“The Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Law”

The practice of naval architecture and marine engineering within the meaning and intent of this Act shall embrace services in the form of plans, specifications, estimates, or supervision of the construction, alteration, or structural survey of any floating vessel or equipment, self-propelled or otherwise; plans or layouts, specifications, estimates or supervision of the installation of marine power plants and associated equipment including screw propeller, paddle wheel and Voith- Schneider propeller, or any other means of transmitting power from the main propulsion engine(s) to the buoyant fluid, marine auxiliaries, including refrigeration, air conditioning, ventilation, and heating plants and equipment and hull machineries; management, maintenance or operation of any shipyard, graving dock marine slipways, and any facility for the salvage, repair or maintenance of floating vessels or equipments. The enumeration of any work in this section shall not be construed as excluding any other work requiring naval architecture and marine engineering knowledge and application.

The practice of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering started to flourish in the country in 1942 when Rufino J. Martinez introduced boat-building and ship repair in Navotas, Rizal.

Five years later, the National Shipyard and Steel Corporation, the biggest and most modern shipyard at the time, built the 10,000-ton Graving Dock in Mariveles, Bataan for ship repair and 2,300- ton slipway for ship building. Several other vessels were constructed and repaired by Filipino practitioners, including oil tankers, tugboats, barges, aluminum alloy and steel patrol boats, and other multi-purpose naval vessels.

During this time, the Philippines ranked second in the Asian shipbuilding industry, next to Japan. The Filipino Naval Architects and Marine Engineers were also the first to design and built the two inter-island cargo passenger vessels of 1,750 tons.

Seeing the need to regulate the growing practice of naval architecture and marine engineering in the country, the Philippine Association of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (PANAME) lobbied in Congress for the passage of the bill for the regulation of the practice of the profession. On June 19, 1965, Republic Act No. 4565, otherwise known as “The Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Law,” was enacted. The law created the Board of Examiners for Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, initially composed of: Jesus J. Battad as Chairman, with Cipriano C. Bautista and Brigido R. Mungcal as Members.

Republic Act No. 4565 
An Act to Regulate the Practice of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering in the Philippines

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

Article I
TITLE OF THE ACT AND DEFINITION OF TERMS

This Act shall be known as. - The Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Law

Definition of Terms. - The practice of naval architecture and marine engineering within the meaning and intent of this Act shall embrace services in the form of plans, specifications, estimates, or supervision of the construction, alteration, or structural survey of any floating vessel or equipment, self-propelled or otherwise; plans or layouts, specifications, estimates or supervision of the installation of marine power plants and associated equipment including screw propeller, paddle wheel and Voith- Schneider propeller, or any other means of transmitting power from the main propulsion engine(s) to the buoyant fluid, marine auxiliaries, including refrigeration, air conditioning, ventilation, and heating plants and equipment and hull machineries; management, maintenance or operation of any shipyard, graving dock marine slipways, and any facility for the salvage, repair or maintenance of floating vessels or equipments. The enumeration of any work in this section shall not be construed as excluding any other work requiring naval architecture and marine engineering knowledge and application.

Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SONAME)

c/o Great Southern Maritime
2nd Floor, T.M. Kalaw Center,
667-A T. Kalaw Avenue,
Ermita, Manila
Tel No.:  536-1108 
Telefax:  523-3356
Website: http://www.soname.com/
Re-accredited: Res. No. 2009-510 dated May 12, 2009
 

Like most organizations, the Philippine Association of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (PANAME) started as a small group of fresh graduates who recognized the need to band together not only to disseminate or discuss technical matters but also to maintain the professional status of naval architecture and marine engineering in the country.

PANAME was originally a fraternity of third year students, the first group of students enrolled in the naval architecture and marine engineering course of NAMEI Polytechnic Institute, the only school offering the course in 1950s. The fraternity, which was named Sigma Nu Alpha, the Greek for Society of Naval Architects was formed in 1950 upon suggestion of Mr. Artemio Q. Posadas, then professor in Strength of Materials.

With the formation of PANAME, the members felt the need for a law that will govern the practice of naval architecture and marine engineering. Geronimo R. Cruz, PANAME’s first president, headed the committee that drafted the constitution and by-laws of the Association.

In 1965, the draft was passed by Congress and signed by President Diosdado Macapagal. Through the concerted efforts of G. R. Cruz, Eriberto Sarmiento and the other officers of the association, Republic Act No. 4565 was signed into law. The association is promoting the exchange of technical information and data by holding meetings and seminars. By these means, a lot of invaluable technical data becomes available to members who may not have the facility or the time to obtain them. Through technical meetings, the association becomes stronger and more united in various undertakings.

Right now, the association is the nucleus of local classification society. The Philippine Register of Shipping, a classification of Society like American Bureau of Shipping, Lloyds Register of Shipping and Nippon Kaiji, to name a few, which promulgate and enforce rules for the building and classing of vessels, whether self-propelled or non-selfpropelled. Accredited by PRC as the national professional organization of naval architects and marine engineers on August 13, 1975, the Association is a member of the Philippine Technological Council (PTC).

Today, it has approximately 400 members nationwide.

Qualification of Board Members

Each member of the Board shall at the time of his appointment:

1. Be a citizen and resident of the Philippines;
2. Be at least thirty years of age and of good moral character;
3. Be a graduate of naval architecture and marine engineering, with a bachelor of science degree, from a recognized and legally constituted school, college, institute or university;
4. Be a registered naval architecture and marine engineer duly qualified to practice naval architecture and marine engineering in the Philippines: Provided, That this requirement shall not apply to the first appointees to the Board;
5. Have practiced naval architecture and marine engineering with a certificate as such for a period of not less than ten (10) years prior to his appointment: Provided, further, That the practice of naval architecture and marine engineering with a certificate shall not apply to the first appointees to the Board;
6. Neither be a faculty member of any school, college, institute or university where naval architecture and marine engineering is taught; not have a pecuniary interest in any such institution; and
7. Not be a former member of the faculty of any school, college, institute or university where naval architecture and marine engineering is taught; unless he had stopped teaching therein for at least three consecutive years prior to his appointment.