TOGETHER: IIEE Qatar delegates led by its president Arnulfo D Surigao joined the VIP guests from PRC in Manila. From left, Alex Louis A Alvior, John Albert P Matinong, Teofilo F Tongson Jr, Edgardo E Estebal, Surigao, Phillipine Ambassador to Bahrain Alfonso Ferdinand A Ver, IIEE national president Cabaraban, BEE OIC Francis V Mapile, Joselito C Santiago, IIEE-SQC adviser Mabulay, BEE member Mendoza, former IIEE-SQC president Bernardino, IFP Christopher M Cadiente, Jimmy Michael Y Bugay and Ariel T Tambis.
By Joey Aguilar
The annual convention of Filipino electrical engineers in the Middle East (ME) provided an avenue to promote the Philippine government’s programme of holding special board exams in the region, a former senior official of the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers of the Philippines – State of Qatar Chapter (IIEE-SQC) has said.
Attending the Third Middle East Regional Convention for Filipino electrical engineers in Bahrain last month, former IIEE-SQC president Edgar B Bernardino told Community that the programme helps Filipino professionals get their licenses without going back to the Philippines to take the board exams.
“This gives them a big relief financially and eliminate the problem of taking a leave from their companies to take the examination,” he said.
Some 17 members of IIEE-SQC took part in the convention, which gathered a total of 150 participants across the Middle East.
IIEE members in ME had the chance to ask questions and raised concerns on their membership benefits, renewal of Philippine Regulatory Commission (PRC) licenses and professional upliftment programmes of the government.
The new Philippine Ambassador to Bahrain Alfonso Ferdinand A Ver, the Board of Electrical Engineering OIC Francis V Mapile, Board of Electrical Engineering member Jaime V Mendoza, and IIEE-national president Ma Sheila C Cabaraban from Manila were the VIP guests who attended.
Cabaraban and host chapter president Roberto A Paras led the ceremonial cutting of ribbon at the event.
The envoy urged the participants to patronise Filipino and local restaurants in Bahrain as well as tourist places.
He also lauded the Bahrain chapter for its advocacy of honing technical knowhow of Overseas Filipino Workers (electrical practitioners) and keeping them globally competitive.
The regional convention is held annually after it launched in Doha in August 2013 under the chairmanship Edgar B Bernardino and IIEE-SQC adviser Robert U Mabulay.
The IIEE ME chapters had unanimously chosen Qatar to be the next host for the Fourth ME convention set in July 2016.
