Sec. 3. Qualifications and Disqualifications of the Board Members. — (a) Each member of the Board shall at the time of his appointment: 

Sec. 7. Removal of Board Members. — Any member of the Board may be removed from office by the President, upon the recommendation of the Professional Regulation Commission, for neglect of duty, incompetence or for unprofessional, immoral or dishonorable conduct, after having been given the opportunity to defend himself in a proper administrative investigation conducted by the Commission.cralaw 

Sec. 8. Supervision of the Board and Custodian of Its Records. — The members of the Board shall be under the general supervision of the Professional Regulation Commission. All records, including examination papers, examination results, minutes of deliberation, records of administrative cases and investigations of the Board shall be kept by the Commission.

Sec. 9. Rules and Regulations. — Subject to the approval of the Commission, the Board shall set ethical and professional standards for the practice of midwifery and adopt such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. Such standards, rules and regulations shall take effect thirty (30) days after publication in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.cralaw 

Sec. 10. Annual Report. — The Board shall submit an annual report to the Commission at the end of each calendar year, giving a detailed report of its activities and proceedings during the year. Other information or data may be requested by the Commission as often as may be necessary and practicable.cralaw 

Before allowing a student to graduate, the school shall satisfactory show to the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) or other authorized government agencies that the student has completed the course in midwifery as prescribed by the DECS or other duly authorized government agencies, and that during the training, the student has personally attended at least a total of twenty (20) deliveries in the hospital and in its domiciliary services.cralaw 

Sec. 15. Qualification of Faculty. — The faculty shall have academic preparation appropriate to teaching assignment, as follows: 

Sec.  18. Issuance of Certificate. — Certificate of Registration as midwife shall, upon payment of the required fees, be issued to any applicant who passes the examination. Every certificate of registration shall show full name of registrant, have a serial number, bear the signatures of the members of the Board, be attested by the Secretary of the Board, and be duly authenticated by the official seal of the Board.cralaw 

The issuance of a certificate of registration by the Board to the registrant shall be evidence that the person named herein is entitled to all rights and privileges of a registered midwife until said certificate, for just cause, is suspended temporarily or revoked.cralaw 

Sec. 19. Registration of Nurse-Midwife. — Certification of registration may be issued to registered nurses who pass the examination for midwives: Provided, That the nurse, before being allowed to take examination show evidence to the Board of having actually handled twenty (20) delivery cases as certified to by the director or chief of a duly registered or recognized hospital, or by the proper municipal, city, or provincial health officer.

Sec.  20. Fees of Examination and Registration. — Applicants for examination for the practice of midwifery shall pay an examination fee as prescribed by the Professional Regulation Commission.cralaw 

Sec.  21. Inhibition Against Practice of Midwifery. — No person shall practice or offer to practice midwifery in the Philippines, as defined in this Act, without holding a valid certificate of registration and a professional license as midwife.cralaw 

Sec.  22. Foreign Reciprocity. — No midwife who is a citizen, subject or national of a foreign country shall be granted any of the rights and privileges under this Act unless he or she shows to the satisfaction of the Board that the country of which he or she is a citizen, subject or national, permits within its territorial limits on the same basis as the citizen, subject or national of such country: Provided, That the requisite for admission to midwifery school and for graduation in said country are substantially the same as those in this country.

Sec.  23. Practice of Midwifery Defined. — The practice of midwifery consist in performing or rendering, or offering to perform or render, for a fee, salary, or other reward or compensation, services requiring an understanding of the principles and application of procedures and techniques in the supervision and care of women during pregnancy, labor and puerperium management of normal deliveries, including the performance of internal examination during labor except when patient is with antenatal bleeding; health education of the patient, family and community; primary health care services in the community, including nutrition and family planning in carrying out the written order of physicians with regard to antenatal, intra-natal and post-natal care of the normal pregnant mother in giving immunization, including oral and parenteral dispensing of oxytocic drug after delivery of placenta, suturing parietal lacerations to control bleeding, to give intravenous fluid during obstetrical emergencies provided they have been trained for that purpose; and may inject Vitamin K to the newborn: Provided, however, That this provision shall not apply to students in midwifery schools who perform midwifery service under the supervision of their instructors, nor to emergency cases.chan robles virtual law library

Sec.  24. Refusal to Issue Certificate of Registration. — The Board shall refuse to issue a certificate of registration to any person convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction of any criminal offense involving moral turpitude, and to any person guilty of immoral or dishonorable conduct. The Board shall give the applicant a written statement setting forth the reason or reasons for its action, which statement shall be incorporated in the records of the Board.cralaw 

Sec.  25. Revocation and Suspension of Certificates. — The Board shall have the power to revoke or suspend the validity of a certificate of registration of a midwife for any of the causes mentioned in the preceding section, or for unprofessional conduct, malpractice, incompetence or serious ignorance or negligence, assisting or performing abortion in the practice of midwifery or for making use of fraud, deceit or false statements to obtain a certificate of registration.cralaw 

From the decision of the Board, appeal may be taken to the Professional Regulation Commission which decision shall be final.cralaw 

Sec.  26. Reissuance of Revoked Certificates and Replacement of Lost Certificate. — The Board may, for reasons of equity and justice and upon proper application therefor, issue another copy of the certificate upon payment of dues, and in so doing, it may exempt the applicant from the requisite examination.cralaw 

Sec.  28. Repealing Clause. — Republic Act Numbered Two Thousand Six Hundred and Forty-four is hereby repealed and all laws, decree, orders, instructions, rules and regulations and other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are likewise repealed or amended accordingly.cralaw 

Sec.  29. Separability Clause. — If for any reason, any part or section of this Act shall be declared unconstitutional or invalid, other sections or provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.cralaw 

Sec.  30. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect upon completion of its publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. chan robles virtual law library