In Unity there is Strength

During the event of Spanish colonialism, Philippines has no schools for architecture. However,
there is one existing school called Escuela Practica Y artes Oficios De Manila where the first graduates
were Julio Hernandez (1891), Isidro Medina (1894), Arcadio Arellano (1894), and Juan Carreon (1896).
On the other hand, Felix Roxas Y Arroyo studied in London which became the first Filipino Architect. He
started his Architectural practice in 1858 and was assigned as the Municipal architect in manila in the
year 1877. He designed the Sto. Domingo Church and Ayuntamiento de Manila in Intramuros but was
unfortunately both destroyed during World War II.

In the year 1902, they established the First association of architects called Academia de
Arquitectura y Agremensura de Filipinas (AAAF) which the members were Guillermo Gardiner as
President, Arcadio Arellano as Vice President, Jose Perez Siguereza as Secretary, Tomas Arguelles and
Jose Paraz as Directors.

But in 1903 they’ve decided to change the association’s name into Academia de Arquitectura,
Ingenieria y Agremensura de Filipinas (AIAAF) that include civil engineers and surveyors.

In 1921, Engineers & Architects Law (Act no. 2985) was established which is the law to separate
Engineers and Architects’ Board of examiners. This time the surveyors were automatically designated as
architects.

In 1933, Philippine Architects’ Society was created from the AIAAF which has the members of
Don Juan Nakpil as president, Tomas Mapua as vice president, Harold Keyes as secretary-traesurer,
Carlos Baretto and Fernando Ocampo as directors. The laws separating the practice of architecture from
engineering were enacted in 1938.

After the World War II, Philippine Architects’ Society (PAS) was reorganized in the year 1945
which founded by Fernando Ocampo as President, Cesar Concio as Vice President, Jose Zaragoza as
Secretary, Luis Ma. Araneta as Treasurer, Juan Nakpil, Andres Luna de San Pedro, Gines Rivera, and
Gabriel Formoso as Directors. Then a year after PAS transform its name into Philippine Institute of
Architects & Planners (PIAP) and therefore named as Philippine Institute of Architects (PIA). By this time,
15 members organized the League of Philippine Architects (LPA) which headed by Jose V. Herrera.

In 1947, as part of the three-day PIA Annual Convention, they conducted the inaugural
architectural exhibition at Plaza Goiti.

In 1948, the Congress enacts R.A. no. 472 in which the awarding of the design for public works is
made permissible by law.

In 1949, Republic Acts No. 544 and No. 545 were establishing a law separating the laws
governing architects and engineers. (R.A. 545 for architects, R.A. 544 for engineers).

In 1950, Andres Luna de San Pedro, a Filipino architect wins the first country’s gold medal for its
famous “Crystal Arcade”.

In !951, the PIA printed and release the standards of Professional Practice in the field of
architecture.
 In 1953, the first time the architects were invited as guests by the president of the Philippines
was during the 20th Annual Convention of the PIA, when President Quirino hosted a cocktail reception
in Malacanang.

In 1954, Carlos da Silva received recognition from the American Institute of Architects when the
organization celebrated its 96th anniversary by naming him an AIA Honorary Member.

On January 23, 1957, the Philippine Institute of Architects was officially admitted as the National
Section of the Union Internationale Des Architects (UIA). In the same year, to agree on the Standard
Schedule of Fees, PIA and LPA convened joint meetings. The two organizations were trying to work
together in this way.

In 1958, the government-employed architects established their own association, the Association
of Philippine Government Architects (APGA).

In 1960’s they attempt to unify Philippine Institute of Architects (PIA), League of Philippine
Architects (LPA), and Association of Philippine Government Architects. The Council of Filipino Architects
(CFA), originally intended to serve as the umbrella organization under which the three societies would
come under one flag, was founded in 1962 after the short-lived Philippine Council of Architects (1962) of
LPA and APGA. The CFA was not affiliated with PIA.

In 1965, The Architects' National Code, the Architects' Services, and the Schedule of Fees were
unanimously approved by the three organizations, the APGA, LPA, and PIA and subsequently accepted
by the Board of Examiners for Architects.

In 1971, the event is organized by Ad-Hoc Committee of young architects to commemorate the
50th anniversary of Philippine architecture, which was the foundation of unity and was attended by all
the major figures in the profession.

The elusive objective of professional unity was clearly conceptualized in 1973 and according to
Edilberto F. Florentino the formal negotiations between organization took a year to deal with. The Panel
of Negotiators in PIA were Ariston Nakpil as President, Otillo Arellano, and Carmencita Rosales, in LPA
includes Edilberto Florentino as President, Luisito Guiang, and Ricardo Poblete, and lasty in APGA were
Deogracias Atienza as President, Benjamin Meamo, and Alfredo Tungpalan. A new commission is formed
by the Panel of Negotiators after the Joint resolution has been ratified. And they are tasked to choose an
Organizational name by laws to forms the united organization. And after thoughtful thought, research,
and evaluation, the name United Architects of the Philippines was chosen because it clearly captured
the core principle around which the organization was built: unity.