ARTICLE I – NAME AND OFFICE
Section 1.
This Society shall be known as the PHILIPPINE SOCIETY FOR MICROBIOLOGY, INC. or PSM,
hereinafter referred to as the Society.
Section 2
The Society shall have its office (either at the University of the Philippines at Los Baños, College,
Laguna or ITDI, DOST, Bicutan or such other place in Metro Manila or Los Baños, Laguna as the
Board of Directors may determine from time to time) at the Department of Life Sciences, College of
Arts and Sciences, Laguna, Philippines.
ARTICLE II – OBJECTIVES
In addition to the purposes mentioned under Art. II of the Articles of Incorporation, the
following are the objectives of the Society:
1. Promotion of scientific knowledge in microbiology or related fields through workshops, symposia,
trainings, reports, and publications.
2. Stimulation of scientific investigations and advancement in the frontiers of microbiology and/or
allied fields.
3. Contribution to the development of education in microbiology.
4. Recognition and accreditation of members in different specialized fields of microbiology.
ARTICLE III – POWERS
Section 1.
Acquire from any governmental authority, foreign or domestic and from any person, natural or
judicial, as well as from any association or other entity, such characters, franchises, licenses,
rights, privileges, technical assistance as are conducive to and necessary for the attainment of the
purposes of the organization.
Section 2.
Receive and acquire to the extent provided by law, from any person, firm or entity whether foreign
or domestic, by donation, grant, exchange, devise, bequest, purchase, lease or contribution, either
absolutely or in trust, consisting of such properties, real or personal, and/or otherwise invest
its funds, moneys or properties.
Section 3.
Perform all acts and things necessary, suitable or proper for the accomplishment of any of the
purposes or objectives herein enumerated or which shall at any time appear conducive or
expedient for the protection or benefit of the organization, including the exercise of the powers,
authorities, and attributes conferred upon corporations organized under the laws of the Philippines
in general and upon domestic non-stock corporation of like nature in particular.
ARTICLE IV – MEMBERSHIP
Section 1.
Any person or organization engaged and interested in advancing the objectives of the Society shall
be eligible for membership.
Section 2.
The Society shall consist of charter, regular, life, sustaining, and honorary members.
1. Charter members – those who originally organized the Society on October 14, 1971 at the
University of the Philippines, College, Laguna.
2. Regular members – those who have had training and experience in microbiology and have been
recommended by the membership committee; they must have paid the membership dues
before becoming regular members.
3. Life members – regular members shall be eligible for life membership after one year of active
participation in the Society and upon payment of appropriate dues.
4. Honorary members – any person with outstanding contribution to the science of microbiology or
outstanding services to the Society shall be eligible for election as honorary members by the
Board of directors. Honorary members are exempted from the payment of dues.
5. Sustaining members – organizations engaged / interested in microbiology and biotechnology
shall become sustaining member upon approval of the membership committee and payment of
the corresponding dues.
All applicants for membership endorsed by the membership committee shall become official
members of the Society immediately after oath- taking.
Section 3.
Section 4.
All members shall be entitled to the rights and privileges of the Society, except that honorary
members and sustaining members or their representatives shall not be eligible to vote or hold
office. Any regular member or life member who fails to attend a PSM seminar, workshop, regional
convention or the PSM annual convention for three consecutive years without a valid excuse, shall
be dropped from the roll after proper notification.
Section 5.
The PSM Board of Directors may, after fair hearing, suspend or expel any member, for having
committed an act or acts inimical to the profession and to the PSM. The rules and regulations
governing such hearing shall be prescribed by the Board of Directors of the PSM National
Organization.
ARTICLE V - OFFICERS
Section 1.
The Board of Directors shall be the legal representative of the society and, as such, shall
administer the Society’s properties and affairs. The Board of Directors shall be the policy-making
body of the Society.
Section 2.
The Board of Directors of the Society shall be composed of the executive officers and
representatives of the various Divisions and the immediate past president, as ex-officio member
with no voting right.
Section 3.
The executive officers of the Society shall be a president, a vice president, a corresponding
secretary, a recording secretary, a treasurer, a business manager, a press relations officer, an
auditor and a liaison officer. They shall be elected by the general membership during the Annual
Convention except for the Recording Secretary and Liaison Officer who will be appointed by the
President.
In the case of the Vice President, he automatically becomes the President for the following year.
The position of the Vice President should alternate preferably between a Los Baños – and a Metro
Manila – based Society member.
Section 4.
All officers of the Society shall hold office for one year or until their successors are duly
elected/appointed and qualified.
The president shall serve as the chairman of the Board.
Section 5.
Should the presidency become vacant before the end of the prescribed period, the vice president
shall then become president for the unexpired term. If these two offices should become vacant at
the same time, it shall be the duty of the members of the Board to elect a president and vicepresident from the current Board. Other vacancies in the Board may be filled up by appointment by
the Board from among the qualified members of the Society for the unexpired term only.
Section 6.
The immediate past president shall automatically become a member of the Board for the
succeeding year, provided, however, that he/she shall not serve as an executive officer, as exofficio member with no voting right.
Section 7.
The Board shall hold at least six regular meetings a year at a time and place fixed by the Board.
The majority of the Board members shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE VI – DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
Section 1.
President
1. Presides over all meetings of the Board of Directors and general assembly.
2. Implements all policies and programs promulgated by the Board of Directors.
3. Prepares plans of activities for the Society in consultation with the Board of Directors and
execute all approved plans.
4. Countersigns checks for payment and withdrawal slips from the Society’s deposits.
5. Accepts donations, grants, gifts, etc. in behalf of the Society.
6. Presents a written and oral annual report during the general assembly meeting.
7. Represents the Society in any meeting or business transaction requiring the participation of the
Society.
8. Acts as convention chairman during the annual convention of the Society.
Section 2.
Vice-President
1. Assists the President in all his functions.
2. Discharges the duties and responsibilities of the President in the latter’s incapacity or absence.
Section 3.
Corresponding Secretary
1. Issues notices of meetings of the officers, Board of Directors and general assembly.
2. Prepares correspondence for the Society upon delegation by the President.
3. Prepares the proceedings of the national convention and other activities as designated by the
President.
4. Makes arrangements for mailing reports, publications/newsletters and other materials to the
Society’s members.
5. Distributes publications to subscribers and advertisers; maintains circulation list of all
publications of the Society.
Section 4.
Recording Secretary
1. Records and keeps minutes of meetings of the Board of Directors.
2. Keeps all records, documents, and other properties of the Society.
3. Keeps an updated roll of members.
4. Maintains the Society’s scrapbook containing pictures and captions of the major activities of the
Society.
Section 5.
Treasurer
1. Receives the Society’s moneys, donations, grants, gifts, and bequests.
2. Deposits the Society’s money in bank(s) duly authorized by the Board of Directors.
3. Disburses the funds of the Society upon approval of either the President or Vice-President.
However, the Treasurer may disburse funds without prior approval of the above on routinary
expenses, not exceeding P500.00.
4. Keeps an account of all assets, credits, disbursements and finances of the Society.
5. Prepares financial statements periodically as determined by the Board of Directors or as
requested by the Auditor.
Section 6.
Business Manager
1. Arranges for contacting prospective subscribers and advertisers in the Society’s publication.
2. Coordinates fund-raising activities of the Society.
Section 7.
Press Relations Officer
1. Issues press releases regarding activities of the Society.
2. Takes charge of the publication of the Society’s newsletters, bulletins and other similar
information materials.
Section 8.
Auditor
1. Examines and audits all financial statements submitted by the Treasurer.
2. Countersigns all cash receipts.
3. Notes turn-over of property, documents of donations, bequests, etc.
4. Insures that all expenses are reasonable and within the budgetary allocation.
Section 9.
Liaison Officer
1. Maintains or strengthens communications or linkages among PSM members.
2. Serves as a communication channel between PSM Board of Directors and (a) general
membership and (b) friends of PSM.
3. Establishes contact between PSM and other organizations / agencies / personalities for the
promotion of the objectives / interests of the Society.
Section 10.
Immediate Past President
1. Serves to ensure the continuity of programs and activities of the Society from the previous to the
present administration.
2. Provides advice / counsel to the incoming Board.
ARTICLE VII – ELECTION
Section 1.
Only members who have been with the Society for at least one year shall be nominated for an
elective position.
Section 2.
The nominated member who is not present during the business meeting shall automatically be out
of the nomination.
Section 3.
Any nominee for the Vice-President should have served as member of the Board at least twice
within the last 10 years.
Section 4.
Members of the Board of Directors shall be elected by plurality vote during the annual business
meeting.
Section 5.
Voting shall be conducted by means of secret ballot and participated in by registered members
only.
Section 6.
A case of a tie shall be resolved by the general assembly following Section 4, Article VII.
ARTICLE VIII – DIVISIONS
Section 1.
The Divisions of the Society shall be as follows:
Basic Microbiology
Agricultural Microbiology
Industrial Microbiology
Food Microbiology
Medical Microbiology
Veterinary Microbiology
Aquatic Microbiology
Environmental Microbiology
Microbiology Education
Section 2.
All existing members of the Society shall be classified according to Division. New members must
specify the Division in which they want to be registered.
Section 3.
Each Division shall be represented in the Board of Directors by an elected representative who shall
be elected by the general membership during the Annual Convention.
Section 4.
The duties and responsibilities of the Division Representatives shall be as follows:
1. Plan, coordinate, and execute the activities of the Division.
2. Maintain an updated list of Division members in consultation with the Membership Committee.
ARTICLE IX - REGIONAL CHAPTERS
Section 1.
Regional chapters of PSM may be established, one in Northern Luzon, one in the Visayas, and one
in Mindanao.
Section 2.
The creation of regional chapters shall be consistent with the “Guidelines on the Philippine Society
for Microbiology, Inc. Regional Chapters”.
ARTICLE X – THE PHILIPPINE ACADEMY OF MICROBIOLOGY
Section 1.
There should be an academic and accrediting arm of the Society to be called the Philippine
Academy of Microbiology (PAM).
Section 2.
Its objectives as the accrediting arm are to complement/supplement the activities of the PSM as
follows:
1. To develop and maintain a high standard of practice in the field of microbiology.
2. To formulate rules, regulations and guidelines relative to accreditation, certification and
membership to the PAM.
3. To accredit, certify and classify life members of the Society according to the defined standards
and qualification requirements which may include written and/or oral examination.
Section 3.
Membership to the PAM is open only to life members of the PSM. However, acceptance will
depend upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation.
Section 4.
The PAM chair is required to submit a written report of its activities and audited financial statement
every year prior to the PSM Annual Convention.
Section 5.
The Council of Regents shall run the PAM. It shall be composed of six members – the Chair, the
Vice-Chair, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the PRO and the Auditor.
The regularly elected members of the Council shall hold office for a term of three (3) years on a
staggered basis so that each year only one new member shall be elected to replace the one with
expired term.
Section 6.
A Committee on Accreditation composed of examiners shall be formed by the Council of Regents
from among the members of the PAM for purposes of accreditation. Membership in the Committee
shall be at a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of five (5) as may be deemed necessary. The
examiners shall evaluate membership applicants to the PAM and recommend to the Council of
Regents their acceptance and classification.
Examiners shall be appointed initially by the PAM Chair for 3, 4 and 5 years. Thereafter, each new
member shall be appointed for a term of three (3) to five (5) years depending upon the number of
examiners. The examiners shall elect from among themselves a Chair and a Vice-Chair who shall
each serve for one (1) year. In the event of a resignation or physical incapacity of any member, a
new examiner shall be appointed.
ARTICLE XI – COMMITTEES
Section 1.
The Society shall have four standing committees: Membership, Publication, External Affairs and
Continuing Professional Education (CPE). Ad hoc committees may be created as the need arises.
Section 2.
The functions of the standing committees shall be as follows:
Membership
1. Promote membership in the Society by publicizing its aims or objectives.
2. Recruit new members for the Society.
3. Screen/evaluate applications for membership.
Publication
1. Take charge of the publications of the Society.
2. Solicit items or articles from members for possible printing in PSM publications.
External Affairs
1. Solicit funds for the Society through donations, contributions, bequests, grants, etc.
2. Plan and organize activities for generating funds for the Society.
3. Negotiate and promote mutually beneficial activities with other organizations/agencies.
Continuing Professional Education (CPE)
1. Take charge of all matters pertaining to the CPE accreditation of the Society’s activities, such as
conventions, programs, seminars, etc., with the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC).
2. Advise the Clusters and Chapters in the planning of their activities to ensure a wider coverage of
the topics taken during these activities.
3. Maintain attendance records of the Society’s activities related to CPE accreditation and give out
CPE certificates of units earned to the respective participants, as needed.
ARTICLE XII – MEETING
Section 1.
There shall be a general meeting of the Society for the presentation of scientific papers, exhibits,
etc. and for the transaction of business at least once a year. This shall be known as the Annual
Convention.
Section 2.
The Annual Convention shall be held every second Thursday in May of each year at a place
chosen by the Board of Directors.
Section 3.
Monthly/Special Meetings – Monthly meetings of the Board shall be called before the end of each
month by the President of the Society. During such meetings, the President shall render his
monthly report to the Board regarding the activities of the Society. There will be a representative of
the Philippine Academy for Microbiology (PAM) in the monthly meetings. The PAM representative
will have a non-voting participation.
Special meetings of the members may be called as the need thereof arises, by the Board of
Directors or the President or upon petition of 1/3 of the general membership.
Section 4.
Quorum – A quorum for any meeting shall consist of a majority of the members and a majority of
such quorum may decide any question at the meeting, except those matters where the Corporation
Code requires the affirmative vote of a greater proportion. The quorum for the Annual Convention
shall consist of at least majority of all members.
Section 5.
Voting – Qualified members shall be entitled to one vote each and they must vote in person.
ARTICLE XIII – PUBLICATIONS
Section 1
The Society shall have a publication whose nature will be determined by the Board of directors.
Section 2.
The Editor of the Publication shall be appointed by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE XIV – FUNDS AND DUES
Section 1.
The annual dues shall be determined by the Board of Directors. Notice of any proposal to change
the annual dues from those currently in force shall be sent to each member at least thirty (30) days
before the annual convention at which time such changes are to be voted upon.
Section 2.
Annual dues are receivable in January to May by the Treasurer and/or by an authorized PSM
Board member. Members in arrears for three (3) consecutive years shall be dropped from the rolls
of the Society after proper notification. Members shall be re-instated upon payment of unpaid
dues.
Section 3.
Life membership fees and scholarship funds shall be deposited as Trust Funds and only the
interest shall be spent by the Society.
ARTICLE XV – AMENDMENTS
Section 1.
This By-Laws may be amended by majority vote of all members and by majority of the Board of
Directors at the annual meeting. The proposed amendments should be submitted to the Board of
Directors not later than two months before the annual meeting.
Section 2.
Any amendment that has been adopted shall take effect upon approval by the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
ARTICLE XVI – FISCAL YEAR
Section 1.
The fiscal year starts on June 1 and ends on May 31 of the following year.
Adopted this May 10, 2000 at Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel, Laoag, Ilocos Norte by majority of the
general membership.