The document outlines a code of ethics for professional teachers that addresses their responsibilities to the state, community, profession, teaching community, higher authorities, school officials, learners, parents, and business interests. Key responsibilities include upholding moral and professional standards, promoting national pride and cultural heritage, carrying out state policies, maintaining confidentiality and cooperation with colleagues, and ensuring the welfare and unbiased treatment of learners. Teachers are also expected to respect administrative policies and seek redress through proper channels.

1. Code of EthicsCode of Ethics
ofof
Professional TeachersProfessional Teachers

2. Teachers are duly licensedTeachers are duly licensed
professionals who possesprofessionals who posses
dignity and reputation withdignity and reputation with
high moral values as well ashigh moral values as well as
technical and professionaltechnical and professional
competence.competence.

3. 1. The Teacher and the State1. The Teacher and the State
•
A Trustee of the cultural and educationalA Trustee of the cultural and educational
heritage of the nation.heritage of the nation.
•
Elevate national morality, promote nationalElevate national morality, promote national
pride, cultivate love of country.pride, cultivate love of country.
•
Actively help carry out the declared policies ofActively help carry out the declared policies of
the state.the state.
•
Physically, mentally and morally fit.Physically, mentally and morally fit.

4. •
Posses and actualize full commitment andPosses and actualize full commitment and
devotion to duty.devotion to duty.
•
Shall not engage in the promotion of anyShall not engage in the promotion of any
political, religious, or other partisan interest.political, religious, or other partisan interest.
•
Shall vote and shall exercise all otherShall vote and shall exercise all other
constitutional rights and responsibilities.constitutional rights and responsibilities.
•
Shall enjoy academic freedom.Shall enjoy academic freedom.

5. 2. The Teacher and the Community2. The Teacher and the Community
Shall render the best servicesShall render the best services
Provide leadership and initiative to activelyProvide leadership and initiative to actively
participate in community movements.participate in community movements.
Behave with honor and dignity at all timesBehave with honor and dignity at all times
and refrain from gambling, smoking,and refrain from gambling, smoking,
drunkenness and illicit relations.drunkenness and illicit relations.

6. Study and understand local customs andStudy and understand local customs and
traditions.traditions.
Inform the community about the schoolsInform the community about the schools
work, accomplishments, its needs andwork, accomplishments, its needs and
problems.problems.
Provide leadership in community whenProvide leadership in community when
needed; extend counseling services.needed; extend counseling services.
Posses freedom to attend church andPosses freedom to attend church and
worship.worship.

7. 3. The Teacher and the Profession3. The Teacher and the Profession
Ensure that teaching is the noblest profession.Ensure that teaching is the noblest profession.
Uphold the highest possible standards of qualityUphold the highest possible standards of quality
education.education.
Participate in the continuing ProfessionalParticipate in the continuing Professional
Education program.Education program.
Help if duly authorized to seek support for theHelp if duly authorized to seek support for the
schoolschool
Use teaching profession in a manner that makesUse teaching profession in a manner that makes
it a dignified means for earning a decent living.it a dignified means for earning a decent living.

8. 4. The Teacher and the Teaching4. The Teacher and the Teaching
CommunityCommunity
Be imbued with the spirit of professional loyalty,Be imbued with the spirit of professional loyalty,
mutual confidence and faith in one another, self-mutual confidence and faith in one another, self-
sacrifice for the common good and fullsacrifice for the common good and full
cooperation with colleagues.cooperation with colleagues.
Not to claim for work not of his own and give dueNot to claim for work not of his own and give due
credit for the work of others which he may use.credit for the work of others which he may use.
Organize and leave to his successor suchOrganize and leave to his successor such
records and other data as are necessary to carryrecords and other data as are necessary to carry
on the work.on the work.
Hold inviolate all confidential informationHold inviolate all confidential information
concerning associates and the school.concerning associates and the school.

9. May seek correctives for what may appear to beMay seek correctives for what may appear to be
on unprofessional and unethical conduct of anyon unprofessional and unethical conduct of any
associate.associate.
May submit to the proper authorities anyMay submit to the proper authorities any
justifiable criticism against an associatejustifiable criticism against an associate
preferably in writing, without violating any right ofpreferably in writing, without violating any right of
the individual concerned.the individual concerned.
May apply for a vacant position for which he isMay apply for a vacant position for which he is
qualified, provided that he respects the systemqualified, provided that he respects the system
of selection on the basis of merit andof selection on the basis of merit and
competence.competence.

10. 5. The Teacher and Higher Authorities5. The Teacher and Higher Authorities
in the Philippinesin the Philippines
Make an honest effort to understand andMake an honest effort to understand and
support the legitimate policies of thesupport the legitimate policies of the
school and the administration.school and the administration.
Make no false accusation or chargesMake no false accusation or charges
against superiors, especially underagainst superiors, especially under
anonymity.anonymity.
Transact all official business throughTransact all official business through
channels.channels.

11. Seek redress against injustice andSeek redress against injustice and
discrimination and raise his grievancesdiscrimination and raise his grievances
within democratic processes.within democratic processes.
Invoke the Principle that appointments,Invoke the Principle that appointments,
promotions, and transfer of teachers arepromotions, and transfer of teachers are
made only on the basis of merit and needmade only on the basis of merit and need
in the interest of the service.in the interest of the service.
Live up to his contractual obligation –Live up to his contractual obligation –
assuming full knowledge of theassuming full knowledge of the
employment terms and conditions.employment terms and conditions.

12. 6. School Officials, Teachers and Other6. School Officials, Teachers and Other
PersonnelPersonnel
School officials show professionalSchool officials show professional
courtesy, helpfulness and sympathycourtesy, helpfulness and sympathy
towards teachers and other personnel.towards teachers and other personnel.
Formulate policies or introduce importantFormulate policies or introduce important
changes in system at all levels.changes in system at all levels.
Encourage and attend to the professionalEncourage and attend to the professional
growth of all teachers.growth of all teachers.

13. Shall not dismiss or recommend forShall not dismiss or recommend for
dismissal a teacher or other subordinatesdismissal a teacher or other subordinates
except for a cause.except for a cause.
Ensure that public school teachers areEnsure that public school teachers are
employed in accordance with pertinentemployed in accordance with pertinent
civil service rules.civil service rules.

14. 7. The Teacher and Learners7. The Teacher and Learners
Has the right and duty to determine theHas the right and duty to determine the
academic marks and promotion of learners inacademic marks and promotion of learners in
the subjects they handle.the subjects they handle.
Recognize that the interest and welfare ofRecognize that the interest and welfare of
learners are his first and foremost concern, andlearners are his first and foremost concern, and
handle each learner justly and impartially.handle each learner justly and impartially.
Shall not be prejudiced nor discriminate anyShall not be prejudiced nor discriminate any
learner.learner.
Shall not accept favors or gifts from learners,Shall not accept favors or gifts from learners,
parents and others in exchange for requestedparents and others in exchange for requested
concessions.concessions.

15. Shall not accept, directly or indirectly, anyShall not accept, directly or indirectly, any
remuneration from tutorials.remuneration from tutorials.
Base evaluation of the learner’s work on meritBase evaluation of the learner’s work on merit
and quality of academic performance.and quality of academic performance.
Exercise utmost discretion to avoid scandal,Exercise utmost discretion to avoid scandal,
gossip and preferential treatment of the learner.gossip and preferential treatment of the learner.
Shall not inflict corporal punishment on offendingShall not inflict corporal punishment on offending
learners nor make deductions from theirlearners nor make deductions from their
scholastic ratings.scholastic ratings.
Insure that conditions contributive to theInsure that conditions contributive to the
maximum development of learners aremaximum development of learners are
adequate.adequate.

16. 8. The Teacher and Parents8. The Teacher and Parents
Establish and maintain cordial relationsEstablish and maintain cordial relations
with parents.with parents.
Inform parents, through proper authoritiesInform parents, through proper authorities
of the progress or deficiencies of learnersof the progress or deficiencies of learners
under him.under him.
Hear parents’ complaint with sympathyHear parents’ complaint with sympathy
and understanding.and understanding.

17. 9. The Teacher and Business9. The Teacher and Business
Has a right to engage, directly orHas a right to engage, directly or
indirectly, in legitimate income generation.indirectly, in legitimate income generation.
Maintain a good reputation with respect toMaintain a good reputation with respect to
financial matters.financial matters.
Not to act, directly or indirectly, as agent ofNot to act, directly or indirectly, as agent of
or be financially interested in anyor be financially interested in any
commercial venture.commercial venture.

18. 10. The Teacher as a Person10. The Teacher as a Person
Live with dignity in all places at all times.Live with dignity in all places at all times.
Place premium upon self-respect and self-Place premium upon self-respect and self-
discipline.discipline.
Maintain at all times a dignifiedMaintain at all times a dignified
personality.personality.
Recognize the Almighty God or Being asRecognize the Almighty God or Being as
guide of his own destiny and of theguide of his own destiny and of the
destinies of men and nations.destinies of men and nations.

19. 11. Disciplinary Actions11. Disciplinary Actions
Section 1. Any violation of any provision of this code
shall be sufficient ground for the imposition against the
erring teacher of the disciplinary action consisting of
revocation of his Certification of Registration and
License as a Professional Teacher, suspension from
the practice of teaching profession, or reprimand or
cancellation of his temporary/special permit under
causes specified in Sec. 23, Article III or R.A. No.
7836, and under Rule 31, Article VIII, of the Rules and
Regulations Implementing R.A. 7836.

20. 12.12. Effectivity
Section 1. This Code shall take effect upon
approval by the Professional Regulation
Commission and after sixty (60) days
following its publication in the Official
Gazette or any newspaper of general
circulation, whichever is earlier.