President Aquino declares November 2012 as ‘Civil Engineering Month’

President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared November 2012 as "Civil Engineering Month" to underscore the need to focus national attention on the importance of the civil engineering profession and highlight its role in nation building. More details after the jump.

The Chief Executive issued the declaration by virtue of Proclamation No. 439 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. on July 24.

"The Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers, Inc. (PICE) is an organization composed of more than 71,900 registered civil engineer-members in 97 chapters and some 25,390 civil engineering student-members in 174 student chapters throughout the country," President Aquino.

The PICE’s celebration of the "Civil Engineering Month" is in conjunction with its 75th Year Anniversary and 38th National Convention on November 22-24, 2012 at the Cebu International Convention Center in Mandaue City, Cebu.

The President called on all civil engineers and students to give the observance of the “Civil Engineering Month” their full support.

The history of civil engineering as a profession dates back to 1920 when the Philippine Society of Civil Engineers (PSCE) was founded by a group of civil engineers mostly in government. In 1937, a group of civil engineers from the private sector organized the Philippine Association of Civil Engineers (PACE).

Realizing that the two organizations shared the same objectives of raising the standards of the profession, encouraging research and engineering knowledge and technology, fostering fellowship among their members, and promoting interrelation with other technological and scientific societies, the PSCE and PACE merged in 1972 to form what is now known as the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers or PICE.

Source: Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO)