Dean's message

July 5, 2008

Welcome Remarks delivered during the

“Raison d’etre: Reflections on the State of the

EnP Profession in the Philippines”

A Forum sponsored by EnPraxis 

I would like to congratulate the EnPraxis for organizing this forum on the State of Environmental Planning Profession in the Philippines. I consider this event timely and important in getting the speakers' and participants' views and ideas on how to improve the planning profession in view of the proposed bill in Congress which will amend Presidential Decree (PD) 1308 of 1978.  

The UP SURP always strongly encourages its graduates to take the licensure exams. Many of them do and eventually become professional environmental planners. Some of those who did not take the board also practice environmental planning and become successful in their work too. 

Being a professional planner is prestigious; but it does not necessarily guarantee success in the profession although we realize its value added function. A client does not decide on the possession of license alone but on experience and reputation of the planner. I know of several urban and regional planners who do not have licenses but still become successful in their work. Why is this so? Why do unlicensed planners thrive in the business? 

The enforcement of the existing law or PD 1308 is poor; and its provisions are not even known to many government agencies, private firms, and international funding agencies such as the  Asian Development Bank (ADB), Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and the World Bank (WB). Hence, when contracts are bidded out, they do not require planners to be licensed. Also in their experience, many non-licensed planners they have hired before did a good job --- much more than they expected. Hence, why change the qualification requirements when all they want to see is that the applicant planner has well-rounded and long years of experience in planning.

In all the planning consultancies I have had, it was very rare that my client ask for my license. PD 1308 is widely and grossly violated in many contracts and by many contractors but there is no single case that was brought to court. Many practicing planners are of the opinion that the environmental planning law is elitist and was created to corner the planning market by a few people who crafted and had it legislated. I ask myself many times about these allegations and I cannot provide a factual answer because I am not familiar with the evolution and history of PD 1308.    

I can go on and on to discuss the issues on the Environmental Planning Profession, but this is not my task today. I am here to welcome you and leave you a short message. 

My short message is: “PD 1308 in all its intent had more failures than successes.” What can and will you do about it? 

Welcome to this forum.

Dr. CANDIDO A. CABRIDO, JR.

 
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