Philippine Librarianship Practice Regulation

Issuing authority; Board for Librarians

Section 3 creates a Board for Librarians composed of a Chairman and two (2) members.
Section 3 provides that the President appoints Board members upon recommendation of the Professional Regulation Commission from among certified librarians of recognized standing in the Philippines representing academic, public, and special libraries as certified by the Philippine Librarians Association, Inc., and meeting the qualifications in Section 4.
Section 3 treats the first appointees as “certified” for purposes of issuance and requires that, after payment of fees prescribed under the revised rates of examination, registration, and other fees, they shall be issued a certificate of registration under the Act.
Section 7 designates the Commissioner of the Professional Regulation Commission as the Executive Officer of the Board and mandates that the Commissioner conduct the examinations given by the Board.
Section 7 designates the Secretary of the Professional Regulation Commission as the Secretary of the Board, and mandates that Board records (including examination papers, minutes of deliberations, and records of administrative proceedings and investigations) are kept by the Professional Regulation Commission under the Secretary’s direct custody.

Policy and professional standards

Section 5 directs the Board to set ethical and professional standards for the practice of librarianship in the Philippines.
Section 5 requires the Board to look into the conditions affecting the practice of librarianship and adopt measures deemed proper for the maintenance of the good standard and ethics of the profession.
Section 5 requires the Board to establish policies and standards for all types of libraries and for the education and practice of librarianship in the Philippines.
Section 5 requires the Board to ensure that educational institutions offering library science degree comply with essential requirements for curriculum, faculty, and facilities.
Section 5 authorizes the Board to investigate violations, and to issue subpoena and subpoena duces tecum to secure the appearance of witnesses and the production of documents.

Definitions and coverage of practice

Section 2(a) defines a “Librarian” as a bona fide holder of a certificate of registration issued by the Board in accordance with the Act.
Section 2(b) defines the practice of librarianship to include: holding oneself out as skilled in the organization, dissemination, preservation, and conservation of recorded information; rendering, furnishing, and contracting professional services such as consultations and advice on organization and management of libraries, data banks, and research and information centers; teaching subjects in library and information sciences; and signing or authenticating for clients documents or reports when called for.
Section 2(b) further provides that professional services may be rendered on a fee basis or otherwise.
Section 2(c) defines “Board” as the Board for Librarians.

Board qualifications, terms, removal, compensation

Section 4 requires each Board member at appointment to be: a citizen and resident of the Philippines; of good reputation and moral character; a holder of a baccalaureate degree in Library Science, Information Science, or Documentation; at least forty (40) years of age; a registered professional under the Board for Librarians; and in active practice for at least ten (10) years, including five (5) years in a managerial position.
Section 4 disqualifies Board members if they are: members of the faculty of any university/college/school/institution conferring academic degrees or offering review classes for librarianship licensure examination, or one with pecuniary interest, directly or indirectly, in such institution; or incumbent officers of the Philippine Librarians Association, Inc.
Section 6 sets a three (3) years term for the Chairman and members from date they assume office, and requires them to take oath before assuming office.
Section 6 fixes staggered initial terms for first appointees: one member serves one (1) year, one serves two (2) years, and one serves three (3) years; it also provides that vacancies are served for the unexpired term only.
Section 6 bars a person from reappointment after two (2) successive terms until after the lapse of one (1) year, and clarifies that appointment to fill an unexpired term is not a complete term.
Section 9 authorizes removal by the President upon recommendation of the Professional Regulation Commission for neglect of duty, incompetence, unprofessional, unethical, immoral, or dishonorable conduct, or for commission or toleration of irregularities in the examination, after opportunity to defend in a proper administrative investigation.
Section 8 sets compensation: per diems as determined by the Professional Regulation Commission for every Board meeting; P20.00 for each applicant examined; and P10.00 for every applicant granted a certificate of registration as librarian without examination.

Examination, certification, fees, and roster

Section 11 prohibits, unless exempt from registration, any person from practicing or offering to practice librarianship in the Philippines, or being appointed to any position calling for a librarian and documentalist or information specialist working in a library, without previously obtaining a certificate of registration from the Board.
Section 12 requires that applicants for certification as librarians undergo a written examination given annually in places and dates determined by the Board, unless specifically allowed otherwise by the Act.
Section 13 requires examination applicants, at the time of filing, to be: a citizen of the Philippines; at least twenty (20) years of age; in good health and of good moral character; and a graduate of a Government-recognized school/college/university with one of the listed degrees (including Bachelor of Library Science/Information Science, Bachelor of Science in Library Science/Information Science, Bachelor of Science in Education major/specialization in Library Science or Bachelor of Arts major in Library Science, Master of Library Science/Information Science, or Master of Arts in Library Science).
Section 14 provides that the examination consists of Category A, General Information Test and Category B, Professional Test covering: (1) selection and acquisition of library materials; (2) cataloguing and classification; (3) indexing and abstracting; (4) reference, bibliography and information services; (5) organization and management of libraries and information centers; (6) information technology; and (7) other subjects the Board deems necessary.
Section 15 mandates that within ninety (90) days after the examination, the Board reports each candidate’s ratings to the Professional Regulation Commission for approval and/or appropriate action.
Section 16 disqualifies a candidate who fails in three (3) successive Board examinations from taking the fourth examination unless the candidate submits evidence that a refresher course has been taken from a duly accredited school or its equivalent as determined by the Board.
Section 17 requires the Board to adopt rules and regulations governing the examination and the standards to be attained, subject to approval of the Professional Regulation Commission.
Section 18 allows issuance of certificates without licensure examination to qualified applicants who were, as of the date of approval of the Act: (a) librarian and supervising librarian eligibles with a bachelor’s degree; (b) first grade eligibles (or their equivalent) with a bachelor’s degree plus at least eighteen (18) units in Library Science and at least five (5) years of experience in librarianship; and (c) first grade eligibles (or their equivalent) with a Master’s Degree in Library and/or Information Science.
Section 18 requires that these eligible applicants be given three (3) years from the organization of the Board for Librarians to register and be included in the roster of professionals.
Section 19 requires issuance of certificates to examinees who passed upon payment of required fees; mandates that each certificate show the registrant’s full name and serial number, bear the signatures of Board members and the Commissioner of the Professional Regulation Commission, and be authenticated with the Board’s official seal.
Section 19 makes the issuance of a certificate prima facie evidence that the person named is entitled to practice librarianship in the Philippines with all rights and privileges.
Section 20 sets fees: P200.00 examination fee for applicants; P150.00 registration fee for successful applicants; and mandates that fees are paid to the disbursing officer of the Professional Regulation Commission, who pays authorized expenses of the Board, including compensation of the Chairman and members.
Section 21 authorizes the Board, after due notice and hearing, to revoke or suspend a librarian’s certificate for conviction by a court of competent jurisdiction of any criminal offense involving moral turpitude, unprofessional or dishonorable conduct, malpractice, incompetence, or serious ignorance or negligence in practice of librarianship; or for fraud, deceit, or falsification in obtaining a certificate.
Section 22 authorizes reissuance of a revoked certificate for reasons of equity and justice, upon proper application and submission of an affidavit of loss, upon payment of the fee prescribed by the Professional Regulation Commission.
Section 22 allows replacement of lost, destroyed, or mutilated certificates subject to Board rules upon payment of P50.00.
Section 23 provides reciprocal admission: no foreign librarian may be admitted to the examination, given a certificate, or entitled to rights and privileges under the Act unless the foreign country/state permits Filipino librarians to practice in its territorial limits on the same basis; it also requires that certification requirements be substantially the same and that the foreign jurisdiction grants reciprocal privilege to Filipino librarians.
Section 24 requires the Board to maintain a roster of librarians containing names and addresses, dates of registration/issuance, and other data the Board deems pertinent, and to provide copies of the roster to the National Library, the Philippine Librarians Association, Inc., and the Civil Service Commission.

Practice penalties and enforcement consequences

Section 25 imposes criminal penalties for specific prohibited acts, namely a fine of not less than P500.00 nor more than P2,000.00, or imprisonment of not less than one (1) month nor more than two (2) years, or both, at the discretion of the court.
Section 25 makes punishable: practicing librarianship in the Philippines without being certified under the Act.
Section 25 makes punishable: representing or attempting to use as one’s own another person’s certificate of registration.
Section 25 makes punishable: giving false or fraudulent evidence to the Board or any member to obtain a certificate of registration.
Section 25 makes punishable: impersonating any registrant.
Section 25 makes punishable: using a revoked or suspended certificate of registration.
Section 25 makes punishable: assuming, using, or advertising any title or description tending to convey the impression of being a librarian without holding a valid certificate.
Section 25 makes punishable: violating any provision of the Act.

Exemptions, transitory rules, and formal clauses

Section 11 exempts persons from the certificate requirement only when they are exempt from registration under the Act.
Section 18 functions as an exemption from examination for qualifying applicants who register within three (3) years from the organization of the Board for Librarians.
Section 29 provides a transitory measure: incumbent librarians in both public and private sectors not otherwise certified under the Act receive six (6) years temporary certificates from the time the Board is organized to qualify under the Act and to be included in the roster of professionals.
Section 26 directs the use of funds: savings from any item of appropriations of the Professional Regulation Commission are utilized for initial implementation; thereafter, amounts necessary for continued implementation are included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
Section 27 provides separability: if any section or provision or its application is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the remainder is not affected.
Section 28 contains a repealing/modifying rule: all laws and parts of laws inconsistent with the Act are repealed or modified accordingly.