“PRIVATE PRACTICE OF PROFESSION OF GOVERNMENT …

“PRIVATEPRACTICEOFPROFESSIONOFGOVERNMENTOFFICIALSAND

EMPLOYEES”

presentedto

Geode8cEngineersofthePhilippines,Inc.CORDILLERAADMINISTRATIVEREGIONDIVISION

32ndANNUALREGIONALCONVENTION

MunicipalGym,Kiangan,IfugaoJanuary31–February1,2020

CANAGOVERNMENTEMPLOYEDGEODETICENGINEERENGAGEDIRECTLYINTHEPRIVATEPRACTICEOFHISPROFESSION?

LEGALBASES:

• RA8560“PhilippineGeode8cEngineeringActof1998,asamended.• RA7160“LocalGovernmentCodeofthePhilippines.• OPMCNo.1025issuedonNov.25,1977.• OPMCNo.17issuedonSept.4,1986• Sec.12,RuleXVIIIRevisedCivilServiceRules• RA6713“CodeofConductandEthicalStandardsforPublicOfficialsandEmployees”• DILGCircularNo.2016-14issuedonAugust22,2016.

RA8560,Art.III,Sec.8–Powersanddu8esoftheboard:

Sec.8(i)Toprescribedand/oradoptaCodeofEthicalandProfessionalStandardsforthePrac8ceofGeode8cEngineeringprofession.

CODEOFETHICALANDPROFESSIONALSTANDARDFORTHEGEODETICENGINEERINGPROFESSION:

Itwillbeconsideredunethicalforhimto:

Sec.2Par.C(8)–Tousetheadvantagesofbeingasalariedemployeetocompeteunfairlywiththegeode8cengineersorjuniorgeode8cengineersinprivateprac8ce.

Itwillbeconsideredunethicalforhimto:

Sec.2Par.C(3)–

Underbidanothergeode8cengineerorjuniorgeode8cengineerbyreducinghisusualrateaeerknowingtherateofferedbytheothergeode8cengineerorjuniorgeode8cengineer.

RA7160,Sec.90–Prac8ceofProfession

ADMINISTRATIVEORDERNO.270–Implemen/ngRulesandRegula/onsoftheLocalGovernmentCodeof1991(RA7160).

Art.177,Prac8ceofProfession(a)Allgovernors,cityandmunicipalmayorsareprohibitedfromprac8cingtheirprofessions,engageinanyoccupa/onotherthantheexerciseoftheirfunc/onsaslocalchiefexecu/ves.

(b)Sanggunianmembersmayprac/cetheirprofessions,engageinanyoccupa/onorteachinschoolsexceptduringsessionhours,providedthatsanggunianmemberswhoarealsomembersoftheBarshallnot:

(1)AppearascounselbeforeanycourtinanycivilcasewhereinanLGUoranyoffice,agency,orinstrumentalityofthegovernmentistheadverseparty;

(2)Appearascounselbeforeanycourtinanycriminalcasewhereinanofficeroremployeeofthena/onalorlocalgovernmentisaccusedofanoffensecommiQedinrela/ontohisoffice;(3)Collectanyfeefortheirappearanceinadministra/veproceedingsinvolvingtheLGUofwhichheisanofficial;and(4)Usepropertyandpersonnelofthegovernmentexceptwhenthesanggunianmemberconcernedindefendingtheinterestofthegovernment;

(c)Doctorsofmedicinemayprac/cetheirprofessionevenduringofficialhoursofworkonlyonoccasionsofemergency,providedthattheofficialsconcerneddonotderivemonetarycompensa/ontherefrom.

MEMORANDUMCIRCULARNO.1025DATEDNOVEMBER25,1977

“PROHIBITINGANYGOVERNMENTOFFICIALOREMPLOYEEFROMACCEPTINGPRIVATEEMPLOYMENTINANYCAPACITYWITHOUTPRIORAUTHORITYFROMTHEOFFICEOFTHEPRESIDENT“.

MEMORANDUMCIRCULARNO.17,DATEDSEPTEMBER4,1986

MEMORANDUMCIRCULARNo.1025datedNov.25,1977“PROHIBITINGANYGOVERNMENTOFFICIALOREMPLOYEEFROMACCEPTINGPRIVATEEMPLOYMENTINANYCAPACITYWITHOUTPRIORAUTHORITYFROMTHEOFFICEOFTHEPRESIDENT”,isherebyrevoked.

THEAUTHORITYTOGRANTPERMISSIONTOANYOFFICIALOREMPLOYEESHALLBEGRANTEDBYTHEHEADOFTHEMINISTRYORAGENCYINACCORDANCEWITHSECTION12,RULEXVIIIOFTHEREVISEDCIVILSERVICERULES,WHICHPROVIDES:

SECTION12,RULE18OFTHEREVISEDCIVILSERVICERULES

“NOOFFICEROREMPLOYEESHALLENGAGEDIRECTLYINANYPRIVATEBUSINESS,VOCATION,ORPROFESSIONORBECONNECTEDWITHANYCOMMERCIAL,CREDIT,AGRICULTURAL,ORINDUSTRIAL,ORINDUSTRIALUNDERTAKINGWITHOUTWRITTENPERMISSIONFROMTHEHEADOFTHEDEPARTMENT“.

OPMCNo.17,dated4September1986

PROVIDEDTHATTHISPROHIBITIONWILLBEABSOLUTEINTHECASEOFTHOSEOFFICERSANDEMPLOYEESWHOSEDUTIESANDRESPONSABILITIESREQUIRETHATTHEIRENTIRETIMEBEATTHEDISPOSALOFTHEGOVERNMENT;

OPMCNo.17dated4Sept.1986.

PROVIDED,FURTHER,THATIFANEMPLOYEEISGRANTEDPERMISSIONTOENGAGEINOUTSIDEACTIVITIES,THETIMESODEVOTEDOUTSIDEOFOFFICEHOURSSHOULDBEFIXEDBYTHECHIEFOFTHEAGENCYTOTHEENDTHATITWILLNOTIMPAIRINANYWAYTHEEFFICIENCYOFTHEOFFICEROREMPLOYEE:

OPMCNo.17,dated4Sept.1986

ANDPROVIDED,FINALLY,THATNOPERMISSIONISNECESSARYINTHECASEOFINVESTMENTS,MADEBYANOFFICEROREMPLOYEE,WHICHDONOTINVOLVEANYREALORAPPARENTCONFLICTBETWEENHISPRIVATEINTERESTANDPUBLICDUTIES,ORINANYWAYINFLUENCEHIMINTHEDISCHARGEOFHISDUTIES,ANDHESHALLNOTTAKEPARTINTHEMANAGEMENTOFTHEENTERPRISEORBECOMEANOFFICERORMEMBEROFTHEBOARDOFDIRECTORS”.

OPMCNo.17,dated4Sept.1986

SUBJECTTOANYADDITIONALCONDITIONSWHICHTHEHEADOFTHEOFFICEDEEMSNECESSARYINEACHPARTICULARCASEINTHEINTERESTOFTHESERVICE,ASEXPRESSEDINTHEVARIOUSISSUANCESOFTHECIVILSERVICECOMMISSION.

CONFLICTOFINTEREST:ARISESWHENAPUBLICOFFICIALOR

EMPLOYEEISAMEMBEROFABOARD,ANOFFICER,ORASUBSTANTIALSTOCKHOLDEROFAPRIVATECORPORATIONOROWNERORHASASUBSTANTIALINTERESTINABUSINESS,ANDTHEINTERESTOFSUCHCORPORATIONORBUSINESS,ORHISRIGHTSORDUTIESTHEREIN,MAYBEOPPOSEDTOORAFFECTEDBYTHEFAITHFULPERFORMANCEOFOFFICIALDUTY.

RA6713:ANACTESTABLISHINGACODEOFCONDUCTANDETHICALSTANDARDSFORPUBLICOFFICIALSANDEMPLOYEES,TOUPHOLDTHETIME-HONOREDPRINCIPLEOFPUBLICOFFICEISAPUBLICTRUST,GRANTINGINCENTIVESANDREWARDSFOREXEMPLARYSERVICE,ENUMERATINGPROHIBITEDACTSANDTRANSACTIONSANDPROVIDINGPENALTIESFORVIOLATIONTHEREOFANDFOROTHERPURPOSES.

RA6713;SECTION7,-PROHIBITEDACTSANDTRANSACTIONS

INADDITIONTOACTSANDOMISSIONSOFPUBLICOFFICIALSANDEMPLOYEESNOWPRESCIBEDINTHECONSTITUTIONANDEXISTINGLAWS,THEFOLLOWINGSHALLCONSTITUTEPROHIBITEDACTSANDTRANSACTIONSOFANYPUBLICOFFICIALANDEMPLOYEEANDAREHEREBYDECLAREDTOBEUNLAWFUL:

(a)Xxxxxx(b)OUTSIDEEMPLOYMENTANDOTHERACTIVITIESRELATEDTHERETO–PUBLICOFFICIALSANDEMPLOYEESDURINGTHEIRINCUMBENCYSHALLNOT:(1)Xxxxxx(2)ENGAGEINTHEPRIVATEPRACTICEOFTHEIRPROFESSIONUNLESSAUTHORIZEDBYTHECONSTITUTIONORLAW,PROVIDED,THATSUCHPRACTICEWILLNOTCONFLICTORTENDTOCONFLICTTHEIROFFICIALFUNCTIONS;

ACTIVITIESORSCOPEOFWORKINVOLEDINTHEDELIVERYOFSERVICEINTHEPRACTICEOFGEODETICENGINEERINGPROFESSION

1.RECONNAISSANCESURVEY2.RESEARCHOFSURVEYDATAANDOTHERREFERENCES.3.ESTABLISHMENTOFHORIZONTALCONTROL4.MANUFACTUREOFCONCRETEMONUMENTS5.LOTSURVEYANDMONUMENTING6.COMPUTATIONANDLOTPLANPREPARATION7.PREPARATIONOFCOMPLETESURVEYRETURNS8.SUBMITTALOFSURVEYRETURNSFORIVAS9.WITHDRAWALOFAPPROVEDSURVEYAND/ORTECHNICALDESCRIPTION

INTHEDELIVERYOFSERVICESONTHEABOVEWORKS,THEREISAVERYGREATTENDENCYTOVIOLATETHELAW.

IMPLEMENTINGRULESANDREGULATIONSOFTHECODEOF

CONDUCTANDETHICALSTANDARDFORPUBLICOFFICIALS

(RA6713)

IRROFRA6713

RULEXGROUNDSFORADMINISTRATIVE

DISCIPLINARYACTION

WHOARECOVEREDBYADMINISTRATIVEDISCIPLINARYACTION?

ANYOFFICIALOREMPLOYEEHOLDSOFFICEOREMPLOYMENTINA:

1.  CASUAL2.  TEMPORARY3.  HOLD-OVER4.  PERMANENT5.REGULAR

Sec.1.INADDITIONTOTHEGROUNDSFORADMINISTRTIVEDISCIPLINARYACTIONPRESCRIBEDUNDEREXISTINGLAWS,THEACTSANDOMISSIONOFANYOFFICIALOREMPLOYEE,WHETHERORNOTHEHOLDSOFFICEOREMPLOYMENTINACASUAL,TEMPORARY,HOLD-OVER,PERMANENTORREGULARCAPACITY,DECLAREDUNLAWFULORPROHIBITEDBYTHECODE,SHALLCONSTITUTETHEGROUNDSFORADMINISTRATIVEDISCIPLINARYACTION,ANDWITHOUTPREJUDICETOCRIMINALANDCIVILLIABILITIESPROVIDEDHEREINSUCHAS:(a)Xxxxxx(b)Xxxxxx(c)ENGAGINGINTHEPRIVATEPRACTICEOFHISPROFESSIONUNLESSAUTHORIZEDBYTHECONSTITUTION,LAWORREGULATION,PROVIDED,THATSUCHPRACTICEWILLNOTCONFLICTORTENDTOCONFLICTWITHHISOFFICIALFUNCTIONS;

PROHIBITIONOFPROFESSIONALTOPRACTICEHISPROFESSIONAFTERRESIGNATION,RETIREMENT,ORSEPARATIONFROMPUBLICOFFICE.

1.ANYMATTERBEFORETHEOFFICEHEUSED

TOBEWITH,

2.WITHINONE(1)YEARAFTER

RESIGNATION,RETIREMENTORSEPARATION

RULEXIPENALTIES

1.FINENOTEXCEEDINGTHEEQUIVALENTOFSIX(6)MONTHSSALARY,OR2.SUSPENSIONNOTEXCEEDINGONEYEAR,OR3.REMOVALFROMSERVICE

NOTE:IFTHEVIOLATIONISPUNISHABLEBYAHEAVIERPENALTYUNDERANOTHERLAW,HESHALLBEPROSECUTEDUNDERTHELATTERSTATUTE.

PENALTIESINVIOLATIONOFSECTION7,8,AND9OFTHECODE.

1.FINENOTEXCEEDINGFIVE(5)THOUSANDPESOS,OR2.IMPRISONMENTNOTEXCEEDINGFIVE(5)YEARS,OR3.BOTH1AND24.DISQUALIFICATIONTOHOLDPUBLICOFFICE,

INTHEDISCRETIONOFTHECOURTOFCOMPETENTJURISDICTION.

NOTE:ANYVIOLATIONHEREOFPROVENINAPROPERADMINISTRATIVEPROCEEDINGSHALLBESUFFECIENTCAUSEFORREMOVALORDISMISSALOFANOFFICIALOREMPLOYEE,EVENIFNOCRIMINALPROSECUTIONISINSTITUTEDAGAINSTHIM.

DILGCIRCULARNo.2016-14,IssuedonAugust22,2016,BySec.IsmaelD.Sueno

GUIDELINESONTHEAUTHORITYTOPRACTICEPROFESSIONANDACTASLECTURERORRESOURCEPERSONFORLOCALGOVERNMENTANDINTERIORSECTOROFFICIALSANDEMPLOYEES.

Sec/on12,RuleXVIIIoftherevisedCivilServicexxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

HENCEFORTH,THEFOLLOWINGGUIDELINESMUSTBESTRICTLYOBSERVED;

DILGCircularNo.2016-14

1.NOOFFICIALOREMPLOYEESHALLENGAGEDIRECTLYINANYPROFESSIONWITHOUTAWRITTENPERMISSIONFROMTHEUNDERSIGNEDORHISDULYAUTHORIZEDREPRESENTATIVEPURSUANTTOTHEDELEGATIONOFAUTHORITYISSUEDONTHEMATTER.

DILGCircularNo.2016-14

2.OFFICIALSWITHTHERANKOFDIRECTOROREQUIVALENTUPTOUNDERSECRETARYORITSEQUIVALENTAREPROHIBITEDFROMPRACTICINGTHEIRPROFESSIONASTHEIRDUTIESREQUIRETHATTHEIRENTIRETIMEBEATTHEDISPOSALOFTHEGOVERNMENTANDOFTHISDEPARTMENT.HOWEVER,SAIDOFFICIALSANDALLOTHEROFFICIALS/EMPLOYEESWITHLOWERRANKSMAYBEALLOWEDTOTEACHINACOLLEGE,UNUVERSITYOREDUCATIONAL/TRAININGINSTITUTIONOUTSIDEOFTHEREGULARWORKHOURS(i.e.aler5:00pm).

DILGCircularNo.2016-14

3.OFFICIALSOREMPLOYEESBELOWTHERANKOFDIRECTOR,WHOAREMEMBERSOFTHEBAR,MAYBEGRANTEDANAUTHORITYTOPRACTICETHEIRPROFESSIONANDAPPEARASCOUNSELBEFOREANYCOURTORLAWORTRIBUNALEXCEPTINCASESWHEREINTHEDEPARTMENTORINSTRUMENTALITYOFTHEGOVERNMENTISTHEADVERSEPARTYNORINANYCRIMINALORADMINISTRATIVECASEWHEREINANOFFICEROREMPLOYEEOFTHISDEPARTMENTISACCUSEDOFANOFFENSECOMMITTEDINRELATIONTOHIS/HEROFFICE;

DILGCircularNo.2016-14

4.OFFICIALSOREMPLOYEESWITHAUTHORITYTOPRACTICETHEIRPROFESSION(LAWYERS),SHOULDFILEALEAVEOFABSENCEORSECUREAWRITTEN“PERMISSIONTOLEAVE”FROMOFFICEFROMTHEHEADOFTHEIRRESPECTIVEOPERATINGUNITINDICATINGTHEREINTHESAIDPURPOSE.INNOCASETHATSAID“PERMISSIONTOLEAVE”MAYBEGRANTEDMORETHANONCEPERWEEK.THETIMESPENTINATTENDING,COURTPROCESSESORHEARINGSMUSTBEACCORDINGLYDEDUCTEDFROMTHEACCRUEDVACATIONLEAVEOFTHECONCERNEDOFFICIALOREMPLOYEE;

DILGCircularNo.2016-14

5.INGRANTINGTHE“PERMISSIONTOLEAVE”THEHEADOFTHEOPERATINGUNITCONCERNEDMUSTENSURETHATTHEDELIVERYOFPUBLICSERVICEWILLNOTBEIMPAIRED;

6.NOGOVERNMENTTIME,VEHICLE,PERSONNEL,FUNDSORSUPPLIESSHALLBEUTILIZEDINTHEPURSUITOFONE’SPROFESSIONEXCEPTWHENTHEOFFICIALOREMPLOYEECONCENEDISDEFENDINGTHEINTERSTOFTHEGOVERNMENT;

DILGCircularNo.2016-14

HOWEVER,WHENTHEINVITINGOFFICEISPARTOFTHEDEPARTMENT,THETIMESPENTINLECTURESWITHINOFFICEHOURSSHALLBECONSIDEREDAS“OFFICIALTIME”.PROVIDEDTHATTHECORRESPONDINGSUPPORTINGDOCUMENTS(i.e.cer8fica8on)SHALLBEATTACHEDINTHEDAILYTIMERECORD(DTR)

9.OFFICIALSOREMPLOYEESWHOAREDIRECLTYINVITEDTOCONDUCTLECTUREORACTASRESOURCEPERSONONTOPICSWHICHARENOTPARTOFTHEIROFFICIALFUNCTION,MAYRECEIVEHONORARIUM.HOWEVER,SUCHOFFICIALOREMPLOYEESSHALLONLYBEALLOWEDTOCONDUCTSAIDLECTURESOUTSIDEOFTHEREGULARWORKHOURS.

DILGCircularNo.2016-14

7.DOCTORSOFMEDICINEMAYPRACTICETHEIRPROFESSIONDURINGOFFICEHOURSONLYONOCCASIONSOFEMERGENCYPROVIDEDTHEYDONOTDERIVEMONETARYCOMPENSATIONTHEREFROM.

8.OFFICIALSOREMPLOYEESWHOAREDIRECTLYINVITEDTOCONDUCTLECTURESORACTASRESOURCEPERSONONTOPICSWHICHAREPARTOFTHEIROFFICIALFUNCTIONSMAYRECEIVEHONORARIUM,POVIDEDTHATTHEINVITINGOFFICEISNOTWITHINTHEDEPARTMENT.ASMUCHASPOSSIBLE,ENGAGEMENTMUSTBEDONEOUTSIDEOFTHEREGULARWORKHOURSTOENSURETHATTHEEFFICIENCYOFTHEOFFICIALOREMPLOYEEINTHEDISCHARGEOFHIS/HERDUTYWILLNOTBEIMPAIRED.INTHEEVENTTHATTHEOFFICIALOREMPLOYEEISDIRECTLYINVITEDBYOTHERGOVERNMENTAGENCIESORPRIVATEINSTITUTIONSTOCONDUCTLECTURESORACTASRESOURCEPERSONWITHINOFFICEHOURS,HEORSHEMUSTFIRSTSECUREPRIORAUTHORITYFROMTHEHEADOFAGENCYORHISAUTHORIZEDREPRESENTATIVEFORTHEPURPOSE.THETIMESPENTINACTINGASSUCH(LECRTURERORRESOURCEPERSONMUSTBEACCORDINGLYDEDUCTEDFROMTHEACCRUEDVACATIONLEAVEOFTHECONCERNEDOFFICIALORPERSONNEL.

DILGCircularNo.2016-14

ITISUNDERSTOODTHATINCASEOFCONFLICTOFSCHEDULE,THEDUTIESANDRESPONSIBILITIESOFTHEOFFICIALORPERSONNELCONCERNEDMUSTTAKEPRECEDENCEOVERTHEAUTHORITYTOPRACTICEGRANTEDTOHIM/HER.

THISORDERSHALLTAKEEFFECTIMMEDIATELY.

(SGD)ISMAELD.SUENO

SECRETARY

ANSWERTOTHEQUERYOFENGR.MALOUANG,AGOVERNMENTEMPLOYEEINTHECITYOFXYZ

•  ASPERUSEDFROMYOURLETTERYOUWANTEDTOBEENLIGHTENEDONTHEPROPRIETARYOFPRACTIZINGYOURPROFESSIONPURSUANTTOTHEAUTHORITYGIVENTOYOUBYTHEHONORABLECITYMAYOROFXYZ.INRELATIONTHEREWITH,YOUINTERPOSETHEFOLLOWINGISSUESTOWIT:

1.ITWASSTIPULATEDINTHERESOLUTIONTHATMYPRACTICEVIOLATESTHECODEOFETHICHS,PARTICULARLYSEC.2(c)8.DIDI?

2.CANANORGANIZATIONSUCHASGEPIISSUERESOLUTIONTHATTENDSTOCONFLICTWITHOURNATIONALLAW?

3.CANAMEORANDUMOFAGREEMENTBETWEENAPRIVATEORGANIZATIONANDAGOVERNMENTAGENCYUSGOVERNMENTEMPLOYEDGEODETICENGINEERSOFOURPRIVATEPRACTICEIFTHELAWSOPROVIDESWECANFORMONETARYREASONSSUCHASOURCLEARANCEFEE?

Attheoutset,letusinviteyouraQen/ontoOPMemorandumCircularNo.17datedSept.4,1986,whichprovides,thus:

“TheauthoritytograntpermissiontoanyofficialoremployeeshallbegrantedbytheheadofministryoragencyinaccordancewithSec/on12,RuleXVIIoftheRevisedCivilServiceRules,whichprovides:

“Sec.12.Noofficeroremployeeshallengagedirectlyorindirectlyinanyprivatebusinessvoca/onorprofessiontobeconnectedwithanycommercial,credit,agriculturalorindustrialundertakingwithoutawriQenpermissionfromtheheadofthedepartment:Provided,Thatthisprohibi/onwillbeabsoluteinthecaseofthoseofficersandemployeeswhosedu/esandresponsibili/esrequirethattheiren/re/mebeatthedisposaloftheGovernment:Provided,further,Thatifanemployeeisgrantedpermissiontoengageinoutsideac/vi/es,the/mesodevotedoutsideofofficehoursshouldbefixedbythechiefofagencytotheendthatitwillnotimpairinanywaytheefficiencyoftheofficeroremployee.xxx”Xxxx(Underscoringsupplied)

Applyingtheforegoingprovisionsofthelaw,weopinethattheAuthoriza/ondatedApril2,2013issuedbytheCityMayorofXYZ,isnotasubstan/alcompliancethereof.OPMemorandumCircularNo.17isexplicitingivingauthoritytotheheadofthedepartmentinissuingthepermissionforofficialsandemployeesofthegovernmenttoprac/cetheirprofession,inyourcase,theSecretaryoftheDepartmentofInteriorandLocalGovernment(DILG).

Now,wedelveonthethree(3)issuesyouinterposed.AnentthefirstissueonwhetheryouviolatedtheCodeofEthicalandProfessionalStandardsforthePrac/ceoftheGeode/cEngineeringProfession,par/cularlySec/on2(c)8thereof,whichproscribesusingtheadvantagesforbeingasalariedemployeetocompeteunfairlywiththegeode/cengineersorjuniorgeode/cengineersintheprivateprac/ce,weopinethattheprac/ceoftheprofessionunderauthorityperse,doesnotinanywayviolatethesaidprovisionunlessthereisanovertactoranactualuseoftheadvantagesofbeingasalariedemployeewhichwouldamounttocompe/ngunfairlywiththegeode/cengineersintheprivateprac/ce.However,thefactthatyouareprac/cingyourprofessionwithouttheproperauthorityfromtheDILGSecretarywhilebeingac/velyemployedwithintheCityofXYZamountstodoublecompensa/onintheprofession

Withtheforegoingra/ocina/on,weresolvedthesecondissueyouinterposedandfindnoconflictbetweentheBoardResolu/onNo.2013-03en/tled“NONE-ISSUANCEOFGEPSURVEYCLEARANCETOSURVEYRETURNSSUBMITTEDBYGOVERNMENTGEODETICENGINEERINVIOLATIONANDNOWCOMPLIANCEOFSECTION7(b)(2)OFR.A.6713ANDMEMORANDUMCIRCULARNO.17OFTHEEXECUTIVEDEPARTMENT“issuedbytheGeode/cEngineersofthePhilippines,Inc.–RegionalDivisionVII,CentralVisayasandtheCODEOFETHICALANDPROFESSIONALSTANDARDSFORTHEPRACTICEOFTHEGEODETICENGINEERINGPROFESSION.BoardResolu/onNo.2013-03,par/cularlyparagraph(3)thereof,provides,thus:“WHEREAS,THEBoardfindsmeritintheobserva/onthatseveralgovernmentgeode/cengineersaresubmitngprivatelysurveyreturnsinwillfuldisregardofsec/on7(b)(2)ofR.A.6713andMEMORANDUMDIRCULARNO.17oftheExecu/veDepartment.”

Withrespecttothethirdissue,youinterposed,itcanbegleanedfromyourleQerthatthesurveyreturnssignedbyyouweredeniedforsubmiQaltotheDENR-LMSbecausetheGEPIwillnotacceptpaymentfortheclearancefeeinaccordancewiththeMemorandumofAgreement(MOA)whichwasenteredbyitwiththeDENR-LMS.Apparently,theMemorandumofAgreementcannotbeinterpretedtopreventgovernmentemployedgeode/cengineerstoprac/cetheirprofessionbutmerelyrequiredthepaymentofclearancefeefromtheGEPIbeforetheDEN-LMSacceptssubmiQalofsurveyreturns.ThusweopinethatthepaymentofclearancefeebeingrequiredbyGEPIfromitsmembersisamaQerofregula/onthatitiswithinitsauthoritytoimpose.

Clearly,thenon-issuanceofGEPSurveyClearanceisnotbasedonthesubmissionofsurveyreturnsbyagovernmentgeode/cengineerbutontheviola/onandnon-compliancewithsec/on7(b)(2)ofR.A.No.6713andMemorandumCircularNo.17oftheExecu/veDepartment.Accordingly,therefusalofGEPItoissueyouasurveyclearanceisanchoredonthefactthatyouhavenotsecuredtheproperauthorityincompliancewiththesaidlaws.

Patently,itwasyourviola/onandnon-complianceofSec/on7(b)(2)ofR.A.No.6713andMEMORANDUMCIRCULARNO.17OFTHEEXECUTIVEDEPARTMENT,forhavingprivatelyprac/cedyourprofessionwithoutproperauthority,whichpromptedtheGEPItodenytheissuanceofclearancetoyourprivatelysurveyedsurveyreturns.Wehopethatwiththeforegoingclarifica/on,wehaveenlightenedtheissuesyouraisedandthereforrefrainfromprivatelyprac/cingyourprofessionun/lyouhavesecuredtheproperauthorityfromtheDILGSecretary.

VTR

PLNOICChairman,PRBGE