Certified Plant Mechanic: A Practice of Mechanical Engineering in the Philippines

By Dr. Rex Casiple

It shall be unlawful for any person, unless authorized by law, to operate, tend or maintain, or be in-charge of the operation, tending, or maintenance of any mechanical works, projects, plant of 100kw, or more but not more than 300kw unless he is a duly licensed Professional Mechanical Engineer, Mechanical Engineer or Certified Plant Mechanic (CPM). This is in accordance with Sec. 33.d, Article IV (Practice of the Profession) of RA 8495, otherwise known as An Act Regulating the Practice of Mechanical Engineering in the Philippines

The CPM is one of the 3 categories of licensed professionals practicing mechanical engineering in the Philippines. This is stipulated in Republic Act 8495. The other two (2) categories according to rank are Professional Mechanical Engineer (PME) and Registered Mechanical Engineer (RME). Certified Plant Mechanic belongs to the 3^rd category observed to be an unpopular but in demand profession in the last several years. Despite tagged as “easy to pass board examination”, there is no CPM board takers in Western Visayas last February 2023.

The qualifications of applicants for CPM Board Examination are (1) He must not have been convicted by a court of law of a crime involving moral turpitude; (2) He has graduated from a vocational or trade school duly recognized by the government after completing an approved course of not less than 2 years in stationary or power plant engineering or in any  mechanical plant operation; and (3) He has a specific record of an additional one (1) year or more of active practice in mechanical plant operation of such character as indicated in an affidavit of a registered professional mechanical engineer. The licensed CPM is needed in the operation of power plants, industrial plants and other establishments, such as, hospitals, malls, ice plants, schools, hotels or restaurants, operating or consuming power at 100kw to 300 kw. The CPM professional license can be converted to 1st Grade Civil Service Eligibility.

Recently, the PRC Board of Mechanical Engineering announced that a total of 104 out of 187 examinees, or 55.6%, passed in the Certified Plant Mechanics (CPM) Licensure Examination given in 13 testing centers all over the country on August 5-6, 2023. There were 175 first takers and 12 repeaters who took the said examination. The first takers passing percentage was 55.43%. The repeaters’ passing percentage was 58%. There were 78 takers from Western Visayas Region with 32% passing percentage. This number of takers is a big leap compare to the February 2023 CPM board examination when there were no takers from Western Visayas. There were 187 takers nationwide in August 2023 CPM board examination. This is 108% increase from February 28, 2023 CPM board examinations with only 90 examinees. Higher education institutions (HEIs) in Western Visayas with CPM Board Examination takers last August 5-6, 2023 are Aklan State University-Kalibo Campus, Capiz State University, Garcia College of Technology, ISAT University, Northern Iloilo State University, University of San Agustin and Western Institute of Technology.

On the other hand, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) Board of Mechanical Engineering announced that a total of 2,133 out of 4,232 examinees nationwide, or 50.4%, passed in the Mechanical Engineers Licensure Examination given in 13 testing centers all over the country on August 5-6, 2023. Four (4) schools in the Region out of 14, or 29%, performed high or with a passing percentage higher than that of the national level. The Region produced 144 passers out of 318 takers, or 45.28% passing percentage. There were 183 first takers and 135 repeaters from the Region who took the said examination. The first takers passing percentage is 57.38%. The repeater passing percentage is 28.89%.