Aquino signs law regulating practice of geology profession

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has signed into law a measure that will regulate the practice of the geology profession in the country, providing licensure examinations for applicants and penalizing impersonators or fake geologists.

Republic Act 10166, entitled “Geology Profession Act of 2012,” was signed by Aquino last June 11, after it was approved both in the Senate and the House of Representatives, under Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.

It repeals Republic Act 4209, or the Geology Profession Act of the Philippines.

The new law also created the Professional Regulatory Board of Geology, which shall be under the “administrative control and supervision” of the Professional Regulation Commission.

The geology board shall have a chairman with two members, all of whom are appointees of Aquino, and chosen from among those recommended by the PRC and were nominees of the duly accredited professional organization (APO) of geologists.

It shall be constituted six months after the law takes effect, or 15 days after its publication in two newspapers of general circulation.

The board shall “supervise and regulate” the practice of geology profession in the country, as well as “determine and evaluate the qualifications of the applicants” who graduated and took geology courses from government-accredited schools.

Geologists are also required to pass the licensure examinations. The scope of examination shall include subjects in general geology, petrology and minerology and applied geology.

Examination of candidates shall be given at least once a year in such places and dates as the PRC may designate.

Only those who obtained a doctor of philosophy (PhD) in geology or an equivalent degree in any of the specialized branch of geology shall be exempted from taking the licensure tests, but “upon the evaluation of the board of geology.”

“He shall be required to register in the same manner as those who will pass the licensure examination,” a provision of the law stated.

The law also provides that “no person shall practice geology or render geological service without a valid certificate of registration and a valid professional identification card or granted a temporary or special permit.”

“Only persons properly licensed and registered may practice geology,” the law said.

“All practicing geologists who are registered at the time of the passage of this act shall automatically be registered and issued certificates of registration subject to existing rules and regulations,” read a portion of the new law.

Also, no foreign geologist will be granted the same rights and privileges unless his country of origin has a “foreign reciprocity agreement” with the Philippines, or that his country provides the same privilege to Filipino geologists in his home country.

Persons found to violate this law, or practices geology profession without any license, shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to a fine of not less than P10,000 but not more than P1 million.