CODE OF ETHICS

Fundamental Principles
Civil Engineers should uphold and advance the integrity, honor
and dignity of the civil engineering profession by:
1. using their knowledge and skill for the enhancement of human
welfare and the environment;
2. being honest and impartial and serving with fidelity the public,
their employers/employees and clients;
3. striving to increase the competence and prestige of the civil
engineering profession; and
4. supporting the professional and technical societies of their
disciplines.

Fundamental Canons
1. Civil Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health and
welfare of the public and shall strive to comply with the principles
of sustainable development in the performance of their duties.
a. Civil Engineers shall recognize that the lives, safety,
health and welfare of the general public are dependent upon
engineering judgements, decisions and practices
incorporated into structures, machines, products, processes
and devices.
b. Civil Engineers shall approve or seal only those design
documents, reviewed or prepared by them, which are
 determined to be safe for public health and welfare in
conformity with accepted engineering standards.
c. Civil Engineers whose professional judgment is overruled
under circumstances where the safety, health and welfare of
the public are endangered, or the principles of sustainable
development ignored, shall inform their clients or employers
of the possible consequences.
d. Civil Engineers who have knowledge or reason to believe
that another person or firm may be in violation of any of the
provisions of Canon 1 shall present such information to the
proper authority in writing and shall cooperate with the
proper authority in furnishing such further information or
assistance as may be required.
e. Civil Engineers should seek opportunities to be of
constructive service in civic affairs and work for the
advancement of the safety, health and well-being of their
communities, and the protection of the environment through
the practice of sustainable development.
f. Civil Engineers should be committed to improving the
environment by adherence to the principles of sustainable
development so as to enhance the quality of life of the
general public.

2. Civil Engineers shall perform services only in the areas of their

competence.
 a. Civil Engineers shall undertake to perform engineering
assignments only when qualified by education or experience
in the technical field of engineering involved.
b. Civil Engineers may accept an assignment requiring
education or experience outside of their own fields of
competence, provided their services are restricted to those
phases of the project in which they are qualified. All other
phases of such project shall be performed by qualified
associates, consultants or employees.
c. Civil Engineers shall not affix their signatures or seals to
any civil engineering plan or document dealing with subject
matter which they lack competence by virtue of education or
experience or to any such plan or document not reviewed or
prepared under their supervision and control.
d. Civil Engineers shall not use The Specialty Engineering
Title such as Structural Engineer, Transportation Engineer,
Water Engineer, Geotechnical Engineer, Construction
Engineer, etc. without the PICE Specialist Accreditation.

3. Civil Engineers shall issue public statements only in an

objective and truthful manner.
a. Civil Engineers should endeavour to extend the public
knowledge of civil engineering and sustainable
development, and shall not participate in the dissemination
of untrue, unfair or exaggerated statements regarding civil
engineering.
 b. Civil Engineers shall be objective and truthful in
professional reports, statements, or testimony. They shall
include all relevant and pertinent information in such
reports, statements or testimony.
c. Civil Engineers, when serving as n expert witnesses, shall
express civil engineering opinion only when it is founded
upon adequate knowledge of the facts, upon a background of
technical competence, and upon honest conviction.
d. Civil Engineers shall issue no statements, criticisms, or
arguments on civil engineering matters which are inspired or
paid for by the interested parties, unless they indicate on
whose behalf the statements are made.
e. Civil Engineers shall be dignified and modest in
explaining their work and merit, and will avoid any act
tending to promote their own interests at the expense of the
integrity, honor and dignity of the engineering profession
and/or related professions.

4. Civil Engineers shall act in professional matters for each

employer or client as faithful agents or trustees, and shall avoid
conflicts of interest.
a. Civil Engineers shall avoid all known or potential conflicts
of interest with their employers or clients and shall promptly
inform their employers or client of any business association,
interests, or circumstances which could influence their
judgment or the quality or their service.
b. Civil Engineers shall not accept compensation from more
than one party for services on the same project, or for
services pertaining to the same project, unless the
circumstances are fully disclosed to and agreed to, by all
interested projects.
c. Civil Engineers shall not solicit or accept gratuities,
directly or indirectly, from contractors, their agents, or other
parties dealing with their clients or employers in connection
with work for which they are responsible.
d. Civil Engineers in public services as members, advisors
or employees of a government body or department shall not
participate in consideration or actions with respect to
services solicited or provided by them or their organization
in private or public engineering practices.
e. Civil Engineers shall advise their employers or clients
when, as a result of their studies, they believe a project will
not be successful.
f. Civil Engineers shall not use confidential information
coming to them in the course of their assignments as a means
of making personal profit if such action is adverse to the
interests of their clients, employers or the public.
g. Civil Engineers shall not accept professional employment
outside of their work or interest without the knowledge of
their employers.
5. Civil Engineers shall build their professional reputation on the
merit of their services and shall not compete unfairly with others.
a. Civil Engineers shall not give, solicit or receive either
directly or indirectly, any political contribution, gratuity or
unlawful consideration in order to secure work, exclusive of
securing salaried positions through employment agencies.
b. Civil Engineers should negotiate contracts for
professional services fairly and on the basis of demonstrated
competence and qualifications for the type of professional
service required.
c. Civil Engineers may request; propose or accept
professional commissions in which their professional
judgements would not be compromised.
d. Civil Engineers shall not falsify or permit
misinterpretation of their academic or professional
qualifications or experience.
e. Civil Engineers shall give proper credit for engineering
work to those to whom credit is due, and shall recognize the
proprietary interests of others. Whenever possible, that shall
name the person or persons who may be responsible for
designs, inventions, writings, or other accomplishments.
f. Civil Engineers may advertise professional services in a
way that does not contain misleading language or is in any
other manner derogatory to the dignity of the profession.
Examples of permissible advertising are as follows:
1. Professional cards in recognized, dignified
publications, and listings in rosters or directories
published by responsible organizations, provided that
the cards or listings are consistent in size and content
and are in a section of the publication regularly devoted
to such professional cards.
2. Brochures which factually describe experience,
facilities, personnel and capacity to render service,
providing they are not misleading with respect to the
engineer’s participation in projects described.
3. Display advertising in recognized dignified business
and professional publications, providing it is factual
and is not misleading with respect to the engineer’s
extent of participation in projects described.
4. A statement of the engineers’ names or the name of
the firm and statement of the type of service posted on
projects for which they render services.
5. Preparation or authorization of descriptive articles
for the lay or technical press, which are factual and
dignified. Such articles shall not imply anything more
than direct participation in the project described.
6. Permission by engineers for their names to be used
in commercial advertisements, such as may be
published by contractors, materials suppliers, etc., only
by means of a modest, dignified notation
acknowledging the engineers’ participation in the
 project described. Such permission shall not include
public endorsement of proprietary products.
g. Civil Engineers shall not maliciously or falsely, directly
or indirectly, injure the professional reputation, prospects,
practice or employment of another engineer or
indiscriminately criticize another’s work.
h. Civil Engineers shall not use equipment, supplies,
laboratory or office facilities of their employers to carry on
outside private practice without the consent of their
employers.

6. Civil Engineers shall act in such a manner as to uphold and

enhance the honor, integrity, and dignity of the civil engineering
profession.
a. Civil Engineers shall not knowingly act in a manner which
will be derogatory to the honor, integrity, or dignity of the
civil engineering profession or knowingly engage in
business or professional practices of a fraudulent, dishonest
or unethical nature.

7. Civil Engineers shall continue their professional development

throughout their careers, and shall provide opportunities for the
professional development of those civil engineers under their
supervision.
a. Civil Engineers should keep current in their specialty
fields by engaging in professional practice, participating in
continuing education courses, reading in the technical
literature, and attending professional meetings and seminars.
b. Civil Engineers should encourage their engineering
employees to become registered at the earliest possible date.
c. Civil Engineers should encourage engineering employees
to attend and present papers at professional and technical
society meetings.
d. Civil Engineers shall uphold the principle of mutually
satisfying relationships between employers and employees
with respect to terms of employment including professional
grade descriptions, salary ranges, and fringe benefits.
 THE PRACTICE OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

OBLIGATIONS OF THE CIVIL ENGINEER

The Obligations of the Civil Engineer include:
1. The Civil Engineer shall perform Scope of the Services
as stated in RA 544.
2. The Civil Engineer shall exercise reasonable skill, care
and diligence in the performance of his obligations.
3. The Civil Engineer shall act independently and, as
required by the contract, perform with the necessary skills
and professional judgment, when required to certify, decide
or exercise discretion between the Client and a Third party
with whom the Client has a contract.
4. The Civil Engineer is authorized to act as the Client’s
faithful agent when required but only as implied in the
contract adopted for the Project.
5. When aware of any matters which will change or has
changed the scope of the services, the Civil Engineer shall
give written notice to the Client containing particulars of the
change.
6. For Specified Staged Services, the Civil Engineer shall
not initiate or proceed with any subsequent stage of the
Services without the approval of the Client.
7. When required, the Civil Engineer shall direct and co-
operate with all other professionals and integrate their work
where applicable into that being undertaken by the Civil
Engineer and other professionals, but shall not be
professionally liable for their work.
8. The Civil Engineer may recommend specialist suppliers
and/or contractors to design and execute certain parts of the
Works, in which case the Civil Engineer shall co-ordinate
the design of such part or parts with the overall design of the
Works but he shall be relieved of all responsibility for the
design, manufacture, installation and performance of any
such part of the Works. The Civil Engineers shall not be
liable for acts of negligence, default or omission by such
person or persons.
9. The Civil Engineer shall notify the Client of any interest
the Civil Engineer has which may significantly conflict with
the interests of the Client under their Contract.

OBLIGATIONS OF THE CLIENT

The Client has the following obligations:
1. The Client shall pay the Civil Engineer for his Services,
the amount of fees and expenses set out in or determined in
their Agreement.
2. The Client shall provide the Civil Engineer within
reasonable time(that does not result in delay to the provision
of the Services), all information required by the Civil
Engineer in the performance of his services and a decision
in writing on all matters properly referred to the Client in
writing.
3. The Client shall cooperate with the Civil Engineer and
shall not interfere with or obstruct the proper performance of
the Services.
4. The Client shall, as soon as practicable, make
arrangements to enable the Civil Engineer to enter the site
and inspect facilities needed in the performance of his
services.
5. The Client shall arrange for the provision of services from
other professionals or others as may be required and bear all
costs.
6. When the Civil Engineer is required to administer the
work of other professionals or other third parties who are
directly contracted by the Client or when the Civil Engineer
is required to act as Engineer- to-the-Contract for any
contract on behalf of the Client then all instructions by the
Client shall be given through the Civil Engineer.
7. When aware of any matter which will change or has
changed the scope of the Civil Engineer’s Services, the
Client shall notify in writing within 7 days the Civil Engineer
containing, as far as practicable, the particulars of the
change.
LIABILITY OF THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND THE
CLIENT
The Civil Engineer shall only be liable to pay damages to the
Client arising out of or in connection with their Agreement
if a breach of duty of care is established against the Civil
Engineer.
The Client shall only be liable if a breach of the Client’s duty
to the Civil Engineer is established against the Client.

SUSPENSION OR TERMINATION OF SERVICES

If circumstances arise for which the Civil Engineer is not
responsible and which make it impractical or impossible for
the Civil Engineer to perform in whole or in part the Services
in accordance with their Agreement then the Civil Engineer
shall promptly notify the Client of the same.

OWNERSHIP OF DATA, DESIGNS AND

DOCUMENTS
The design analyses, drawings, specifications and
reproductions thereof are instruments of service owned by
the Professional Engineer shall be used only for the specific
project covered by the agreement between the Client and
Engineer.
CIVIL ENGINEERING SERVICES
Design, consultations and advice
Feasibility studies
Field investigations and engineering data collection
Environmental assessments, impact statements or
Engineering reports
Opinions of probable construction cost
Preliminary and final designs, drawings, specifications
and construction bidding documents
Assistance in securing construction bids and in
awarding contracts
Construction administration and observation
Arrangements for or performance of testing of
materials and equipment
Assistance in start-up, assessment of capacity , and
operation of facilities
Preparation of operation and maintenance manuals
Appraisals and rate studies
Value engineering
Expert testimony
Assessment of risks
Structural remediation or rehabilitation
Provision of supplemental temporary staff
Teaching

SPECIALIZATION IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

Construction Management and Engineering
 Structural Engineering
Geotechnical Engineering
Transportation Engineering
Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering
PRIME PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
The guidelines in this manual refer specifically to the
engagement of engineering services where the consulting
Civil Engineers serve as the client directly as a prime
professional, and where the client is usually also the owner
of the project. Some information in this manual is also
applicable when the Civil Engineer serves as the client
indirectly as a sub-consultant through another engineer or
architect who serves as the prime professional. These
services may also be performed through another entity on a
design-build construction management, or turnkey project.
CLASSIFICATION of ENGINEERING SERVICES
Broad Categories:
1. Consultations, research, investigations, and reports
1.1 Preliminary and Feasibility Investigations and
Reports
1.2 Planning Studies
1.3 Appraisals, Valuations and Rate Studies
1.4 Assistance in Financial Matters
1.5 Materials Engineering and Equipment Tests
1.6 Direct Personal Services
1.7 Research and Development
 Development of new construction
materials and methods from concept to
commercialization
 Improvement of construction materials
and methods through exhaustible
studies to reduce total construction cost
and at the same time improve quality.

1.8 Special Services

 Value engineering
 Appraisal and valuation
 Load testing
 Environmental evaluations
 Traffic engineering
 Forensic engineering for structural and
other failures
 Operational assistance
 Material process design
 Pilot studies
 Computer modelling
 Safety engineering
 Topographic, sounding and boundary
survey engineering
 Toxic and hazardous waste evaluation
 Permit and application services
 Sales and marketing services
 Expert witness
  Representation of municipal or private
entities in projects proposed for
privatization

2. Design services for construction projects

 Study and Report Phase
 Preliminary Design Phase
 Final Design Phase
 Bidding or Negotiating Phase
 Construction Phase
 Operation Phase

3. Construction Services

4. Special services for construction projects

 Geotechnical engineering – including test
borings, sampling and analysis, and
recommendations
 Special studies, tests, and process
determinations to establish design criteria or
demonstrate compliance
 Land surveys, establishment of boundaries and
monuments, preparation or easement
descriptions, and related computations and
drawings
 Engineering and topographic surveys for design
and construction
 Mill, shop, or laboratory inspection of the
materials and equipment
 Additional copies of reports, construction
drawings, specifications, and other documents
as required for bidding and construction beyond
the number specified in the Basic Services
agreement
 Extra travel and subsistence as defined by the
agreement for engineering services
 Value engineering – including review of the
work of other engineers, either within the same
organization or in other firms to determine
whether a proposed solution is optimum and, if
not, to suggest a better approach for meeting the
project’s functional and financial criteria
 Redesign to reflect changes requested by the
client or necessitated by the client’s acceptance
of substitutions proposed by the contractor
 Assistance to the client as an expert witness in
litigation in connection with the project or in
hearing before approving and regulatory
agencies
 Final investigations involving detailed
consideration of operation, maintenance, and
overhead expenses; preparation of final rate
schedules, and earning and expense statements;
appraisals, valuations, and material audits or
inventories required for certification of force
account construction performed by the client or
for extra work done by the contractor.
  Preparation of detailed applications and
supporting documents grants or advances for
public works projects
 Plotting, computing, and filing of subdivision
plans, staking of lots, and other land planning
and partitioning activities
 Preparation of environmental assessment and
impact statements and other assistance to the
client in connection with public hearings
 Additional studies and design efforts to meet
special conditions encountered during
construction
 Assistance to the client in the selection and
engagement of architects, other engineers,
contractors and subcontractors, and observation
and approval of their services or work; contacts
with governmental agencies to obtain permits
and documents; and other services related to
project development
 Assessment of a completed project’s ability to
meet its design intent relative to capacity,
maintainability, operability, or reliability
 Computer simulation and modelling

5. Engineering support services

6. Academic services
 Teaching of civil engineering courses in
engineering colleges/universities on part/full
 time basis. As per RA 8981, all subjects for
licensure examinations shall be taught by
persons who are holders of valid certificates of
registration/professional licences and
professional identification cards, or special
temporary permits, or a valid certificate of
competency for the profession issued by the
Commission, and who comply with the other
requirements of the CHED.
 Lecturing in civil engineering courses designed
by the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers for
practicing engineers who want to obtain CPD
credits.
 Conducting tutorials/refresher courses on civil
engineering concepts and related subjects
 Serving as a Resource Speaker in Technical
Session
 Writing technical articles and pamphlets.

7. Services as Employee
 When a civil engineer engages to perform work
or fulfil duties regularly for wages or salary
being paid by an employer.
 A civil engineer may be employed for any
position or function in any commercial or
institutional organization.
 A civil engineer in part time employment with
a firm is considered to be an employee and at
the same time a consultant of the firm.
  Any civil engineer employed as an individual
consultant of any firm.
 All government civil engineers employed by the
instrumentalities of the government shall be
governed by pertinent existing laws and
regularities and particularly to those prescribed
by the Civil Service Commission.

Infrastructure under the domain of civil engineering

pursuant to RA 544:
1. Streets, bridges, highways and railroads
2. Airports and hangars
3. Portworks, canals, river and shore improvements, light
houses and dry docks
4. Buildings
5. Fixed structures for irrigation, flood protection,
drainage, water supply and sewerage works
6. Tunnels
 THE SELECTION OF THE CIVIL ENGINEER

BASIS FOR SELECTION

Some of the factors that should be considered in the selection
process are:
1. The professional and ethical reputation of the Civil
Engineer and his staff as determined by inquiries to
previous clients and other references.
2. Responsible Civil Engineers and its employee and must
be registered professional Civil Engineers.
3. Civil Engineers should have demonstrated
qualifications and expertise, performing the services
required to the project.
4. Civil Engineer should be able to assign qualified
engineering staff who will be in charge of the project
and will be able to provide and complete the required
services within the time allotted.
5. The Civil Engineer should have the necessary financial
and business resources to accomplish the assignment
and provide continuing service.
CLIENT’S SELECTION COMMITTEE
Within the client’s organization there should be an
established administrative policy for designating the persons
authorized to select or recommend selection of Civil
Engineers for specific assignments. The persons appointed
should be familiar with the project requirements and should
be kept free of internal or external pressure during the
selection process.

One satisfactory procedure is to utilize a selection committee

of three or more individuals, at least one of whom is a
professional engineer of the appropriate discipline. For
public projects, the client must choose individuals who
demonstrate objectivity in order to avoid the appearance of
a conflict of interest in the selection of the Civil Engineer.
At least one of the individuals should be thoroughly familiar
with the civil engineering practices. The committee is
responsible for making recommendations after conducting
appropriate investigations, interviews, and inquiries. The
final selection is then based upon the selection committee’s
recommendations.

QUALIFICATIONS- BASED SELECTION (QBS)

PROCEDURE