In celebration of this year’s Chemistry Week, the Integrated Chemists of the Philippines (ICP) organized a symposium on Updates on the Chemistry Profession Act, held last February 19 at the Century Park Hotel in Manila. Hundreds of participants coming from the academe, government, and industry sectors attended the said event.

Dr. Adoracion Resurreccion, chair of the PRC Board of Chemistry (PRC-BOC), discussed the provisions of hazard pay during its second consultative meeting. This part of the symposium yielded the most queries, especially now that the grace period for the implementation of the Chemistry Profession Act of 2015 will be ending in mid-April; to answer these queries, she was joined by fellow PRC-BOC member Ma. Teresa Cayton and ICP-National officers Dr. Fabian Dayrit and Ms. Edna Mijares to further enlighten the participants on the said issue. It was then followed by the discussion regarding the ethics of the chemistry professional, given by Dr. Fabian Dayrit and Hon. Ma. Teresa Cayton.

After a hearty lunch, Mr. Joel Maleon of the Department of Natural Resources’ Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) discussed the new policies and procedures on chemical management, specifically on hazardous compounds and high volume chemicals. He also informed the audience regarding a new online permitting and monitoring system of chemicals that their agency was able to develop. Meanwhile, Mr. Marlon Macadamia of the Philippine Accreditation Bureau gave an update regarding the revisions made in the ISO/IEC 17025 series of 2017, which is necessary for the standardization of chemical laboratories in the country.

An open forum regarding certain pressing issues related to the chemistry profession then followed. Dr. Glenn Alea answered questions regarding the continuing professional development (CPD) units, while Ms. Edna Mijares answered those related to the purchase of the chemist seal.

In summary, the symposium served its purpose in informing its audience on the said topics, and as a venue of constructive criticisms and suggestions regarding such.

To view the presentation slides from this event, please click on this link.

Manila, Philippines – Since the implementation of the Continuing Professional Development in July 2017, no professional who applied for the renewal of his/her professional ID has ever been denied by PRC due to incomplete or lacking CPD units. The PRC exercises maximum flexibility in the implementation of the CPD and has made available for the professionals the Undertaking embedded in the Professional Identification Card (PIC) renewal form, thereby allowing the professional to complete and submit only the CPD units in the next renewal period three years after his/her first renewal under CPD Law.

The PRC directed all CPD Councils of the 43 regulated professions to review and if necessary, make amendments to their respective CPD Operational Guidelines to address the clamor of the professionals. Some CPD Councils have revised their respective operational guidelines to further make CPD more accessible and affordable.

PRC appeals on all professionals who care about public safety and welfare, those who wish to deliver the best services to their clients, patients and students to stand up, adhere and support this effort of the government in ensuring that our professionals are not left behind in information, skills, knowledge for the good and well-being of our countrymen.

Every year, the Professional Regulation Commission honors the outstanding professional from each profession during the PRC Week which is held every June. We would like to invite ICP members to nominate individuals for the honor of Outstanding Chemist of 2018.

The criteria for selection include the following:
1. Professional Competence and Integrity in the exercise of the Chemistry profession
2. Meaningful participation in professional activities through the professional organization
3. Significant contributions to the advancement of the Chemistry profession
4. Evidence of social responsibility through meaningful social activities

The Outstanding Chemist can come from government, industry or academe. The evidence for outstanding performance will depend on the sector where the nominee comes from. The nominees have to be evaluated and endorsed by ICP. The deadline for submission to ICP is on March 1 (Thursday).

You may download the criteria by clicking on this link. For relevant forms and further details, please contact the ICP via email (integratedchemists@gmail.com).

Let us recognize the Outstanding Chemists among us!

The Bacolod chapter of the Integrated Chemists of the Philippines, under its chapter president Ms. Roselyn Usero, has successfully organized their inaugural oath-taking ceremonies for this year’s new chemists and chemical technicians in the morning of 11 December 2017 at the Nature’s Village Resort in Talisay City, Negros Occidental.

The event was attended by sixty board-passers, their parents and guests, and was graced by Ms. Edna Mijares (ICP VP-Externals) and Hon. Adoracion Resurreccion and Hon. Ma. Teresa Cayton (PRC Board of Chemistry). An inspirational message was also given by Diamond Jeff Paug, topnotcher in the inaugural chemical technician licensure examination, in behalf of the board-passers who have attended.

For the afternoon session, the vibrant regional chapter organized two seminars for its esteemed members. The first seminar was on Good Laboratory Practice in Chemical Laboratories given by Mr. Nick Tan (St. Scholastica’s College Manila; ICP-National), while the second one was on Elemental Analysis Using Energy Dispersive XRF and Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy given by Mr. Sean Dalawampu (Shimadzu Philippines).

The Integrated Chemists of the Philippines (ICP) warmly welcomes the addition of two new regional chapters: Central Luzon and Calabarzon. They have been formally announced during the sidelines of the 1st National Conference on Chemical Laboratories on 28-29 November 2017 at the Century Park Hotel in Manila, where their inaugural set of officers were also inducted.

The officers of the Central Luzon chapter are: Maria Carmela Capule, president; Angel Timario, vice-president; Diana Cecilia Zambrano-Estrella, secretary; Mayflor Candelaria, treasurer; Roel dela Vega, auditor; Evelyn Labastilla, public information officer; and Danila Paragas, Rohit Tilwani, and Danilo Espiritu, Jr., board members.

 

Meanwhile, the officers of the Calabarzon chapter are: Arvin Paul Tuaño, president; Alvin Basco, vice-president; Melvin Sucaldito, secretary; Loida Pacaro, treasurer; Benjo Salvatierra, auditor; Guiller Sarmenta, public information officer; and Julius Leonard Vivar, Andy Aquino, and Eleanor de Jesus, board members.

The ICP now has nine regional chapters and two clusters. Regional chapters help the national chapter and the PRC Board of Chemistry (BOC) in further disseminating information regarding the practice of chemistry profession in the country to their constituents. They also offer logistical assistance whenever the BOC members inspect chemical laboratories in their area of jurisdiction.