POLANGUI COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Polangui, Albay

MODULE 15: BASIC LAWS ON

THE PROFESSIONALIZATION OF
TEACHING

I. LEARNING OUTCOMES

The student must have:

1. Compared PD 1006 and RA 7836, laws that professionalize teaching;

2. Explained how the amendments in RA 9293 support the teaching profession;
3. Demonstrate deep appreciation for the professionalization of teaching and for the teaching profession
itself;
4. Relate the impact of the professionalization of teaching on your future life as a full-pledged professional
teacher.

II. CONTENT DISCUSSION OR ABSTRACTION

A. INTRODUCTION:

On January 1, 1977, Presidential Decree 1006, entitled Providing for the Professionalization of Teachers,
Regulating Their Practice in the Philippines, otherwise known as the Decree Professionalizing Teaching was
proclaimed. With the presidential proclamation, teaching became professionalized in the Philippines. the
proclamation of PD 1006 was premised on the following:

1. “The institutions of the country have relied upon…teachers whose direct and continuing interaction with
the young people and the children make them potent forces for the development of proper attitudes
among the citizenry;
2. There is a tremendous growth of the teaching population, comprising the civil service sector alone more
than 300,000 teachers deployed all over the country;
3. To ensure that in the immediacy and urgency of teacher recruitment, qualitative requirements are not
overlooked, it has become necessary to regulate the teaching profession;
4. Teaching requires a number of years of collegiate study, it is the only course that is not yet considered
a profession; and
5. In recognition of the vital role of teachers in nation-building and as an incentive to raise the morale of
teachers, it is imperative that they be considered as professionals and teaching be recognize as a
profession” (PD 1006).

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PD 1006 declared a policy that teacher education be of the highest quality, and strongly oriented to
Philippine conditions and to the needs and aspirations of the Filipino people. Along with the policy that teacher
education be of the highest quality. The Civil Service Commission and the Department of Education and Culture
jointly gave examinations for teachers. Passers in the teachers’ examination were qualified for registration as
professional teachers and were given the professional Teacher Certificate. PD 1006 made a teacher’s license a
requirement for teaching. The decree states: “Three years after the effectivity of this Decree, no person shall engage
in teaching and/or act as a teacher as defined in this Decree, whether in public or private elementary or secondary
school, unless he is holder of a Professional Teacher Certificate or is considered a Professional Teacher under this
Decree.”

Despite the professionalization of teaching in 1977 by virtue of PD 1006, the quality of education in the
country appeared not to have improved. The findings of the 1991 Congressional Commission affirmed the
continuously deteriorating quality of education in the country. The Congressional Commission to Review and Assess
Philippine Education (EDCOM) came out with the finding that the “quality of education is declining” and that the
teachers are “at the heart of the problem”. The EDCOM found among others, that:

 Teachers are poorly trained;

 There is a low quality students enrolled in teacher training;
 Teaching is perceived as a poorly esteemed profession.

These show that teaching does not attract the best as mandated in the Philippine Constitution that “teaching
will attract and retain its rightful share of the best available talents through adequate remuneration and other means
of job satisfaction and fulfillment (Article XIV, Section 4 (5)…

In 1994, another law on teachers’ professionalization namely Republic Act No. 7836 known as the Philippine
Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994 was enacted. Like PD 1006, this law recognized he vital role of teachers in
nation building.

The Act created the Board for Professional Teachers, a collegial body under the general supervision and
administrative control of the Professional Regulation Commission that gives the Licensure Examination for Teachers
(LET). Passers of the LET are granted license to teach.

To support further the move to get “the best of the brightest” for the teaching profession, some significant
provisions of RA 7836 were amended by RA 9293.

1.1. PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1006

(PROVIDING FOR THE PROFESSIONALIZATION OF TEACHERS, REGULATING THEIR PRACTICE IN THE
PHILIPPINES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES)

WHEREAS, the Constitution provides that “All educational institutions shall be under the supervision of; and subject
to regulation by, the State”, and requires that “the State shall establish and maintain a complete, adequate and
integrated system of education relevant to the goals of national development”;

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WHEREAS, in the pursuit on these objectives, the Department of Education and Culture has adopted ways and
means of overseeing all the educational institutions in the country;

WHEREAS, this supervisory function of the DEC has been primarily beamed towards insuring that the educational
institutions inculcate in the studentry love of the country, teach the duties of citizenship, and develop moral character,
personal discipline, and scientific, technological and vocational efficiency;

WHEREAS, to implement these objectives, the institutions have relied upon their teachers whose direct and
continuing interaction with the young people and the children make them potent forces for the development of proper
attitudes among the citizenry;

WHEREAS, this accounts for the tremendous growth of the teaching population, comprising in the civil service sector
alone more than 300,000 teachers deployed all over the country;

WHEREAS, to insure that in the immediacy and urgency of teacher recruitment qualitative requirements are not
overlooked, it has become necessary to regulate the teaching profession;

WHEREAS, although teaching requires a number of years of collegiate study, it is the only course that it is not yet
considered a profession;

WHEREAS, in recognition of the vital role of teachers in nation-building and as an incentive to raise the morale of
teachers, it is imperative that they be considered as professionals and teaching be recognized as a profession.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me
by the Constitution, do hereby decree and order:

Section 1. Title. This Decree shall be known as the Decree Professionalizing Teaching.

Section 2. Declaration of Policy. It is hereby declared a policy that teacher education shall be given primary concern
and attention by the government and shall be of the highest quality, and strongly oriented to Philippine conditions and
to the needs and aspirations of the Filipino people even as it seeks enrichment from adoptable ideas and practices of
other people.

Section 3. Definition of Terms. As used in this Decree, the following shall be construed as follows:

a) Teaching refers to the profession primarily concerned with the classroom instruction, at the elementary and
secondary levels, in accordance with the curriculum prescribed by National Board of Education, whether on
part-time or full-time basis in the public or private schools.

b) Teachers refers to all persons engaged in teaching at the elementary and secondary levels, whether on a
full-time or part-time basis, including guidance counselors, school librarians, industrial arts or vocational
teachers and all other persons performing supervisory and/or administrative functions in all schools in the
aforesaid levels and legally qualified to practice teaching under this Decree.

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c) Board refers to the National Board for Teachers duly constituted under this Decree.

Section 4. Creation of the National Board for Teachers . There is hereby created a National Board for Teachers,
hereinafter called the Board, to be composed of the following:

1) Secretary of Education and Culture Co-Chairman

2) Chairman, Civil Service Commission -do-
3) Commissioner, Professional Regulations Commission Member
4) Two members representing the private sector to be appointed by the President -do-

Section 5. Powers and Duties. The Board shall have the following powers and duties:

a) Appoint a set of examiners for every examination who will determine and prepare the contents of the Board
examination for teachers, hereinafter referred to as examination, in the elementary and secondary levels of
instruction, to be held at least once a year;

b) Determine and fix the places and dates of examination, appoint supervisors and room examiners from
among the employees of the Government who shall be entitled to a daily allowance to be fixed by the Board
for every examination day actually attended, use the buildings and facilities of public and private schools for
examination purposes, approve applications to take examination, and approve the release of examination
results;

c) Look from time to time into the conditions affecting the practice of the teaching profession, adopt such
measures as may be deemed proper for the enhancement of said profession, and/or maintenance of the
professional standards and ethics;

d) Issue, suspend, revoke, replace or reissue Professional Teachers Certificate, and administer oaths;

e) Appoint, subject to the provisions of existing laws, such officials and employees as are necessary in the
effective performance of its functions and responsibilities, prescribe their duties and fix their compensation;

f) Prescribe and collect examination and other fees as it may deem proper; and

g) Promulgate rules and regulations, and exercise such other powers, functions and duties as may be
necessary to carry into effect the purposes of this Decree.

Section 6. Qualification requirements for examination applicants. No applicant shall be admitted to take the
examination unless, on the date of filing of the application, he shall have complied with the following requirements:

a) Except those who have been engaged in teaching as herein defined for at least five years in schools in the
Philippines not organized exclusively for nationals of a foreign country at the time of the effectivity of this
Decree, the applicant must be a citizen of the Philippines;

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b) That he is of good moral character;

c) That he is free from any physical and/or mental defect which will incapacitate him to render efficient service;
and

d) That he possesses the following minimum educational qualifications:

1) For teachers in the kindergarten and elementary grades, Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education
(B.S.E.Ed.) or its equivalent;

2) For teachers of the secondary schools, Bachelor’s degree in Education or its equivalent with a major
and minor, or a Bachelor’s degree in Arts or Sciences with at least eighteen units in professional
education; and

3) For teachers of secondary vocational and two-year technical courses, Bachelor’s degree in the field of
specialization with at least eighteen units in professional education.

All applications shall be filed with an office or offices designated by the Board, preferably the offices of the
Civil Service Commission and the Department of Education and Culture.

These offices shall screen and approve such applications and issue the corresponding permits to take the
examination to qualify applicants.

Section 7. Appointment of examiners. The Board shall appoint a set of examiners for every examination who are
recognized authority in teacher education, and their names shall not be disclosed until after the release of the results
of the examination. They shall each receive as compensation the sum of not less than P5.00 for each examinee as
may be determined by the Board but in no case shall each examiner receive more than P18,000 per examination.
Any examiner who is in the service of the Government shall receive the compensation herein provided in addition to
his salary.

Section 8. Scope of the examination. The examination shall consist of written tests, the scope of which shall be
determined by the Board, taking into consideration the teaching plan of the schools legally constituted in the
Philippines.

Section 9. Ratings in the examination. In order that a candidate may be deemed to have successfully passed the
examinations, he must have obtained a general average of at least 70 per cent in all subjects, with no rating below 50
per cent in any subject.

Section 10. Report of the results of examination. The examiners shall report the ratings obtained by each candidate
to the Board within 150 days after the last day of the examination, unless extended by the latter.

Section 11. Issuance of Certificates. Teachers who have passed examinations given by the Civil Service Commission
or jointly by the Civil Service Commission and the Department of Education and Culture shall be considered as

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having passed the board examinations for teachers. The Board may consider their certificates of rating as certificates
of eligibility or issue an entirely new certificate upon registration of the teacher and payment of the corresponding
fees.

This provision shall likewise apply to those teachers who have permanent appointment under the Magna
Carta For Public School Teachers and all others who may be qualified for registration as professional teachers under
this Decree.

Section 12. Registration. The Civil Service Commission shall, as an arm of the Board, register holders of Professional
Teacher Certificate which registration shall evidence that the registrant is entitled to all the rights and privileges of a
Professional Teacher until and unless the certificate is suspended or canceled by the Board for just cause.

Section 13. Reissuance of revoked certificates and replacement of lost certificates. The Board may, for reason of
equity and justice, and upon proper application therefor, issue another copy, original or duplicate, upon payment of
the required fee, of a certificate which has been revoked. A new certificate to replace a lost, destroyed or mutilated
certificate may be issued subject to the rules of the Board.

Section 14. Registration by reciprocity. The Civil Service Commission shall, upon approval of the Board, effect the
registration, without examination, of a teacher validly registered under the laws of any foreign state or country;
Provided, That the requirements for registration in said foreign state or country are substantially the same as those
required and contemplated by this Decree, and the laws of such foreign state or country allow citizens of the
Philippines to practice the profession on the same basis and grant the same privileges as the citizens or subjects of
such foreign state or country; Provided finally, That the applicant shall submit competent and conclusive
documentary evidence, confirmed by the Department of Foreign Affairs, showing that his country’s existing laws
permit citizens of the Philippines to practice teaching profession under the rules and regulations governing citizens
thereof.

Section 15. Prohibition. Three years after the effectivity of this Decree, no person shall engage in teaching and/or act
as a teacher as defined in this Decree, whether in the public or private elementary or secondary school, unless he is
holder of a Professional Teacher Certificate or is considered a Professional Teacher under this Decree.

Section 16. Penal Provision. Any person who shall practice the teaching without a valid Professional Teacher
Certificate, or any person presenting as his or her own the certificate of another, or any person giving any false or
forged evidence in order to obtain a Professional Teacher Certificate or admission to an examination, or any person
assuming himself as a registered professional teacher or any person violating any provision of this Decree shall be
penalized by a fine of not less than One Thousand Pesos nor more than Five Thousand Pesos with subsidiary
imprisonment or to suffer an imprisonment of not less than six months nor more than two years, or both such fine and
imprisonment at the discretion of the Court.

Section 17. Repealing Clause. All Acts, Decrees, Executive Orders, Administrative Orders, rules and regulations or
parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Decree are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

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Section 18. Separability Clause. In case any provision of this Decree or any portion thereof is declared
unconstitutional by a competent court, other provisions shall not be affected thereby.

Section 19. Effectivity. This Decree shall take effect January 1, 1977.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 22nd day of September, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and
seventy-six.

(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS

President of the Philippines

1.2. REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7836

(AN ACT TO STRENGTHEN THE REGULATION AND SUPERVISION OF THE PRACTICE OF TEACHING IN
THE PHILIPPINES AND PRESCRIBING A LICENSURE EXAMINATION FOR TEACHERS AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES.)

ARTICLE I: TITLE

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the "Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994."

SECTION 2. Statement of Policy. — The State recognizes the vital role of teachers in nation-building and
development through a responsible and literate citizenry. Towards this end, the State shall ensure and promote
quality education by proper supervision and regulation of the licensure examination and professionalization of the
practice of the teaching profession.

SECTION 3. Objectives. — This Act has the herein objectives:

(a) The promotion, development and professionalization of teachers and the teaching profession; and

(b) The supervision and regulation of the licensure examination.

SECTION 4. Definition of Terms. — For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall mean:

(a) “Teaching" — refers to the profession concerned primarily with classroom instruction, at the elementary and
secondary levels in accordance with the curriculum prescribed by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports,
whether on part-time or full-time basis in the private or public schools.

(b) "Teachers" — refers to all persons engaged in teaching at the elementary and secondary levels, whether on full-
time or part-time basis, including industrial arts or vocational teachers and all other persons performing supervisory
and/or administrative functions in all schools in the aforesaid levels and qualified to practice teaching under this Act.

(c) "Board" — refers to the Board for Professional Teachers duly established and constituted under this Act.

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(d) "Commission" — refers to the Professional Regulation Commission.

ARTICLE II: BOARD FOR PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS

SECTION 5. Creation and Composition of the Board. — There is hereby created under this Act a Board for
Professional Teachers, hereinafter called the Board, a collegial body under the general supervision and
administrative control of the Professional Regulation Commission, hereinafter referred to as the Commission,
composed of five (5) members who shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines from among the
recommendees chosen by the Commission. The recommendees shall be chosen from the list of nominees selected
by the accredited association of teachers, who duly possess all the qualifications prescribed in Section 8 of this Act.

The chairman and the voice-chairman of the Board shall be appointed from these five (5) members by the
President: Provided, That the members of the first Board appointed under this Act shall be automatically registered
as professional teachers and issued with the certificate of registration and professional license upon payment of the
fees for examination, registration, and other fees prescribed by the Commission.

SECTION 6. Duties and Function of the Board. — The Board shall have the following duties and functions:

(a) Promulgate, administer and enforce rules and regulations necessary for carrying out the provisions of this Act in
accordance with the charter of the Professional Regulation Commission;

(b) Determine and fix the frequency, dates, and places of examination, appoint supervisors, proctors, and other
personnel as needed who shall be entitled to a daily allowance to be fixed by the Board for every examination day
actually attended, use buildings and facilities of public or private schools for examination purposes;

(c) Issue, suspend, or revoke the certificate of registration for the practice of the teaching profession;

(d) Prescribe and collect examination and other fees as it may deem proper;

(e) Prescribe and/or adopt a code of ethical and professional standards for the practice of the teaching profession.
Such ethical standards, rules and regulations to take effect sixty (60) days after its publication in the Official Gazette
or in any newspaper of general circulation;

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

(g) Supervise and regulate the registration, licensure and practice of professional teachers in the Philippines;

(h) Adopt an official seal of the Board;

(i) Look into the conditions affecting the practice of the teaching 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;

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(j) Ensure that all educational institutions offering elementary and secondary education comply with the essential
requirements for curricula, faculty and facilities for the elementary and secondary levels;

(k) Investigate such violations of this Act, the rules and the code of ethical and professional standards for
professional teachers as it may come to the knowledge of the Board, and for this purpose, to issue subpoena and
subpoena duces tecum to secure the appearance of witnesses and the production of documents in connection
therewith; and

(l) Discharge such other powers, duties and functions as the Board may deem necessary for the practice of the
teaching profession and the upgrading, enhancement, development and growth of education in the Philippines.

SECTION 7. Term of Office. — The members of the Board shall hold office for a term of three (3) years from the
date they assume office: Provided, That the first appointees to the Board under this Act shall hold office according to
the following terms: one (1) member shall serve for one (1) year; one (1) member for two (2) years; the chairman,
vice-chairman, and one (1) member for three (3) years. Vacancies shall be served for the unexpired term only. No
person who has served for two (2) consecutive terms shall be eligible for reappointment. Appointment to fill an
unexpired term shall be considered an appointment to a complete term.

The chairman or any member shall take his oath of office prior to the performance of his duties.

SECTION 8. Qualification of Board Members. — Each Board member must at the time of his appointment:

(a) Be a citizen and resident of the Philippines;

(b) Be at least thirty-five (35) years of age, of proven integrity, and possessed of high moral values in his personal as
well as professional conduct and has not been convicted of any offense involving moral turpitude;

(c) Be a holder of the degree of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Education and preferably a holder of a
master's or doctorate degree in education, or their equivalents, from a university, school, college, academy or
institute duly constituted, recognized and/or accredited by the Philippine government;

(d) Be a professional teacher with a valid certificate of registration and valid professional license, save those
members who shall compose the first Board for Professional Teachers;

(e) Has been a professional teacher in the active practice of the teaching profession for at least ten (10) years in the
elementary and secondary level; and

(f) Not be an official or member of the faculty of, nor have pecuniary interest in any university, college, school, or
institution conferring a bachelor's degree in education or its equivalents for at least three (3) years prior to his
appointment, and neither 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.

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Provided, however, that, the membership to the Board shall be evenly distributed to cover all levels of
education, including equitable representation of the different fields of specialization.

SECTION 9. Compensation of the Board. — The chairman, vice-chairman, and members of the Board shall receive
compensation comparable to the compensation received by existing regulatory boards under the Professional
Regulation Commission, computed on the basis of the number of examinees/candidates.

SECTION 10. Supervision of the Board and Custodian of its Records. — The Board shall be under the supervision
and control of the Commission. All records, including applications for examination, examination papers and results,
minutes of deliberation, administrative cases and investigative cases and investigations involving professional
teachers shall be kept by the Commission.

SECTION 11. Secretariat and Support Services. — The Professional Regulation Commission, through its chairman,
shall provide the secretariat and other support services to implement effectively the provisions of this Act.

SECTION 12. Removal of a Board Member. — The chairman or any member of the Board may be removed by the
President of the Philippines upon recommendation of the Commission for neglect of duty, incompetence,
unprofessional, unethical, immoral or dishonorable conduct, commission or toleration of irregularities in the
examination, after having been given the opportunity to defend himself in a proper administrative investigation.
In the course of investigation, the President may preventively suspend the respondent.

ARTICLE III: EXAMINATION AND REGISTRATION

SECTION 13. Examination, Registration and License Required. — Except as otherwise specifically allowed under
the provisions of this Act, all applicants for registration as professional teachers shall be required to undergo a written
examination which shall be given at least once a year in such places and dates as the Board may determine upon
approval by the Commission. A valid certificate of registration and a valid professional license from the Commission
are required before any person is allowed to practice as a professional teacher in the Philippines, except as
otherwise allowed under this Act.

SECTION 14. Scope of Examination. — The examinations for the elementary and secondary school teachers shall
be separate. The examination for teachers in the elementary level shall consist of two (2) parts, namely: professional
education and general education. The examination for teachers in the secondary level shall consist of three (3) parts,
namely: professional education, general education, and field of specialization.

SECTION 15. Qualification Requirements of Applicants. — No applicant shall be admitted to take the examination
unless, on the date of filing of the application, he shall have complied with the following requirements:

(a) A citizen of the Philippines or an alien whose country has reciprocity with the Philippines in the practice of the
teaching profession;

(b) At least eighteen (18) years of age;

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(c) In good health and of good reputation with high moral values;

(d) Has not been convicted by final judgment by a court for an offense involving moral turpitude;

(e) A graduate of a school, college or university recognized by the government and possesses the minimum
educational qualifications, as follows:

(1) For teachers in preschool, a bachelor's degree in early childhood education (BECED) or its equivalent;

(2) For teachers in the elementary grades, a bachelor's degree in elementary education (BSEED) or its
equivalent;

(3) For teachers in the secondary grades, a bachelor's degree in education or its equivalent with a major
and minor, or a bachelor's degree in arts and sciences with at least ten (10) units in professional education; and

(4) For teachers of vocational and two-year technical courses, a bachelor's degree in the field of
specialization or its equivalent, with at least eighteen (18) units in professional education.

SECTION 16. Report of the Results of the Examination. — The Board shall, within one hundred twenty (120) days
after the examination, report the ratings obtained by each candidate to the Professional Regulation Commission for
approval and appropriate action.

SECTION 17. Issuance of Certificate of Registration and Professional License. — The registration of a professional
teacher commences from the date his name is enrolled in the roster of professional teachers.

Every registrant who has satisfactorily met all the requirements specified in this Act shall, upon payment of
the registration fee, be issued a certificate of registration as a professional teacher bearing the full name of the
registrant with serial number and date of issuance signed by the chairman of the Commission and the chairman,
vice-chairman, and members of the Board, stamped with the official seal, as evidence that the person named therein
is entitled to practice the profession with all the rights and privileges appurtenant thereto. The certificate shall remain
in full force and effect until withdrawn, suspended and/or revoked in accordance with law.

A professional license signed by the chairman of the Commission and bearing the registration number and
date of issuance thereof and the month of expiry or renewability shall likewise be issued to every registrant who has
paid the annual registration fees for three (3) consecutive years. This license shall serve as evidence that the
licensee can lawfully practice his profession until the expiration of its validity.

SECTION 18. Oath Before Practice. — Every registrant shall be required to take his professional oath before
practicing as a professional teacher.

SECTION 19. Periodic Merit Examination of Teachers. — To encourage continuing professional growth and
development and to provide additional basis for merit promotion, in addition to their performance rating, teachers may

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take an oral and written examination at least once in five (5) years as basis for merit promotion. In taking this
examination, no fee shall be required.

SECTION 20. Failure to Pass the Merit Examination. — If a teacher fails to pass the merit examination, he or she
shall be allowed to take the examination for a second time. Should he or she fail to pass the merit examination for the
second time, then he or she shall be required to take a DECS accredited refresher course or program before being
allowed to retake the examination.

Failure of any permanent teacher to pass the merit examination shall not, however, be used as a ground for
his/her dismissal or demotion.

SECTION 21. Incentives. — Teachers who pass the merit examination shall:

(a) Be awarded a diploma of merit by the Board;

(b) Earn merit points for purposes of promotion in salary or to a higher position or grade level;

(c) Be placed in the priority list for government scholarship; and

(d) Enjoy such other benefits as may be promulgated by the Board.

Similar incentives shall be given to teachers who make inventions, develop new methods of teaching, write a book or
books and create works of artistic merit.

SECTION 22. Integration of the Teaching Profession. — The teaching profession shall be integrated into one
national organization which shall be recognized by the Board and the Commission as the one and only integrated
and accredited association of professional teachers. Upon registration with the Board, every professional teacher
shall be encouraged to become a member of the integrated national organization. Those who have been registered
with the Board but are not members of the said integrated organization shall be allowed to register as members of
the said integrated organization within three (3) years after the effectivity of this Act. Membership in the integrated
organization shall not be a bar to membership in other associations of the teaching profession. The professional
teachers shall receive the benefits and privileges appurtenant to their membership in the said integrated and
accredited organization of professional teachers only upon payment of the required membership fees and dues.

SECTION 23. Revocation of the Certificate of Registration, Suspension from the Practice of the Teaching
Profession, and Cancellation of Temporary or Special Permit. — The Board shall have the power, after due notice
and hearing, to suspend or revoke the certificate of registration of any registrant, to reprimand or to cancel the
temporary/special permit of a holder thereof who is exempt from registration, for any of the following causes:

(a) Conviction for any criminal offense by a court of competent jurisdiction;

(b) Immoral, unprofessional or dishonorable conduct;

(c) Declaration by a court of competent jurisdiction for being mentally unsound or insane;

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(d) Malpractice, gross incompetence, gross negligence or serious ignorance of the practice of the teaching
profession;

(e) The use of or perpetration of any fraud or deceit in obtaining a certificate of registration, professional license or
special/temporary permit;

(f) Chronic inebriety or habitual use of drugs;

(g) Violation of any of the provisions of this Act, the rules and regulations and other policies of the Board and the
Commission, and the code of ethical and professional standards for professional teachers; and

(h) Unjustified or willful failure to attend seminars, workshops, conferences and the like or the continuing education
program prescribed by the Board and the Commission.

The decision of the Board to revoke or suspend a certificate may be appealed to the regional trial court of
the place where the Board holds office within fifteen (15) days from receipt of the said decision or of the denial of the
motion for reconsideration filed in due time.

SECTION 24. Registration by Reciprocity. — No teacher of a foreign nationality shall be admitted to the
examination, or be given a certificate of registration or be entitled to any of the rights and privileges provided under
this Act; unless the country or state of which he is a subject permits Filipino professional teachers to practice within
its territorial limits on the same basis as subjects or citizens of said country or state: Provided, that the requirements
of certification of teachers with said foreign state or country are substantially the same as those required and
contemplated under this Act: Provided, further, That the laws of such state or country grant the same privilege to
Filipino professional teachers on the same basis as the subject or citizens of such foreign country or state.

SECTION 25. Roster of Professional Teachers. — A roster of professional teachers containing the names and
addresses of professional teachers, date of registration or issuance of certificate, and other data which in the opinion
of the Board may appear pertinent shall be maintained. Copies of the roster shall be provided by the Commission to
the Board, the Department of Education, Culture and Sports, and the integrated and accredited organization of
professional teachers.

SECTION 26. Registration and Exception. — Two (2) years after the effectivity of this Act, no person shall engage in
teaching and/or act as a professional teacher as defined in this Act, whether in the preschool, elementary or
secondary level, unless he is a duly registered professional teacher, and a holder of a valid certificate of registration
and a valid professional license or a holder of a valid special/temporary permit.

Upon approval of the application and payment of the prescribed fees, the certificate of registration and
professional license as a professional teacher shall be issued without examination as required in this Act to a
qualified applicant, who at the time of the approval of this Act, is:

(a) A holder of a certificate of eligibility as a teacher issued by the Civil Service Commission and the Department of
Education, Culture and Sports; or

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(b) A registered professional teacher with the National Board for Teachers under the Department of Education,
Culture and Sports (DECS) pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 1006; or

(c) Not qualified under paragraphs one and two but with any of the following qualifications. to wit:

(1) An elementary or secondary teacher for five (5) years in good standing and a holder of Bachelor of
Science in Education or its equivalent; or

(2) An elementary or secondary teacher for three (3) years in good standing and a holder of a master's
degree in education or its equivalent. Provided, That they shall be given two (2) years from the organization of the
Board for professional teachers within which to register and be included in the roster of professional teachers:
Provided, further, That those incumbent teachers who are not qualified to register without examination under this Act
or who, albeit qualified, were unable to register within the two-year period shall be issued a five-year temporary or
special permit from the time the Board is organized within which to register after passing the examination and
complying with the requirements provided this Act and be included in the roster of professional teachers: Provided,
furthermore, That those who have failed the licensure examination for professional teachers shall be eligible as para-
teachers and as such, shall be issued by the Board a special or temporary permit, and shall be assigned by the
Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) to schools as it may determine under the circumstances.

ARTICLE IV: PROVISIONS RELATIVE TO THE PRACTICE OF THE TEACHING PROFESSION

SECTION 27. Inhibition Against the Practice of the Teaching Profession. — Except as otherwise allowed under this
Act, no person shall practice or offer to practice the teaching profession in the Philippines or be appointed as teacher
to any position calling for a teaching position without having previously obtained a valid certificate of registration and
a valid professional license from the Commission.

SECTION 28. Penal Provisions. — The following shall be punishable by a fine of not less than Five thousand pesos
(P5,000.00) nor more than Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.00) or imprisonment of nor less than six (6) months nor
more than five (5) years, or both, at the discretion of the court:

(a) Any person who practices the teaching profession in the Philippines without being certified in accordance with the
provisions of this Act;

(b) Any person who represents or attempts to use as his own certificate of registration that of another;

(c) Any person who gives any false, or fraudulent evidence of any kind to the Board or any member thereof in
obtaining a certificate of registration as teacher;

(d) Any person who impersonates any registrant of the same or different name;

(e) Any person who uses a revoked or suspended certificate of registration;

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(f) Any person who, in connection with his name, otherwise assumes, uses or advertises any title or description
tending to convey or conveys the impression that he is a teacher without holding a valid certificate; and

(g) Any person who violates or who abets the violation of any of the provisions of this Act.
The penalty of fine or imprisonment or both, as provided in this section, shall also apply to any school official who
shall cause or be responsible for the commission of any of the above-enumerated acts.

SECTION 29. Appropriations. — Such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act shall be
included in the 1996 General Appropriations Act and thereafter.

SECTION 30. Implementing Guidelines. — The Board shall formulate and adopt the necessary guidelines for the
effective implementation of the provisions of this Act within sixty (60) days of its approval.

The Board shall submit to both Committees on Education, Arts, and Culture; and the Committees on Civil
Service and Professional Regulation of the Senate and House of Representatives, copies of the implementing rules
and guidelines within thirty (30) days after its promulgation.

Any violation of this section shall render the official/s concerned liable under Republic Act No. 6713,
otherwise known as the "Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees" and other
pertinent administrative and/or penal laws.

SECTION 31. Transitory Provision. — All incumbent teachers in both the public and private sector not otherwise
certified as professional teachers by virtue of this Act, shall be given (5) years temporary certificates from the time the
Board for Professional Teachers is organized within which to qualify as required by this Act and be included in the
roster of professionals.

Provided, however, That the Professional Board Examination for Teachers (PBET) shall still be
administered by the Civil Service Commission and the Department of Education, Culture and Sports for the year
1995.

SECTION 32. Separability Clause. — If, for any reason, any section or provision of this Act or the application of such
section or provision to any person or circumstance is declared unconstitutional or invalid, no other section or
provision of this Act shall be affected thereby.

SECTION 33. Repealing Clause. — All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations or parts
thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 34. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following its complete publication
in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved: December 16, 1994

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1.3. [REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9293]

(AN ACT AMENDING CERTAIN SECS OF REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED SEVENTY- EIGHT HUNDRED AND
THIRTY-SIX (R.A. NO. 7836), OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “PHILIPPINE TEACHERS PROFESSIONALIZATION
ACT OF 1994”)

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

SECTION 1. Section 15, (e) (3) of Republic Act No. 7836 is hereby amended as follows:

“SECTION 15. Qualification Requirements of Applicants . – No applicant shall be admitted to take the
examination unless, on the date of filing of the application, he shall have complied with the following requirements:

“(e) A graduate of a school, college or university recognized by the government and possesses the minimum
educational qualifications, as follows:

(1) For teachers in preschool, a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education (BECED) or its equivalent;

(2) For teachers in the elementary grades, a bachelor’s degree in elementary education (BSEED) or its
equivalent;

(3) For teachers in the secondary grades, a bachelor’s degree in education or its equivalent with a major
and minor, or a bachelor degree in arts and sciences with at least eighteen (18) units in professional education; and

(4) For teachers of vocational and two-year technical courses, a bachelor’s degree in the field of
specialization or its equivalent, with at least eighteen (18) units in professional education.”

SECTION 2. Section 26 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

“SECTION 26. Registration and Exception. – No person shall engage in teaching and/or act as a
professional teacher as defined in this Act, whether in the preschool, elementary or secondary level, unless the
person is a duly registered professional teacher, and a holder of a valid certificate of registration and a valid
professional license or a holder of a valid special/temporary permit.

Upon approval of the application and payment of the prescribed fees, the certificate of registration and
professional license as a professional teacher shall be issued without examination as required in this Act to a
qualified applicant, who is:

(a) A holder of a certificate of eligibility as a teacher issued by the Civil Service Commission and the Department of
Education, Culture and Sports; or

(b) A registered professional teacher with the National Board for Teachers under the Department of Education,
Culture and Sports (DECS) pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 1006.

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Professional teachers who have not practiced their profession for the past five (5) years shall take at least
twelve (12) units of education courses, consisting of at least six (6) units of pedagogy and six (6) units of content
courses, or the equivalent training and number of hours, to be chosen from a list of courses to be provided by the
Board and the Department of Education, before they can be allowed to practice their profession in the country.

Those who have failed the licensure examination for professional teachers, with a rating of not lower than
five percentage points from the passing general average rating, shall be eligible as para-teachers upon issuance by
the Board of a two-year special permit, renewable for a non- extendible period of two (2) years. The para-teachers
shall be assigned to areas where there is a shortage or absence of a professional teacher, as identified and provided
by the Department of Education and the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) education department to
the Board for professional teachers and to the Commission. The special permit shall indicate the area of assignment
of the para-teacher.

A special permit may also be issued by the Board to a person who has excelled and gained international
recognition and is a widely acknowledged expert in his or her respective field of specialization.”

SECTION 3. Section 31 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

“SECTION 31. Transitory Provision. – Special permits, with a validity of three (3) and five (5) years, issued
to para-teachers by the Board for Professional Teachers before the effectivity of this Act shall be allowed to expire
based on the period granted therein: Provided, That only special permits with a validity of three (3) years may be
renewed upon expiration for a non-extendible period of two (2) years.”

SECTION 4. References to the term “Department of Education, Culture and Sports”, in section 4 (a) and section 25,
and the term “DECS” in section 20, of the same Act, are hereby amended to read as “Department of Education” and
“DepEd”, respectively.

SECTION 5. Separability Clause . – If, for any reason, any section or provision of this Act or the application of such
section or provision to any person or circumstance is declared unconstitutional or invalid, no other section or
provision of this Act shall be affected thereby.

SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, circulars, administrative orders, rules and regulations, and other
issuances which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 7. Effectivity . – This Act shall take effect upon approval.

Approved,

(Sgd.) JOSE DE VENECIA JR.

Speaker of the House of Representatives

(Sgd.) FRANKLIN M. DRILON

President of the Senate

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This Act, which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2698 and House Bill No. 5411 was finally passed by the
Senate and the House of Representatives on February 6, 2004 and February 7, 2004, respectively.

(Sgd.) ROBERTO P. NAZARENO

Secretary General House of Representatives

(Sgd.) OSCAR G. YABES

Secretary of the Senate

Approved: APR 21 2004

(Sgd.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

President of the Philippines

III. LEARNER’S EXPERIENCES OR ACTIVITIES/EXERCISES

A. What amendments to RA 7836 were by RA 9293 on the following:

1.a. Number of units in professional education required for non-education graduates

1.b. Registration of those engage in teaching without examination
1.c. Required ratings for para-teachers

2. Other than para-teachers who else are entitled to a special permit?

3. What is required of teachers covered by Sec. 26 of RA 9293 who have not practiced their profession for
the past five years?
4. Who can be issued license without examination?

B. Reflection

Do PD 1006, RA 7836 and RA 9293 help you become a professional teacher?

IV. ASSESSMENT/REFLECTION TOOLS

1. Rubrics
2. Reflection Paper

V. MATERIALS/REFERENCE LINKS

Books:

The Teaching Profession by:

 Purita P. Bilbao, Ed.D.

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 Brenda B. Corpuz, Ph.D.

 Avelina T. llagas, Ed.D.
 Gloria G. Salandanan, Ph.D.

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