“PRIVATEPRACTICEOFPROFESSIONOFGOVERNMENTOFFICIALSAND
EMPLOYEES”
presentedto
Geode8cEngineersofthePhilippines,Inc.CORDILLERAADMINISTRATIVEREGIONDIVISION
32ndANNUALREGIONALCONVENTION
MunicipalGym,Kiangan,IfugaoJanuary31–February1,2020
CANAGOVERNMENTEMPLOYEDGEODETICENGINEERENGAGEDIRECTLYINTHEPRIVATEPRACTICEOFHISPROFESSION?
LEGALBASES:
• RA8560“PhilippineGeode8cEngineeringActof1998,asamended.• RA7160“LocalGovernmentCodeofthePhilippines.• OPMCNo.1025issuedonNov.25,1977.• OPMCNo.17issuedonSept.4,1986• Sec.12,RuleXVIIIRevisedCivilServiceRules• RA6713“CodeofConductandEthicalStandardsforPublicOfficialsandEmployees”• DILGCircularNo.2016-14issuedonAugust22,2016.
RA8560,Art.III,Sec.8–Powersanddu8esoftheboard:
Sec.8(i)Toprescribedand/oradoptaCodeofEthicalandProfessionalStandardsforthePrac8ceofGeode8cEngineeringprofession.
CODEOFETHICALANDPROFESSIONALSTANDARDFORTHEGEODETICENGINEERINGPROFESSION:
Itwillbeconsideredunethicalforhimto:
Sec.2Par.C(8)–Tousetheadvantagesofbeingasalariedemployeetocompeteunfairlywiththegeode8cengineersorjuniorgeode8cengineersinprivateprac8ce.
Itwillbeconsideredunethicalforhimto:
Sec.2Par.C(3)–
Underbidanothergeode8cengineerorjuniorgeode8cengineerbyreducinghisusualrateaeerknowingtherateofferedbytheothergeode8cengineerorjuniorgeode8cengineer.
RA7160,Sec.90–Prac8ceofProfession
ADMINISTRATIVEORDERNO.270–Implemen/ngRulesandRegula/onsoftheLocalGovernmentCodeof1991(RA7160).
Art.177,Prac8ceofProfession(a)Allgovernors,cityandmunicipalmayorsareprohibitedfromprac8cingtheirprofessions,engageinanyoccupa/onotherthantheexerciseoftheirfunc/onsaslocalchiefexecu/ves.
(b)Sanggunianmembersmayprac/cetheirprofessions,engageinanyoccupa/onorteachinschoolsexceptduringsessionhours,providedthatsanggunianmemberswhoarealsomembersoftheBarshallnot:
(1)AppearascounselbeforeanycourtinanycivilcasewhereinanLGUoranyoffice,agency,orinstrumentalityofthegovernmentistheadverseparty;
(2)Appearascounselbeforeanycourtinanycriminalcasewhereinanofficeroremployeeofthena/onalorlocalgovernmentisaccusedofanoffensecommiQedinrela/ontohisoffice;(3)Collectanyfeefortheirappearanceinadministra/veproceedingsinvolvingtheLGUofwhichheisanofficial;and(4)Usepropertyandpersonnelofthegovernmentexceptwhenthesanggunianmemberconcernedindefendingtheinterestofthegovernment;
(c)Doctorsofmedicinemayprac/cetheirprofessionevenduringofficialhoursofworkonlyonoccasionsofemergency,providedthattheofficialsconcerneddonotderivemonetarycompensa/ontherefrom.
MEMORANDUMCIRCULARNO.1025DATEDNOVEMBER25,1977
“PROHIBITINGANYGOVERNMENTOFFICIALOREMPLOYEEFROMACCEPTINGPRIVATEEMPLOYMENTINANYCAPACITYWITHOUTPRIORAUTHORITYFROMTHEOFFICEOFTHEPRESIDENT“.
MEMORANDUMCIRCULARNO.17,DATEDSEPTEMBER4,1986
MEMORANDUMCIRCULARNo.1025datedNov.25,1977“PROHIBITINGANYGOVERNMENTOFFICIALOREMPLOYEEFROMACCEPTINGPRIVATEEMPLOYMENTINANYCAPACITYWITHOUTPRIORAUTHORITYFROMTHEOFFICEOFTHEPRESIDENT”,isherebyrevoked.
THEAUTHORITYTOGRANTPERMISSIONTOANYOFFICIALOREMPLOYEESHALLBEGRANTEDBYTHEHEADOFTHEMINISTRYORAGENCYINACCORDANCEWITHSECTION12,RULEXVIIIOFTHEREVISEDCIVILSERVICERULES,WHICHPROVIDES:
SECTION12,RULE18OFTHEREVISEDCIVILSERVICERULES
“NOOFFICEROREMPLOYEESHALLENGAGEDIRECTLYINANYPRIVATEBUSINESS,VOCATION,ORPROFESSIONORBECONNECTEDWITHANYCOMMERCIAL,CREDIT,AGRICULTURAL,ORINDUSTRIAL,ORINDUSTRIALUNDERTAKINGWITHOUTWRITTENPERMISSIONFROMTHEHEADOFTHEDEPARTMENT“.
OPMCNo.17,dated4September1986
PROVIDEDTHATTHISPROHIBITIONWILLBEABSOLUTEINTHECASEOFTHOSEOFFICERSANDEMPLOYEESWHOSEDUTIESANDRESPONSABILITIESREQUIRETHATTHEIRENTIRETIMEBEATTHEDISPOSALOFTHEGOVERNMENT;
OPMCNo.17dated4Sept.1986.
PROVIDED,FURTHER,THATIFANEMPLOYEEISGRANTEDPERMISSIONTOENGAGEINOUTSIDEACTIVITIES,THETIMESODEVOTEDOUTSIDEOFOFFICEHOURSSHOULDBEFIXEDBYTHECHIEFOFTHEAGENCYTOTHEENDTHATITWILLNOTIMPAIRINANYWAYTHEEFFICIENCYOFTHEOFFICEROREMPLOYEE:
OPMCNo.17,dated4Sept.1986
ANDPROVIDED,FINALLY,THATNOPERMISSIONISNECESSARYINTHECASEOFINVESTMENTS,MADEBYANOFFICEROREMPLOYEE,WHICHDONOTINVOLVEANYREALORAPPARENTCONFLICTBETWEENHISPRIVATEINTERESTANDPUBLICDUTIES,ORINANYWAYINFLUENCEHIMINTHEDISCHARGEOFHISDUTIES,ANDHESHALLNOTTAKEPARTINTHEMANAGEMENTOFTHEENTERPRISEORBECOMEANOFFICERORMEMBEROFTHEBOARDOFDIRECTORS”.
OPMCNo.17,dated4Sept.1986
SUBJECTTOANYADDITIONALCONDITIONSWHICHTHEHEADOFTHEOFFICEDEEMSNECESSARYINEACHPARTICULARCASEINTHEINTERESTOFTHESERVICE,ASEXPRESSEDINTHEVARIOUSISSUANCESOFTHECIVILSERVICECOMMISSION.
CONFLICTOFINTEREST:ARISESWHENAPUBLICOFFICIALOR
EMPLOYEEISAMEMBEROFABOARD,ANOFFICER,ORASUBSTANTIALSTOCKHOLDEROFAPRIVATECORPORATIONOROWNERORHASASUBSTANTIALINTERESTINABUSINESS,ANDTHEINTERESTOFSUCHCORPORATIONORBUSINESS,ORHISRIGHTSORDUTIESTHEREIN,MAYBEOPPOSEDTOORAFFECTEDBYTHEFAITHFULPERFORMANCEOFOFFICIALDUTY.
RA6713:ANACTESTABLISHINGACODEOFCONDUCTANDETHICALSTANDARDSFORPUBLICOFFICIALSANDEMPLOYEES,TOUPHOLDTHETIME-HONOREDPRINCIPLEOFPUBLICOFFICEISAPUBLICTRUST,GRANTINGINCENTIVESANDREWARDSFOREXEMPLARYSERVICE,ENUMERATINGPROHIBITEDACTSANDTRANSACTIONSANDPROVIDINGPENALTIESFORVIOLATIONTHEREOFANDFOROTHERPURPOSES.
RA6713;SECTION7,-PROHIBITEDACTSANDTRANSACTIONS
INADDITIONTOACTSANDOMISSIONSOFPUBLICOFFICIALSANDEMPLOYEESNOWPRESCIBEDINTHECONSTITUTIONANDEXISTINGLAWS,THEFOLLOWINGSHALLCONSTITUTEPROHIBITEDACTSANDTRANSACTIONSOFANYPUBLICOFFICIALANDEMPLOYEEANDAREHEREBYDECLAREDTOBEUNLAWFUL:
(a)Xxxxxx(b)OUTSIDEEMPLOYMENTANDOTHERACTIVITIESRELATEDTHERETO–PUBLICOFFICIALSANDEMPLOYEESDURINGTHEIRINCUMBENCYSHALLNOT:(1)Xxxxxx(2)ENGAGEINTHEPRIVATEPRACTICEOFTHEIRPROFESSIONUNLESSAUTHORIZEDBYTHECONSTITUTIONORLAW,PROVIDED,THATSUCHPRACTICEWILLNOTCONFLICTORTENDTOCONFLICTTHEIROFFICIALFUNCTIONS;
ACTIVITIESORSCOPEOFWORKINVOLEDINTHEDELIVERYOFSERVICEINTHEPRACTICEOFGEODETICENGINEERINGPROFESSION
1.RECONNAISSANCESURVEY2.RESEARCHOFSURVEYDATAANDOTHERREFERENCES.3.ESTABLISHMENTOFHORIZONTALCONTROL4.MANUFACTUREOFCONCRETEMONUMENTS5.LOTSURVEYANDMONUMENTING6.COMPUTATIONANDLOTPLANPREPARATION7.PREPARATIONOFCOMPLETESURVEYRETURNS8.SUBMITTALOFSURVEYRETURNSFORIVAS9.WITHDRAWALOFAPPROVEDSURVEYAND/ORTECHNICALDESCRIPTION
INTHEDELIVERYOFSERVICESONTHEABOVEWORKS,THEREISAVERYGREATTENDENCYTOVIOLATETHELAW.
IMPLEMENTINGRULESANDREGULATIONSOFTHECODEOF
CONDUCTANDETHICALSTANDARDFORPUBLICOFFICIALS
(RA6713)
IRROFRA6713
RULEXGROUNDSFORADMINISTRATIVE
DISCIPLINARYACTION
WHOARECOVEREDBYADMINISTRATIVEDISCIPLINARYACTION?
ANYOFFICIALOREMPLOYEEHOLDSOFFICEOREMPLOYMENTINA:
1. CASUAL2. TEMPORARY3. HOLD-OVER4. PERMANENT5.REGULAR
Sec.1.INADDITIONTOTHEGROUNDSFORADMINISTRTIVEDISCIPLINARYACTIONPRESCRIBEDUNDEREXISTINGLAWS,THEACTSANDOMISSIONOFANYOFFICIALOREMPLOYEE,WHETHERORNOTHEHOLDSOFFICEOREMPLOYMENTINACASUAL,TEMPORARY,HOLD-OVER,PERMANENTORREGULARCAPACITY,DECLAREDUNLAWFULORPROHIBITEDBYTHECODE,SHALLCONSTITUTETHEGROUNDSFORADMINISTRATIVEDISCIPLINARYACTION,ANDWITHOUTPREJUDICETOCRIMINALANDCIVILLIABILITIESPROVIDEDHEREINSUCHAS:(a)Xxxxxx(b)Xxxxxx(c)ENGAGINGINTHEPRIVATEPRACTICEOFHISPROFESSIONUNLESSAUTHORIZEDBYTHECONSTITUTION,LAWORREGULATION,PROVIDED,THATSUCHPRACTICEWILLNOTCONFLICTORTENDTOCONFLICTWITHHISOFFICIALFUNCTIONS;
PROHIBITIONOFPROFESSIONALTOPRACTICEHISPROFESSIONAFTERRESIGNATION,RETIREMENT,ORSEPARATIONFROMPUBLICOFFICE.
1.ANYMATTERBEFORETHEOFFICEHEUSED
TOBEWITH,
2.WITHINONE(1)YEARAFTER
RESIGNATION,RETIREMENTORSEPARATION
RULEXIPENALTIES
1.FINENOTEXCEEDINGTHEEQUIVALENTOFSIX(6)MONTHSSALARY,OR2.SUSPENSIONNOTEXCEEDINGONEYEAR,OR3.REMOVALFROMSERVICE
NOTE:IFTHEVIOLATIONISPUNISHABLEBYAHEAVIERPENALTYUNDERANOTHERLAW,HESHALLBEPROSECUTEDUNDERTHELATTERSTATUTE.
PENALTIESINVIOLATIONOFSECTION7,8,AND9OFTHECODE.
1.FINENOTEXCEEDINGFIVE(5)THOUSANDPESOS,OR2.IMPRISONMENTNOTEXCEEDINGFIVE(5)YEARS,OR3.BOTH1AND24.DISQUALIFICATIONTOHOLDPUBLICOFFICE,
INTHEDISCRETIONOFTHECOURTOFCOMPETENTJURISDICTION.
NOTE:ANYVIOLATIONHEREOFPROVENINAPROPERADMINISTRATIVEPROCEEDINGSHALLBESUFFECIENTCAUSEFORREMOVALORDISMISSALOFANOFFICIALOREMPLOYEE,EVENIFNOCRIMINALPROSECUTIONISINSTITUTEDAGAINSTHIM.
DILGCIRCULARNo.2016-14,IssuedonAugust22,2016,BySec.IsmaelD.Sueno
GUIDELINESONTHEAUTHORITYTOPRACTICEPROFESSIONANDACTASLECTURERORRESOURCEPERSONFORLOCALGOVERNMENTANDINTERIORSECTOROFFICIALSANDEMPLOYEES.
Sec/on12,RuleXVIIIoftherevisedCivilServicexxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
HENCEFORTH,THEFOLLOWINGGUIDELINESMUSTBESTRICTLYOBSERVED;
DILGCircularNo.2016-14
1.NOOFFICIALOREMPLOYEESHALLENGAGEDIRECTLYINANYPROFESSIONWITHOUTAWRITTENPERMISSIONFROMTHEUNDERSIGNEDORHISDULYAUTHORIZEDREPRESENTATIVEPURSUANTTOTHEDELEGATIONOFAUTHORITYISSUEDONTHEMATTER.
DILGCircularNo.2016-14
2.OFFICIALSWITHTHERANKOFDIRECTOROREQUIVALENTUPTOUNDERSECRETARYORITSEQUIVALENTAREPROHIBITEDFROMPRACTICINGTHEIRPROFESSIONASTHEIRDUTIESREQUIRETHATTHEIRENTIRETIMEBEATTHEDISPOSALOFTHEGOVERNMENTANDOFTHISDEPARTMENT.HOWEVER,SAIDOFFICIALSANDALLOTHEROFFICIALS/EMPLOYEESWITHLOWERRANKSMAYBEALLOWEDTOTEACHINACOLLEGE,UNUVERSITYOREDUCATIONAL/TRAININGINSTITUTIONOUTSIDEOFTHEREGULARWORKHOURS(i.e.aler5:00pm).
DILGCircularNo.2016-14
3.OFFICIALSOREMPLOYEESBELOWTHERANKOFDIRECTOR,WHOAREMEMBERSOFTHEBAR,MAYBEGRANTEDANAUTHORITYTOPRACTICETHEIRPROFESSIONANDAPPEARASCOUNSELBEFOREANYCOURTORLAWORTRIBUNALEXCEPTINCASESWHEREINTHEDEPARTMENTORINSTRUMENTALITYOFTHEGOVERNMENTISTHEADVERSEPARTYNORINANYCRIMINALORADMINISTRATIVECASEWHEREINANOFFICEROREMPLOYEEOFTHISDEPARTMENTISACCUSEDOFANOFFENSECOMMITTEDINRELATIONTOHIS/HEROFFICE;
DILGCircularNo.2016-14
4.OFFICIALSOREMPLOYEESWITHAUTHORITYTOPRACTICETHEIRPROFESSION(LAWYERS),SHOULDFILEALEAVEOFABSENCEORSECUREAWRITTEN“PERMISSIONTOLEAVE”FROMOFFICEFROMTHEHEADOFTHEIRRESPECTIVEOPERATINGUNITINDICATINGTHEREINTHESAIDPURPOSE.INNOCASETHATSAID“PERMISSIONTOLEAVE”MAYBEGRANTEDMORETHANONCEPERWEEK.THETIMESPENTINATTENDING,COURTPROCESSESORHEARINGSMUSTBEACCORDINGLYDEDUCTEDFROMTHEACCRUEDVACATIONLEAVEOFTHECONCERNEDOFFICIALOREMPLOYEE;
DILGCircularNo.2016-14
5.INGRANTINGTHE“PERMISSIONTOLEAVE”THEHEADOFTHEOPERATINGUNITCONCERNEDMUSTENSURETHATTHEDELIVERYOFPUBLICSERVICEWILLNOTBEIMPAIRED;
6.NOGOVERNMENTTIME,VEHICLE,PERSONNEL,FUNDSORSUPPLIESSHALLBEUTILIZEDINTHEPURSUITOFONE’SPROFESSIONEXCEPTWHENTHEOFFICIALOREMPLOYEECONCENEDISDEFENDINGTHEINTERSTOFTHEGOVERNMENT;
DILGCircularNo.2016-14
HOWEVER,WHENTHEINVITINGOFFICEISPARTOFTHEDEPARTMENT,THETIMESPENTINLECTURESWITHINOFFICEHOURSSHALLBECONSIDEREDAS“OFFICIALTIME”.PROVIDEDTHATTHECORRESPONDINGSUPPORTINGDOCUMENTS(i.e.cer8fica8on)SHALLBEATTACHEDINTHEDAILYTIMERECORD(DTR)
9.OFFICIALSOREMPLOYEESWHOAREDIRECLTYINVITEDTOCONDUCTLECTUREORACTASRESOURCEPERSONONTOPICSWHICHARENOTPARTOFTHEIROFFICIALFUNCTION,MAYRECEIVEHONORARIUM.HOWEVER,SUCHOFFICIALOREMPLOYEESSHALLONLYBEALLOWEDTOCONDUCTSAIDLECTURESOUTSIDEOFTHEREGULARWORKHOURS.
DILGCircularNo.2016-14
7.DOCTORSOFMEDICINEMAYPRACTICETHEIRPROFESSIONDURINGOFFICEHOURSONLYONOCCASIONSOFEMERGENCYPROVIDEDTHEYDONOTDERIVEMONETARYCOMPENSATIONTHEREFROM.
8.OFFICIALSOREMPLOYEESWHOAREDIRECTLYINVITEDTOCONDUCTLECTURESORACTASRESOURCEPERSONONTOPICSWHICHAREPARTOFTHEIROFFICIALFUNCTIONSMAYRECEIVEHONORARIUM,POVIDEDTHATTHEINVITINGOFFICEISNOTWITHINTHEDEPARTMENT.ASMUCHASPOSSIBLE,ENGAGEMENTMUSTBEDONEOUTSIDEOFTHEREGULARWORKHOURSTOENSURETHATTHEEFFICIENCYOFTHEOFFICIALOREMPLOYEEINTHEDISCHARGEOFHIS/HERDUTYWILLNOTBEIMPAIRED.INTHEEVENTTHATTHEOFFICIALOREMPLOYEEISDIRECTLYINVITEDBYOTHERGOVERNMENTAGENCIESORPRIVATEINSTITUTIONSTOCONDUCTLECTURESORACTASRESOURCEPERSONWITHINOFFICEHOURS,HEORSHEMUSTFIRSTSECUREPRIORAUTHORITYFROMTHEHEADOFAGENCYORHISAUTHORIZEDREPRESENTATIVEFORTHEPURPOSE.THETIMESPENTINACTINGASSUCH(LECRTURERORRESOURCEPERSONMUSTBEACCORDINGLYDEDUCTEDFROMTHEACCRUEDVACATIONLEAVEOFTHECONCERNEDOFFICIALORPERSONNEL.
DILGCircularNo.2016-14
ITISUNDERSTOODTHATINCASEOFCONFLICTOFSCHEDULE,THEDUTIESANDRESPONSIBILITIESOFTHEOFFICIALORPERSONNELCONCERNEDMUSTTAKEPRECEDENCEOVERTHEAUTHORITYTOPRACTICEGRANTEDTOHIM/HER.
THISORDERSHALLTAKEEFFECTIMMEDIATELY.
(SGD)ISMAELD.SUENO
SECRETARY
ANSWERTOTHEQUERYOFENGR.MALOUANG,AGOVERNMENTEMPLOYEEINTHECITYOFXYZ
• ASPERUSEDFROMYOURLETTERYOUWANTEDTOBEENLIGHTENEDONTHEPROPRIETARYOFPRACTIZINGYOURPROFESSIONPURSUANTTOTHEAUTHORITYGIVENTOYOUBYTHEHONORABLECITYMAYOROFXYZ.INRELATIONTHEREWITH,YOUINTERPOSETHEFOLLOWINGISSUESTOWIT:
1.ITWASSTIPULATEDINTHERESOLUTIONTHATMYPRACTICEVIOLATESTHECODEOFETHICHS,PARTICULARLYSEC.2(c)8.DIDI?
2.CANANORGANIZATIONSUCHASGEPIISSUERESOLUTIONTHATTENDSTOCONFLICTWITHOURNATIONALLAW?
3.CANAMEORANDUMOFAGREEMENTBETWEENAPRIVATEORGANIZATIONANDAGOVERNMENTAGENCYUSGOVERNMENTEMPLOYEDGEODETICENGINEERSOFOURPRIVATEPRACTICEIFTHELAWSOPROVIDESWECANFORMONETARYREASONSSUCHASOURCLEARANCEFEE?
Attheoutset,letusinviteyouraQen/ontoOPMemorandumCircularNo.17datedSept.4,1986,whichprovides,thus:
“TheauthoritytograntpermissiontoanyofficialoremployeeshallbegrantedbytheheadofministryoragencyinaccordancewithSec/on12,RuleXVIIoftheRevisedCivilServiceRules,whichprovides:
“Sec.12.Noofficeroremployeeshallengagedirectlyorindirectlyinanyprivatebusinessvoca/onorprofessiontobeconnectedwithanycommercial,credit,agriculturalorindustrialundertakingwithoutawriQenpermissionfromtheheadofthedepartment:Provided,Thatthisprohibi/onwillbeabsoluteinthecaseofthoseofficersandemployeeswhosedu/esandresponsibili/esrequirethattheiren/re/mebeatthedisposaloftheGovernment:Provided,further,Thatifanemployeeisgrantedpermissiontoengageinoutsideac/vi/es,the/mesodevotedoutsideofofficehoursshouldbefixedbythechiefofagencytotheendthatitwillnotimpairinanywaytheefficiencyoftheofficeroremployee.xxx”Xxxx(Underscoringsupplied)
Applyingtheforegoingprovisionsofthelaw,weopinethattheAuthoriza/ondatedApril2,2013issuedbytheCityMayorofXYZ,isnotasubstan/alcompliancethereof.OPMemorandumCircularNo.17isexplicitingivingauthoritytotheheadofthedepartmentinissuingthepermissionforofficialsandemployeesofthegovernmenttoprac/cetheirprofession,inyourcase,theSecretaryoftheDepartmentofInteriorandLocalGovernment(DILG).
Now,wedelveonthethree(3)issuesyouinterposed.AnentthefirstissueonwhetheryouviolatedtheCodeofEthicalandProfessionalStandardsforthePrac/ceoftheGeode/cEngineeringProfession,par/cularlySec/on2(c)8thereof,whichproscribesusingtheadvantagesforbeingasalariedemployeetocompeteunfairlywiththegeode/cengineersorjuniorgeode/cengineersintheprivateprac/ce,weopinethattheprac/ceoftheprofessionunderauthorityperse,doesnotinanywayviolatethesaidprovisionunlessthereisanovertactoranactualuseoftheadvantagesofbeingasalariedemployeewhichwouldamounttocompe/ngunfairlywiththegeode/cengineersintheprivateprac/ce.However,thefactthatyouareprac/cingyourprofessionwithouttheproperauthorityfromtheDILGSecretarywhilebeingac/velyemployedwithintheCityofXYZamountstodoublecompensa/onintheprofession
Withtheforegoingra/ocina/on,weresolvedthesecondissueyouinterposedandfindnoconflictbetweentheBoardResolu/onNo.2013-03en/tled“NONE-ISSUANCEOFGEPSURVEYCLEARANCETOSURVEYRETURNSSUBMITTEDBYGOVERNMENTGEODETICENGINEERINVIOLATIONANDNOWCOMPLIANCEOFSECTION7(b)(2)OFR.A.6713ANDMEMORANDUMCIRCULARNO.17OFTHEEXECUTIVEDEPARTMENT“issuedbytheGeode/cEngineersofthePhilippines,Inc.–RegionalDivisionVII,CentralVisayasandtheCODEOFETHICALANDPROFESSIONALSTANDARDSFORTHEPRACTICEOFTHEGEODETICENGINEERINGPROFESSION.BoardResolu/onNo.2013-03,par/cularlyparagraph(3)thereof,provides,thus:“WHEREAS,THEBoardfindsmeritintheobserva/onthatseveralgovernmentgeode/cengineersaresubmitngprivatelysurveyreturnsinwillfuldisregardofsec/on7(b)(2)ofR.A.6713andMEMORANDUMDIRCULARNO.17oftheExecu/veDepartment.”
Withrespecttothethirdissue,youinterposed,itcanbegleanedfromyourleQerthatthesurveyreturnssignedbyyouweredeniedforsubmiQaltotheDENR-LMSbecausetheGEPIwillnotacceptpaymentfortheclearancefeeinaccordancewiththeMemorandumofAgreement(MOA)whichwasenteredbyitwiththeDENR-LMS.Apparently,theMemorandumofAgreementcannotbeinterpretedtopreventgovernmentemployedgeode/cengineerstoprac/cetheirprofessionbutmerelyrequiredthepaymentofclearancefeefromtheGEPIbeforetheDEN-LMSacceptssubmiQalofsurveyreturns.ThusweopinethatthepaymentofclearancefeebeingrequiredbyGEPIfromitsmembersisamaQerofregula/onthatitiswithinitsauthoritytoimpose.
Clearly,thenon-issuanceofGEPSurveyClearanceisnotbasedonthesubmissionofsurveyreturnsbyagovernmentgeode/cengineerbutontheviola/onandnon-compliancewithsec/on7(b)(2)ofR.A.No.6713andMemorandumCircularNo.17oftheExecu/veDepartment.Accordingly,therefusalofGEPItoissueyouasurveyclearanceisanchoredonthefactthatyouhavenotsecuredtheproperauthorityincompliancewiththesaidlaws.
Patently,itwasyourviola/onandnon-complianceofSec/on7(b)(2)ofR.A.No.6713andMEMORANDUMCIRCULARNO.17OFTHEEXECUTIVEDEPARTMENT,forhavingprivatelyprac/cedyourprofessionwithoutproperauthority,whichpromptedtheGEPItodenytheissuanceofclearancetoyourprivatelysurveyedsurveyreturns.Wehopethatwiththeforegoingclarifica/on,wehaveenlightenedtheissuesyouraisedandthereforrefrainfromprivatelyprac/cingyourprofessionun/lyouhavesecuredtheproperauthorityfromtheDILGSecretary.
VTR
PLNOICChairman,PRBGE