REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT A. Francisco Gold Condominium II, EDSA corner Mapagmahal Street, Diliman, Quezon City MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. TO : SUBJECT : ALL PROVINCIAL GOVERNORS, CITY MAYORS AND MUNICIPAL MAYORS, DILG REGIONAL DIRECTORS, BUREAU DIRECTORS AND OTHER CONCERNED IMPLEMENTATION OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9292 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING LAW OF 2004” I. Prefatory Statement It is a declared policy that the State recognizes the importance of electronics engineers in nation and development. Thus, the State shall develop and nurture competent, virtuous, productive and well-rounded Professional Electronics Engineers (PECE), Electronics Engineers (ECE) and Electronics Technicians (ECT) toward excellent professional practice and service. Republic Act No. 9292 otherwise known as “ An Act Providing for More Responsive and Comprehensive Regulation for the Registration, Licensing and Practice of Professional Electronics Engineers, Electronics Engineers and Electronics Technicians, Repealing Republic Act No. 5734, otherwise known as “ The Electronics and Communications Engineering Act of the Philippines” was enacted to promote and strengthen the licensing and regulation of the professional practice of electronics engineering in the country. This is being done basically regulate professionals responsible in administration, management, supervision and regulatory aspects of electronics services, such as but not limited to preparation of plans, designs, investigations, technical reports, specifications, research and development, procurement, construction and installation, technical support and maintenance of electronic systems and networks in the fields of electronics and communications, information and communications technology (ICT), software development and industrial electronics (i.e. opto-electronics, avionics, navigational and military applications, robotics, biometrics … etc.) and other related convergent fields. At this level, Electronics Engineers play a very vital role in the management and administration of e-government projects in line with the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP), Government Information Strategic Plan (GISP) and CICT Road Map where delivery of services under Information and Communications Technology (ICT), maintenance electronics equipments, and infrastructure and network connectivity. Nevertheless, the trends where electronic application exist such as but not limited to Electronic Billboard/Ads, Wire and Wireless Communications Structures, Antenna System, Electronic Conveyance System, ICT Technologies, Security and Alarm Systems, and Green Technology for Building Design are few for the existence of Electronics Engineering were Government is projected to generate income on regulation, processing and grant of Electronics Permit and Inspection System on Building Permits application on each and every City and Municipality. To ensure effective and efficient delivery of these services, it is therefore, imperative that personnel hired or to be hired, presently assigned or projected to be assigned to manage and administer the implementation of Electronics Engineering Services are professional or licensed and registered PECE’s, ECE’s or ECT’s pursuant to RA 9292. II. Purpose This Memorandum Circular is issued to provide guidance and ensure strict compliance to certain provisions of RA 9292. III. Definition of Terms Under RA 9292, the following terms shall mean: 1. Electronics – the science dealing with the development and application of devices and systems involving the flow of electrons or other carriers of electric charges, in a vacuum, gaseous media, in plasma, in semiconductors, in solid-state and/or similar devices, including, but not limited to, applications involving optical, electromagnetic and other energy forms when transduced or converted into electronic signals. 2. Professional Electronics Engineers – a person who is qualified to hold himself/herself out as duly registered/licensed Professional Electronics Engineer under this Act and to affix to his/her name the letters “PECE”. 3. Electronics Engineer – a person who is qualified to hold himself/herself out as a duly registered/licensed Electronics Engineer under this Act and to affix to his/her name the letters “ECE”. 4. Electronics Technician – a person who is qualified to hold himself/herself out as a duly registered/licensed Electronics Technician under this Act and to affix to his/her name the letters “ECT”. 5. Electronics and Communications Engineer – a person who is qualified to hold himself/herself out as a duly-registered/licensed Electronics and Communications Engineer under Republic Act No. 5734. 6. Computer – any of a variety of electronics devices that is capable of accepting data, programs and/or instructions, executing the programs and/or instructions to process the data and presenting the results. 7. Information and Communication Technology – the acquisition, production, transformation, storage and transmission/reception of data and information by electronic means in forms such as vocal, pictorial, textual, numeric or the like; also refers to theoretical and practical applications and process utilizing such data information. 8. Communications – the process of sending and/or receiving information, data, signals and/or messages between two (2) or more points by radio, cable, optical wave guides or other devices and wired or wireless medium. 9. Telecommunications – any transmission, emission or reception of voice, data, electronic messages, text, written or printed matter, fixed or moving pictures or images, words, music or visible or audible signals or sounds, or any information, intelligence and/or control signals of any design/format and for any purpose, by wire, radio, spectral, visual/optical/light, or other electronic, electromagnetic and technological means. 10. Broadcast, Broadcasting – an undertaking the object of which is to transmit audio, video, text, images or other signals or messages for reception of a broad audience in a geographical area via wired or wireless means. 11. Industrial Plant – includes all manufacturing establishments and other business endeavors where electronic or electronically-controlled machinery or equipment are installed and/or are being used, sold, maintained, assembled, manufactured or operated. 12. Commercial Establishments – shall include but not limited to office buildings, hotels, motels, hospitals, condominiums, stores, apartments, supermarkets, schools, studios, stadia, parking areas, memorial chapels/parks, watercraft and aircraft used for business or profit, and any other building/s or area/s for business purposes, where electronic or electronically-controlled machinery or equipment are installed and/or are being used, sold, maintained, assembles, manufactures or operated. 13. Consulting Services - shall include services requiring adequate technical expertise, experience and professional capability in undertaking advisory and review, pre-investment or feasibility studies, design, planning, construction, supervision, management and related services, and other technical studies or special studies in the field of electronics engineering. IV. Nature and Scope of Practice of Electronics Engineering and Electronics Technician Profession. 1. Electronics Engineer (ECE) shall embrace and consist of any work or act or activity relating to the application of engineering sciences and/or principles to the investigation, analysis, synthesis, planning, design, specification, research and development, provision, procurement, marketing and sales, manufacture and production, construction and installation, test/measurements/control, operation, repair, servicing, technical support and maintenance of electronic components, devices, products, apparatus, instruments, equipment, systems, networks, operations and processes in the fields of electronics, including communications and/or telecommunications, information and communications technology (ICT), computers and their networking and hardware/firmware/software development and applications, broadcast/broadcasting, cable and wireless television, consumer and industrial electronics, electro-optics/photonics/opto-electronics, electromagnetics, avionics, aerospace, navigational and military applications, medical electronics, robotics, cybernetics, biometrics and all other related and convergent fields; it also includes the administration, management, supervision and regulatory aspects of such works and activities; similarly included are those teaching and training activities which the ability to use electronics engineering fundamentals and related advanced knowledge in electronics engineering, including lecturing ad teaching of technical and professional subjects given in the electronics engineering and electronics technician curriculum and licensure examinations. 2. Professional Electronics Engineer (PECE) shall embrace and consist of all the nature and practice of Electronics Engineer plus the sole authority to provide consulting services and to sign and seal electronics plans, drawings, permit applications, specifications, reports and other technical documents prepared by himself/herself and/or under his direct supervision. 3. Electronics Technician (ECT) shall embrace and consist of any nonengineering work or activity relating to the installation, construction, operation, control, test and measurements, diagnosis, repair and maintenance, manufacture and production, sales and marketing of any electronics component/s, device/s, products, apparatus, instruments, equipments, system/s, network/s, operations and processes located on land, watercraft, aircraft, industrial plants or commercial establishments, including the teaching and training of technical and professional subjects given in the electronics technician curriculum and licensure examinations. V. Guidelines in Implementing Certain Provision of RA 9292 1. The Local Government Units and the Interior Sector shall ensure that Professional Electronics Engineers and/or Electronics Engineers are supervising, managing and administering electronics services and regulation of electronics works and activities defined under the nature and scope of practice of electronics engineers in their respective areas of jurisdiction. 2. The Local Government Units and the Interior Sector shall ensure placement of its personnel under this Act to positions and/or assignments requiring the services of Professional Electronics Engineers (PECE), Electronics Engineers (ECE) and Electronics Technicians (ECT) only by registered and licensed PCE, ECE and ECT. Sec 34 of this Act states “xxx Positions in Government Requiring the Services of Registered and Licensed Professional Electronics Engineers, Electronics Engineers and Technicians. – Within three (3) years from the effectivity of this Act, all existing and proposed positions in the local and national government, whether career, permanent, temporary or contractual and primarily requiring the services of Professional Electronics Engineers, Electronics Engineers or Electronics Technicians shall accordingly be filled only by registered and licensed Professional Electronics Engineers, Electronics Engineers or Electronics Technicians xxx”. 3. The Local Government Units and the Interior Sector are directed to cause the assignment of their personnel who are licensed and registered Professional Electronics Engineers (PECE), Electronics Engineers (ECE) and Electronics Technicians (ECT) to office, sections, divisions, departments or alike for effective implementation of its respective e-government projects. 4. The Provincial, City and Municipal Sangunians are encourage to enact an ordinance prescribing certain fees on professional tax incorporating a provision of said law in securing clearance as one of the requirements in the issuance of business and building permits for private companies/establishments. 5. The Provincial, City and Municipal Building Officials shall strictly comply for the processing and application of Electronics Permit for Building and Structures requiring the imposition of payments pursuant to Para 7, New Schedule of Fees and Other Charges of the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of the National Building Code of the Philippines. 6. The Local Government Units shall engage the assignment of a licensed registered PECE/ECE as part of the staff of the Office of City and Municipal Building Official to evaluate Electronics Engineering Plans, design and other related documents as to compliance with the Philippine Electronic Code. 7. Accordingly penal provision of the Act for violation to any of the foregoing shall be ground for administrative and/or criminal action. Section 35 of this Act states “ xxx The following shall be punished by fine of not less than One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P 100,000.00) nor more than One Million Pesos (P 1,000,000.00), or by imprisonment for not less than six(6) months nor more than six (6) years, or both, in discretion of the court….xxx” VI. For strict compliance. JESSE M. ROBREDO Secretary