1. CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR PHILIPPINE AGRICULTURISTS
Presented by
DR. EVELYN ARO-ESQUEJO
President, PhilEASNet
2nd Philippine Association of Agriculturists, Inc. National Congress, 26-27, 2014, Tagaytay International Convention Center, Tagaytay City

2. Scope of Presentation
Features of the Proposed Continuing Professional Development Act of 2014 (SB 1005, sponsored by Sen. Antonio Trillanes)
Pre-PAA Congress Workshop
Implications: Issues and Challenges
Proposals on the CPD

3. Title Continuing Professional Development Act of 2014
Continuing Professional Development or “CPD” refers to the acquisition of enhanced, advanced and new competencies of Filipino Professional

4. Rationale
Need to promote and upgrade the practice of professions in the country, thus institute measures that will continuously improve the competence of Filipino professionals in accordance with international standards of practice

5. Need to institutionalize and strengthen the existing Continuing Professional Development of the PRC in each of the regulated professions
46 Professional Regulatory Boards which exercise administrative, quasi-legislative, quasi-judicial powers

6. Objectives of the CPD Program of the PRC
Enhance and upgrade the competencies and qualification of professionals for the practice of their professions pursuant to the Philippine Qualification Framework (PQF) and ASEAN Qualification Reference Framework (AQRF) and the requirements of ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs)

7. Philippine Qualification Framework is a quality assured national system for the development, recognition and award of qualification at defined levels based on standards of knowledge, skills and values acquired in different ways and methods by learners and workers.
ASEAN Qualification Framework is a device that enables comparisons of qualifications across ASEAN member states

8. Ensure international alignment of competencies and qualification of Filipino Professionals through Career Progression mechanisms leading to specialization/sub-specialization

9. Ensures the development of quality assured mechanism for the validation and accreditation and recognition of formal, non-formal and informal learning outcomes including professional work experiences and recognition of prior learning.

10. Prior Learning refers to the individual’s skills, knowledge and competencies that have been acquired through work experience, unrecognized training, independent study, volunteer activities and hobbies that may be applied for academic credit towards requirement of a training program or for occupational certification.

11. Ensure maintenance of core competencies and development of advanced and new competencies in response to the national, regional and international labor market needs.
Recognize and ensure the contribution of Filipino Professionals to the upliftment of the general welfare, economic growth, and development of the nation.

12. Nature of CPD Programs
Activities ranging from structured to non-structured activities with learning processes and outcomes.
Formal Learning
Non Formal Learning
Informal Learning
Self-Directed Learning Activities
On-line Learning Activities
Professional Work Experience

13. Formal Learning refers to structured educational arrangement such as curricula, qualifications and teaching learning requirements that takes place in education and training institutions recognized, by relevant national authorities and leads to diplomas and qualifications

14. Non-Formal Learning is a learning which is embedded in planned activities not explicitly designated as learning (in terms of learning objectives, learning time or learning support)

15. Informal Learning is learning that results from daily activities related to work family or leisure and are in most cases not intentional. It is not organized or structured in terms of objectives, time or learning support

16. Self-Directed Learning refers to learning activities and processes that have been managed and acquired by the professional himself/herself.

17. Program Implementation
Review existing and formulate new CPD Programs in their respective regulated professions;
Formulate, adopt and promulgate guidelines and procedures for the implementation of the CPD program;
Organize CPD Councils for each of the regulated professions and promulgate guidelines for their operation;

18. Coordinate with concerned government agencies, academe and concerned private organizations in the implementation of the CPD Program and other measures provided under this Act.
Coordinate with concerned government agencies for mechanisms and guidelines to grant and transfer credit units earned from all the learning processes and activities pursuant to this Act;

19. CPD Credit Units describes the value of an amount of learning that can be transferred to a qualification achieved from formal, informal and non formal learning settings wherein credits can be accumulated to predetermined levels for the award of a qualification.

20. The CPD Council For every regulated profession
Under the supervision of the PRB concerned
Chairperson and two members
PRB member chosen by PRB to sit in the CPDC, as Chairperson
President/Officer of the Accredited Professional Organization (APO) authorized by the APO Board
President/Officer of the national organization of deans or department chairman of SUCs offering the course of the regulated profession

21. Term of Office: co-terminus with their respective term of office in the PRB, APO and the national organization of deans and department chairpersons of SUCs
Shall determine its own budget

22. Functions
Ensure the adequate and appropriate provision of the CPD programs for the profession.
Evaluate and act on applications for accreditation of CPD providers and their respective CPD programs.
Monitor the implementation of the CPD programs

23. Assess annually and/or upgrade the criteria for accreditation of CPD providers and their respective CPD programs
Provide guidelines and mechanisms for the validation, accreditation and recognition of self-directed learning, prior/informal learning, on-line learning , learning processes through professional work experience

24. Conduct researches, studies and benchmarking for international alignment of CPD programs
Issue operational guidelines; and
Perform such other functions related or incidental to the implementation of the CPD

25. CPDC Secretariat Under the PRC
Headed by an Executive Director to be appointed by the Chairperson of PRC
Provide technical, administrative and operational support to the CPD Council and PRBs in the implementation of CPD programs.
With counterpart CPDC Secretariat at the PRC Regional Office to provide technical, administrative and operational support in the implementation of CPD Programs at the regional and provincial levels

26. Renewal of License and Accreditation
The Continuing Professional Development for every professional registered under the PRC is hereby made as mandatory requirement in the renewal of professional license for purpose of accreditation of competencies and qualification in the practice of profession.

27. Recognition of Credit Units
All duly validated and recognized CPD credit units earned by a professional shall be accumulated and transferred pursuant to Pathways and Equivalencies Of the Philippine Qualification Framework
The PRC and PRBs in collaboration with CHED, TESDA, DepEd and CSC shall formulate guidelines and standards to implement this section

28. Career Progression and Specialization
The PRC and PRBs in consultation with the APOs, CSC, other concerned government agencies and industry stakeholders shall formulate and implement a career progression and specialization Program to form part of the CPD.
The CSC, DOLE, PRC, and PRB shall update the qualification standards of all positions in government and private firms or establishments involving the practice of profession to align and meet the requirements of the Professional Regulatory Laws , Philippine Qualification Framework.

29. Role of Concerned Government Agencies and the Private Sector
All concerned government agencies and private firms and organizations employing professionals shall include the CPD as part of their human resource development plan and program and allocate the necessary funding requirement for the attendance of their professionals in CPD programs.

30. Fraud Relating to CPD
Fraudulent acts relating to compliances and the implementation and enforcement of this act shall be punishable by the pertinent provisions of the Penal Code and the Civil Code as well as of other applicable laws.

31. In the case of the professionals committing fraudulent Act relating to CPD system, the penalty shall be suspension of revocation of the professional registration and/or license or of the specialization certificate, depending on the gravity of the offense
In the case of government officials party to fraud relating to CPD, additional penalties may be imposed in relation violations of anti-graft laws, the administrative code and the code of conduct of public officials

32. PAA Pre-Congress workshop September 15-16, 2014, Days Hotel Tagaytay City

33. Implications Issues and Challenges Preparations that needs to be done
Guidelines for CPD
Creation of CPD Council
Structure and representation by area of concern
Qualifications and functions/responsibilities
Specific implementation scheme for CPD – what, who, how, how much
Member organization’s training needs to be addressed
Skills to focus CPD on

34. CPD
The inculcation, assimilation and acquisition of knowledge, skills, proficiency, and ethical and moral values, after the initial registration of a professional, that raise and enhance his technical skills and competence

35. Purposes
To provide and ensure the continuous education of a registered professional with the latest trends in the profession brought about by modernization, scientific and technological advancement;
To raise and maintain the professional’s capability for delivering professional services;

36. Purposes
To attain and maintain the highest standards and quality in the practice of his/her profession;
To comply with the professional’s continuing ethical standard requirements;
To make the professional globally competitive; and
To promote the general welfare of the public.

37. CPD Programs
Consist of properly planned and structured activities, the implementation of which requires the participation of a determined group of professionals to meet the requirements of maintaining and improving their occupational standards and ethics.
Compliance with the CPE/CPD programs is deemed a moral obligation of each professional and within the context of the concerned profession’s code of ethics.
Considered a necessary, effective and credible means of ensuring competence, integrity and global competitiveness.

38. PRC Resolution No. 466, Series of 2008
Each Professional Regulatory Board (e.g. Agriculture) should create a CPD Council within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of the Resolution
To be approved by the PRC
CPD Council shall assist its corresponding PRB in implementing its CPD programs.

39. CPD Technical Working Committee
Organize CPD Technical Working Committee in each of the member organizations
Assist the CPD Council in promulgating guidelines and procedures for the implementation of CPD Program for Agriculturists including the grant and transfer of credit units earned from all the learning processes and activities
Formulate new CPD Program for each of the agriculture fields of specialization
Coordinate with concerned entities for the implementation of CPD Programs

40. Create a PAA Technical Working Committee which will oversee the implementation of the CPD for Agriculturists
To monitor and evaluate the implementation of CPD programs
To accredit providers/lecturers for CPD programs of member organizations
To establish guidelines for CPD credit units

41. Office of the President
CPDS
CPDC
PRC
Office of the President
DOLE
Technical Working Group
PRC

42. Technical Working Committee
PAA CPD Council
Technical Working Committee
CSSP
ISSAAS
PAEDA
PhilEASNet
PMCP
PSSST
PSAS

43. CPD Provider
A natural person or juridical entity, including among others
An accredited or non-accredited professional organization
Firm
Partnership
Corporation or institution
offering, organizing or arranging CPD activities for implementation and administration.

44. CPD Program Monitoring
The CPD Council is empowered to monitor periodically the implementation of CPD activities.
Monitoring may either be:
CPD Council on-the-spot monitoring
In coordination with accredited CPD Monitor/s

45. Accreditation shall be withdrawn from the CPD Provider who:
Accredited CPD Monitors are professionals trained to participate in the evaluation of the CPD activities.
Accreditation shall be withdrawn from the CPD Provider who:
Is found not complying with the prescribed rules and regulations for CPD,
Has committed substantial deviation from the approved activity,
Has submitted false reports, or
Has committed such other acts that the Council finds to be in violation of the interest of the activity.

46. Work Plan Activities Timeline Actors Presentation to 2nd PAA Congress
November, 2014
PAA Vice President
Designation and appointment of members of the Technical Working Committee
January, 2015
PAA President
Preparation of guidelines for PAA CPD
June, 2015
PAA TWC
Preparation and submission of CPD programs by each member organization
September, 2015
PAA respective member organizations
Application for accreditation with PRC
July 2015
Launching of CPD

47. Thank you for listening!