JEDDAH, 25 October - Six Overseas Filipino Workers have passed the licensure examination for professional electrical enginners (PEE) that a board of examiners from Manila administered in Jeddah early this week.

The new PEEs are Cesar A. Arabejo, Danilo M. Berganio, Efren S. Carlos, Gilbert E. Junco, Rolando M. Manipol, and Ronaldo Z. Villar, the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers (IIEE`) chapter in the Western Region said yesterday.

Rodolfo R. Penalosa, chairman of the Board of Electrical Engineering, immediately administered the oath to the six passers during the farewell ceremonies for the examiners from the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) at Jeddah's Al-Hamra Sofitel Hotel.

The examiners are led by PRC Commissioner Alfonso G. Abad. The others are Amy T. Empaynado, director of the PRC Licensure Office; Antonio C. Coronel and Jose B. Abinoja, members of Board of Electrical Engineering; Fe M. Barrientos, the national president of IIEE.

More than 150 Filipino engineers working in the three regions of the Kingdom are participating in the exams being held simultaneously for electrical, civil and mechanical engineers.

With the Riyadh and Jeddah stage completed, the examiners flew yesterday to Dammam for the last stage, which will start today at the Le Meriden Hotel, former IIEE-WRSA president Roel C. Pesta–o told Arab News.

Pesta–o also said 22 are slated to take the test for registered mechanical engineers in Dammam.

Eight are taking the PEE test, 27 for Registered Electrical Engineers's exam, and 3 for Registered Master Electricians.

Before the Jeddah test, more than a dozen examinees took the test in Riyadh.

A total of 99 examinees participated in the Jeddah exams, the biggest of the three stages. Of the number, 31 were from the electrical, 51 from the mechanical, and 17 from the civil engineering disciplines.

Only the results of the PEE exam are made known immediately. During the examinations, candidates for PEE are made to defend their technical engineering report before the examiners. Only those who are registered electrical engineers who have at least five years work experience in the field are allowed to take the PEE test.

Words of encouragement

During the farewell party given on Tuesday night by the IIEE-Western Region Chapter, being the spearhead of the event, Commissioner Abad cited the three professional organizations - IIEE, the Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers (PSME), and the Association of Filipino Engineers (AFCE) - for carrying out Continuing Professional Development for their members.

Abad said the PRC will soon issue a professional ID card identifying an individual as a professional in his field. He also said the PRC will make it compulsory for a licensed engineer. to be a member of the PRC's Accredited Professional Organization, like IIEE..

Among the guests of the program were Vice Consul Angelo V. Amonoy, representing the Philippine Consulate which had been supportive of the examinations, as well as Conrado C. Binondo, president of the IIEE-Central Region Chapter.

New IIEE-WRCSA officers

Also during the event, Engineer Pesta–o presented next year's Board of Directors of IIEE Jeddah chapter to the IIEE national presaident Fe Barrientos, who administered the oath to them.

The new officers are Romeo V. Sagad, president; Melliardine G. Gamet, VP for internal affairs; Rogelio V. Malsin, VP for external affairs; Jerene B. Talam,VP for techncial affairs; Rodolfo S. Orteza, secretary; Apolonio E. Patricio Jr., treasurer; Efren S. Carlos, auditor; Zenal P. Dandamun, assistant secretary; Thomas N. Soriano, assistant treasurer; Octavio P. Vera Cruz, assistant auditor; and Norberto G. Chua, PRO.

The other officers are Lamberto Montero, executive secretary; Rolando M. Manipol, Jeddah coordinator; Ronaldo Z. Villar,Yanbu coordinator; Junaid B. Saripada, Taif/Makkah coordinator; Doisdado Gerona and Manolo G. Baxa.

Antonio P. Acuavera, the outgoing chapter president who led the organizing work for this year's exams, became an 'ex-officio member of the Board of Directors. Pesta–o noted that this year's members of the chapters board members are all PEEs.