Borja, Yasmin Kaye C.
CHE 507 – ChE Laws, Ethics, Codes, and Standards
Differences of RA 318 and RA 9297
(1) The RA 9297 ChE law is also known as the Chemical Engineering Law of 2004,
it is an act that repealed the Republic Act 318 which is the Chemical Engineering Law.
(2) The RA 9297 ratifies the creation of the Board of Chemical Engineering and
authorize the Board to administer and manage the practice of the chemical engineering
profession in the Philippines, under the administrative control and governance of the
Professional Regulation Commission or PRC. RA 318 was the first law to enforce the
chemical engineering law and was not under the Professional Regulation Commission
since the agency was established in 1973.
(3) In the RA 318, one of the qualifications for applying in the chemical engineering
examinations is that one should be at least 21 years of age. However in the RA 9297, there
is no minimum age required to take the examinations.
(4) The RA 9297 provides more detailed explanations and laws and has 5 articles
and 39 sections compared to RA 318 who only has 4 articles and 32 sections.
(5) The RA 9297 contains the scope of practice that describes the services of
chemical engineers, RA 318 does not.
(6) It is stated in the RA 318 that the results from the chemical engineering
examination must be reported after 90 days of the examination. While in RA 9297, the
Board shall complete the correction of examination papers within twenty (20) days from
the last day of the examination and must report it no more than 30 days after the
correction.
(7) It will take 15 days following the publication of RA 9297 to take effect, while
RA 318 will take effect upon its approval.
(8) One of the qualifications of being a board member in RA 318 is to be at least
30 years old, but in RA 9297, there is no minimum age requirement.
(9) The members of the board shall hold office for a term of one year after their
appointment in RA 318. On the other hand, in RA 9297, the Chairman and the Members
of the Board shall have a term of three (3) years only, with reappointment.
(10) In RA 318, the Secretary of Public Works and Communications may remove
any member of the Board for continued neglect of duty or for misconduct. While in RA
9297, the Chairman or any Member of the Board may be suspended or removed by the
Commission for neglect of duty or misconduct.
Similarities of RA 318 and RA 9297
(1) RA 318 Article 1 Section 4 (Qualification of board members) is similar with RA
9297 Article 2 Section 7 (Qualification of the Board Chairman and Members) which board
members should be a citizen and resident of the Philippines and registered chemical
engineer with 10 year work experience within the field of chemical engineering.
(2) RA 318 Article 1 Section 7 (Removal of board members) indicated that The
Secretary of Public Works and Communications may remove any member of the Board
for continued neglect of duty or incompetency, or for unprofessional or dishonorable
conduct. Similar with RA 9297 Article 2 Section 10 (Removal/Suspension of Chairman and
Members), which states that the Chairman or any Member of the Board may be suspended
or removed by the Commission for neglect of duty, incompetence, commission or
tolerance of irregularities in the licensure examination, malpractice or unprofessional or
unethical conduct
(3) RA 318 Article 1 Section 8 (Compensation of the board) indicates that the
members of the board shall each receive a compensation for each applicant examined or
registered without examination as chemical. Similar with RA 9297 Article 2 Section 11
(Compensation of the Board) which states that The Chairman and Members of the Board
shall receive such compensation or honorarium as may be prescribed by the rules and
regulations of the Commission.
(4) RA 318 Article 1 Section 10 (Annual Report) and RA 9297 Article 2 Section 12
(Annual Report) indicates that the Board shall submit an annual report to the Commission
after the close of each fiscal year giving a detailed account of the proceedings of the
Board during the year and embodying such recommendations to the Commission as the
Board may desire to make.
(5) RA 318 Article 2 Section 14 (Examination Required) and RA 9297 Article 3
Section 13 (Examination Requirement) stated that all applicants for registration for the
practice of chemical engineering shall be required to pass the licensure examination
prescribed herein.
(6) RA 318 Article 2 Section 15 (Qualifications of examination) is similar with RA
9297 Article 3 Section 16 (Qualifications of examination) which both required that the
examinee should be a citizen of the Philippines, have good moral character, and
graduated of a school and has been conferred the degree of Bachelor of Science in
Chemical Engineering
(7) RA 318 Article 2 Section 18 (Issuance of certificates) indicates that every
certificate of registration shall show the full name of the registrant, have a serial number,
and be signed by the members of the Board. Similar with RA 9297 Article 3 Section 16
(Issuance of Certificate of Registration and professional Identification Card) which states
that every Certificate of Registration shall state the full name of the registrant and his
registrant and his registration number.
(8) RA 318 Article 3 Section 22 (Prohibitions in practice of chemical engineering)
states that any person who shall practice chemical engineering in the Philippines as
defined in this Act, without a certificate of registration or certificate of proficiency issued
in accordance with the provisions of this Act. Similar with RA 9297 Article 4 Section 27
(Prohibitions in practice of chemical engineering) which states that no person shall
practice chemical engineering or render chemical engineering service without a valid
certificate of registration and a valid professional identification card. Both requires
certificate to practice chemical engineering.
(9) RA 318 Article 3 Section 25 (Roster of engineering) and RA 9297 Article 4
Section 28 (Roster of Chemical Engineering) have very similar explanation which is mainly
stated that The Commission shall keep a roster of all duly licensed and registered chemical
engineers, stating their names, registration numbers and places of business.
(10) RA 318 Article 3 Section 26 (Foreign Reciprocity) and RA 9297 Article 4 Section
30 (Foreign Reciprocity) both indicated that No foreign chemical engineer shall be
granted any of the right or privilege under this Act unless the country of which he is a
subject or citizen grants the same or similar rights or privileges to Filipino chemical
engineers.