Duterte signs law creating Professional Regulatory Board of Fisheries

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has signed the law creating the Professional Regulatory Board of Fisheries in the Philippines.

Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11398 known as the Philippine Fisheries Profession Act on August 22 but the copy of the law was released only to the media on Wednesday. 

Under the new law, the Professional Regulatory Board of Fisheries will be under the control of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).

The board will be composed of a chairperson and four members. 

The law said the board should “promulgate, adopt, and issue rules and regulations to carry out provisions” of the new law. 

The board it added was also tasked to “administer and supervise the licensure examination for admission to the practice of the fisheries profession” as well as “supervise and regulate the licensure, registration, and practice of the fisheries profession.”

The board will also have the right to issue certificates of registration to successful examinees in the licensure examination for fisheries professional and has also the power to “suspend or revoke the certificate of registration and professional identification card of a fisheries professional.”

Admission to the fisheries profession will require passing the licensure examination administered every year, according to RA 11398.

Candidates must obtain at least a 75-percent general average with no grade lower than 60 percent in any subject to obtain a license, it added.

The new law prohibits the unauthorized practice of the fisheries profession without a license and will punish violators with fine of not less than P50,000 but not more than P500,000 or imprisonment of not less than 6 months, or both upon the discretion of the court.

Meanwhile, the law directs PRC to include in its budget the funds needed to implement RA 11398. /kga