Good day!
Please be informed that as a matter of policy, the Commission does not render opinions or rulings on issues that may eventually be the subject of a complaint or appeal before it. This is so especially when there are material facts necessary to the judicious adjudication of the issue which are not fully represented or substantiated as in this case.
However, we call your attention to the provisions of Republic Act No. 9293 (An Act Amending Certain Sections of Republic Act No. 7836 otherwise known as "Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994"), which read, as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 15, (e) (3) of Republic Act No. 7836 is hereby amended as follows:
“SEC. 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.”
SEC 2. Section 26 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:
“SEC. 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.
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.”
Also relevant are Sections 13 and 26 of Republic Act No. 7836 which states:
Sec. 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.
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) 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; 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.
We hope to have enlightened you on the matter.
