UAP Supports Enforcement of Architecture Act

NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS
FISCAL YEAR 2019-2020
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
BENJAMIN K. PANGANIBAN, JR., FUAP, AA, APEC AR, DFRIA
National President
RENATO A. HERAY, FUAP, PALA, AA, FRIA
National Executive Vice President
MA. CECILIA C. VIRAY, UAP
Vice President, Area A
JUNAR P. TABLAN, UAP
Vice President, Area B
OMAR MAXWELL P. ESPINA, FUAP
Vice President, Area C
SALVADOR ROSAURO V. SANDOVAL, FUAP
Vice President, Area D July 29, 2019
RONNIE R. YUMANG, UAP, PIEP, AA
Secretary General
WILFREDO G. GACUTAN, FUAP, PIEP
National Treasurer HON. ROWENA M. TUASON
ROLAN PAOLO L. ALBERTO, UAP
National Auditor Mayor, City Government of Masbate
GLORIA B. TEODORO, FUAP
Chancellor, College of Fellows City Government Complex
GUILLERMO H. HISANCHA, FUAP, APEC AR, AA, DFRIA
Immediate Past National President
Masbate City
REGIONAL DISTRICT DIRECTORS
EUGENIO P. LUMDANG, UAP
District Director, A1a
JEFFREY V. DUPAYA, UAP
District Director, A1b
RE: POSITION OF THE UNITED ARCHITECTS OF THE
ARDEL J. SANTOS, UAP
PHILIPPINES ON THE IMPLEMENTATION AND ENFORCEMENT
WILSON P. PINEDA, UAP
OF THE PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9266
FELIZARDO B. CIPRIANO, JR., UAP
District Director, A3
JOSE B. HIPOLITO, UAP
Dear Honorable Mayor Abalos
REGINALD T. YANEZA, UAP
ABIGAIL L. JIZMUNDO, UAP
District Director, B1
Greetings!
LUDEL M. MERCENE, UAP
JUSTO I. SANTOS, JR., UAP
The United Architects of the Philippines (UAP), the integrated and
EDUARDO F. BOBER, JR., UAP
accredited professional organization of architects under Republic Act (R.A.)
CHRISTINE C. ORDIZ, UAP
No. 9266 (or the “Architecture Act of 2004”), with over 40,000 members,
JANICE A. GAROL, UAP
District Director, C1
respectfully submits this Position Paper on the Implementation and
SEGUNDINO T. INUMERABLES, JR., UAP
Enforcement of the Provisions of Republic Act No. 9266 (R.A. No. 9266) in your
VANESSA R. AYLLON, UAP
respective LGU.
RAMON R. DUEÑA, JR., UAP
CHARLENE L. ALQUIZA, UAP
District Director, D1
Architects have been practicing their art and science since antiquity.
RAMIL DC. MARBA, UAP
ROMEO O. BUCOL, UAP
In 2004, Congress enacted R.A. No. 9226 or the Architecture Act of 2004.
NEIL RYAN E. MANIGSACA, UAP
This law categorically provides, without any exception, that only duly
Awards Received registered and licensed architects can legally sign architectural plans and
2018 PCAAE’s ANG SUSI Award documents. The law further provides that building officials cannot accept
7-Time PRC’s Outstanding Accredited
Professional Organization of the Year
(2002, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2018)
architectural plans and documents which are not signed by architects. Under
First-ever recipient of DTI-CIAP’s
Outstanding Accredited Professional
the old Architecture Law (R.A. No. 545), civil engineers were expressly
Organization (2017)
exempted from the general rule that only architects can sign architectural
2010 EAROPH 50th Golden Jubilee Award
2009 Father Neri Satur Award for documents.
Environmental Heroism
The Architecture Act of 2004 removed that exemption.
Hence, UAP welcomes and supports the spirit or intention behind the
Proposed Resolution, i.e., the implementation and enforcement of the
provisions of R.A. No. 9266.
R.A. No. 9266 is an important piece of legislation which, among others,

defines the scope of, and regulates, the practice of architecture. UAP has
Affiliations
contributed to the enactment of this law, fully supports the same, and is
currently actively campaigning for its full implementation and enforcement.
CORPORATE T H R U S T S : U N I T Y . A B L E. P R O – A C T I V E
UAP CHAPTERS - AREA A (District A1a) PANGASINAN-DAGUPAN, BAGUIO, ILOCOS-CIUDAD FERNANDINA, LA UNION, ILOCOS NORTE-LAOAG CITY, SUMMER CAPITAL, PANGASINAN SCALE, YLOCOS VIGAN, LA UNION-AGUILA, CORDILLERA • (District A1b) CAGAYAN VALLEY, ISABELA SIERRA MADRE, NUEVA VIZCAYA,
CAGAYAN NORTH • (District A2a) NUEVA ECIJA CABANATUAN, BULACAN, BARASOAIN, STA. MARIA-BULACAN EAST, DEL PILAR-BULACAN, MALOLOS REPUBLIKA • (District A2b) ZAMBALES-OLONGAPO, TARLAC, PAMPANGA-SAN FERNANDO, BALANGA-BATAAN, ANGELES CITY, SINUKWAN-PAMPANGA, CLARK •
ANGELES CITY-ALAYA, CABALEN PAMPANGA, TARLAC – KUBLAHI, PAMPANGA SAN FERNANDO CABALEN – CAMPAMPANGAN, PAMPANGA GULIS (District A3) QUEZON CITY, QC SILANGAN, QC CAPITOL, QC TANDANG SORA, HONGKONG, QC CENTRAL, QC SOUTH TRIANGLE, LOS ANGELES • (District A4) DILIMAN,
NEW MANILA, CAMANAVA HILAGA, QC ELLIPTICAL, NOVA CENTRAL, KSA EASTERN PROVINCE , KSA WESTERN REGION KSA RIYADH, UAE DUBAI, UAE ABU DHABI, QATAR, KUWAIT, BAHRAIN, OMAN • CAMANAVA-AB BANTAYOG (District A5) RIZAL TAYTAY, PASIG, MARIKINA VALLEY, SAN JUAN MANDALUYONG,
GREENHILLS, RIZAL EAST, CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 116, RIZAL KALAYAAN 100, RIZAL CAINTA 101, SAN JUAN PINAGLABANAN, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA • AREA B (District B1) MANILA ATELIER, MANILA SAMPALOC, MANILA METRO, MANILA CENTRUM, MANILA ARCHIZONIAN, MANILA STA. MESA,
SINGAPORE • (District B2) MANILA MAGS, MANILA MAHARLIKA, MANILA MAYNILAD, MANILA CORINTHIAN, MANILA INTRAMUROS, MANILA ALCALDIA, MANILA ILLUSTRADO, ONTARIO-CANADA, MANILA LA SOLIDARIDAD, BRITISH COLUMBIA • (District B3) MAKATI, MAKATI-CBD, PARAÑAQUE-PALANYAG, MAKATI
GREENBELT, ALABANG, CAVITE, FORT BONIFACIO, SHANGHAI, BRUNEI, LAS PIÑAS, MAKATI AYALA TRIANGLE, KUALA LUMPUR • GUAM-USA (District B4) QUEZON PROVINCE, SAN PABLO, LAGUNA, BATANGAS, PALAWAN, MINDORO, LIPA • BATANGAS LAKESHORE (District B5) CAMARINES, LEGAZPI, IRIGA-
RINCONADA, DARAGA-CAGSAWA, SORSOGON KASANGGAYAHAN, DAET-CAMARINES NORTE, TABACO, CATANDUANES, MASBATE RODEO • AREA C (District C1) CEBU, DUMAGUETE, RAJAH HUMABON, BOHOL, LAPU-LAPU, SUGBU, CEBU LEON KILAT, METRO CEBU, FORT SAN PEDRO, CEBU FUENTE • (District C2)
BACOLOD, NEGRENSE, MT. KANLAON • (District C3) LEYTE, SAN JUANICO, LEYTE WEST, METRO TACLOBAN, SAMAR SINIRANGAN • (District C4) ILOILO, CAPIZ, MARIKUDO, ANTIQUE, HAMILI, AKLAN, ILOILO MAJA-AS • AREA D (District D1) DAVAO, MOUNT APO, COTABATO, SOCSKSARGEN, DATU BAGO-DABAW,
Affiliations
KADAYAWAN-DABAW, NORTH DAVAO , DAVAO ALPHA, BALLADAW DABAW, SINLAYAN-DABAW, SOUTH COTABATO KORONADAL • (District D2) ZAMBOANGA, ZAMBOANGA-CHAVACANO • (District D3) CAGAYAN DE ORO, BUTUAN, SURIGAO, GOLD-CDO, METRO KAGAY-AN, CDO BAY • (District D4) ILIGAN CITY, DIPOLOG,
OZAMIS CITY, PAGADIAN
UAP NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS BUILDING, 53 SCOUT RALLOS STREET, BARANGAY LAGING HANDA, QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES 1103
TEL NO. +632 888-9266 | FAX NO. +632 372-1796 | WEBSITE: www.united-architects.org | EMAIL: admin@united-architects.org
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
National President
Vice President, Area D
Secretary General UAP thus welcomes the Proposed Resolution as an important part of
National Treasurer the campaign to carry out the mandate of R.A. No. 9266. UAP is also grateful
National Auditor for having been given this opportunity to express its views on the matter.
Chancellor, College of Fellows
Immediate Past National President Congress saw fit to reserve to architects, without exception, the
REGIONAL DISTRICT DIRECTORS preparation and signing of architectural documents. No courts has the
District Director, A1a authority to override that legislative intent.
District Director, A2a Necessarily, since the Architecture Act of 2004 provides that only
District Director, A2b architects, and no other, can prepare and sign architectural documents, there
District Director, A3 is an evident intent to delineate the architectural profession from other
District Director, A4 professions, such as civil engineering, which may have overlapped with it in
District Director, A5 the past.
District Director, B2 This legislative intent is clear not only from the plain language of the
District Director, B3 law, but also in its legislative history in both the House of Representatives and
District Director, B4 in the Senate. As extensively discussed earlier, the Explanatory Note of House
District Director, B5 Bill No. 33434 explains that “R.A. 545 [the old Architecture Law] allowed civil
District Director, C1 engineers to participate in the preparation of plans and specifications of
District Director, C2 buildings, which is the primary function of an architect. Now that the
District Director, C3 devastation brought about by the Second World War has been properly
District Director, C4 addressed, it is but necessary to give unto the architects the performance of a
District Director, D1 function for which they were specifically trained.”
ROMEO O. BUCOL, UAP
District Director, D3 Congress mandated that only architects can sign architectural plans and
District Director, D4 documents.
Awards Received
2018 PCAAE’s ANG SUSI Award
It is elementary that “the courts are not concerned with the wisdom,
(2002, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2018) justice, policy, or expediency of a statute.” That is the province of Congress.
Outstanding Accredited Professional This is particularly true when it comes to the regulation of professions, which
Organization (2017)
2010 EAROPH 50th Golden Jubilee Award is part of the police power of the State, exercised through Congress. “[T]he
2009 Father Neri Satur Award for
proper regulation of a profession, calling, business or trade has always been
upheld as a legitimate subject of a valid exercise of the police power by the
state. x x x” Congress saw fit to reserve to architects, without exception, the
preparation and signing of architectural documents. No courts has the
authority to override that legislative intent.
Congress prohibited government officials from accepting architectural

documents not signed by architects, and the DPWH Secretary carried out the
prohibition in 2005.
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It should also be noted that PICE itself agreed to jointly support, with
UAP, the enactment of laws to amend the 1950 laws governing civil
engineering (R.A. 544) and architecture (R.A. 545), precisely with the intention
Affiliations
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
National President
Vice President, Area D of eliminating any overlaps between the two professions. PICE jointly declared
Secretary General with UAP that they shared a common objective: “To define and distinguish
National Treasurer more clearly the scopes of practice of architecture and civil engineering to
National Auditor minimize, if not eliminate any undesirable overlaps, thereby enhancing their
Chancellor, College of Fellows collaborative efforts for the good of common project.” [refer to Annex A for the
Immediate Past National President Joint Support]
REGIONAL DISTRICT DIRECTORS
District Director, A1a To underscore, PICE itself agreed to jointly support, with UAP, the
District Director, A1b enactment of laws to eliminate any overlaps between the two professions. In
District Director, A2a one of the committee hearings on the then-proposed amended Architecture
District Director, A2b Law, PICE’s representative very clearly stated that PICE was supporting a clear
District Director, A3 delineation of the functions of architecture and civil engineering.
District Director, A5 The Architecture Act of 2004 is clear and categorical – only architects
District Director, B1 can prepare and sign architectural documents. There are no ifs or buts about it.
District Director, B2 The law does not provide for any exception. Only architects. No one else, not
District Director, B3 even civil engineers, can prepare or sign architectural documents.
District Director, B5 This exclusivity is clear from the plain language of Architecture Act of
District Director, C1 2004. Section 20(5) of the said law provides that “[a]ll architectural plans,
District Director, C2 designs, specifications, drawings and architectural documents relative to the
District Director, C3 construction of a building shall bear the seal and signature ONLY of an
District Director, C4 architect.”
District Director, D2 Further, to ensure that the exclusivity given to architects is actually
ROMEO O. BUCOL, UAP
District Director, D3 implemented, Section 20[2] provides that building officials cannot accept or
District Director, D4 approve “any architectural plans or specifications which have not been
Awards Received prepared and submitted in full accord with” it, i.e., architectural plans which
are not signed by architects.
(2002, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2018)
Outstanding Accredited Professional In fact, when the DPWH Secretary promulgated the Revised IRR of the
Organization (2017)
National Building Code in 2005, he was simply following the law and the will
of Congress that in the application for building permit, the architectural
documents to be submitted must be signed by architects. The DPWH Secretary
merely wanted the Revised IRR to be consistent with the Architecture Act of
2004. Indeed, he could not do otherwise because, again, Section 20[2] of the
Architecture Act of 2004 clearly provides that building officials cannot accept
or approve any architectural documents which are not signed by architects.
Unfortunately, the civil engineers wanted to be able to sign not only

the civil/structural documents exclusively reserved to them in the Revised
IRR. They also wanted to be able to sign the documents classified as
Affiliations
architectural documents that are exclusively reserved to the architects. Thus
they sought to nullify the questioned provisions of the Revised IRR.
Affiliations
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
National President
Vice President, Area D
Secretary General Again, the law is very clear: only architects can sign architectural
National Treasurer documents. Any previous overlaps with other professions, such as civil
National Auditor engineering, have been removed. That is how Congress wanted it to be when
Chancellor, College of Fellows they enacted the Architecture Act of 2004.
REGIONAL DISTRICT DIRECTORS More importantly, there can be no serious dispute that “architectural
District Director, A1a documents” include such documents as Vicinity Map/Location Plan, Site
District Director, A1b Development Plan, Perspective, Floor Plans, Elevations, Sections, Details, etc.
District Director, A2a These are architectural documents because they pertain to the practice of
District Director, A2b architecture, as defined in Section 3 of R.A. 9266 or the Architecture Act of 2004.
District Director, A3 The DPWH Secretary was not acting arbitrarily or baselessly in promulgating
District Director, A4 Section 302[4] of the Revised IRR of the National Building Code, which
District Director, A5 classifies Vicinity Map/Location Plan, Site Development Plan, Perspective,
District Director, B1 Floor Plans, Elevations, Sections, Details etc. as “architectural documents.”
District Director, B2 Such classification finds basis in the statutory definition of architecture and the
District Director, B3 scope of practice of definition. It was not pulled by the DPWH Secretary out of
District Director, B4 thin air.
District Director, C1 In fact, even under the old or 1977 IRR of the National Building Code,
District Director, C2 these same documents were already considered “architectural documents.”
District Director, C3 Rule I, Section 3.2.1 of the 1977 IRR states that “architectural documents”
District Director, C4 include Location Plan, Site Development Plan, Floor Plans, Elevation, Sections,
District Director, D1 Details, and the like. This has been so for at least more than 40 years — why
District Director, D2 should it suddenly be considered as arbitrary or baseless now?
ROMEO O. BUCOL, UAP
District Director, D4 Thus, when Congress enacted the Architecture Act of 2004, providing
Awards Received that only architects can prepare and sign architectural documents (Section 20),
Congress was obviously referring to “architectural documents” as the term
(2002, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2018) was generally understood under the 1977 IRR that was then in effect, i.e.,
Outstanding Accredited Professional Location Plan, Site Development Plan, Floor Plans, Elevation, Sections, Details
Organization (2017)
2010 EAROPH 50th Golden Jubilee Award and the like. It is a basic rule of statutory construction that when Congress
enacts a law, it is presumed to be aware of the existing laws or rules relating to
the same subject matter and must have taken them into account. If Congress
had a different idea of what “architectural documents” refer to (other than
Location Plan, Site Development Plan, Floor Plans, Elevation, Sections, Details
and the like), it would have so stated in the law.
With this inconsistency, the only way for the two laws to co-exist is to
consider as repealed the alleged authority of civil engineers to prepare, sign,
and seal architectural documents. After all, the rule is that legislators are
Affiliations
assumed to be aware of existing law, and any new statute enacted inconsistent
with existing law is therefore intended to repeal the older law, insofar as the
inconsistency is concerned. The newest law — the Architecture Act of 2004 —
Affiliations
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
National President
Vice President, Area D controls. Indeed, the intention to repeal is bolstered by the evident
Secretary General legislative intention to remove overlaps between architecture and civil
National Treasurer engineering.
National Auditor
Chancellor, College of Fellows The practice of civil engineering does not include the preparation,
signing, and sealing of architectural documents. Said acts form part of the
REGIONAL DISTRICT DIRECTORS architecture profession, not civil engineering. The old Architecture Law may
have allowed civil engineers to sign architectural documents, as a matter of
exception (Section 12, R.A. 545), but that exception was removed by the
Architecture Act of 2004 (Section 25, R.A. 9266).
The clear letter of the law, as well as the legislative intent, is to grant
architects the exclusive right to prepare and sign architectural documents, as
provided in Sections 3(1), (3) and (4), and 20(5) of the Architecture Act of
2004. Section 43, therefore, cannot be used to allow civil engineers to practice
the architectural profession, which by law is reserved exclusively for duly
JUSTO I. SANTOS, JR., UAP licensed and registered architects. It cannot be said that the law gave
EDUARDO F. BOBER, JR., UAP exclusivity to architects with one hand, and took it back with the other hand.
JANICE A. GAROL, UAP Third, contrary to Civil Engineers’ misleading claim, the Architecture
Act of 2004 does not “affect or prevent the practice” of civil engineering — civil
engineers are not prevented from practicing their profession (i.e., civil
engineering) — it merely ensures that only architects can engage in the practice
of architecture. There are still documents (“Civil/Structural Documents”
under Section 302[5] of the Revised IRR) which must be signed only by civil
ROMEO O. BUCOL, UAP
engineers, which are necessary in the application for building permits.
Awards Received
Lastly, the Architecture Act of 2004 restricted to architects the authority
2018 PCAAE’s ANG SUSI Award to prepare, sign and seal architectural documents and plans is not without
Professional Organization of the Year basis. Indeed, civil engineers are not academically competent to practice
(2002, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2018)
First-ever recipient of DTI-CIAP’s architecture, nor to prepare and certify architectural documents. [refer to
Organization (2017) Annex B for the letter of the Chairman of the Professional Regulation
Commission to then Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.]
A typical civil engineering course does not include a single unit of

architectural design, planning or drafting. On the other hand, a typical
architecture course has ten semesters of mainstream architecture (design,
planning, graphics, visual techniques, etc.), and units in building technology
and engineering sciences similar to civil engineering. Moreover, in order to
qualify for the architectural licensing exam, an architectural degree holder
must act as apprentice under a practicing architect for two (2) years. No similar
apprenticeship is required of civil engineers.
Affiliations
Affiliations
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
National President
Vice President, Area D In closing, it is high time that the Filipino public be assured that only
Secretary General individuals who have been properly educated, qualified and trained will
National Treasurer
undertake the planning and design of buildings and be held responsible for
National Auditor
such acts. As a matter of fact, the Philippine Councilors League, the
Chancellor, College of Fellows
nationwide association of the 16,000-strong city and municipal councilors,
recently expressed its full support to United Architects of the Philippines to
REGIONAL DISTRICT DIRECTORS launch and spearhead an advocacy campaign among all its members for the
passage of a resolution or ordinance enforcing and implementing fully the
pertinent provisions of R.A. No. 9266 and its implementing rules and
regulations [refer to Annex C for the Memorandum of Agreement between the
PCL and the UAP].
JOSE B. HIPOLITO, UAP Therefore, we respectfully endorse the passage of the Executive
REGINALD T. YANEZA, UAP Order, Resolution or Ordinance in the support of the implementation of RA
ABIGAIL L. JIZMUNDO, UAP 9266.
JUSTO I. SANTOS, JR., UAP Respectfully Submitted
United Architects of the Philippines
represented by
District Director, D1 ARCH. BENJAMIN K. PANGANIBAN, JR.
District Director, D2 FUAP, ASEAN ARCH, APEC ARCH, FRIA
ROMEO O. BUCOL, UAP
District Director, D3 UAP National President
Awards Received
7-Time PRC’s Outstanding Accredited ARCH. CHRISTINE A. CAÑARES-ORDIZ, UAP
(2002, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2018) Regional District Director, District B5
Organization (2017)
ARCH. JOSE Z. QUIJANO, UAP

Chapter President, UAP Masbate-Rodeo Chapter
Affiliations
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UAP Supports Enforcement of Architecture Act

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NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS

FISCAL YEAR 2019-2020

The Architecture Act of 2004 removed that exemption.

R.A. No. 9266 is an important piece of legislation which, among others,

Congress prohibited government officials from accepting architectural

Unfortunately, the civil engineers wanted to be able to sign not only

A typical civil engineering course does not include a single unit of

ARCH. JOSE Z. QUIJANO, UAP

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