My Professional Registrations

In the old Philippine Electrical Engineering Law (Republic Act No. 184), there were three (3) grades of Electrical Engineers. The grades are Assistant Electrical Engineer (AEE), Associate Electrical Engineer (AssoEE) and Professional Electrical Engineer (PEE). The first grade (AEE) has a very limited area of practices. It is even better to be a Master Electrical than an AEE.On the other hand,  AssoEE is a back-door for other disciplines to become a PEE and practice the full scope of electrical engineering even if they don’t have an electrical engineering degree.

These flaws in the RA 184 prompted authorities to amend it thus the new Electrical Engineering Law RA 7920. Moreso, RA 184 was based on the American law. Now, there are only two grades, registered electrical engineer and professional electrical engineers.

In the new law, a REE wanting to become a PEE need not undergo the usual board exmination process. In RA 184, it was a three (3) consecutive day exams plus the Engineering report which is basically an electrical design report.

Now, to become a PEE, only the electrical design report is required notwithstanding the years of experience a REE need to complete to be able to qualify.

I have gone through all the three grades of Electrical Engineers. I took my AEE board examinations in October 1983. I was hoping to get on the top ten but failed. I am 0.3 percentage points away from my classmate who is got 9th place. I was very frustrated. As someone who have not attended any review classes, I am consoled that I did have a high rating on the board examinations.

In April 1990, I took the AssoEE board examination just for fun. I was getting bored at work and rather than just having that daily dose of beer at the pub near the office, I found some myself reading some electrical books just a few week before examination. When the results was released, I was one of fifteen (15) successful examinees.

Passing the AssoEE licensure examinations made me more serious to become a PEE. Thus just enrolled at a review class at one of the famous electrical review schools in Manila (care of Engr Eldorado Corpus). I attended the full review classes which took several months. But unfortunately, when I applied for the PEE licensure examination, I was rejected. I don’t know why. Since then I stopped attending review classes.

In February 1991, I re-applied for the PEE examinations, and finally my application was approved by the Board of Electrical Engineering Examiners. I said to myself, this is getting serious. I enrolled on a remedial review classunder Engr. Reduben Andaya. I was with other engineers from NPC and Meralco in the review class.

During this time, I was then doing the concept definition design for our company expansion plant in Sto Tomas, Batangas with mentoring from the late Engr Sirio Reyes (PEE#65 – also a PME). This was the first time I was involved in the full scope of electrical design.

I remember when the review class discussed about electrical design, I argued with Engr Andaya that his assumptions are too theoritical, I told him that in actual design works, that was not the case. He then said to me, “Marami ng magagaling na engineers sa Pilipinas” translated “there now too many intelligent engineers in the Philippines”. I can’t blame him, he topped all the 3 grades board examinations.

His words became a challenge to me to strive harder. And to make the story short, I got first place on the Professional Electrical Examination in April 1991. My happiness was unprecedented. I felt that I was walking on air.

Passing and topping the PEE licensure examinations, started my career in Electrical Engineering. I was able to attached the PEE after my name on my business card, and boosted my confidence in electrical design.

Recently, I have acquired my registration as a Professional Engineer of Queensland after going through a very intense process. As I was a graduate from a Philippine university which is not part of the Washington Accord as they call it, I need to undergo assessment through Engineers Australia. It was a tedious process but need to burn some eye brows in order to comply with the requirements.

Despite being a graduate from a third world country, there is no impossible if we strive to attain and be at par with the engineers from first world countries.