Republic Act 11249
(SLP Act of 2019)
Republic Act 11249, or the Speech-Language Pathology Act, empowers the government to provide regulatory measures, programs, and activities that ensure Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) in the Philippines adhere to globally recognized, world-class standards of professional practice.
The law acknowledges the essential role of SLPs in nation-building and promotes the development of a corps of professionals whose competence is validated through honest and credible licensure examinations.
To qualify for the licensure examination, candidates must:
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Be a citizen of the Philippines or from a foreign country with reciprocity agreements.
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Be of good moral character and have no criminal record involving moral turpitude.
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Hold a bachelor's degree in Speech-Language Pathology from a recognized school or university accredited by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
RA 11249 SLP Act
Key Milestones
1993
Arao-Ynion and Gozum-Angeles initiated a thesis on regulating the Speech-Language Pathology profession under the guidance of Prof. Diaz-Mojica. President Rodriguez-Quiason mandated the filing of a bill, and Senate Bill No. 1494, "An Act Regulating the Practice of Speech Pathology," was filed by Sen. Orlando Mercado.
1998 - 2001
Sen. Robert Jaworski sponsored the bill for the 11th Congress (SRB 1651).
2001 - 2004
Sen. Edgardo Angara (SB 2134) and Sen. Loren Legarda (SB 776) sponsored the bill for the 12th Congress. Congresswoman Bella Angara-Castillo sponsored House Bill 32 in the lower house. SB 2134 reached the second reading, and HB 32 passed the third reading.
2014
Sen. Antonio Trillanes introduced the SLP Bill, with Sen. Risa Hontiveros as co-author.
2017
A committee hearing was conducted in the House of Representatives. PASP representatives presented at the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
2018
The SLP Bill was approved at the committee level in the House of Representatives (HOR) and passed the HOR final reading.
2019
The SLP Bill was passed by both houses, and President Rodrigo Duterte signed the law on March 22, 2019. The PRC released the list of nominees for the Professional Regulatory Board of Speech-Language Pathology (PRB-SLP).
2021
Hon. Maria Eusebia Catherine S. Sadicon was sworn in as the first chair of the PRB-SLP, and Hon. Juan Paolo D. Santuele was sworn in as the first member.
2022
Hon. Rowena Arao-Ynion was sworn in as a member of the PRB-SLP. The PRB-SLP chair and members took their oath as the first registered Filipino Speech-Language Pathologists. The tentative date for the first board examination for SLPs was set.
Join Us
Join PASP and support the continued advancement of Speech-Language Pathology in the Philippines. Be part of the professional community working to uphold the standards set by Republic Act 11249 and ensure world-class care for all.