. 104 (Revised August ’95) (Rule 17).
Successful examinees in Associate/Assistant Electrical Engineer or Master Electrician licensure examinations who have not yet registered due to age under RA 184 may register if they are now 21/18 years old, respectively (Rule 18).

Examination results, re-examinations, conditional marks

The Board must release officially the licensure examination results upon approval by the Commission not later than twenty five (25) days from the date of the examination (Rule 19(a)).
The names of successful examinees, topnotchers’ names and grades, and top performer schools must be officially published in a newspaper of general circulation (Rule 19(b)).
Examinees’ report of rating must be mailed within one (1) month from the date of release (Rule 19(c)).
Re-examination rules apply based on category and prior performance.
For Professional Electrical Engineers: an applicant conditioned in any subject or who completely failed PEE exams under RA 184 may apply for the same PEE grade under RA 7920 without undergoing any written examination if Rule 14 requirements are complied with (Rule 20(1)).
For Professional Electrical Engineers who failed written examinations but passed the Engineering Report under RA 184, the applicant must submit the report title and the corresponding rating, submit essential Rule 14 requirements, and undergo oral examination/interview by at least two (2) Board Members (Rule 20(1)).
Board members provide final recommendations to the Commission based on evaluation of submitted documents and results of the oral examination/interview (Rule 20(1)).
For Registered Electrical Engineers and Registered Master Electricians: an examinee who obtains an average of seventy percent (70%) or above but has a disqualifying rating below fifty percent (50%) in any subject clusters receives a conditional mark (Rule 20(2)).
A conditional mark may be removed by retaking the examination on the same subject cluster again and again until obtaining a rating of seventy percent (70%) or more on the same subject cluster (Rule 20(2)).
Subjects to be taken are those described in the corresponding syllabi prescribed by the Board (Rule 20(2)).

Registration, oath, renewals, delisting, and reissuance

After compliance with all legal requirements for registration, a registrant must be enrolled in the Roster of Professional Electrical Engineers, Registered Electrical Engineers and Registered Master Electricians, and must be issued with the Certificate of Registration and Professional License (Rule 21).
Applicants for registration as PEE, REE or RME may take their oaths only after registration is completed (Rule 22).
Professional licenses must be renewed every three (3) years on the birthmonth of the PEE, REE or RME, upon compliance with CPE requirements unless exempted, and upon payment of annual registration fees for three (3) years (Rule 23).
A PEE, REE or RME delinquent in payment of annual registration fees for five (5) consecutive years since the last payment is not allowed to continue practicing after the delisting of the name from the Roster; the delisting period may be interrupted upon surrender of a Certificate of Registration and/or Professional License to the Commission (Rule 24).
If the disciplinary action imposed under Section 28, Art. II of RA 7920 is not cancellation of examination papers and/or debarment from taking future examinations, the respondent-examinee who passed the examination may be allowed by the Commission to register upon Board recommendation after lapse of no less than one (1) year from the date of the decision (Rule 25).
If a certificate of registration is revoked, a PEE, REE or RME may be re-issued with the certificate after lapse of one (1) year from surrender, upon Commission approval, after establishing to the Board that the person is still fit to practice (Rule 26).
The Certificate of Registration must show the date of issuance and the expiry date of validity of the Professional License, and the registrant must indicate these in documents issued, signs, and uses in professional practice (Rule 27).

Administrative investigation, disciplinary grounds, appeals

Administrative investigation procedures initiated by the Board against an examinee or a PEE, REE or RME are governed by the Commission’s Rules and Regulations Governing the Regulation and Practice of Professionals and/or other Commission/Board/President rules; the Revised Rules of Court operate suppletorily (Rule 28).
The Board must impose penalties that include cancellation of examination papers and/or debarment from examination of examinees; reprimand or revocation of the Certificate of Registration; suspension from practice; or cancellation of Special Permit holders (Rule 29).
Disciplinary causes that the Board invokes include: Sections 28 and 29, Article III of RA 7920, violation of the Board Rules, policies or administrative issuances of the Board or Commission, violation of RA 7920, and breach of the Code of Professional Ethics for Professional and Registered Electrical Engineers and Registered Master Electricians (Rule 29(1)-(4)).
A Board decision imposing disciplinary action becomes final and executory unless appealed to the Commission within fifteen (15) days from receipt of the decision (Rule 30).
The decision of the Board and/or the Commission is appealable to the Court of Appeals in accordance with the Rules of Court procedure (Rule 30).
The rules on regulation and practice of professionals apply suppletorily in enforcement, implementation, and administration of RA 7920 and the Board’s rules and regulations (Rule 31).

Fees, sanctions funding, separability, and rule effect

The Accounting Division uses ten percent (10%) of collected examination fees to provide and keep a separate account (trust fund) to defray establishment and maintenance of a Center for continuing education and research (Rule 32).
The Accounting Division uses fifty percent (50%) of collected registration and license fees and fines to provide and keep a separate account (special fund) for the supervisory and regulatory functions of the Board (Rule 32).
If any section or provision of these rules, or its application, is declared unconstitutional, unlawful, or invalid, the invalidity does not affect other sections or provisions (Rule 33).
These rules take effect after fifteen (15) days from full publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation, whichever is earlier, after approval by the Commission (Rule 34).