Pres.

Aquino urged to hasten full implementation

of ASEAN accords on professional services
The Philippines has yet to fully implement the Mutual Recognition
Agreements/Arrangement (MRAs) entered into among Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) member states coering eight professional serices!
The special "ouse #ommittee on East ASEAN $ro%th AREA (EA$A)& chaired by
"on! Raymond 'emocrito #! Mendo(a (Party)*ist& T+#P)& has adopted& sub,ect to form
and style& "ouse Resolution -./0 authored by "on! #atalina $! *eonen)Pi(arro (Party)
*ist& A1S)!
"R -./0 is entitled a 2Resolution urging the E3ecutie 'epartment thru "!E!
President 1enigno S! A4uino 555 to issue a Memorandum #ircular to fully implement the
MRAs entered by the ASEAN Member States such as the 1runei)'arussalam& 5ndonesia&
Malaysia& Philippines (15MP)EA$A) and other ASEAN Member States affecting eight
(/) professions in the country& including Engineering Serices& Nursing Serices&
Architecture& Sureying& Medical Practice& 'ental Practice& Accountancy and Tourism
Serices& ensuring enhancement measures and safety nets in the light of the ASEAN
integration in 06-7!8
*eonen)Pi(arro cited the follo%ing ob,ecties behind the MRAs9 -) to facilitate
mobility of practitioners %ith the ASEAN region: 0) to e3change information and enhance
cooperation in respect of mutual recognition of practitioners: ;) promote adoption of best
practices on standards and 4ualifications: and .) to proide opportunities for capacity
building and training of practitioners!
The eight professional serices of %hich the Philippine $oernment is a signatory
under an MRA %ith the ASEAN %ere concluded separately from 'ecember <& 0667 to
Noember <& 06-0& the author noted!
She recalled that since 'ecember -7& -<<7 the ASEAN has recogni(ed and
emphasi(ed the gro%ing importance of trade in serices through the adoption of the
ASEAN =rame%or> Agreement on Serices (A=AS) by the ASEAN Economic Ministers
during the 7
th
ASEAN Summit in 1ang>o>& Thailand!
The A=AS aims to substantially eliminate restrictions to trade in serices among
ASEAN Member States& enhance cooperation in serices& liberali(e trade in serices& and
promote efficiency and competitieness of ASEAN serice suppliers!
The A=AS establishes the general guidelines for mutual recognition& denial of
benefits& dispute settlement& institutional mechanism and other areas of cooperation in the
NR # 3637
NOV. 1, 2014
serices sector& she pointed out!
Article ? of the A=AS& the "ouse Resolution noted& proides that the ASEAN
Member States may recogni(e the education or e3perience obtained& re4uirements met&
and licenses or certifications granted in other ASEAN Members States& for the purpose of
licensing or certification of serices suppliers!
*eonen)Pi(arro also noted that during the <
th
ASEAN Summit held on @ctober A&
066; in 1ali& 5ndonesia& ASEAN "eads of States/$oernments signed the 1ali Accord 55
and declared the establishment of an ASEAN #ommunity %hich comprises the political&
economic& and security communities to include the completion of MRAs for 4ualifications
for ma,or professional serices by 066/ to facilitate free moement of professional/s>illed
labour/talents in the ASEAN!
=urthermore& the author cited E3ecutie @rder No! /;& issued by the President on
@ctober -& 06-0& entitled 25nstitutionali(ation of the Philippine Bualifications =rame%or>
(PB=)8 to& among other ital ob,ecties& 2align the PB= %ith international 4ualifications
frame%or> to support the national and international mobility of %or>ers through increased
recognition of the alue and comparability of Philippine 4ualifications!8
Aboe other la%s and issuances related to professional serices& the authors noted
that 2Art! C55 (National Economy and Patrimony)& Sec! -. par! (0) of the -</A Philippine
#onstitution proides that the practice of all professions in the Philippine shall be
limited to Filipinos citizens, save in cases prescribed by law!8
@ne ital reference statute on the sub,ect is Republic Act No! /</- other%ise
>no%n as the 2PR# Moderni(ation Act of 06668 %hich proides that =ilipino and foreign
professional practicing in the Philippines are regulated and screened by the Professional
Regulatory #ommission (PR#) %hich is attached under the 'epartment of *abor and
Employment ('@*E)! (;6) dpt