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

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.

SEC. 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.

SEC. 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 The certificate shall remain in full force and effect until withdrawn,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.

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

SEC. 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 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.
SEC. 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.

SEC. 21. Incentives. - Teachers who pass the merit examination shall:

Be awarded a diploma of merit by the Board;

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

Be placed in the priority list for government scholarship; and

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.

SEC. 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.

SEC. 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:
Conviction for any criminal offense by a court of competent jurisdiction;

Immoral, unprofessional or dishonorable conduct;

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

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

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

Chronic inebriety or habitual use of drugs;

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

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.

SEC. 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.

SEC. 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.

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

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

Not qualified under paragraphs one and two but with any of the following qualifications, to wit:

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

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 in 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

SEC. 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.
SEC. 28. Penal Provisions. - The following shall be punishable by a fine of not less than Five thousand
pesos (P5,000) nor more than Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000) or imprisonment of not less than six (6)
months nor more than five (5) years, or both, at the discretion of the court:

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

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

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;

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

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

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

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 or
school official who shall cause or be responsible for the commission of any of the above-enumerated
acts.

SEC. 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.

SEC. 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.

SEC. 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 five (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.

SEC. 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.

SEC. 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.

SEC. 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.