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• Resolution No. 2018-1089, Series of 2018 includes revised rules for accrediting professional and integrated professional organizations.

Legal Basis and Authority of the Commission

• Section 5 of Republic Act No. 8981, or the "PRC Modernization Act of 2000," empowers the Chairperson and Commissioners to oversee the Commission's administrative, executive, and policy-making functions.
• Section 8 (p) of Commission Resolution No. 2000-01 grants the PRC administrative supervision over Professional Regulatory Boards and their members.
• Executive Order 496, Series of 1991, recognizes accredited professional organizations for selecting nominees for positions in the Professional Regulatory Boards.
• Professional Regulatory Laws enable the Commission and Boards to accredit professional organizations for regulated professions.
• Boards have jurisdiction over registered and licensed professionals who can be members of professional organizations.

Accreditation Process and Previous Resolutions

• PRC Resolution No. 2004-178 outlines the accreditation process for Accredited Professional Organizations and Accredited Integrated Professional Organizations, including renewals and cancellations.
• The revised rules aim to address implementation gaps in the APO/AIPO accreditation process.
• Only one professional organization will be accredited per profession.
• The crafting of these rules involved consultations with Boards, APOs, AIPOs, the Philippine Federation of Professional Associations, Inc. (PFPA), and other stakeholders.

Rule 1: Definition of Terms

• Accreditation is the formal approval granted to an organization meeting requirements for three years.
• Certificate of Accreditation is a document issued by the PRC upon Board endorsement after the organization meets requirements.
• Certificate of Registration (CoR) is issued by the PRC and Board when a person meets legal and procedural requirements, like passing a licensure exam.
• Professional Identification Card (PIC) is a card with a registration number, issuance, expiry dates, and signature from the PRC Chairperson, issued upon fee payment and compliance with Republic Act No. 10912 (CPD Act of 2016).
• APO refers to the PRC Accredited Professional Organization with voluntary membership.
• AIPO means the Board and PRC Accredited Integrated Professional Organization with automatic and mandatory professional membership.
• Association of Southeast Asian Nations is known as ASEAN
• BIR is the Bureau of Internal Revenue.
• The Professional Regulatory Board is the Board
• CPA refers to a Certified Public Accountant.
• Continuing Professional Development is CPD.
• GIS refers to the General Information Sheet.
• MRA is a mutual recognition arrangement between states.
• PRC refers to the Professional Regulation Commission.
• PRL refers to the Professional Regulatory Law.
• SEC refers to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Rule 2: Accredited Professional Organization (APO)

Qualifications for Accreditation

• Promotion of benefit and welfare for professionals in one discipline.
• Membership open to all registered professionals of the same discipline without discrimination.
• Duly registered as a non-stock and non-profit corporation with the SEC and BIR.
• Membership of at least 50% + 1 of registered professionals with valid PICs.

Disqualifications for Accreditation

• Committing acts against the interest of the profession or its members.
• Failing to comply with orders and policies of the Board or PRC.
• Failing to comply with regulatory policies of the SEC, BIR, or local government units.
• Adopting discriminatory membership policies.
• Committing analogous acts.

Documentary Requirements for Accreditation

• Notarized Petition for Accreditation with a statement of qualifications and no disqualifications.
• Secretary's Certificate or Board Resolution authorizing representation.
• List of incumbent officers and chapter officers with PIC photocopies.
• Authenticated copy of SEC registration certificate.
• Authenticated copy of BIR registration certificate.
• Authenticated copy of Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws.
• Copy of the latest Audited Financial Statements submitted to SEC, signed by a CPA authorized to practice public accountancy.
• Proof of payment of the prescribed processing fee.
• Complete list of members in good standing with names, CoR numbers, registration dates, and PIC status.
• Soft copies of member lists and officer information can be submitted in PDF format.

Documentary Requirements for Renewal of Accreditation

• Notarized Petition for Renewal stating the organization maintains its purpose and membership.
• Professional organization continues to maintain the purpose or which it was established; and
• The membership of the accredited professional organization does not fall below fifty per cent plus one (50%+1) of the registered professionals with valid PICs for the current year;
• Secretary's Certificate or Board Resolution authorizing representation.
• Complete list of incumbent officers with PIC photocopies.
• Authenticated copy of recent amended Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws, if any.
• Proof of payment of the prescribed processing fee.
• Complete list of members in good standing with names, CoR numbers, registration dates, and PIC status.
• The petition for renewal, with all the supporting ducuments must be submitted not later than three (3) months prior to the expiration of the APO's Certificate of Accreditation

Rule 3: Accredited Integrated Professional Organization (AIPO)

Qualifications for Accreditation

• Articles of Incorporation should include integrating professionals into one national organization.
• Promise to carry out policies,objectives,and purposes pursuant to it mandate under the PRL;
• Duly registered as a non-stock and non-profit corporation or association with the SEC and BIR.
• Membership of at least + 1 of the registered professionals possessing current and valid PICs

Disqualifications for Accreditation

• Disqualifications are the same as in Section 3 of Rule 2.

Documentary Requirements for Accreditation

• The same documents listed under Section 4 of Rule 2 must be submitted.

Documentary Requirements for the Renewal of Accreditation

• Submission requires documents listed under Section 4 of Rule 2.
• The AIPO seeking for the renewal of its accreditation shall submit the following documents:
  • A duly notarized Petition for Renewal signed by the authorized representative stating organization continues to maintain the purpose/s for which it was established.
  • Secretary's Certificate or Board Resolution granting authority to represent.
  • Complete list of incumbent officers of the professional organization, including tis chapter officers, with photocopies of their PICs.
  • Authenticated copy of the recent amended Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws, if any and
  • Proof of payment of the prescribed processing fee.
  • Submission of soft copies is accepted as stated under Section 4. The petition for Renewal and all the supporting document must be submitted not later than three (3) months prior to the expiration of the AIPO's Certificate of Accreditation

Rule 4: Process,publication, and Validity of Accreditation

• The Board to evaluate and send endorsement regarding the APO application to te PRC within thirty (30) days from receipt.
• The Board will evaluate submitted petition of AIPO application and make a Board Resolution recommending approval or denial stating reasons to the PRC withing thirty (30) days.
• With granting of the petition,the PRC issues for its publication on a newspaper of general circulation at the expense of the petitioner.
• The accreditation shall take effect immediatly with the publication of the Resolution and the PRC issues the Certificate of Acrreditation
• With a denied petition, the PRC shall notify the petitioner in writing citing the reasons provided in the boad or resolution as the case may be.
• Certificate of Accreditation is valid for three (3) years from the completion of the Resolution's publication Processing Fee:
• The amount is prescribed in the Processing sheet -Annex "F"for new professional organizations and "G-1 & G-2"for the renew of professional organizations

Rule 5: Rights,Privileges,Duties and Responsibilities of APO/AIPO

Rights and Privileges

• Enjoy the following for the validity period of accreditation:
  • To represent the profession for the organization has been established and accredited.
  • To submit nominees for vacant positions in the Board.
  • To bid for the yearly award for the oustanding professional organiation.
  • To nominate for the annual outstanding professional of its profession.
  • To designate a representative to sit as the 1st member of the CPD Council.
  • To be part of the oath taking ceremony of the new professionals.
  • To represent the profession in the monitoring Committee for the ASEAN MRAs, if applicable; and
    • To exercise analogous rights and privileges under the law.

Duties and Responsibilities

• It shall be the duties and responsibilities of the APO/AIPO:
  • To define the professional responsibilities of its members.
  • To ensure that it members adhere to the Code of Ethics, Responsibilities, and hights professional and technical standards.
  • To improve the standards of the profession through effective collaboration with the board and the PRC.
  • To look into the conditions affecting the practice of the profession and to propose policies or measures to the Board or the PRC for its improvement;
  • To ensure the welfare, and best interest as well as harmonious relationship among its members; and
  • To report violation of the PRL to the PRC.through the Office of the Legal Service, for possible prosecution or filing of complaint

Annual Reportorial Requirements

• During the validity period of accreditation, the APO/AIPO shall submit the following:
• Yearly Audited Financial Statement (FS) of the organization and those of its chapters withing ten (10) days from the submission made to the SEC It shall bear "RECEIVED" mark by the SEC and BIR.
• Authenticated copy of the recent GIS withing thirty (30) days from the conduct of national election; and
• Report on significatn achievements as corporate bodies objectives, in the enhancement of the welfare of its members and the stature/prestige of the profession, as well as tangible programs (which may include insuring its members; providing ship; and conducting free CPD programs for the members; life, health and death benefits; and other benefits) to be signed by the Board of the professional organization within thiry (30) days after the conduct of election.

Rule 6: Notification and Observation of Elections of APO/AIPO

• The APO/AIPO shall inform the PRC in writing of the scheduled national election at least thirty (30) prior to conduct the event
• During the national election of the APO/AIPO Board of Trustees and officers, a duly authorized representative of the PRC, preferably from the Office of the Legal Service, may monitor and witness the conduct theerof upon written request of the concerned Board to PRC. - The respresentative shall submit a report to the PRC of the election proceedings within fifteen (15) days after the date of the election. - Annex "H"-Election Report Form

Rule 7: Grounds for Suspension or Cancellation

• A certificate of accreditation of an APO/AIPO shall be cancelled or suspended by the PRC or the concerned Board upon approval or concurrence by the PRC, only after due process, on any of the following grounds/causes:
  • The APO//AIPO ceases to possess any of the qualifications for accreditation.
  • The APO//AIPO no longer serves the best interest of the profession for which it was accredited.
  • The APO fails to maintain its membership of fifty percennt plus one (50%+1) of those who have been issued their valid and current PICs.
• The APO//AIPO commits acts inimical to the interest of it members and to the professsion.
  • APO/AIPO fails to submit annual reportorial requirements stated under Section 16.
  • The APO//AIPO fails to excise legitimate obligations required of them by the Board and/or PRC; and -The APO//AIPO fails to comply with the lawful orders of the Board and/or PRC.
• The decision cancellinng or suspending the APO/AIPO accreditation shall be final and executory and shal only take effect after its publication in any newspaper of general circulation.
• The exercise of rights, privileges, duties and responisbilities by the APO/AIPO as stated in Rule 5 of this Rules, shall cease upon the cancellation or suspensions of the certificate of accreditation.
  • he Board and/or PRC may accept other qualified applicants for accreditation thereafter.
  • Any required document issued by the APO//AIPO pursuant to a Board and/r PRC Resolution shall automatically cease to be a requirement until a professional organization shall have been accredited pursuant to this Rules4.

Rule 8: Effects of Expiration//Non-Renewal of Certificate of Accreditation, Effects of an Enactment of New Professional Regulatory Law and Appointment of Interim APO/AIPO

Effects of expiration or Non-Renewal of Accreditation:

• Thenon- renewal and expiration of accreditation shall automatically reult inthe loss or forfeiture of all therights, privileges, duties and responsibilities of APO/AI - The expiration or non- renewal of accreditation shall carry out the same ffects as that onf cancellation/suspension stipulated in Section 20 of this Rules.

A professional organization which was duly acquired accreditation from the Board and\or PRC shall possess all therights and privileges under Section 14 and shall be subject to all the duties and responsibility provided under Section 15 of Rule 5. It shall receive a Certificate of Accreditation, with the corresponding accreditation number which shall be valid for three (3) years, unless sooner revoked or suspended. Enectment of a Revised// Amended Professional Regulatory law that affect the existing APO/AIPO. The revision/amendment of a PRL shall not effect the status of the incumbent APO/AIPO, provide, that it continues to hold a valid and subsisting accreditation of time. It shall continue to discharge its functions and duties an such until profeesionnal organization have been accredited pur suant to the provisions of trhe revised// amended PRL and this Rules

• The PRC shall have the power to appoint an interim APO/AIPO, should the circumstances so warrant. - The RRC shall iasue separate guidelines for the imiplemntation of this section.5

Rule 9: Procedure for the Conduct of Investigation against APO/AIPO

• The proceedings shall be summary in nature to the prevailing PRC Rules of Procedure on Administrative Investigation the APO/AIPO.
• The PRC and// or Board shall have the power to investigate the APO// AlPO , andd for this purpose.
• The PRC, through the Office of the Legal Services, parties my direct the parties to undergo conciliation/mediation in relation to an organization dispute which in the opinion of the Board and the PRC, is material to APO // AIPO accreditation status including, abut not limited to, the election dispute. - The conciliation/mediation my proceed independently and simultaneously with any other legal action taht may be taken in connection with the dispute.

Rule 11: Final Provisions

• Professional organizations previsouly accredited by PRC retain their accrediation numbers.
• If any provision of Rules are uncontsititutional or invalid, unaffected provisioins shall remain in full effort.

PRC Resolution 2004-178 is repealed

• The rules shall take effect after fifteen (15) day afetr its ull nd complete publication in the Official Gazett or on ny mojor newspaper of general circulation

Annexes :

• Annex A- Petition for Accreditation as Accredited Professional Organization (APO)
• Annex B - Petition for the Renewal of Accreditation as Accredited Professional Organization (APO)
• Annex C- Petition for Accreditation as Accredited Integrated Professional Organization (AIPO)
• Annex D - etititon for Accreditation as Accredited Integrated Professional Organization (AIPO)
• Annex E - Accreditation Endorsement of the Professional Organization
• Annex F - Accreditation of New Professional Organization Process and Action Sheet
• Annex G-1- Renewal of Accreditation of the APO Process and Action Sheet
• Annex G-2 - Renewal of Accreditation of the AIPO Process Sheet
  • Annex H- APO/AIPO Action Report
  • Annex I - List of professional Organization Accredited by the professional Ragulation Commission (PRC)