The ICP shall adopt the following election timeline: 08 May 2024 – Announcement of the Call for Nominations to the ICP Board of Directors; 13-24 May 2024 – Nomination Period (Nomination will be until 11:59 PM PhST of 24 May 2024); 25-30 May 2024 – Screening of nominations; 31 May 2024 – Announcement of official candidates to the ICP Election 2024; 31 May 2024 – Posting of Commitment Statements and CVs of the election official candidates; 15 Jun 2024 – Candidates’ Open Forum (time and details to be announced); 15-21 June 2024 – Voting Period; 21 June 2024, 11:59 PM PhST – End of voting period; 22-23 June 2024 – Deliberation of Election Results; 24 June 2024 – Announcement of Election Winners; 24-26 June 2024, 11:59 PM PhST – Protest Period; and 01 July 2024 – Start of term of new members of the Board of Directors.
Academe Candidate #1 Dr. Emily Castricciones, RCh UP Diliman, Institute of Chemistry
Candidate #2 Mr. Arvin Paul Tuaño, RCh UP Los Baños, Institute of Chemistry
Government Candidate #1 Mr. Julio Salvador Valeza, RCh Bureau of Plant Industry, Department of Agriculture
Industry Candidate #1 Mr. Mark Grageda, RCh, MBA Berris Agricultural Co., Inc.
The following members of the ICP Board of Directors have terms which will expire on 30 June 2024:
Dr. Lilibeth dlC. Coo, RCh (Academe);
Mr. Admer Rey C. Dablio, RCh, CCPQM (Government);
Mr. Mark L. Grageda, RCh, MBA (Industry).
Three (3) board members — one representative each from the industry, government and academe — are to be elected.
The elected members of the board are expected to regularly attend the meetings of the ICP and actively participate in activities geared towards achieving the objectives of the ICP as follows:
Support the implementation of the Chemistry Profession Act and the Code of Ethics for chemists and safeguard the professional interests of the registered chemists;
Make the chemistry professionals (both chemists and chemical technicians) conscious of their serious responsibilities in helping the country develop;
Provide a forum to exchange ideas on the chemistry profession;
Cultivate discipline among the members, develop the spirit of camaraderie, and maintain occupational standards;
Encourage and foster chemical education; and
Develop a continuing program of activities leading towards upgrading of standards, such as accreditation of laboratories and professional competencies.
Edgar F. Paski, PhD British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), Canada
Why learn about measurement uncertainty?
The determination of measurement is needed to establish the accuracy of a chemical analysis. It is just as important as the test result. This workshop will include principal topics covered in Eurachem/CITAC Guide. Measurement uncertainty is now a requirement for chemical analytical results.
Davao July 19-20, 2024 D’Leonor Hotel JP Laurel St., Bajada, Davao City
WHEREAS, the Integrated Chemists of the Philippines, Inc. (ICP) is the Accredited Integrated Professional Organization duly accredited by the Professional Regulatory Commission to represent the Chemistry profession;
WHEREAS, Section 1 of the By-Laws of the ICP states that the Board of Directors shall be made up of nine (9) members with equal representation from industry, academe, and government institutions. The full-term of office of a Board member is three (3) years. Every year, one Board member representing industry, academe, and government shall be elected from among the ICP regular members in good standing.
WHEREAS, the following members of the ICP Board of Directors have terms which will expire on 30 June 2024:
Academe
Government
Industry
Dr. Lilibeth dlC. Coo, RCh
Mr. Admer Rey C. Dablio, RCh
Mr. Mark L. Grageda, RCh
WHEREAS, only active REGULAR members of the ICP (Chemists) may nominate and be nominated;
WHEREAS, the elected members of the board are expected to regularly attend the meetings of the ICP and actively participate in activities geared towards achieving the objectives of the ICP as follows:
To support the implementation of the Chemistry Profession Act (R.A. 10657) and the Code of Ethics for the Chemistry Profession and to safeguard the professional interests of the registered Chemists and Chemical Technicians;
To make chemistry professionals conscious of their serious responsibilities to promote public safety, contribute to the national economy, and to protect the environment;
To provide a forum to exchange ideas on the chemistry profession, both within the profession and with the general public;
To attend to the needs of the sector that they represent;
To cultivate discipline among the members, develop the spirit of camaraderie, and maintain high standards;
To promote chemical education; and
To support a continuing program of activities leading towards upgrading of standards, including accreditation of laboratories and professional competencies.
WHEREAS, the ICP COMELEC 2024 has adopted the following election timeline:
Dates (2024)
Activities
8 May
Call for Nominations to the ICP Board of Directors
13-24 May, 11:59 pm
Nomination Period
24 May, 11:59 pm
Deadline for submission of nomination form
31 May
Announcement of official candidates
31 May
Posting of CVs and Commitment Statements of the official candidates
15 June
Candidates’ Open Forum (time and details to be announced)
15-21 June
Voting period
21 June, 11:59 pm
End of voting period
24 June
Announcement of results on the ICP website
24-26 June, 11:59 pm
Protest period
1 July
Announcement of election winners and start of term as member of the Board of Directors
WHEREAS, the ICP shall adopt the following election guidelines, to wit:
Only active REGULAR members of the ICP in good standing can be nominated, submit a nomination, and vote. Self-nomination will not be accepted. The ICP Membership Committee shall confirm the status of nominators, nominees, and voters;
Incumbent ICP Chapter or Cluster officers may be nominated, provided that if they are declared winners, they are considered automatically resigned from their position within the Chapter or Cluster;
The ICP Election Committee will contact the nominee, nominator, and qualified voters through their ICP registered email address;
The complete nomination form must be submitted by email on or before May 24, 11:59pm. The nominee should submit his/her CV using the ICP COMELEC prescribed format;
The official list of newly elected Board members will be posted on the ICP website (https://www.icp.org.ph/) on 01 July;
The winning candidate from each sector will hold office for a term of 3 years (July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2027);
The ICP Elections Committee (ICP COMELEC) for 2024 is composed of the following: Dr. Fabian M. Dayrit, RCh (Chairperson), Dr. Carmela Q. Capule, RCh and PLTCOL Albert Arturo, RCh, JD (Members).
NOW THEREFORE, the ICP, HAS RESOLVED TO APPROVE, AS IT HEREBY APPROVES the subject: “ICP ELECTION PROCEDURES AND TIMETABLE FOR 2024.”
(sgd) FABIAN M. DAYRIT, RCh, PhD President
(sgd) PRISCILLA ALICE L. SAMONTE, RCh, MSc Vice President for External Affairs
(sgd) GLENN V. ALEA, RCh, PhD Vice President for Internal Affairs
(sgd) MA. CRISTINA L. MORATALLA, RCh, JD Secretary
(sgd) LILIBETH DLC. COO, RCh, PhD Treasurer
(sgd) CARMELA Q. CAPULE, RCh, PhD Auditor
(sgd) ADMER REY C. DABLIO, RCh Public Information Officer
(sgd) MARK L. GRAGEDA, RCh Board Member
(sgd) PLCOL ALBERT S. ARTURO, RCh, JD Board Member
Maria Kristina Dabi Staff at the Professional Regulation Commission
Back in 2018, I was asked by Dir. Atty. Maria Liza M. Hernandez to assist the Professional Regulatory Board of Chemistry composed of Hon. Adoracion P. Resurreccion, Hon. Soledad S. Castañeda, and Hon. Ma. Theresa C. Cayton in the inspection and monitoring of applicants for the Certificate of Authority to Operate Chemical Laboratory (CATO). It was the year when the grace period set by the Republic Act 10657, otherwise known as the Chemistry Profession Act, ended. That year, the Commission received a bulk of applications from all over the Philippines.
From 2018 to 2020, I had the honor of working closely with the Board of Chemistry, from determining the schedule of inspection and preparing its logistics to assisting the Board in the inspection and monitoring. Looking back, working with these outstanding, intelligent, caring, and inspiring women was a privilege. I have witnessed how the Board of Chemistry worked from the grassroots to ensure the maintenance of high professional, ethical, and technical standards and safeguard the welfare of its professionals.
You may wonder, what is the importance of the Certificate of Authority to Operate Chemical Laboratories? Who will benefit from it? Why is it vital to secure such?
In 2017, to guarantee that establishments and institutions are adequately guided by this directive, the Board of Chemistry issued Resolution No. 02, or the “Rules and Regulations Implementing Section 35 of the Chemistry Profession Act on the Issuance of Certificates of Authority to Operate Chemical Laboratories and other Related Establishments.” In this resolution, the Board set standards that a chemical laboratory must meet to ensure that its employed Chemists and Chemical Technicians are competent and that their safety and well-being are taken care of.
Hon. Resurreccion and Hon. Cayton together with the Chemists of Petron Bataan in 2019.
There are eight criteria that the Board evaluates in a Chemical Laboratory, all these are based on the provisions in the Chemistry Law and its IRR. First, the Board checks for the sufficiency of the laboratory’s personal protective equipment and safety devices. Second, the Board inspects for adequacy of space, proper storage of chemicals, and proper waste disposal. The Board sees to it that the Chemists and Chemical Technicians know Their hazardous chemical wastes and advises them to look for ways to reduce them. The Board also recommends verifying and inspecting the 3rd party treaters to ensure that the chemical wastes the establishment or institution sent is appropriately handled and treated. The third measure the Board checks into is the adequacy of facilities and instruments used for chemical testing. The fourth standard is the availability of the Safety Manual and its proper communication to the employees. The Board also looks into the qualifications and skills of the professionals and sees to it that the head of the chemical laboratory is a registered chemist and that all its Chemists and Chemical Technicians are active members of the Integrated Chemists of the Philippines (ICP). In addition, the Board also checks that the Chemist signs the Certificate of Analysis. The Board also looks into the professionals’ credentials and checks for the availability of their Certificate of Registration and updated Professional Identification Card. Lastly, the Board looks at the benefits provided to the professionals, such as hazard pay, health insurance, and legal assistance.
Photos in action: The Board reviews the documentation and conducts ocular inspection on chemical laboratories.
As one of the employees of the Commission who had the privilege to be a PRC Representative and assist the Board, I have witnessed how they significantly impacted the maintenance and enhancement of their profession. Together with the Board, I have seen how dilapidated laboratories with hints of chemical odors have been renovated. I was in the room where it usually happens – the Board providing free consultations on managing the laboratories’ hazardous chemical wastes. I have seen how the Board has fought for the rights of every Chemist and Chemical Technician by strengthening their role in the chemical laboratory, enforcing the law that only registered Chemists and Chemical Technicians are allowed to perform chemical analyses. In one of our recent audits, when the institution we inspected reported that they increased their Plantilla position of Chemists due to the Board’s zealous implementation of the law, I can’t help but feel proud of the Board for the positive impact they continue to make for the profession. Personally, I believe the most significant contribution of the Board is mandating hazard pay for its professionals. In 2018, only a few Chemists and Chemical Technicians were receiving hazard pay, but because of the Board, all of the Chemists and Chemical Technicians working in the laboratory are now entitled for this benefit.
Inspection at National Reference Laboratory in East Avenue, Quezon City on February 16, 2024.
It is no secret that the Board has encountered several challenges before these trailblazing changes were achieved. Requiring a chemical laboratory in poor condition to have its facilities refurbished entails a hefty amount. The same goes for mandating hazard pay. We know that allocating budgets is difficult to achieve. The Board of Chemistry understands this issue and, with their good hearts, allows the establishment or institution to set its realistic target date of accomplishment on the recommendations of the Board that entail substantial financial costs. The Board’s actions towards such matters is one of the reasons why I sincerely appreciate them. They wield their authority, but they always bring humanity with their decisions. Sure, sometimes a laboratory takes a long time before complying with the set standards of the Board, but it’s all right, especially when it entails a massive positive transformation.
Those who had the chance to work with the Board of Chemistry, especially those assigned as the PRC Representative, will likewise attest to the Board’s passion and dedication towards improving the chemistry profession. I am sure not only myself but also my colleagues have witnessed how the Board willingly spent overtime when visiting the laboratories to share their expertise. In monitoring the compliances submitted through email by the establishments or institutions, my colleagues and I are often in awe with the Board when we see the time they reply to the applicants. Oftentimes, we see them answer in the middle of the night or even in the break of dawn.
It is easy to envision a better society, but the challenge lies in working toward that goal. Change does not happen overnight. Change is a gradual process. It takes time, and it takes effort. In the Chemistry profession, it has taken years and resources before we now see how this change has positively affected its professionals. The Board of Chemistry, composed of these dedicated women of science, is leading this change. Just like every celebrated woman in our history whom we know has fought for equality and made outstanding contributions that have benefited humanity, one thing is common among them – and that is how they have dedicated a significant amount of time of their life to make it happen. Like them, the Board of Chemistry has created positive changes by taking concrete actions that promote equality and empowerment. Now, fast forward to the present, as of February 2024, a total of 1069 inspections of chemical laboratories have been done, 617 of which have been issued with the Certificate of Authority to Operate, and 452 are in different stages of improvement. The Board of Chemistry continues its mission with a target of 151 chemical laboratories for inspection and monitoring for 2024.
For the Chemistry profession, indeed, change has come – led by three women, one chemical laboratory at a time!
The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) has opened the nominations for the 2024 Outstanding Professional of the Year Award. Please see the PRC Resolution No. 1625 series of 2023 for guidance.
The Integrated Chemists of the Philippines (ICP) is calling for nominations for the 2024 PRC Outstanding Professional of the Year in the Field of Chemistry. Nominations may come from the academe, government and the industry.
In connection with this, if you have chemists in mind, with active PRC licenses and membership to ICP, who will qualify, we highly encourage you to nominate them.
