An Act to Amend Commonwealth Act Numbered Two Hundred and Ninety-Four, Known as the Mechanical Engineering Law

June 18, 1939

COMMONWEALTH ACT NO. 481

AN ACT TO AMEND COMMONWEALTH ACT NUMBERED TWO HUNDRED AND NINETY-FOUR, KNOWN AS THE MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LAW

SECTION 1. Sections twenty-five, twenty-seven, thirty-seven, and forty-four of Commonwealth Act Numbered Two hundred and ninety-four are amended to read as follows: AScTaD

"SEC. 25. Registration as mechanical plant engineer without examination. — No examination shall be required of any person who shall, with his application for registration as mechanical plant engineer, submitted to the Board within one year from the date this Act becomes effective, present evidence or sufficient proof satisfactory to the Board, showing that, on the date of the approval of this Act, he had any of the following qualifications:

"(a) Ten years or more of active practice in mechanical engineering work of a character showing that the applicant is competent to take charge of the construction, erection, installation, alteration, operation, and management of mechanical works, projects, or plants, and has the first three qualifications specified under section seventeen of this Act; or

"(b) Actual employment on the approval of this Act in a regularly organized mechanical works, project, or plant of more than two hundred horse-power capacity and has rendered satisfactory supervisory services without any serious accident as certified by his employer: Provided, however, That his registration will be valid only for the works, plant, or project where he is actually employed or similar works, plant, or project; or

"(c) A civil service examination for senior mechanical engineer or a mechanical engineer license issued by the Board of Examiners for Mechanical Engineers under Act Numbered Two thousand nine hundred and eighty-five of the Philippine Legislature of the year nineteen hundred and twenty-one, as amended, with four years or more of active practice in mechanical engineering work of such character showing to the satisfaction of the Board, that the applicant is competent to take charge of the construction, erection, installation, alteration, operation, and management of mechanical works, projects, or plants, and to render engineering service in connection with the manufacture, sale, supply or distribution of mechanical equipment, machinery, or processes."

"SEC. 27. Registration as certified plant mechanic without examination. — No examination shall be required of any person who shall, with his application for registration as certified plant mechanic, submitted to the Board within one year after this Act becomes effective, present evidence satisfactory to the Board, showing that, on the date of approval of this Act:

"(a) He had ten years or more of active practice in mechanical plant operation of a character showing that the applicant is competent to undertake the operation and maintenance of mechanical works, projects, or plants of less than two hundred horse-power, has working knowledge of and can read, write, and speak English, Spanish, or any of the Filipino languages, and has the first two qualifications specified under section nineteen of this Act; or

"(b) He is actually employed on the approval of this Act in the operation of a regularly organized mechanical works, project, or plant of less than two hundred horse-power capacity without serious accident as certified by his employer: Provided, however, That his registration will be valid only for the works, project or plant where he is actually employed or for similar works, project, or plant."

"SEC. 37. Personnel required in mechanical plants. — Every mechanical works, project, or plant, in operation shall have not less than the following complement of resident engineers or mechanics duly registered under this Act:

"(a) Fifty horse-power or over but below two hundred horse-power, one certified plant mechanic or one mechanical engineer of any rank;

"(b) Two hundred horse-power or over but below one thousand horse-power, one mechanical plant engineer or one professional mechanical engineer;

"Provided, That every mechanical works, project, or plant operating in more than one shift every twenty-four hours, shall have in addition to the minimum personnel herein required one certified plant mechanic or one mechanical engineer of any rank in charge of each and every additional shift.

"(c) Mechanical works, projects, or plant of one thousand horse-power or more shall have at least one resident mechanical plant engineer or professional mechanical engineer, in charge of each shift."

"SEC. 44. Act not affecting other professions. — This Act shall not be construed to affect or prevent the practice of any other legally recognized professions: Provided, however, That until December thirty-first, nineteen hundred and forty-five, any holder of the title of marine engineer of the merchant marine duly issued by competent authority of the Commonwealth of the Philippines in pursuance with the requisites and qualifications provided by the laws for marine engineers of the merchant marine, shall be permitted to secure a registration certificate in mechanical engineering as defined by this Act with all the rights, privileges, and obligations incumbent in the practice of the same as provided by this Act, under the following limitations:

"(a) That any holder of the title of chief marine engineer of the merchant marine may, at any time, upon payment of thirty pesos registration fees to the Board of Mechanical Engineering Examiners, practice as professional mechanical engineer under this Act, without examination, provided he has in his favor fifteen years experience in marine and/or mechanical plant engineering.

"(b) That any holder of the title of chief marine engineer of the merchant marine may, at any time, upon payment of thirty pesos registration fees to the Board of Mechanical Engineering Examiners, practice as mechanical plant engineer under this Act, without examination, provided he has in his favor ten years experience in marine and/or mechanical plant engineering; IATSHE

"(c) That any holder of the title of second marine engineer of the merchant marine may, at any time, upon payment of twenty pesos registration fees to the Board of Mechanical Engineering Examiners, practice as junior mechanical engineer under this Act, without examination, provided he has in his favor eight years experience in marine and/or mechanical plant engineering.

"(d) That any holder of the title of third and fourth marine engineer of the merchant marine may, at any time, upon payment of ten pesos registration fees to the Board of Mechanical Engineering Examiners, practice as certified plant mechanic under this Act, without examination, provided he has in his favor six years experience in marine and/or mechanical plant engineering."

SECTION 2. This Act take effect upon its approval.

Enacted, without Executive approval, June 18, 1939. aAEIHC