1.3 Code of Ethics & Professional Practice for Electrical Engineers

1.3 Code of Ethics & Professional Practice for Electrical Engineers

Legislative Origin & Fundamental Canons of Electrical Ethics

Professional ethics in electrical engineering is not merely a set of discretionary guidelines; it is a statutory obligation enforced by the PRC Board of Electrical Engineering, and Section 29 of RA 7920 makes violation of the Code of Professional Ethics a ground for suspension or revocation of a certificate of registration.

Use the current code. The instrument in force is the Revised Code of Ethics for Licensed Electrical Engineering Practitioners, issued as Annex "A" of Professional Regulatory Board of Electrical Engineering Resolution No. 65, series of 2024, which repealed Board Resolution No. 08 (s. 2011). It applies to all three cadres — PEE, REE and RME — and reviewers that still reproduce the older code are out of date. The revision added explicit provisions on social media conduct, environmental sustainability, inclusivity, intellectual property, plagiarism and the global impact of engineering work that did not appear in the earlier text.

Structure of the Revised Code (Resolution No. 65, s. 2024)

Memorise this ordering. Under the revised code the public-welfare duty sits in Article I, not in a later article, and the client-and-employer duties are in Article II.

Because electrical energy possesses extreme potential for severe harm—including electrocution, arc flash blasts, electrical fires, and catastrophic grid collapse—the practice of electrical engineering carries profound public safety responsibilities. The fundamental canon governing the profession dictates that technical competence must always be paired with uncompromising ethical integrity.

---

Mandatory Duties and Responsibilities to the Public

Article I of the Revised Code, "Professional Life", defines the engineer's paramount duty to the public. Section 6 of that Article requires the practitioner to "always have due regard for the safety of the life and health of his/her employees, other workers, as well as of the public, and for the protection of property that may be affected by the work under his/her responsibility." In all professional activities, public safety, human health and welfare supersede commercial interests, client demands or personal financial gain.

Key Public Safety Directives

1. Paramount Obligation to Life and Safety: Electrical engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public. They must ensure that all electrical designs, construction installations, and operating procedures strictly comply with the Philippine Electrical Code (PEC Parts 1 & 2) and national environmental safety laws.
2. Action When Judgment is Overruled: If an electrical engineer's professional judgment is overruled by a client, building owner, or executive supervisor under circumstances that endanger life, health, or public safety, the engineer has an explicit mandatory duty to:
   • Express formal written objection to the client or supervisor detailing the exact technical safety violation;
   • Notify the proper public regulatory authorities (e.g., Office of the Building Official, PRC, or BEE);
   • Refuse to sign, seal, or approve the non-compliant plans or installations, and withdraw from further professional engagement on the compromised portion of the project.
3. Truthful Public Statements: Electrical engineers shall issue public statements, technical reports, or expert testimonies only in an objective, truthful manner, relying strictly on verified engineering data and scientific principles.

---

Ethical Obligations to Clients and Employers

Article II of the Revised Code, "Relation with Client and Employer", details the professional relationship between the electrical engineer and the client or employer. Section 1 requires the practitioner to be "fair, impartial, and reasonable" in rendering service, and Section 7 forbids divulging confidential matters without consent. The engineer is bound to act as a faithful agent or trustee, and the revised code adds express duties on non-disclosure agreements, plagiarism, honest advertising and disclosure of conflicts of interest.

Key Client-Employer Ethical Rules

• Confidentiality & Trade Secrets: Engineers shall strictly preserve the confidentiality of commercial secrets, proprietary process designs, and technical data acquired during their employment or professional engagement, even after the professional relationship has terminated.
• Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Engineers must promptly disclose in writing to their clients or employers any financial interest, business connection, or affiliation that could potentially bias or influence their technical judgment.
• Prohibition of Dual Compensation & Kickbacks:
  • Engineers shall not accept financial compensation, fee splits, or commissions from more than one party for services rendered on the same project, unless full written disclosure is made to all interested parties and explicit written consent is secured from each.
  • Engineers are strictly forbidden from soliciting or accepting gratuities, rebates, allowances, or kickbacks directly or indirectly from equipment manufacturers, material suppliers, or installation contractors in exchange for specifying their products.

---

Professional Conduct Toward Colleagues & Peer Relations

Article III of the Revised Code, "Relation with Fellow Engineers", establishes guidelines for professional collegiality, fair competition and peer dignity. Its Section 5 specifically forbids competing with another engineer by underbidding after the results of a public bidding are announced, and the revised code adds duties of inclusivity, fair treatment of colleagues, environmental responsibility and the reporting of unethical conduct:

• Dignity of the Profession: Engineers shall uphold the dignity, honor, and reputation of the electrical engineering profession, refraining from self-laudatory advertising or false claims.
• Fair Professional Competition: Engineers shall not attempt to supplant another engineer after definite steps have been taken toward employment, nor shall they engage in predatory fee cutting intended to undercut a colleague.
• Protection of Professional Reputation: Engineers shall not falsely or maliciously injure, directly or indirectly, the professional reputation, prospects, or practice of another engineer.
• Proper Attribution & Plagiarism: Engineers shall not take credit for the engineering work, software code, circuit designs, or research generated by peers or subordinates. Credit must be explicitly assigned to those to whom credit is due.
• Mentorship: Engineers have a moral duty to encourage and assist junior engineers and subordinates in their professional development and registration.

---

Official Professional Seals, Signing Protocols & Permit Authority

Statutory Basis of the Professional Seal (RA 7920 Section 33)

Pursuant to Section 33 of RA 7920, every licensed Professional Electrical Engineer (PEE) must obtain an official seal of a design prescribed by the Board.

$\text{PEE Seal Outer Diameter} = 40\text{ mm}, \quad \text{Statutory Civil Liability Period (Civil Code Art. 1723)} = 15\text{ years}$

                      PEE OFFICIAL DRY / WET SEAL FORMAT
                         ┌─────────────────────────┐
                         │   OFFICIAL PEE SEAL     │
                         │  Outer Dia: 40 mm       │
                         │                         │
                         │   NAME OF REGISTRANT    │
                         │  REGISTRATION NO. XXXX  │
                         │                         │
                         │  PROFESSIONAL ELECTRICAL│
                         │        ENGINEER         │
                         │       PHILIPPINES       │
                         └─────────────────────────┘

Specifications & Legal Meaning of the Seal

• Physical Dimensions: Circular design with a 40 mm outer diameter. The space between the outer and inner concentric circles contains the text "PROFESSIONAL ELECTRICAL ENGINEER" at the top and "PHILIPPINES" at the bottom. The inner circle contains the registrant's full name and license registration number.
• Legal Significance: Stamping an electrical plan, specification, single-line diagram, or report with the PEE dry/wet seal and signature signifies that the document was personally prepared by the PEE or executed under their direct, personal engineering supervision.
• Strict Prohibition Against "Sealing-for-Hire": Signing or dry-sealing plans prepared by unauthorized individuals (unlicensed draftsmen, contractors, or building owners) without direct supervision and personal design control is illegal. Known colloquially as "sealing-for-hire" or "stamping," this practice constitutes gross unethical conduct and illegal practice under RA 7920.

---

Legal Liability, Civil Code Article 1723 & License Revocation Procedures

Ground for License Revocation (RA 7920 Section 29)

The Board of Electrical Engineering possesses statutory authority to suspend or revoke a practitioner's Certificate of Registration and Professional ID Card upon any of the following grounds:

• Conviction of any criminal offense involving moral turpitude;
• Gross incompetence, malpractice, or severe negligence in the performance of professional duties;
• Unprofessional or unethical conduct violating the Revised Code of Ethics (PRB Resolution No. 65, s. 2024);
• Fraud, misrepresentation, or deceit in obtaining a license certificate;
• Permitting an unlicensed person to use one's professional seal or license card.

Civil Liability under Civil Code Article 1723

In addition to administrative penalties imposed by the PRC, engineers who sign and seal electrical designs carry severe civil liability under Article 1723 of the Civil Code of the Philippines:

Civil Code Article 1723 (Statutory Presumption of Liability): The engineer or architect who drew up the plans and specifications for a building or structure is liable for damages if within fifteen (15) years from the completion of the structure, the same should collapse or suffer major structural failure on account of defects in the plans and specifications, or due to defects in the ground.

In electrical engineering practice, if a building fire, high-voltage explosion, or fatal electrocution is traced by forensic investigation to fundamental errors in electrical protection calculations, conductor sizing, or grounding plans signed by a PEE, the engineer faces 15-year joint civil liability alongside the contractor.