REPUBLIC ACT No.

4374

An Act to Regulate the Practice of Geodetic Engineering in the Philippines

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippine Congress Assembled:

Section 1. Short Title of Act.— This Act shall be known as the "Geodetic Engineering Law".

Section 2. Geodetic Engineer.— Any person who is technically and legally qualified to practise
geodetic engineering under this Act shall be known "geodetic engineer", which term shall supersede
"surveyor", in accordance with this Act.

Section 3. Creation and Composition of the Board.— There is hereby created a Board of Examiners
for Geodetic Engineers hereinafter referred to as the Board, to be composed of a Chairman and two
Members, all to be appointed by the President of the Philippines with the consent of the Commission
on Appointments, upon the recommendation of the Commissioner of Civil Service from among the
registered practising geodetic engineers of recognized standing in the Philippines as certified to by
any officially recognized association of geodetic engineers in the Philippines and possessing the
qualifications prescribed in section five of this Act. The first members of the Board shall be
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appointed within two years from the approval of this Act; Provided, That the present Board of
Examiners for Surveyors shall continue to function in lieu of the new Board until the members of the
latter shall have been appointed and qualified.

Section 4. Powers and duties of the Board.— The Board is vested with the authority, conformably
with the provisions of this Act, to:

(a) Administer the provisions of this Act;

(b) Administer oaths in connection with the administration of this Act;

(c) Issue, suspend or revoke certificates of registration for the practice of geodetic engineering;

(d) Study the conditions affecting geodetic engineering courses and training and the practice of the
geodetic engineering profession in the Philippines, and exercise the powers conferred upon it by this
and other Acts with a view to the maintenance of efficient, ethical, technical, moral and professional
standards in the practice of geodetic engineering;

(e) Study and examine, in cooperation with the Department of Education, the facilities of schools,
colleges or universities seeking permission to open courses or already offering courses in geodetic
engineering to see to it that the essential requirements, including the employment of qualified faculty
members, are properly complied with;

(f) Recommend the opening of colleges or schools in geodetic engineering to the Department of
Education or other entity concerned with the granting of school permits or authorization;

(g) Investigate violations of this Act and, for this purpose, issue subpoena and subpoena duces
tecum to secure attendance of witnesses and the production of documents in connection with the
charges presented to and/or any investigation pending before the Board; and if any person shall
refuse to obey any subpoena so issued or shall refused to testify or produce any book, document, or
other pertinent evidence required thereunder, the Board may petition the proper Court of First
Instance setting forth the facts and thereupon such court shall, in a proper case, issue a subpoena to
said person, requiring him to appear before the Board, and thereto testify and/or produce such
books, papers, documents or other pertinent evidence as may be required by such subpoena. Any
person failing or refusing to obey the subpoena or order of the said court shall be held liable in the
same manner as for refusal to obey any other subpoena or order of the court.

(h) Recommend or adopt, whenever necessary, such measures as may be deemed proper for the
advancement of the profession and for the proper enforcement of this Act.

Section 5. Qualification of Board Members.— Each member of the Board must, at the time of his
appointment, be:

(a) A citizen and resident of the Philippines;

(b) At least thirty-one years of age and of good moral character;

(c) A registered geodetic engineer under this Act;

(d) Actually in active practice of the Geodetic Engineering or Surveying profession for at least ten
years in or outside of the government service;

(e) Not a member of the faculty of any school, institute, college or university where a regular course
in Geodetic Engineering or Surveying is taught, or if he has been such a faculty member, he has
stopped teaching therein for at least three consecutive years immediately preceding his
appointment; and

(f) Not pecuniarily interested, directly or indirectly, in any school, institute, college or university where
a regular course in Geodetic Engineering is taught.

Section 6. Term of Office.— The members of the Board shall hold office for a term of three years:
Provided, That the first appointee to the Board shall hold office for the following terms: the Chairman
for three years, one member for two years, and one member for one year. Any vacancy occurring
within the term of a member shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term only. Each member of
the Board shall qualify by taking the proper oath prior to the assumption of office.

Section 7. Executive Officer and Secretary of the Board.— The Commissioner of Civil Service shall
be the executive officer of the Board, and shall conduct the examination given by it according to the
rules and regulations promulgated by him and approved by the President of the Philippines. The
Secretary of the Board of Examiners appointed in accordance with section ten of Act Numbered
Four Thousand Seven, as amended by Republic Act Numbered Five Hundred and Forty-six, shall
also be the Secretary of the Board. All the records of the Board, including examination papers,
minutes of deliberations and records of administrative proceedings and investigations, shall be kept
by the Commissioner of Civil Service.

Section 8. Compensation of the Board.— The members of the Board shall each receive as
compensation a fee of ten pesos for each applicant examined and ten pesos for each certificates of
registration granted without prior examination.
Section 9. Removal of Board Members.— The President of the Philippines may, upon
recommendation of the Commissioner of Civil Service, suspend or remove any member of the Board
for continued neglect of duty, incompetence, commission or tolerance of irregularities in the
examination, malpractice, or unprofessional or dishonorable conduct, after having given the member
concerned an opportunity to be heard and/or defend himself in a proper administrative investigation.

Section 10. Rules and Regulations.— The Board may, subject to the approval of the Commissioner
of Civil Service and of the President of the Philippines, promulgate such rules, regulations, and code
of ethics as may be necessary to carry out the provision of this Act. After its approval, the rules,
regulations or code of ethics shall be published in the Official Gazette. Penal provisions may be
included in said rules and/or regulations, the violations of which shall be punishable by a fine of not
more than two hundred pesos or an imprisonment for not more than six months, or both, in the
discretion of the court.

Section 11. Annual Report.— The Board shall submit an annual report to the President of the
Philippines after the close of each fiscal year, giving a detailed account of its proceedings during the
year and embodying such recommendations as it may deem proper.

Section 12. Inhibition against practice of Geodetic Engineering.— No person shall practice or offer
to practice geodetic engineering in the Philippines as defined in this Act, or use the title "Geodetic
Engineer" or any word, letter, figure or sign whatsoever, tending to convey the impression that he is
a geodetic engineer, or advertise or indicate in any manner that he is qualified to perform the work of
a geodetic engineer without holding a valid certificate of registration as geodetic engineer issued by
the Board in accordance with this Act.

Section 13. Definition and scope of terms.— Any person, except geodetic engineering or surveying
students and graduates who perform geodetic engineering work under the supervision of a
registered geodetic engineer-instructor for the purpose of training, shall be deemed to be practicing
geodetic engineering within the meaning and intent of this Act, who shall, with or without, fee, salary
or other reward or compensation:

(a) Perform professional services as geodetic engineer; or

(b) Survey and prepare plan of land for registration in the registry of property without a registered
geodetic engineer’s supervision; or

(c) Undertake any work in which a transit, theodolite, and/or tape is used, for purposes of property
registration;

(d) Survey and prepare topographic, hydrographic and economic maps for social, economic and
engineering studies or planning; or

(e) Be engaged as instructor or professor in a technical subject in any geodetic engineering course
in any school or college; Provided, That this provision shall not apply to military or nautical schools.

Section 14. Examination required.— Except as otherwise permitted under this Act, all applicants for
registration for the practice of geodetic engineering shall undergo a technical examination as
provided for herein.
Section 15. Qualifications of Applicants.— In order to be admitted to the geodetic engineering
examination, an applicant must, at the time of filing his application thereof, establish to the
satisfaction of the Board that:

(a) He is at least twenty-one years of age;

(b) He is a citizen of the Philippines, or a foreigner qualified to take the examination under section
thirty-one of this Act;

(c) He is in good health and of good moral character; and

(d) He is a holder of the degree of Bachelor of Science in Geodetic Engineering from any school,
institute, college or university recognized by the Government: Provided, That said standard course
includes Mathematics, Physical Sciences; Laws on Natural Resources, Land Registration and
Property, and the Land Reform Code; Plane Surveying, including isolated, mineral and cadastral
land surveys; Railroad Curves, and Earthworks; Hydrographic and Topographic Surveying; Geodesy,
including Geodetic Surveying, Geodetic Astronomy, Geodetic Triangulation, Geodetic Levelling,
Gravity Measurements, and Least Squares; Photogrammetry and Cartography: Provided, further,
That within three years after the approval of this Act, holders of a certificate of Associate in
Surveying, with at least one year field experience under a licensed geodetic engineer, shall be
qualified to take the geodetic engineering examination.

Section 16. Holding of Examination.— Examination for candidates desiring to practice geodetic
engineering in the Philippines shall be given by the Board twice a year in the City of Manila or at
such other place as may be deemed necessary and expedient by the Board, subject to the approval
of the Commissioner of Civil Service and the President of the Philippines.

Section 17. Scope of Examination.— The Examination of the practice of geodetic engineering in the
Philippines shall consist of written tests, which shall cover mathematics, theory and practical
problems in surveying including problems in isolated, cadastral and mineral land surveys,
cartography, laws on property and registration of title thereto, geodesy and other subjects which the
Board may prescribe for the standard curriculum as approved by the Department of Education.

Section 18. Ratings in the Examination.— In order to pass the examination, a candidate must obtain
an average rating of seventy per cent, with no rating below fifty percent in any subject: Provided,
That an applicant, who fails to obtain a passing average rating but who obtained at least seventy
percent in each of at least one-half (½) of the total subjects given in the examination, may be
permitted to take within two years from the date of his first examination, another examination on the
subjects in which he obtained a grade below seventy percent. Should the examinee still fail in the set
of subjects repeated in the second examination, he shall be required to take all the subjects in the
next examination.

Section 19. Report of Results of Examination.— The Board shall, within one hundred and twenty
days after the examination, report the result thereof to the Commissioner of Civil Service, who shall,
with his recommendation, submit such result to the President of the Philippines for approval.

Section 20. Issuance of Certificates.— A Certificate of registration for geodetic engineer shall be
issued to any applicant who passes the examination after the approval of his ratings by the
President of the Philippines and upon payment of the required fees: Provided, That upon payment of
the required fees, the Board may issue within a period of not exceeding two years from the approval
of this Act, a certificate of registration as geodetic engineer, without the necessity of undergoing the
examination herein prescribed, to any applicant who, on the date of the approval of this Act:

(a) Is a holder of a registration certificate as private, or mineral, or cadastral land surveyor granted
under Act Numbered Thirty-six Hundred and Twenty-Six as Amended; or

(b) Is a graduate of a recognized course in surveying and has passed the Civil Service examination
as assistant surveyor, or surveyor, or assistant mineral land surveyor, or mineral land surveyor, or
senior cartographer, or supervising computer, and has practiced field surveying for at least twenty
years in and/or out of the government service; or

(c) Is a commissioned line officer of the Bureau of Coast and Geodetic Survey or a retired officer of
the said Bureau who have had at least five (5) years of continuous active service as a commissioned
line officer at the time of his retirement.

Every certificate of registration shall show the full name of the registrant with a serial number, and
shall be signed by the members of the Board, attested to by the Secretary of the Board of Examiners
and duly authenticated by the official seal of the Board.

The certificate of registration issued by the Board to the registrant shall be evidence that the person
named therein is entitled to the rights and privileges of a registered geodetic engineer while said
certificate remains in force or unrevoked.

Section 21. Oath of Geodetic Engineers.— All registrants under this Act shall be required to take a
professional oath before the Board or before any person authorized to administer oaths, before
commencing the practice of his profession.

Section 22. Seal of Geodetic Engineers.— Each registered geodetic engineer shall obtain a seal of
such design as the Board shall authorize and prescribe. Plans and technical descriptions prepared
by or under the direct supervision of a registered geodetic engineer shall be stamped with said seal.
The geodetic engineer shall be fully responsible for all plans, technical descriptions, and other
documents under his seal or authorized signature. The Board shall make all necessary rules and
regulations relating to the use of authorized signatures and seals on plans, maps, technical and lot
descriptions, reports and other survey returns and documents registered by geodetic engineers.

Section 23. Fees for examination and registration.— Every applicant for the examination shall pay
an examination fee of forty-five pesos, and a registration fee of ten pesos.

Every applicant for registration without prior examination shall pay a fee of fifty-five pesos.

The fee for a duplicate certificate shall be ten pesos.

Every practicing Geodetic Engineer shall pay an annual registration fee of two pesos which shall be
paid on or before April 30 of every ensuing year.
All fees shall be paid to the disbursing officer of the Board of Examiners, and such officer shall pay
from the receipts thereof all the authorized expenses of the Board, including the compensation of
each member.

Section 24. Refusal to issue a certificate in certain cases.— The Board shall refuse to issue a
certificate of registration to any person convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction of any crime
involving moral turpitude, to any person of immoral or dishonorable conduct, and to any person of
unsound mind, furnishing the party concerned with a written statement containing the reason or
reasons for such action, which statement shall be incorporated in the records of the Board.

Section 25. Revocation and suspension of certificates.— The Board shall also have the power to
revoke or suspend the validity of a certificate of registration as Geodetic Engineer issued to any
registrant for any of the causes mentioned in the preceding section, or for unprofessional or
unethical conduct, malpractice, incompetence, or where fraud, deceit or false statement was
employed in obtaining said certificate of registration.

Section 26. Appeal from Judgment.— The decision of the Board of Examiners for Geodetic
Engineers shall become final after thirty days from the date of its promulgation, unless within said
period any interested party has perfected an appeal to the Office of the Commissioner of Civil
Service by filing a notice of appeal. The decision of the Commissioner of Civil Service is appealable,
within thirty days from receipt of a copy of such decision, to the Office of the President of the
Philippines whose decision shall be final.

Section 27. Reinstatement and replacement of Certificates.— The Board may, upon application and
for reasons of equity and justice, reinstate the validity of a suspended certificate, or issue another
certificate in lieu of one previously revoked, upon payment of the required fees, at least two years
after such suspension or revocation.

A new certificate of registration to replace any certificate lost, destroyed or mutilated, may be issued
subject to the rules of the Board and upon payment of the required fee.

Section 28. Corporation cannot register.— The practice of geodetic engineering is a professional
service, admission to which shall be determined upon the basis of individual and personal
qualifications. No firm, company, partnership, association or corporation may be registered or
licensed as such for the practice of geodetic engineering: Provided, That this section shall not be
construed as preventing any combination of geodetic engineers from using the term "Geodetic
Engineer"; Provided, further, That majority of the members of the partnership, firm or association are
properly registered and licensed geodetic engineers.

Members of the partnership, firm or association are responsible for their own individual acts.

Section 29. Penal Provisions.— The following shall be punished by a fine of not less than two
hundred pesos nor more than five thousand pesos, or by imprisonment for not less than six months
nor more than six years, or both, in the discretion of the Court:

(a) Any person not exempt from registration who shall practice geodetic engineering in the
Philippines within the meaning of this Act, without holding a valid certificate of registration issued in
accordance with this Act;
(b) Any person who shall give any false or fraudulent statement to the Board in order to obtain a
certificate of registration as geodetic engineer;

(c) Any person who shall present or use as his own a certificate of registration issued to another
under this Act:

(d) Any person who shall use a revoked or suspended certificate of registration as geodetic
engineer;

(e) Any person who shall assume, use or advertise as geodetic engineer, or append to his name,
letters or words tending to convey the impression that he is a registered geodetic engineer when in
fact he is not duly registered with the Board as such;

(f) Any geodetic engineer, or any person on his behalf, who shall stamp or seal any document with
his seal after his certificate of registration has expired or has been suspended or revoked;

(g) Any geodetic engineer who shall sign his name, affix his seal, or use any other method of
signature on plans, technical descriptions, or other documents prepared by or under another
geodetic engineer’s supervision, unless the same is prepared in such a manner as to clearly indicate
the part or parts of such work actually performed by the former;

(h) Any person, except the geodetic engineer in charge, who shall sign for any branch of the
surveying work, or any function or surveying practice not actually performed by him; and

(i) Any person who shall violate any provision of this Act.

Section 30. Enforcement of this Act by officers of the law.— It shall be the duty of all duly constituted
officers of the law, of the National Government or of any provincial, city or municipal government, to
enforce the provisions of this Act and to prosecute any person violating the same. The Secretary of
Justice shall act as legal adviser to the Board and shall render such legal assistance as may be
necessary in carrying out the provisions of this Act.

Section 31. Foreign Reciprocity.— No foreigner shall be admitted to examination or registration as

geodetic engineer under this Act unless he proves in the manner provided for by the Rules of Court
that, by specific provisions of law, the country of which he is a citizen, subject or national, admit
Filipino citizens to the practice of geodetic engineering after an examination on terms of strict and
absolute equality with the citizens, subjects or nationals of said country, including the unconditional
recognition of prerequisite degrees issued by institutions of learning duly recognized by the
Government of the Philippines.

Section 32. Repealing Clause.— All laws, executive orders, rules, regulations or parts thereof in
conflict with the provision of this Act, are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

Section 33. Separability of Provisions.— If any provision of this Act or any portion thereof is
declared unconstitutional by any competent court, the other provisions thereof shall not be affected
thereby.

Section 34. Effectivity.— This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
Approved: June 19, 1965.

Republic Act No. 8560 February 26, 1998

AN ACT REGULATING THE PRACTICE OF GEODETIC ENGINEERING IN THE PHILIPPINES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress

assembled:

ARTICLE I​
TITLE
Section 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Philippine Geodetic Engineering Act of 1998."

ARTICLE II​
DEFINITION OF TERMS

Section 2. Definition of terms. –

(a) Practice of geodetic engineering - The practice of Geodetic Engineering is a professional and
organized act of gathering physical data on the surface of the earth with the use of precision
instruments. It is also the scientific and methodical processing of these data and presenting them on
graphs, plans, maps, charts or documents. It shall embrace, but is not limited to, the following
activities:

(1) Professional Geodetic Engineering Services with the use of surveying and mapping equipment
such as graduated rods, measuring tapes, transits, levels, theodolites, fathometers/echosounders,
electronic distance meters, global positioning systems, stereoplotters and all other instruments that
are used to determine metes and bounds of lands positions of points on the surface of the earth,
water depths, underwater configuration, ground elevation, gravity, isostacy, crustal movements and
the size and shape of the earth, and other instruments used for construction survey, and those
instruments used to guide the installation of large industrial equipment and machineries;

(2) Horizontal and vertical control surveys and political boundary surveys;

(3) Land surveys to determine their metes and bounds and prepare the plans thereof for titling and
for other purposes;

(4) Subdivision, consolidation and/or consolidation-subdivision of titled properties;

(5) Submission of survey plans of subdivided, consolidated and/or consolidated-subdivision titled

properties to the government agencies concerned; hereafter, such plans on surveyed titled
properties submitted by geodetic engineers shall not be subject to verification and approval;

(6) Preparation and making of sketch, lot and location plans;

(7) Conduction of engineering surveys and the technical preparation of engineering survey plans
such as topographic, hydrographic, tidal, profile, cross-Sec., construction and boundary surveys;

(8) Parcellary surveys of lands traversed by infrastructure projects; and the preparation of
subdivision plans;

(9) Conduction of gravimetric and photogrammetric survey and the technical preparation of such
survey plans;

(10) Survey and mapping works such as the preparation of geographic and/or land information
system;

(11) Survey to determine and establish line and grade for the construction of buildings and other
structures and its attachments;
(12) Construction of as-staked and as-built surveys for infrastructures;

(13) Conduction of mineral and mining surveys;

(14) Installation of machineries requiring the use of precision instruments;

(15) Engagement in the transfer of the knowledge and technology of geodetic engineering in any
institution of learning;

(b) Geodetic Engineer - A Geodetic Engineer is a natural person who has been issued a Certificate
of Registration by the Board of Geodetic Engineering and has taken the Oath of Profession of
Geodetic Engineers.

ARTICLE III​
BOARD OF GEODETIC ENGINEERING

Section 3. Creation and composition of the Board of Geodetic Engineering. - There is hereby
created a Board of Geodetic Engineering, hereinafter called the Board, to be composed of a
chairman and two (2) members to be appointed by the President of the Philippines from a list of
three (3) recommendees for each position, chosen, ranked in the order of preference and submitted
by the duly integrated and accredited association of geodetic engineers. The Board shall be
organized not later than six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act.

Section 4. Qualifications of Members of the Board. - A member of the Board shall, at the time of
his appointment, possess the following qualifications:

(a) Natural born citizen and resident of the Philippines;

(b) Must be at least forty (40) years of age;

(c) A registered Geodetic Engineer with a valid professional license and an active practitioner in
Geodetic Engineering for not less than ten (10) years prior to appointment;

(d) Must not be a member of the faculty of any school, academy, institute, college or university where
a regular course in Geodetic Engineering is being taught, nor have pecuniary interest in or
administrative supervision over any such institution of learning;

(e) Must not, for a period of three (3) consecutive years prior to appointment, be connected with a
review center or with any group or association where review classes or lectures in preparation for
the licensure examination are offered or conducted at the time of appointment; and

(f) Must not have been convicted of any offense involving moral turpitude.

Section 5. Term of office. - The members of the Board shall hold office for a term of three (3) years
and until their successors shall have been appointed and qualified. Of the members of the Board first
appointed under this Act, one (1) member shall be appointed and hold office for three (3) years; and
one (1) member for two (2) years, one (1) member for one year.
The Chairman or member of the Board may be reappointed for another term but in no case shall he
serve continuously for more than six (6) years. Each member of the Board shall qualify by taking the
proper oath of office prior to entering upon the performance of duties.

Section 6. Compensation of the board members. - The Chairman and members of the Board
shall receive compensation and allowances comparable to the compensation and allowances
received by existing regulatory boards with the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC),
hereinafter referred to as the Commission, as provided for in the General Appropriations Act.

Section 7. Vacancy and removal of board members. - Any vacancy occurring in the membership
of the Board within the term of a member shall be fined for the unexpired portion of the term only.

The President may remove any member of the Board, upon the recommendation of the
Commission, on the following grounds:

(a) Neglect of duty or incompetence;

(b) Violation or tolerance of the violation of this Act or the Code of Ethics for geodetic engineers; and

(c) Final judgment of a crime involving moral turpitude.

He shall be given due notice and hearing where his right to be heard and to defend himself, assisted
by counsel, shall be respected in a proper administrative investigation. The Commission's decision
may be appealed within fifteen (15) days from written notice, to the President, whose decision shall
be final and executory.

Section 8. Powers and duties of the board. - The Board shall exercise the following specific
powers, functions, duties and responsibilities:

(a) To promulgate and adopt the rules and regulations necessary for carrying out the provisions of
this Act;

(b) To supervise the examination, registration, licensure and practice of Professional Geodetic
Engineering in the Philippines;

(c) To administer oaths in connection with the successful examinees entering the practice of
Geodetic Engineering;

(d) To issue the Certificate of Registration to successful examinees;

(e) To issue, suspend or revoke the license for the practice of the Geodetic Engineering profession;

(f) To adopt an official seal of the Board;

(g) To look into the conditions affecting the practice of Geodetic Engineering profession and
whenever necessary, adopt such measures as may be deemed proper for the enhancement and
maintenance of high professional and ethical standards of the profession;

(h) To ensure in coordination with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), that all educational
institutions offering Geodetic Engineering education comply with the policies, standards and
requirements of the course prescribed by CHED in the areas of curriculum, faculty, library and
facilities;

(i) To prescribe and/or adopt a Code of Ethical and Professional Standards for the practice of the
Geodetic Engineering profession;

(j) To hear and try administrative cases involving violations of this Act, its implementing rules and
regulations, the Code of Ethics for professional Geodetic Engineers and for this purpose, to issue
subpoena and subpoena duces tecum to secure the appearances of witnesses and the production of
documents in connection therewith;

(k) To prescribe guidelines in the Continuing Professional Education (CPE) program in coordination
with the integrated and accredited association for professional Geodetic Engineers;

(l) To prepare, adopt issue or amend the syllabi of the subjects for examination;

(m) To approve, issue, limit or revoke temporary license to practice Geodetic Engineering; and

(n) Discharge such other duties and functions as may be deemed necessary for the enhancement of
the Geodetic Engineering profession and the upgrading, development and growth of Geodetic
Engineering education in the Philippines.

Section 9. Supervision of the Board, custodian of its records, secretariat and support
services. - The Board shall be under the administrative supervision of the Commission. All records
of the Board, including the application for examination, examination papers and results, minutes of
deliberation, administrative cases and other investigations involving Geodetic Engineers shall be
kept by the Commission.

The Commission shall designate the Secretary of the Board and shall provide the secretariat and
other support services to implement the provisions of this Act.

Section 10. Annual report. - The Board shall, at the close of each calendar year, submit an annual
report to the President of the Philippines through the Professional Regulation Commission, giving
detailed account of its proceedings and accomplishments during the year and make
recommendation for the adoption of measures that will upgrade and improve the conditions affecting
the practice of Geodetic Engineering in the Philippines.

ARTICLE IV​
EXAMINATION , REGISTRATION AND LICENSE

Section 11. Examinations required. - All applicants for registration for the practice of Geodetic
Engineering shall be required to undergo and pass a written technical examination as provided for in
this Act.

Section 12. Qualifications of applicant for examination. - Every applicant for examination shall
establish the following:

(a) That he is a citizen of the Philippines; and

(b) That he is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Geodetic Engineering in a school, academy,
institute or college duly recognized by the Government.

Section 13. Fraudulent application. - The Board may suspend or revoke a Certificate of
Registration obtained through misrepresentation made in the application for examination.

Section 14. Scope of examination. - The examination for Geodetic Engineering shall basically
corer the following subjects:

(1) Mathematics;

(2) Theory and Practice of Surveying;

(3) Property Surveying including Isolated, Cadastral, Mineral and Mining Surveys;

(4) Cartography and Photogrammetry;

(5) Geodesy, Geodetic Surveying and Least Squares;

(6) Engineering Surveys and Construction Surveying;

(7) Laws on Natural Resources including Laws on Property, Land Registration and Agrarian Reform;

(8) Laws on Obligations and Contracts;

(9) Code of Ethics of the Profession.

The said subjects and their syllabi may be amended by the Board so as to conform to technological
changes brought about by continuing trends in the profession.

Section 15. Rating in the board examinations. - To be qualified as having passed the board
examination for Geodetic Engineers, a candidate must obtain a weighted general average of seventy
percent (70%), with no grade lower than fifty-five percent (55%) in any given subject. However, an
examinee who obtains a weighted general average rating of seventy percent (70%) or higher but
obtains a rating below fifty-five percent (55%) in any given subject must take the examination in the
subject or subjects where he obtained a grade below fifty-five percent (55%).

Section 16. Report of ratings. - The Board shall submit to the Commission the rating obtained by
each candidate within twenty (20) days after the examination, unless extended for just cause. Upon
the release of the results of the examination, the Board shall send by mail the rating received by
each examinee at his given address using the mailing envelope submitted during the examination.

Section 17. Re-examination. - An applicant who fails to pass the examination for the third time shall
be allowed to take another examination only after the lapse of one year.

Section 18. Oath. - All successful candidates in the examination shall be required to take an oath of
profession before the Board or any government official authorized to administer oaths, prior to
entering upon the practice of the Geodetic Engineering profession.
Section 19. Certificate of registration and professional license. - A Certificate of Registration
shall be issued to applicants who pass the examination for Geodetic Engineers subject to payment
of registration fees.

The Certificate of Registration of a professional Geodetic Engineer shall bear the signatures of the
Chairman of the Board and the Chairman of the Professional Regulation Commission and stamped
with the official seal of the Board indicating that the person named therein is a registered Geodetic
Engineer.

A professional license bearing the registration number, date of issuance, expiry date and duly signed
by the Chairman of the Board, shall likewise be issued to every registrant, upon payment of the
professional fees. No person shall practice Geodetic Engineering in this country unless such person
shall have secured a license to practice Geodetic Engineering in the manner herein provided. A
licensee is entitled to practice the profession with all the privileges appurtenant thereto until the
expiration of the validity of his license.

Section 20. Seal and use of seal. - (a) Each registrant shall, upon registration, obtain the seal of
such design as the Board of Geodetic Engineering may adopt. Plans and specifications prepared by,
or under the direct supervision of a registered Geodetic Engineer, shall be stamped with said seal
during the validity of the professional license. No person shall stamp or seal any document with the
seal of a registrant after his professional license has expired or lost its validity unless he has been
reinstated to the practice and/or unless his license has been renewed.

(b) No officer or employee of the government, chartered cities, provinces and municipalities now or
hereafter charged with the enforcement of laws, ordinances or regulations relating to all Geodetic
Engineering practices shall accept or endorse any survey plans or documents which have not been
prepared and submitted in full accord with the provisions of this Act, nor shall any payment be
approved by any such officer for any work, the plans and documents of which have not been so
prepared, signed and sealed by a duly licensed Geodetic Engineer.

(c) No Geodetic Engineer shall sign his name, affix his seal or use any other method of signature on
plans, specifications or other documents made by or under another Geodetic Engineer's supervision
unless the same is made in such manner as to clearly indicate the part of such work actually
performed by him; and no person, except the Geodetic Engineer in charge, shall sign for any branch
of work or any function of Geodetic Engineering practice not actually performed by him. The
Geodetic Engineer in charge shall be fully responsible for all plans, specifications and other
documents issued under his seal or authorized signature.

The Board shall formulate, adopt and promulgate all necessary rules and regulations for the effective
implementation of the provisions relating to the design of the seal, the signing and sealing of
drawings, specifications, reports and other documents by Geodetic Engineers.

(d) Plans and documents duly signed, stamped or sealed as instruments of service are the property
and documents of the Geodetic Engineer, if the same has not been accepted and/or paid.

Section 21. Indication of License and Professional Tax Receipt. - The Geodetic Engineer shall
be required to indicate his professional license number, the duration of validity, including the
professional tax receipt number on the documents he signs, uses or issues in connection with the
practice of his profession.

Section 22. Grounds for suspension and revocation of license, cancellation of

temporary/special permit. - The Board shall have the power, upon due notice and hearing, to
revoke or suspend the license of a Geodetic Engineer, or to cancel a temporary/special permit for
any cause specified in the proceeding Sec.s, including but not limited to: the use or perpetration of
any fraud or deceit in obtaining a certificate of registration, or for incompetence, negligence, or for
abetment of the illegal practice of Geodetic Engineering; violation of the provisions of this Act, its
implementing rules and regulations and/or violation of the policies of the Board including the Code of
Ethics for Geodetic Engineers: Provided, however, That such action of the Board shall be subject to
appeal to the Commission, within fifteen (15) days from written notice.

ARTICLE V​
PRACTICE OF GEODETIC ENGINEERING

Section 23. Vested rights: automatic registration of practicing geodetic engineers. - All
practicing Geodetic Engineers who are registered at the time this Act takes effect, shall automatically
be registered.

Section 24. Practice not allowed for firms and corporations. - The practice of Geodetic
Engineering is a professional service, admission to which shall be determined upon the basis of an
individual's personal qualifications, for which the Geodetic Engineer is responsible for the
correctness of the survey work. No other person or government entity should go over the work of the
Geodetic Engineer unless found grossly defective in connection with other works for which an
investigation committee shall thereby be created and commissioned by the Professional Regulation
Commission.

No firm, company, partnership, association or corporation may be registered or licensed as such for
the practice of Geodetic Engineering: Provided, however, That persons properly registered and
licensed as Geodetic Engineers may among themselves or with a person or persons properly
registered and licensed as Geodetic Engineer, may form and obtain registration with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (SEC) of a firm, partnership or association using the term "Geodetic
Engineers," but nobody shall be a member, partner or associate unless he is a duly registered and
licensed Geodetic Engineer, and the members who are Geodetic Engineers shall only render work
and services proper for a Geodetic Engineer as defined in this Act.

Section 25. Integration of the geodetic engineering profession. - The Geodetic Engineering
profession shall be integrated into one (1) national organization which shall be recognized by the
Board and by the Commission as the one and only integrated and accredited Association of
Professional Geodetic Engineers.

Upon registration with the Board, every professional Geodetic Engineer shall automatically become
a member of the integrated and accredited national organization and shall receive the benefits and
privileges appurtenant thereto. Those who have been registered with the Board but not members of
the said integrated and accredited organization at the time of the effectivity of this Act, shall be
allowed to register as members of the said organization within three (3) years after the effectivity of
this Act. Membership in the integrated and accredited organization shall not be a bar to membership
in other associations of the Geodetic Engineering profession.

Section 26. Foreign reciprocity. - No foreign Geodetic Engineer shall be issued a temporary
license to practice the Geodetic Engineering profession or consultancy thereof or be entitled to any
of the rights and privileges under this Act unless the country of which he is a subject or citizen
specifically permits Filipino Geodetic Engineers to practice within its territorial limits on the same
basis as the subjects or citizens of such foreign state or country.

ARTICLE VI​
GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 27. Implementing rules and regulations. - Subject to the approval of the Commission, the
Board shall adopt and promulgate such rules and regulations, including the Code of Ethics for
Geodetic Engineers, to carry out the provisions of this Act, which shall be effective after thirty (30)
days following their publication in the Official Gazette or in a major daily newspaper of general
circulation.

Section 28. Funding. - Such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act shall
be included in the General Appropriations Act of the year following its enactment into law and
thereafter: Provided, however, That fifty percent (50%) of the fees derived from examination,
registration and licenses shall be utilized by the Board to defray its administrative and other
operational expenses, including the enhancement of the Geodetic Engineering profession.

Section 29. Enforcement. - The Professional Regulation Commission shall be the enforcement
agency of the Board. As such, the Commission shall implement the provisions of this Act, enforce its
implementing rules and regulations as adopted by the Board, conduct investigations upon
complaints, including violations of the Code of Conduct of the profession and prosecute when so
warranted.

Section 30. Transitory provisions. - (a) The existing Board of Geodetic Engineering shall continue
to function in the interim until such time as the new Board shall be duly constituted pursuant to this
Act.

(b) Examination for Junior Geodetic Engineers shall cease to be conducted upon effectivity of this
Act;

(c) Incumbent Junior Geodetic Engineers may continue to practice as such for a period of five (5)
years from effectivity of this Act, within which they shall be required to finish the Bachelor of Science
in Geodetic Engineering course, the completion of which shall qualify them to take the Geodetic
Engineer Licensure Examinations.

Section 31. Penalties. - In addition to the administrative sanctions, any person who violates any of
the provisions of this Act shall, upon conviction, be penalized by a fine of not less than Fifty
thousand pesos (P50,000.00) nor more than Two hundred thousand pesos (P200,000.00), or
imprisonment of not less than six (6) months nor more than six (6) years, or both such fine and
imprisonment, at the discretion of the court.
Section 32. Separability clause. - If any clause, provision, paragraph or part hereof shall be
declared unconstitutional or invalid, such judgment shall not affect, invalidate or impair any other part
hereof, but such judgment shall merely be confined to the clause, provision, paragraph or part
directly involved in the controversy upon which such judgment has been rendered.

Section 33. Repealing clause. - Republic Act No. 4374, Presidential Decree Nos. 202 and 335 are
hereby repealed. All other laws, decrees, executive orders and other administrative issuances and
parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby modified, superseded
or repealed accordingly.

Section 34. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its publication in the
Official Gazette or major daily newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines, whichever is
earlier.

Approved: February 26, 1998