I applied for the position of Chairperson of the Professional Regulatory Board of Geology (the “Board”) in 2019. My ordeal started with the submission of my personal data sheets filed under oath, curriculum vitae outlining my academic and career history, and clearances from various government agencies to affirm the fact that I have had no past or existing criminal and administrative cases. I went through an interview process before two Members of the Professional Regulations Commission together with other aspirants for the position.
In 2022, I was asked to resubmit all the documents and I thought that since the pandemic was still ongoing, the documents just got misplaced along the bureaucratic lane. One fateful day, I received a call from the Office of the President and I was told to go to Malacanan Palace and was instructed to wear a Barong Tagalog for the occasion. Other than that, the person on the other end of the phone was curt and offered no further information when asked for the reason. So off I went to the Palace on a Sunday afternoon. My entry to the palace, however, met some hitch because security officers required a current COVID-19 swab test before I was allowed access. The person who I spoke to over the phone made no mention that I should get a test beforehand. Fortunately, the Palace has a testing facility. So after the swab sample taken from the far back of my nasal cavity turned out negative, I was finally allowed ingress. I was seated with other people wearing their finest Filipinianas when suddenly, out of the chamber came out two high-ranking government officials. Lo and behold, we were informed that our appointments for the government posts we applied for have been signed by then President Duterte. After the usual congratulatory speeches, pep talks, handshakes, and fist bumps, we were then instructed to go to our respective agencies for the mandatory oaths of office so we can commence our engagements.
Thus began my second career in government as I worked as a geologist before at the then Ministry of Energy before I became a lawyer. It has been more than two years now since I headed the Board that supervise and regulate the practice of the geology profession. There is no denying the importance of Geology, the science that deals with the earth, its structure, composition and history. Few fields of study can play such a profound role in protecting people's lives. Geology is so central to the lives of many Filipinos who are often threatened by natural hazards associated with earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, as well as landslides. Geology is also essential to the understanding, conservation and management of our environment. Moreover, geologists are essential in the search for and development of energy and mineral resources whose products are important to all aspects of modern life. Thus, Republic Act No. 10166, also known as the “Geology Profession Act of 2012”, describes the practice of geology as “vital to national development”.
Professional regulation is particularly essential for the practice of geology. A geologist who meets the regulatory requirements is given a certification by the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) to earn the title “Registered Geologist”. Once a geologist is registered and certified, only then can the individual legally provide professional geological services. Data from the PRC indicate that as of July 2024, there are 3,669 registered geologists and 2,082 with valid PRC Identification Cards.
The regulation of the geology profession is necessary to protect the public and maintain confidence in the profession. The Professional Regulatory Board of Geology, mandated by legislation as the regulatory authority, is tasked to ensure that all registered geologists are effectively regulated to strict professional standards. As part of most professional regulatory requirements, individuals applying to be professional geologists must be able to meet the educational, experience, and fitness required by law and administrative regulations. Violations of the provisions of the Geology Profession Law entail the imposition of penalties.
There are numerous levels of regulating the geology profession: licensure examinations; registration and certification; continuing professional development; and career progression and specialization. The Board also provides a defined roadmap for the practice of geology.
In addition to these responsibilities, the Board must also establish and maintain professional and occupational standards, enforce rules and regulations relative thereto, investigate violations of ethical standards, and adjudicate administrative cases against erring professionals. Professional regulation protects the public by providing assurance that regulated professionals are competent and by providing means for imposing discipline and sanctions when necessary. In 2014, the Board adopted and promulgated the Code of Ethics for Geologists for the enhancement and maintenance of high professional, ethical, and technical standards for registered geologists. Through this code, the Board shall ensure that it recognizes its responsibility to the public that actions of registered geologists promote safety, integrity, and fairness, thereby encouraging public confidence in the profession.
Computer-based Licensure Examinations
A critical component of professional regulation involves the development, administration, and maintenance of the licensure examinations. The Board has the responsibility of ensuring the quality of the examinations, which cover the knowledge and skills necessary for competence in the profession. Test questions must meet established standards and are meticulously prepared in accordance with an approved Table of Specifications covering vital geoscience subjects. Questions are also peer reviewed and vetted by professional test consultants.
The Board was one of the first to implement the computer-based licensure examinations (CBLE) in the PRC-regulated professions having successfully conducted the first pilot testing of the CBLE for Geologists in December 2021. This was followed by a second and third CBLE in November 2022 and 2023.
The number of examinees has been increasing since the COVID-19 pandemic (Figure 1). In 2020, there were no licensure examinations but two examinations were given in 2021. The number of examinees since 2021 has been consistently increasing but it has not yet reached the over 400 examinees taking the exam during the three-year period before the pandemic.
The 47% passing rate for the 2023 CBLE is close to the middle of the band of passing rates, which has been between 40% and 60% in the last few years (Figure 2). Also, first timers have had a passing rate of between 54% and 82%. Repeaters have a passing rate of less than 40%.
Continuing Professional Development and Career Progression and Specialization Program
In addition to responsibilities related to the licensure examinations, the Board’s additional mandate includes assuring continued professional competence. Registered geologists need to undertake continuing training and development to ensure that they remain qualified, competent, and updated with the latest technological, environmental, and social responsibility developments.
Republic Act No. 10912 or the “Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Act of 2016” states that CPD Programs shall be formulated and implemented in the geology profession in order to enhance and upgrade the competencies and qualifications of registered geologists pursuant to the Philippine Qualifications Framework, the ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework and the ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangements. The renewal of PRC professional license requires the registered geologist to earn CPD units or points through learning activities like training or learning seminars to develop and enhance their abilities, personal skills, and proficiency. The CPD points should be validated by the CPD Accreditation System.
Further, the CPD Law also mandates the PRC and the Board to formulate and implement a Career Progression and Specialization Program (CPSP) for the geology profession. The Board is mandated to issue guidelines for the formulation of the CPSP for inclusion in the Philippine Qualifications Register (PQR). The PQR is the national database of quality assured qualifications authorized under the Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF). It provides information to employers, education and training providers and students. The information includes the Qualification Title, Qualification Descriptors, the PQF Level, the Authority-granting Agency, the Qualification Code, the Instrument and Date of Authorization.
The Board shall also formulate the CPSP for the profession to address the Pathways and Equivalencies of the PQF. Republic Act No. 10968 or the “Philippine Qualifications Framework Act” states that it is the policy of the State to institutionalize the PQF to encourage lifelong learning of individuals, provide employee specific training standards, and qualifications aligned with industry standards. A PQF shall be established which shall describe the levels of educational qualifications and set the standards for qualification outcomes. It is a quality-assured national system for development, recognition and award of qualifications based on standards of knowledge, skills and values acquired in different ways and methods by learners and workers of the country.
The Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the PQF Act provides for the aligning of domestic qualification standards with international qualifications framework. The IRRs aims to enhance recognition of the value and comparability of Philippine qualifications with global standards and support the mobility of Filipino students, workers and professionals. The PQF describes the levels of educational qualifications and official recognition of a person's learning achievements. It also sets the standards for the knowledge or skills gained by individuals after undergoing a certain learning or educational program.
Inspection and Monitoring
The Board is tasked under the Geology Profession Law to upgrade geology education and the quality of geologists whose standards of professional practice shall be excellent, world-class and globally competitive. Among the tasks in the Board’s regulatory and development functions are:
- Visit/inspect facilities, faculty, and equipment of schools offering geology courses and establishments employing professional geologists; and
- Recommend measures necessary for advancement of the geology profession through the preparation and implementation of professional competitiveness roadmap.
The inspection and monitoring of educational institutions and establishments are aimed to determine the compliance of educational institutions and establishments with the professional, ethical, and technical standards of practice set by the Board. Mandatory ocular inspection and monitoring activities are also conducted to keep track of the conditions affecting the practice of the geology profession. The Board conducts face-to-face and on-site inspection and monitoring to visit and observe the different physical facilities, laboratory, and equipment of educational institutions, government agencies, and private establishments employing geologists.
In the Board’s inspection and monitoring activities, it was noted that a substantial number of geologists employed in government agencies are engaged under contracts of services because of the lack of permanent plantilla positions. This has been attributed to difficulties in getting approval of proposed positions at the agency and Department of Budget and Management levels. Thus training of employees under contracts of service often times doesn't benefit the agency since these geologists ultimately leave government service to look for jobs with permanent tenures.
The Board also observed the lack of training and foreign scholarship opportunities for geologists employed in government regional offices due to the perceived unequal distribution and allocation of scholarships and trainings between the Central Office and the Regional Offices. In some instances, geologists from regional government offices lament the high costs associated with the renewal of PRC licenses, maintenance of active membership in the Geological Society of the Philippines (GSP), and participation in the Geological Convention (GeoCon), which is usually held in Manila especially if such activities are not subsidized by their agencies. The GSP is mandated under the Geology Profession Law to integrate all registered geologists into one national organization and where membership therein is automatic and mandatory.
Problems faced by geologists from regional government agencies also include working in limited office spaces, non-working geological equipment, and limited storage for rocks and minerals samples. However, government offices cannot request for assistance directly from private companies in procuring equipment and training programs because it may be violative of existing laws unless expressly allowed as assistance stipulated in government contracts like mining agreements and energy service contracts.
On the private sector side, the Board needs to strictly monitor expatriate geologists working in Philippine operations of foreign companies to make sure that they have all the mandatory requirements before being employed by their companies. Under the Geology Profession Law, only Filipino citizens can practice the geology profession in the Philippines. Foreigners are however, allowed if their country has official parity agreements with the Philippines. Under the “PRC Modernization Act of 2000”, the PRC shall upon recommendation of the Board, approve the registration of and authorize the issuance of a certificate of registration and license to a foreigner who is registered under the laws of his state or country. The foreign geologist shall secure a temporary/special permit from the Board prior to arrival in the country before he is allowed to practice in the Philippines.
Geologists employed in private companies have notably less foreign scholarship opportunities unlike those working in government. The Board recommends that private companies must provide scholarship opportunities to their employees similar to those offered in government agencies. This companies were also advised to subsidize their employees’ membership in the GSP and participation in the GeoCon where they can earn CPD points. Private companies should also apply as accredited CPD Providers since they often provide in-house trainings and seminars to their employees and the participants can then earn CPD points.
The Board also conducted inspection and monitoring of educational institutions offering geology courses to evaluate their compliance with regulations and standards. The inspection and monitoring usually cover a review of school facilities, curriculum, practicum programs, licensure passing rates as well as faculty qualifications. In most instances, the Board observed the alarming lack of instructors and limited number of full-time faculty in regional educational institutions. Some of the faculty members were not licensed geologists but were teaching geology subjects. In one particular institution, even the Department Head is not a degree holder of Geology. Some faculty members were not updated with their PRC licenses despite the fact that teaching geology courses falls under the definition of the “practice of geology”.
The Board also noticed the absence of laboratory courses for earth resources subjects. Mineralogy, Petrology, Paleontology and Economic Geology/Metalliferous & Non-metalliferous Deposits lectures need laboratory counterparts to deepen the understanding of these subjects by the students. urther, the rock and mineral collections need to be upgraded adequately to support these laboratory courses. One institution has no laboratory and inadequate rock and mineral samples. A substantial number of regional educational institutions need to upgrade microscopy, mineral, rock & fossil collections, science journals, and library facilities. Their graduates are only able to have exposures to a wide variety of mineral, rock, and fossil samples in Manila when they are already reviewing for the licensure examinations.
Regional institutions need to exert more effort to request assistance from mining and energy companies to augment their laboratory equipment and samples. Because of inadequate or limited graduate studies opportunities of their faculty, these institutions must formulate a comprehensive development plan for their department. They should encourage and support student and faculty participation in local and international trainings, internships, and conventions, through collaborations with foreign universities, government agencies, private companies, and development agencies. Also, they need to exert more effort to request assistance from government agencies such as the Department of Energy and Department of Environment and Natural Resources to augment their libraries and equipment. These agencies can channel training funds from petroleum service contracts and mining agreements to fund faculty development and scholarship programs. Geologists employed by government agencies and resources companies should also be encouraged and incentivized to serve as part-time lecturers for educational institutions to augment the need for qualified faculty members.
Based on the performance of the regional universities in the recent years’ licensure examinations, there is an urgent need to review and revise the geology curriculum and course descriptions. The Board in its inspection and monitoring realized that these institutions still adhere to the old curriculum thus leaving out important subjects covered in the licensure examinations. This puts their graduates at a disadvantage as shown by their low passing rates in the geology licensure exams. The Commission on Higher Education Technical Panel for Geology is tasked to revise the existing geology curriculum and address the lack of qualifications of some faculty members in these institutions.
Conclusion
The management of natural resources, protection of the environment, and mitigation of geohazard risks require skilled and experienced geologists. Population growth, energy and raw materials policy, de-carbonization, technological advances, and climate change have created more challenging responsibilities for geologists for the protection of the public. The regulation of geologists facilitate the codification of ethical practice, international mobility and comparisons of qualifications, and interchange of ideas and knowledge. The responsibility of the Professional Regulatory Board of Geology is to make certain of competent practice within the geology profession which starts at ensuring that educational institutions are able to produce world class and globally-competitive graduates. At the same time, licensure examinations remain critical as an entry to the profession and undoubtedly important for the Board since they must be maintained under high professional standards and transparency. The Board knows and understands its responsibilities and is well aware that it may suffer public censure and criticism if problems arise from the wrongful, negligent, and lax administration of its regulatory functions.
Fernando “Ronnie” S. Penarroyo specializes in Energy and Resources Law, Project Finance and Business Development. He is also currently the Chair of the Professional Regulatory Board of Geology, the government agency mandated under law to regulate and develop the geology profession. He may be contacted at fspenarroyo@penpalaw.com for any matters or inquiries in relation to the Philippine resources industry and suggested topics for commentaries. Atty. Penarroyo’s commentaries are also archived at his professional blogsite at www.penarroyo.com
