Board Topnotcher vs. "Just" a Board Passer

I am a board topnotcher myself, but it never really went in my head. What I don't understand is how not being a topnotcher gets in other people's heads...

The bar exams results are out and my old friend from high school days passed. Congratulations to him and to all the rest who did as well. I am not sure if he topped the bar exams, and if yes, then it's a good thing. But if not, then it does not matter in the long run actually.

Just to note, I have a friend who topped the board exam for Chemistry years ago, yet, sad but true, she still fell victim to the economic recession and job cuts in her company.

I just stumbled upon this article about bar exams and topnotchers (Bar Exam: Take It, Pass It and Move On - Carlo Osi). Basically his message is that he wants to tone down the celebration for topnotchers and just celebrate passing the bar exams as it is.

I somewhat agree; the bar exams is no joke and I know people (from schools in the province) who take it, and fail year after year. And I think passing any major exam, be it an entrance exam for a prestigious university, or a licensure exam, or an aptitude exam for future employment, is in itself a major achievement.

However, why does it matter to somebody that other people are celebrating for their own achievements? Is it classic crab mentality? Or envy of what other people have? Understanding this, I guess, requires a higher level of awareness that I do not have right now. I would like to think that my friends were genuinely happy for me when I celebrated my achievement years ago...

How about you guys? Tell me what you think about it.

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More RP board exams abroad considered

by Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Despite the dismal performance of first overseas Philippine nursing licensure exam in Hong Kong, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) is considering more such exams abroad, INQUIRER.net learned Tuesday.

“PRC says it is currently engaged in other ‘offshore’ licensure exams,” PRC’s Board of Nursing member Dean Marco Sto. Tomas told INQUIRER.net.

The results of the first overseas exam held in Hong Kong were released Monday. And only two of 90 examinees of the test held in Hong Kong last December 12 and 13 passed. The two successful examinees are Edgardo De Sesto Estrada and Jorlyn Boyayot Gagatam.

Malacanang had instructed the PRC to administer the first overseas Philippine nursing licensure exam in Hong Kong on the requests of Filipino under-board nursing graduates working in the former British crown colony, Sto. Tomas said.

Most of those who requested for the Hong Kong exam were not working as nurses there, Sto. Tomas.

“(The examinees’) work right now does not totally jibe with the expected competencies of beginning nurse practitioners,” the board member said, explaining the very poor results of the exam.

“While PRC through the Board of Nursing prepared well for this maiden exams, the sadly ‘low’ performance may be due to lack of appropriate preparation considering the years of ‘zero’ practice of these nursing graduates,” he added.

To raise the passing rate in future overseas licensure exams, Sto. Tomas proposed that examinees first undergo a diagnostic test for their preparedness in taking the test.

Then, instead of taking review classes, those who are not prepared may be trained by a competent agency like the Philippine Nursing Education Academy, the attached training academy of the Association of Deans of Philippine Colleges of Nursing, he said.

“Better preparation must be made so as not to waste the hard-earned resources of these aspiring examinees,” he added.

The Philippine nursing licensure exam in Hong Kong was conducted a couple of weeks after the November 2009 board exam for nursing graduates in the Philippines.

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Apply for the ECE Board Exam

Here is the process and list of requirements if you want to apply for the ECE Board Exam.

Pre-qualifications for Examination. In order to be admitted to the electronics and communications engineering examination, an applicant must, at the time of the filing of his application therefor, establish to the satisfaction of the Board that:

He is at least twenty-one years of age;
He is a citizen of the Philippines or of a foreign country qualified to take the examination under Section twenty-three of this Act;
He is of good moral character;
He is a holder of the degree of Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Communications Engineering, or such equivalent engineering course from any school, institute, college, or university recognized by the Government or the State where it is established, after completing a resident collegiate course of not less than four years: Provided, That within three years after the approval of this Act, holders of a certificate of Associate in Electronics and Communications Engineering or any allied engineering course or holder of a valid first class radio telegraphy or radiotelephony commercial operator license with at least five years active practice in electronics, communications, or related fields shall be qualified to take the electronics and communications engineering examination.

Educational Qualification / Training / Experience:
B.S. in Electronics & Communication Engineering or its equivalent

Scope of Examination. The examination for the practice of electronics and communications engineering in the Philippines shall consist of written tests which shall cover such subjects as the Board may prescribe.

Ratings in the Examination. To pass the examination, a candidate must obtain an average of seventy percent, with no rating below fifty per cent in any subject: Provided, That an applicant who fails to obtain a passing average but who obtained at least seventy per cent in each of at least one-half of the total subjects given in the examination, may be permitted to take within two years from the date of his examination, another examination on the subjects in which he obtained a grade below seventy percent. Should the examinee fail in the set of subjects repeated in the second examination, he shall be required to take all the subjects in the next examination.

Foreign Reciprocity. No foreigner shall be admitted to an examination or registration as electronics and communications engineer under this Act unless he proves in the manner as provided by the Board that, by specific provisions of law, the country, state or province of which he is a citizen, subject, or national admits Filipino citizens to the practice of electronics and communications engineering after an examination on terms of strict and absolute equality with the citizens, subjects, or national of said country, including the unconditional recognition of prerequisite degrees issued by institutions of learning duly recognized by the Government of the Philippines.1

Penal Provisions. The following shall be punished by a fine of not less than two thousand pesos nor more than five thousand pesos, or by imprisonment for not less than six months nor more than six years, or both, in the discretion of the Court:

• Any person who shall give any false or fraudulent statement to the Board to obtain a certificate of registration as electronics and communications engineer;
• Any person who shall present or use as his own a certificate of registration issued to another under this Act;
• Any person who shall present or use a revoked or suspended certificate of registration as electronics and communications engineer;
• Any person who shall assume, use, or advertise as electronics and communications engineer, or append to his name, letters, or words tending to convey the impression that he is a registered electronics and communications engineer when in fact he is not duly registered with the Board as such;
• Any electronics and communications engineer, or any person on his behalf, who shall stamp or seal any document with his seal as such after his certificate of registration has expired or has been suspended or revoked;
• Any electronics and communications engineer who shall sign his name, affix his seal, or use any other method of signature on plans, technical descriptions, or other documents prepared by or under another electronics and communications engineerÕs supervision, unless the same is prepared in such manner as to clearly indicate the part or parts of such work actually performed by the former;
• Any person, except the electronics and communications engineer in charge, who shall sign for any branch of the electronics and communications engineering work, or any function or engineering practice not actually performed by him;
• Any person holding a certificate of registration who shall engage in illegal wire-tapping and/or theemployment of electronics devices in violation of the privacy of another or in disregard of the privilege of private communications or maintain an unlicensed and/or unregistered communications system or device;

http://www.prc.gov.ph/portal_articles.asp?pid=46&sid=168&aid=1695
photo credit, odinhg

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Board of Electronics and Communication Engineering

Practice of Electronics and Communications Engineering.

No person shall offer himself in the Philippines as, or use the title ‘Electronics and/or Communications Engineer’ or any word, letter, figure, or sign whatsoever, tending to convey the impression that he is an electronics and/or communications engineer, or advertise or indicate in any manner that he is qualified to perform the work of an electronics and communications engineer without holding a valid certificate of registration as electronics and communications engineer issued by the Board in accordance with this Act, except as provided under Section eleven hereof.
It shall be unlawful for any firm, company, or corporation, to offer itself to the public as electronics and communications engineer without the certification, supervision and/or guidance of a duly registered electronics and communications engineer.

http://www.prc.gov.ph/portal.asp?pid=46

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ECE Board Composition

Qualifications of Board Members:
Each member of the Board at the time of his appointment must be:

A citizen and resident of the Philippines;
At least thirty-one years of age, and of good moral character;
A registered electronics and communications engineer under this Act:
Actually in active practice of the electronics and communications engineering occupation for at least ten years, in the government service or in private;
Not a member of the faculty of any school, institute, college, or university where a regular course in electronics, communications or radio is taught, or if he has been such a faculty member, he has stopped teaching therein for at least three consecutive years immediately preceding his appointment; and
Not financially interested directly or indirectly, in any school, institute, college, or university where a regular course in electronics and/or communications engineering is taught.

Members of the Board:
Chairman:
SYLVIA I. MARCELO

Members:
JOEL B. BAJADOR
NESTOR C. DACANAY

http://www.prc.gov.ph/portal_articles.asp?pid=46&sid=162

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ECE Law and Code of Ethics

Republic Act No. 5734
The Electronics and Communications Engineering Act of the Philippines

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A MORE RESPONSIVE AND COMPREHENSIVE REGULATION FOR THE REGISTRATION, LICENSING AND PRACTICE OF PROFESSIONAL ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS, ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS AND ELECTRONICS TECHNICIANS, REPEALING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 5734, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "ELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING ACT OF THE PHILIPPINES

Download from the source:

• Law
• Code of Ethics (CE)

http://www.prc.gov.ph/portal_articles.asp?pid=46&sid=163

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ECE Board History

On November 21, 1969, Republic Act No. 5734 was signed into law giving birth to the Electronics and Communications Engineering profession.

The first board, under Engr. Rosauro Calupitan who was appointed Chairman, promulgated the mechanisms for registration and licensing. Serving with Engr. Calupitan were Engrs. Felicito Rey Signo and Rigoberto Espinosa as Members. They were registered on March 24, 1971 as the first three Electronics and Communications Engineers.

On August 1971, the Board administered the first ECE licensure examination. After Engr. Calupitan, four (4) other members held the chairmanship of the ECE board: Engr. Felicito Rey Signo (1974-1987), Engr. Leonardo B. Faculan (1987-1989), Engr. Fortunato Q. Perlas (1989-1994), Engr. Felicito Rey Signo (1994-August 21, 1997) and Engr. Alfredo T. Fragante (November 10, 1997-to present).

The Board issued the Code of Ethics and Conduct which delineates the specific tasks of ECEs in the practice of their profession and in relation with the State, with clients and employers, with fellow engineers, and to the profession itself.

The Electronics and Communications Engineering profession plays a major role in the telecommunications industry. Thirty percent (30%) of the telecommunications manpower in the country are licensed ECEs.

http://www.prc.gov.ph/portal_articles.asp?pid=46&sid=401

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