Republic of the Philippines
PROFESSIONAL REGULATORY BOARD OF ARCHITECTURE (PRBOA)
Our warmest greetings to you all!
I, as PRBoA Acting Chair and the two (2) Members of the PRBoA, namely Architect (Ar) Angeline T. Chua Chiaco
and Ar Marietta B. Segovia, congratulate the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP), the integrated and accredited
professional organization of architects (IAPOA), duly accredited by the PRBoA under Sec. 40 of Republic Act No. 9266,
otherwise known as the Architecture Act of 2004, on the occasion of its 38th National Convention, from 18 through
21 April 2012 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, with the theme “Landmarks, Leadership, & Legacy”.
These greetings go to all UAP Members, led by the UAP National President (NP), Architect (Ar) Ramon S. Mendoza,
FUAP, to all the Convention organizers led by UAP Executive Director/ Ar Roger T. Ong, UAP with Convention Director/
Ar Lora B. Rivera, FUAP, to all the UAP Members in attendance, to the honored Guests and Lecturers. and to the
loyal friends and supporters of the UAP.
While the PRBoA is sure that many of the concerned UAP members are well aware of what has transpired only
recently with the Court of Appeals (CA), it is still the PRBoA’s express wish that many areas of cooperation between
the PRBoA and UAP shall continue to flourish and that these are kept evolving and moving forward in order to help
attain our shared primary goal of the full implementation and enforcement of R.A. No. 9266, a valid and subsisting
special and later law, its 2004 implementing rules and regulations (IRR), the pertinent PRBoA Resolutions and other
derivative regulations, all of which are in full effect, and are supposedly not affected by the CA decision, which was
on an entirely separate matter i.e. mere executive issuances (2 provisions) pertaining to the 2004 Revised IRR of
Presidential Decree (P.D.) No. 1096 (the 1977 National Building Code of the Philippines/ NBCP). While we all look
forward to the looming battle at the Supreme Court over the next 2 to 3 years, R.A. No. 9266 must be implemented
by the Government as it is still the law on architecture and architectural practice.
Notwithstanding claims from other parties (which appear not to be supported by law), always remember that
R.A. No. 9266 is the only Philippine law that governs the State-regulated professional practice of architecture for
any and all building/s on Philippine soil i.e. thereby limiting the professional privilege of preparing, signing and drysealing architectural documents only to PH registered and licensed architects (RLAs). In fact, the term “architectural
documents” only appears in Sec. 20 (5) of R.A. No. No. 9266 and in no other Philippine law, with other variants of
the term appearing all throughout the law. The term “architectural documents” has already been sufficiently defined
by the PRBoA as early as 2004 under Sec. 3 (18) of the IRR of R.A. No. 9266. To this day, the law has remained
unchallenged in Philippine courts i.e. it is valid and subsisting/ in full effect as there is no Court Order, no TRO,
no injunction and no pending constitutional question on any of its provisions i.e. it is a very strong law, but it will
only remain so if we remain steadfast in supporting it. It is a law that must be followed by all Filipinos, or else, its
violators (public or private, natural or juridical) shall be subject to the harsh penalties prescribed under its Sec. 29.
It is also the added wish of the PRBoA that it is able to receive the full, unqualified and continuing support of all
RLAs on the current and future PRBoA initiatives which directly impact the architectural profession and the practice
of the nearly 29,000 Philippine-registered architects (RAs) situated all over the world (about 7,000 or 25% of which
were registered by the incumbent PRBoA over the last 5.25 years). The PRBoA continues to hope that the value of
the services of the RLAs may be fully and unequivocably appreciated on a progressive and continuing basis, by the
Philippine market for professional architectural services and by the Philippine Government itself (at all its levels).
Again, the PRBoA extends its felicitations to and wishes of continuing success for the UAP and All of its Members
in their worthy endeavors, their guests and loved ones, and to all of You in attendance during this Convention!
May the Lord bless and guide us all and the resurgent Philippine architecture profession as well! May You all
have safe journeys to and from the Convention.
Isulong natin ang laban para sa matuwid na daan para sa mga Pilipinong Arkitekto at para na rin sa mga
kaalyadong propesyonal! Ipaglaban natin ang tunay na diwa at espiritu ng batas! Huwag tayong pumayag sa mga
kamalian at kabalintunaan sa ating kapaligiran! Tandaan natin na kapag tayo ay nanahimik ay para na ring tayo
ang may akda ng kamalian.
Ipagbunyi ang mga Arkitektong Pilipino!! Mabuhay po kayong lahat!!!
Armando N. Alli, FUAP, APEC ARCHITECT
PRBoA Acting Chair
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