The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) has opened the nominations for the 2022 Outstanding Professional of the Year Award. Please see the attached PRC Memo Circular No. 12. 

ICP President Dr. Toby Dayrit formed a search committee, headed by Dr. Glenn Alea. The committee will choose our best three candidates for the 2022 Outstanding Chemist Award and submit the nominations to PRC.

In connection with this, if you have chemists in mind who will qualify, we highly encourage you to nominate them. Below are the criteria and qualifications. 

Since PRC requires a lot of documents from our final three nominees, it will be best if the committee informs the nominees way before the deadline of submission set by PRC, which is on 08 Apr 2022.

Submit us the names for nomination on or before Thursday, 31 March 2022 to glenn.alea[at]dlsu.edu.ph.

Click here to view the Roster of PRC Outstanding Professional of the Year in the Field of Chemistry Awardees »

Click here to view PRC Memorandum Circular No. 12 dated November 27, 2017 »

Click on a link below to view the respective file:

• Full text of the Official Result
• List of successful Examinees who garnered the ten (10) highest places in the Chemist Exam
• List of successful Examinees who garnered the three (3) highest places in the Chemical Technician Exam
• Performance of Schools
• List of Successful Examinees

Source: PRC Website

Registration to the PRC. From December 6 to December 16, 2021, registration for the issuance of Professional Identification Card (ID) and Certificate of Registration will be done on-line. Please go to www.prc.gov.ph and follow instructions for initial registration. Those who will register are required to bring the following: downloaded duly accomplished Oath Form or Panunumpa ng Propesyonal, notice of admission (for identification only), 2 pieces passport sized pictures (colored with white background and complete name tag), 2 sets of documentary stamps and 1 piece short brown envelope. Successful examinees should personally register and sign in the Roster of Registered Professionals.

Membership to the ICP. Newly-registered chemists and chemical technicians are required to become members of the Integrated Chemists of the Philippines (ICP), the accredited professional organization of chemists and chemical technicians in the country recognized by the PRC. Click on the link below to learn how to become an active ICP member.

Oath-taking Ceremony of board-passers. The date and venue for the oathtaking ceremony of the new successful examinees in the said examination WILL BE ANNOUNCED LATER.

Congratulations to this year’s board-passers, and welcome to the chemistry profession!

The Integrated Chemists of the Philippines (ICP) is immensely proud of Ms. Edna C. Mijares, its immediate past vice-president for external affairs, for being the recipient of the Service to the Chemistry Profession award from the Philippine Federation of Chemistry Societies (PFCS). She will be honored in an awarding ceremony during the conduct of the 35th Philippine Chemistry Congress on 24 September 2021. The article below is the official citation, written by ICP President Dr. Fabian M. Dayrit.

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It is rare to find someone who has contributed to the advancement of chemistry in the Philippines to all of the sectors and through intangible dimensions. The PFCS wishes to honor such a rare person and now has the privilege to confer the Award of Service to the Profession to Ms. Edna Callejas-Mijares, RCh.

Edna has contributed significantly to the industry, government, and academe sectors. As president and chief operating officer of Jefcor Laboratories Inc., she has nurtured and developed one of the leading chemical analytical laboratories in the country, assisting the agricultural sector to meet the stringent requirements of pesticide residue analysis. For her work in this area, two key societies in this area recognized her achievements: the Philippine Association of Entomologists recognized her twice with the Most Outstanding Entomologist in Entrepreneurship Award in 2002 and the F.B. Calora Award for Outstanding Entomologist in 2015, while the Pest Management Council of the Philippines gave her the Achievement Award in Pest Management in 2004. Edna has been a sought-after consultant for many major agribusiness enterprises in the country. Clearly, Edna knows how to handle pests!

With her considerable experience in business and chemical analysis, Edna has been a key member in the numerous government regulatory, standards and law enforcement agencies, such as the Philippine Pesticide Authority, the Department of Health, Bureau of Product Standards, Environmental Management Bureau, and the Philippine National Police, among others. She has also generously contributed her time, knowledge, and financial resources to help students at all levels, from elementary school to undergraduate and graduate levels, including review sessions for the Chemistry licensure examinations and OJT opportunities at Jefcor.

Edna stands out through many intangibles that have truly strengthened the profession. This is exemplified by the award that her beloved alma mater, Silliman University, conferred upon her in 2011: the Outstanding Silliman Alumni Awardee in Entrepreneurship in Chemistry.

And, of course, we cannot fail to mention Edna’s 20 years of dedicated and transformative service to the ICP. Edna gave her invaluable support for the passage of the Chemistry Profession Law (now Republic Act 10657) in 2015 after a 15-year effort. As ICP’s Vice-President for External Affairs, Edna worked tirelessly for the implementation of RA 10657, assisting the Board of Chemistry, and helped the various ICP chapters become stronger.

Last, but certainly not the least, this is an award that recognizes Edna’s generosity. One of her awards which may seem less prestigious but is very meaningful is the Bagonhon Gawad Award in Philanthropy which was given during the Bago City 50th Charter Anniversary in February 2016. The Callejas-Mijares Scholarship Foundation Inc., which she and her equally generous husband Jeff established, has been providing scholarships for poor but deserving students from their hometown.

For these and many more contributions that have not been mentioned, the PFCS is proud to confer the 2021 Service to the Profession Award to Ms. Edna Callejas-Mijares!

The Philippines bagged two silver and one bronze medals from the recently concluded 53rd International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO), held last 25 July to 2 August 2021 hosted by Japan. This edition of the IChO, the second one to be organized remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, gathered more than 300 participants from a record 85 countries and regions.

Comprising this year’s Team Philippines to the 53rd IChO were:

• Nathan Wayne F. Ariston (Philippine Science High School [PSHS] – Central Mindanao Campus)
• Ron Angelo A. Gelacio (PSHS – Main Campus)
• Aames Juriel B. Morales (De La Salle University [DLSU] Integrated School – Senior High School, Manila Campus)
• Kristoff John F. Padilla (PSHS – Central Mindanao Campus)

The other members of the 2021 delegation are: Dr. Jose Andaya – PSHS-CALABARZON Campus (Country Coordinator and Head Mentor); Dr. Faith Marie Lagua – De La Salle University (Mentor and Head Coach).

The team was passionately trained for two weeks by a coaching staff composed of highly-skilled chemistry professors. The coaching team are comprised of the following:
1. Analytical Chemistry Cluster: Dr. Ian Ken Dimzon, (Head of Cluster) (ADMU) and Dr. Raymond Malabed (DLSU)
2. Biochemistry Cluster: Dr. Hilbert Magpantay, (Head of Cluster) (DLSU) and Dr. Maria Karmella Apaya (UPD)
3. Inorganic Chemistry Cluster: Dr. Nestor Valera, (Head of Cluster) (ADMU) and Mr. Rob Jeremiah Nuguid (Paul Scherrer Institute)
4. Organic Chemistry Cluster: Ms. Valerie Christie Miclat, (Head of Cluster) (ADMU); Dr. Virgilio Ebajo, (Head of Cluster) (DLSU); Dr. Irene Villasenor (UPD), Dr. Eric Punzalan (DLSU), Dr. Jose Paolo Bantang (DLSU) and Dr. Faith Lagua (DLSU)
5. Physical Chemistry Cluster: Dr. Christopher Jay Robidillo, (Head of Cluster) (UPM) and Dr. Gil Claudio (UPD)
Guest coach: Mr. Michael Tantoco – last year’s Silver medalist also spent a few sessions with the delegates to give them problem solving strategies for the exam.

In its interactive virtual opening ceremony last July 25, participants transformed into their online avatar counterparts which was much appreciated given the current circumstances. They were all warmly welcomed by Dr. Kohei Tamao, president and chairman of the 53rd IChO Organizing Committee.

The examination proper of the competition was held last July 28. Contestants from around the world answered nine challenging problems for five hours in the comfort of their own homes with their respective parents or guardians serving as invigilators that monitored their conduct. Of course, it was not all serious work for the delegates. The organizers made sure that despite being a purely virtual event, videos and virtual tours promoting Japan’s Kansai region, where the in-person competition should have been held, were shared much to the delight of the participants.

In its virtual closing ceremony held last August 2, the 53rd IChO organizing committee awarded medals and citations to the winners. Mr. Ariston and Mr. Gelacio each obtained a silver medal, while Mr. Morales clinched a bronze; this is the Philippines’s best medal haul yet from the IChO. At the conclusion of the closing ceremony, Japan handed over the IChO flag to China, the host country of the next IChO in 2022.

First held in 1968, the IChO is the most prestigious annual competition in chemistry for high school students. It aims to generate student interest in chemistry through solving of creative yet challenging problems and to promote international friendship, scientific cooperation, and pedagogical exchange among delegates. Team Philippines’ participation was made possible by the sponsorship of ICP UNILAB chapter in partnership with the Philippine Federation of Chemistry Societies (PFCS) through the efforts of Mr. Arjay C. Cubos, President of the ICP-UNILAB Cluster. The Philippines first sent competing delegates to the IChO in 2017; to date, it has proudly amassed four silver and nine bronze medals, and one honorable mention citation.

Article written by Mr. Nick Tan (Digital Engagement Manager, Integrated Chemists of the Philippines), with contributions from Dr. Jose Andaya (Board Director, Philippine Association of Chemistry Teachers) and Dr. Faith Lagua (Board Secretary, Kapisanang Kimika ng Pilipinas).

In view of mitigating the spread of COVID-19, the Professional Regulation Commission has released a resolution that designates additional testing centers for the upcoming chemist and chemical technician licensure examinations.

In addition to Metro Manila, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, and Cebu, testing centers will be set up in the following areas: Davao, Iloilo, Legazpi (Albay), Lucena (Quezon), Koronadal (South Cotabato), Pampanga, Tacloban (Leyte), and Zamboanga.

Click here to view/download the said resolution.

The 2021 Chemist and Chemical Technician Licensure Examinations are slated to happen on October 27-28 and October 29, respectively.