R.A. 11131 — The Philippine Criminology Profession Act of 2018

A student-friendly reading guide (Crim 1). Read for the big ideas first; the details will follow.

Color legend: Foundations · The Board · Your Board Exam · Practice · Your Privileges · Penalties.

Article I — Title, Policy, Scope & Terms

Sec. 1 — Official title: "The Philippine Criminology Profession Act of 2018." Short name: R.A. 11131.

Sec. 2 — Statement of Policy: The State recognizes criminology's importance in national security, public safety, peace and order, and nation-building. It will develop competent, virtuous, productive and well-rounded criminologists through honest and credible licensure.

Sec. 3 — Objectives (mnemonic "E-S-S-D-I"): Examine/register/license; Supervise/regulate; Standardize education; Develop competence (CPD); Integrate all into one APO.

Sec. 4 — Words you must know:

Criminology — scientific study of crimes, criminals, victims, and the prevention/solution of crimes.
Registered Criminologist — holds a valid Certificate of Registration (COR) and updated Professional ID Card (PIC).
Board (PRB) — the Professional Regulatory Board for Criminologists.
Commission (PRC) — oversees ALL professional boards.
APO — the one accredited national organization of criminologists.
CHED — sets standards for criminology schooling.

Sec. 5 — Scope of practice (6 fields): Law Enforcement · Teaching · Criminalistics/Forensics · Corrections · Research/Consultancy · Private Investigation. The list is "not limited to" — it can grow.

Article II — The Professional Regulatory Board (PRB)

Sec. 6 — Composition: 1 Chairperson + 4 members = 5, appointed by the President; organized within 6 months.

Sec. 7 — Qualifications: natural-born Filipino; good moral character; not convicted of moral turpitude; BS Criminology + post-graduate degree (or a lawyer); registered criminologist with 10 years practice incl. 2 years teaching; APO member in good standing; NOT connected to any school or review center (no conflict of interest).

Sec. 8 — Term: 3 years each, max 2 terms = 6 years ("3 + 3 = 6").

Sec. 10 — Powers (4 groups): Executive · Administrative · Rule-making · Quasi-judicial. The Board prepares the syllabi & Table of Specifications, sets/corrects the exam, adopts the Code of Ethics, issues the IRR, and can suspend/revoke licenses.

Article III — Examination, Registration & Licensure

Sec. 13-14 — The exam: you must pass the PRC licensure exam. Applicant must be a Filipino citizen (or with reciprocity), of good moral character, and hold a CHED-recognized BS Criminology degree.

Warning: Fail the board 5 times → you must take a refresher course first.

Sec. 15 — Board subjects & weights (as written in the law):

Criminal Jurisprudence and Procedure — 20%
Law Enforcement Administration — 20%
Crime Detection and Investigation — 15%
Criminalistics — 20%
Correctional Administration — 10%
Criminal Sociology — 15%

VERIFY: the Board may revise weights by resolution — always follow the latest PRC/PRB advisory.

Sec. 17 — How you pass ("75-60-80"): weighted average of 75%, no subject below 60%; a deferred retake needs 80%; failing 3 or more subjects = failed.

Sec. 19-20 — Oath & credentials: take the oath before the Board and APO, then receive two documents — COR and PIC. The PIC is renewed every 3 years with fees and CPD units.

Sec. 21-23 — Losing / getting back a license: the Board may refuse to register, or revoke/suspend on 9 grounds (Sec. 22). Letting the PIC lapse 6 years can cost your license. A revoked license may be reinstated after 2 years by verified petition. A merely lost card is just replaced by paying a fee.

Article IV — Practice of the Profession

Sec. 27-28: both natural persons (licensed) and juridical persons (majority-owned by criminologists) may practice; there is an official seal distributed through the APO.

Sec. 29 — Foreign reciprocity: a foreigner may practice here only if their country lets Filipinos practice there on the same basis ("you let mine in, I'll let yours in").

Article V — Privileges

Sec. 34 — Civil Service Eligibility: passing the board makes you automatically civil service eligible — no separate CS exam.

Sec. 35 — Preference of Appointment: priority over non-criminologists in the PNP, NBI, BJMP, BFP, LTO and more.

Sec. 36 — Lateral Entry: enter at officer/Inspector rank instead of the bottom. ("34 = eligible · 35 = preferred · 36 = officer rank.")

Penal Clause

Sec. 37 — Penalties: fine of ₱100,000–₱500,000, OR imprisonment of 2 years & 1 day up to 6 years, OR both. Prohibited acts include practicing without a valid COR/PIC, using another's seal/COR/PIC, abetting illegal practice, fraud, and impersonation.

Sec. 43 — What it replaced: R.A. 11131 repealed R.A. 6506 (1972).

Putting it together — Who governs you?

PRC — mother agency over all professions (created by R.A. 8981); administers the exam, keeps records, issues COR/PIC.
The Board (PRB) — the specialist regulator for criminologists only.
APO / PCAP — your professional organization; you automatically become a member. First accredited by the PRC on March 25, 1990.

Numbers to lock in: 5 members · 3+3=6 · 10+2 · 75-60-80 · 3 subjects · 5 fails · 2 documents · every 3 yrs · 2 years · ₱100k–₱500k.

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