07/12/2025
ONLY a Licensed Real Estate Appraiser (REA) may legally serve as Provincial, City, or Municipal Assessor whether Permanent, Acting, or Officer-in-Charge (OIC).
This mandate is grounded in National Laws, CSC rules, and DBM Qualification Standards, all of which uniformly require that the Assessor position shall only occupied exclusively by a duly licensed Real Estate Appraiser.
LEGAL BASIS
1. CSC Memorandum Circular No. 8, s. 2025 or the 2025 Omnibus Rules on Appointments and Other Human Resource Actions (2025 ORAOHRA).
📌 Rule IV – Employment Status, Nature of Appointment, and Other Human Resource Actions
📌 Section 13. Other Human Resources expressly states that
“Designees shall meet the Qualification Standards (QS) of the positions to which they are designated.”
This means:
• Anyone designated as OIC/Acting Municipal, City, or Provincial Assessor MUST be a licensed Real Estate Appraiser (REA) — not CESO, not Career Service, not any other eligibility.
• The designee must fully meet the QS under RA 9646, RA 7160, RA 12001, and DBM-CSC-PRBRES standards.
• LCEs and LGU HRM Officers are expected to strictly enforce this rule.
• Assigning a non-REA as OIC/Acting Assessor is a direct violation of CSC rules and PRC-PRBRES regulations.
2. RA 9646 (Real Estate Service Act)
• Section 28 requires that the position of Assessor shall be filled only by a Licensed Real Estate Appraiser.
✔ Not only appointment — but the position itself must be occupied ONLY by a licensed REA.
✔ A designation or OIC assignment is still “filling the position,” even temporarily.
✔ RESA overrides internal LGU practices because it is a national licensing law.
3. RA 7160 (Local Government Code)
• Section 472
✔ Requires strict compliance with DBM–CSC Qualification Standards, which include the required REA eligibility for Assessors.
4. REAL PROPERTY VALUATION AND ASSESSMENT REFORM ACT (RPVARA), RA 12001 strengthens and reinforces the requirement that valuation and assessment functions be performed only by Licensed Real Estate Appraisers.
Section 15 – Minimum Qualifications
✔ Appraisers and assessors performing valuation functions must possess professional registration and license under RA 9646.
Section 18 – Professional Standards
✔ Requires compliance with IVS, PVS, and PRBRES standards, which only licensed REAs can legally perform.
Section 39 – Accountability of Officials.
Penalties apply to officials who:
✔ knowingly assign unqualified persons
✔ knowingly fail to comply with valuation standards
✔ obstruct the implementation of professional requirements
Thus, designating a non-REA as Assessor is a direct violation of RPVARA.
5. DBM Qualification Standards (QS)
QS for the Assessor position explicitly require:
✔ Eligibility: Licensed Real Estate Appraiser
✔ Education, training, and experience consistent with valuation functions.
6. PRBRES / PRC Regulations
✔ Appraisal and assessment work constitutes real estate appraisal practice, which requires an REA license.
✔ Non-REA personnel performing these functions are engaged in unauthorized practice.
7. DILG Circulars
✔ Direct LGUs to strictly observe qualification standards, RESA, and CSC rules.
✔ OIC/Acting designations are not exempt from QS requirements.
Assigning a non-REA as OIC/Acting Assessor is NOT a “technicality.”
It is a direct violation of multiple national laws and civil service rules.
The LCE and HRMO can be held administratively liable, while the unlicensed individual performing Assessor functions commits unauthorized practice of real estate appraisal, subjecting them to PRC/PRBRES administrative action, possible criminal penalties, and fines under RA 9646. In serious cases, this may also lead to disqualification from future REA licensure applications.
If your LGU or another LGU is designating a NON-REA as OIC/Acting Assessor, please report immediately to any of the following:
✔ Civil Service Commission (CSC)
✔ Professional Regulation Commission (PRC)
✔ Professional Regulatory Board of Real Estate Service (PRBRES)
📣 Let’s promote compliance, professionalism, and integrity in the Real Property Tax Administration (RPTA) and Real Estate Service.
A strong LGU begins with qualified professionals in the right positions.
