By Dr. Rex Casiple
On September 5, 1988, former President Corazon C. Aquino, by virtue of Proclamation No. 319, declared the third week of October of every year as the Mechanical Engineering Week under the auspices of the Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers (PSME).
This is to focus the public attention on the important role of mechanical engineers in the development of our country.
In the past several years it has been noted that the Mechanical Engineering profession has contributed a lot to the progress of our country. The comfort we are enjoying now and in the past several years: thru elevators, escalators, refrigerators, heaters, air conditioners, cars and other forms of vehicle, power plants and other forms of conventional and non-conventional power supply generators, water pumps, industrial production equipment, farm equipment, manufacturing robots among others are the products of mechanical engineering and the works of Mechanical Engineers or Certified Plant Mechanics (CPMs).
Mechanical engineering is a field students can gain many opportunities. After graduation they can venture in power and industrial plant operation and maintenance; research and development; design of mechanical systems; careers in management, entrepreneurship, or in education. They can also work in the government offices related to their profession as Mechanical Engineers.
There are around 95,000 licensed Mechanical Engineers in the roster in Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). Some of them are inactive or failed to renew their licenses.
The PSME made contributions for the continued growth of our Mechanical Engineers in the country and abroad through continuing professional education in the form of plant tours, seminars, technical paper presentations, trainings, conferences and conventions.
The PSME has around 15,216 Mechanical Engineers and CPM members in 145 Chapters in the country, Middle East and South East Asian nations.
The PSME is affiliated to Philippine Federation and Professional Association (PFPA), Philippine Technological Council (PTC), Presidential Committees on Science and Technology (PCST), National Metal and Engineering Industry Council (NMEIC), CPE National Accreditation and Evaluation Board (NAEB), World Federation of Engineering Organization (WFEO), Philippine Association of Technological Education (PATE), Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines (CIAP), Construction Technology Committee (CONTECO), among others. Some PSME members are joining in the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Technical Panel/Committee and Regional Quality Assessment Team (RQAT) for Engineering Education.
The PSME, founded in 1952, was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as a non-stock, non-profit organization with Engr. Tobias P. Marcelo as its first president. On July 8, 1975 the PSME was duly accredited by the PRC as the national professional organization of mechanical engineers under PRC Accredited Certificate No. 004.
The PSME assisted the PRC and the Board of Mechanical Engineering (BME) in the formulation of guidelines on the Continuing Professional Education (CPE) which was fully implemented in 1988.
In 1995, it was awarded Most Outstanding Accredited Professional Organization. In 1996, PSME was accredited by PRC as CPE provider. It was a recipient of the 1998 Most Outstanding Accredited Professional Organization (APO) Award given by the Professional Regulation Board (PRB).
Recognized as the one and only Integrated and Accredited Organization of Professional Mechanical Engineers, Mechanical Engineers and Certified Plant Mechanics as per PRC-BME Resolution No. 04 dated March 4, 2003. On August 1, 2008 the PSME renewal of accreditation with PRC was approved under Certificate of Accreditation No. 1-APO-005.
In 2011, PSME achieved renewal of its Accreditation as Integrated Accredited Professional Organization (AIPO) with PRC. Since 1988, the PSME spearheaded the annual celebration of Mechanical Engineering Week.
