The two-day regional conference of members of the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers of the Philippines Inc., that started yesterday in Dumaguete City will take up loopholes in the signing and sealing of plans, drawings and technical designs.

The law says it is illegal for a Professional Electrical Engineer to sign and seal drawings and designs that are done by others. The practice can be a sufficient ground for revocation of the electrical engineer's license for unprofessional and dishonorable conduct.

More than 200 electrical engineers from Eastern and Central Visayas are attending the conference hosted by Wilfredo Canizares, to enhance their skills and be updated on recent trends in the electrical engineering profession. The IIEE is also celebrating its 40 th anniversary, on the theme “A Journey of Service for Excellence”.

During the conference, Canizares said that a proposed amendment to the New Electrical Engineering Law, or Republic Act 7920, will be presented to the members, for comments, suggestions or revisions, and will then be presented to Congress for the drafting of a new law.

He said he believes some provisions of RA 7920 need to be amended to suit the present times with a lot of challenges confronting the profession and for the electrical engineers to be competitive.

Meanwhile, Sheila Cabaraban, president of electrical engineers all over the country, said she understands the predicament of local government officials in not being able to hire PEEs or REEs.

She said the IIEE has been lobbying for LGUs to create plantilla positions for municipal or city electrical engineers but due to budgetary constraints, a lot of the LGUs cannot hire electrical engineers, especially PEEs, who are the ones who can sign and seal technical documents, drawings, designs and technical plans.

Records show there are only about 4,000 Professional Electrical Engineers in the country, who can seal and sign technical plans. Cabaraban said the regional conference is timely as amendments are being introduced to the EEL of 1995.

Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo, a mechanical engineer who was the keynote speaker at the opening ceremony yesterday, and he encouraged them to continue learning and honing their skills, and reinforcing technical knowledge and competence.

He thanked the IIEE for choosing Dumaguete City and Negros Oriental for their 15 th regional conference, and said “It's more fun in the Philippines, but the fun starts in Negros Oriental, naturally.”

James Tan is the president of the local IIEE chapter.*JG

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