General practice of Architecture

The practice of architecture is hereby defined to be: The act of planning, architectural and structural designing, specifying, supervising, and giving general administration and responsible direction to the erection, enlargement or alterations of buildings and architectural design of engineering structures or any part thereof, the scientific, aesthetic and orderly coordination of all the processes which enter into the production of a complete building or structure performed through the medium of unbiased preliminary studies of plans, consultations, specifications, conferences, evaluations, investigations, contract documents and oral advice and directions regardless of whether the persons engaged in such practice are residents of the Philippines or have their principal office or place of business in this or another country, and regardless of whether such persons are performing one or all of these duties, or whether such duties are performed in person or as the directing head of an office or organization performing them.

The first three-member Board of Examiners for Architects was constituted to regulate the architecture profession, pursuant to Public Act No. 2985 enacted on February 23, 1921. The examiners were appointed by the Secretary of Commerce and Communications who was authorized to appoint the boards of examiners for the engineering, accountancy and surveying professions. The first Board was composed of Arch. Elias L. Ruiz as Chairman with Arch. Rufino D. Antonio and Arch. Federico S. Ilustre as Members.

By virtue of Public Act No. 4007 enacted on December 5, 1932, the Board was attached to the Department of Public Works and Communications. On June 17, 1950, Republic Act No. 545 was enacted, separating architecture from the coverage of Public Act No. 2985. On September 19, 1979 the National Code for Architects was promulgated by the Board and approved by the PRC as part of the Implementing Rules and Regulations governing the practice of architecture in the Philippines.

Republic Act No. 9266 repealing Republic Act No. 545*
An Act to Regulate the Practice of Architecture in the Philippines

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled

United Architects of the Philippines (UAP)

UAP Building, 53 Scout Rallos Street
Barangay Laging Handa, Diliman 1103
Quezon City, Philippines
Tel No.: (+632) 412-6403; 412-6364; 412-3311; 412-0051; 412-6394
Fax No.: (+632) 372-1796
Hotline: (0922) 870-9141
Website: http://www.united-architects.org/
Re-accredited: Res. No. 003 dated June 7, 2011
 

The first professional association of architecture, civil engineers, and surveyors was born on September 14, 1902 with the creation of the Academia de Arquitectura y Agrimensura de Filipinas (AAAF).

In 1973, the Philippine Institute of Architects (PIA), the League of Philippine Architects (LPA), and the Association of Philippine Government Architects (APGA) appointed representatives to a Panel of Negotiators tasked to undertake their integration into one organization. A year after, on December 12, 1974, the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP) was organized as the integrated organization. Its constitution and bylaws were adopted through a joint general meeting of the three organizations on December 10, 1975. The 1,300 members of the three organizations became automatic members of the UAP and during its first year, 700 members officially registered for membership.

On March 26, 1975 the UAP registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and became the first professional organization accredited by PRC with a certificate of accreditation issued on May 12, 1975. That same year, the UAP established its first eight regional chapters and held its first national elections on December 12 with Jose V. Herrera elected as National President.

In 1978, the UAP organized the National Conference on Architectural Education which resulted to the endorsement of a ladder-type curriculum for architectural education later adopted by the Ministry of Education and Culture. On March 28, 1981, the UAP initiated the preparation of the “International Code of Ethics on Consulting Services” which was formally adopted by the Architects Regional Council in Asia (ARCASIA) on August 6 of the same year. The UAP also hosted the first and the sixth Asian Congress of Architects in Manila. The UAP is a founding member of the Philippine Council for Planning and Housing (PCPH), the ARCASIA, the ARCASIA Board of Architectural Education (ABAE) organized in Jakarta, Indonesia, and the ASEAN Association for Planning and Housing (AAPH).

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