Revised Guidelines on the Conduct of Mass Oathtaking of Professionals

May 9, 2012

PRC RESOLUTION NO. 657-12

REVISED GUIDELINES ON THE CONDUCT OF MASS OATHTAKING OF PROFESSIONALS

WHEREAS, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) has issued resolutions, directing the Professional Regulatory Boards (PRBs) to require professionals registered and licensed with or without Board Licensure Examination to take their oath of professionals before they practice their profession, pursuant to their Professional Regulatory Laws (PRLs);

WHEREAS, PRC Res. No. 93-268, Series of 1983 provides for the guidelines and procedures on mass oathtaking of new professionals before the PRBs and new members before the accredited professional organizations (APOs);

WHEREAS, PRC Res. No. 98-545, Series of 1998 requires the PRBs and the corresponding APOs or accredited integrated professional organizations (AIPOs) that jointly hold the mass oathtaking ceremonies of professionals to render their reports on such activities;

WHEREAS, there is a need to promulgate new guidelines on the conduct of mass oathtaking of professionals to address strategic, operational, monetary issues and concerns of the PRBs and the PRC as well as of the APOs and AIPOs;

WHEREAS, by virtue of the PRL, the oath of professionals has to be administered by the chairman, vice-chairman, or member of the PRB or any authorized official of the PRC pursuant to Par. (k), Sec. 7 of R.A. No. 8981, called as the "PRC Modernization Act of 2000", or any person authorized under Secs. 2 and 4, Title I, Book I of the Revised Administrative Code of 1987 as amended by R.A. No. 6733 or any special law;

WHEREAS, Pars. (c) and (o), Sec. 7 of R.A. No. 8981 and the pertinent provisions of the PRLs mandate the PRC to exercise administrative control and supervision over the PRBs and their members;

WHEREAS, Pars. (b),(p),and (y),Sec. 7 of the aforementioned law empower the Commission to make and promulgate such rules and regulations for the execution, implementation, and enforcement of its powers, functions, and responsibilities, for the improvement of its services, and for carrying out the PRLs, executive orders, and administrative issuances;

NOW, THEREFORE, the Commission RESOLVES, as it is hereby RESOLVED, to prescribe, issue, and promulgate the "Revised Guidelines on the Conduct of Mass Oathtaking of Professionals" with the following new provisions:

SECTION 1. Oath of Professionals. — All examinees who have successfully passed the Board licensure examinations and those applicants admitted for registration without Board licensure examinations shall imperatively take an oath of professionals prior to entering upon the practice of the profession.

SECTION 2. Authorized Official to Administer Oath of Professionals. — The Chairman, vice-chairman, or member of the Professional Regulatory Board (PRB) or any official of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) authorized by it, or any official or officer authorized under Secs. 2 and 41, Title I, Book I of the Revised Administrative Code of 1987 as amended by R.A. No. 6733 or any special law, shall administer the oath of professionals. The PRC may deputize, or delegate to, any of its authorized regional directors/officials to administer such oath.

SECTION 3. Administration of Mass Oathtaking. — The successful examinees in the Board licensure examinations and those who are admitted for registration without Board licensure examinations shall take their oath of professionals in mass oathtaking conducted by PRBs in any specified venue in Metro Manila or outside it before its chairman, vice-chairman, or member, or any PRC authorized regional director or official who is duly delegated with or deputized, to administer it.

SECTION 4. Conduct of a Simple and Solemn Mass Oathtaking. — The mass oathtaking of professionals shall be organized and supervised by all PRBs in a venue and date which the PRC shall inform the registrants of, after the release of the results of the Board licensure examination and/or the approval of the PRB resolution admitting registrants without Board licensure examination. The said ceremony shall be carried out with simplicity and solemnity. The regional director or official administering the oath shall thereafter submit a written report to the PRC, copy furnished the PRB.

SECTION 5. Role of the Commission and Regional Offices. — By virtue of its administrative supervision over the PRBs, the PRC through the Office of the Secretary of the PRBs, Registration Division, and other concerned divisions/units in the Central Office and regional offices shall provide administrative support to the PRBs in the organization and conduct of mass oathtaking activities.

SECTION 6. Role of the Accredited Professional Organization (APO) or the Accredited Integrated Professional Organization (AIPO) and the Philippine Association of Professional Regulatory Board Members, Inc. (PAPRBM). — The PRB may invite the Accredited Professional Organization (APO),or the accredited integrated professional organization (AIPO),or the Philippine Association of Regulatory Board Members, Inc. (PARBM) to participate in the mass oathtaking of new professionals by inducting its new members and by collecting their annual/lifetime membership fees.

The Philippine Association of Professional Regulatory Board Members, Inc. (PAPRBM) may be tapped by the concerned PRB and/or by PRC to provide its support thereto in the conduct of the mass oathtaking.

SECTION 7. Creation of a Trust Fund. — A Trust Fund from the proceeds of mass oathtaking activities shall be created for the exclusive and appropriate use for professional development activities pursuant to a provision in the PRC/DOLE Annual Appropriation and/or in R.A. No. 8981, or any special/supplementary budgetary law.

SECTION 8. Implementing Procedures, Criteria, and Standards of this Resolution. — Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Resolution, the Commission shall prescribe, issue, and promulgate the procedures, criteria, and standards that shall guide the PRBs and/or the PRC in the implementation of the provisions of the herein resolution after consultation with the PRBs, PAPRBM, APOs/AIPOs, other government agencies, and non-government organizations.

SECTION 9. Guidelines in the Creation, Utilization and Accounting of the Trust Fund. — The PRC shall prescribe, issue, and promulgate the guidelines on the creation, utilization and accounting of the Trust Fund after consultation with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM),the National Treasury, the Commission on Audit (COA),Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR),and other derivative public or private bodies.

SECTION 10. Separability Clause. — If any section, provision, or paragraph hereof shall be declared unconstitutional or not valid, the same shall not invalidate the other sections, provisions, or paragraphs not affected thereby.

SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. — PRC Resolution Nos. 93-268, Series of 1993 and 98-545, Series 1998 are hereby repealed and all other PRC administrative issuances and parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Resolution are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

SECTION 12. Effectivity. — This Resolution shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following its full and complete publication in the Official Gazette or any major daily newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines.

Let copies of this Resolution be furnished to the Professional Regulatory Boards (PRBs),the Accredited Professional Organization (APOs),the Accredited Integrated Professional Organizations (AIPOs),the Philippine Association of Professional Regulatory Board Members, Inc. (PAPRBM),all offices/divisions/units in the central and regional offices, and the UP Law Center for their information and guidance.

DONE in the City of Manila this 9th day of May, 2012.

(SGD.) TERESITA R. MANZALAChairperson

(SGD.) ALFREDO Y. POCommissioner

(SGD.) JENNIFER JARDIN-MANALILICommissioner

Published in the Official Gazette on May 11, 2012.