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PHILIPPINES Geographical Location The Philippine archipelago is composed of 7,107 islands and islets; its major island groups are Luzon (the northernmost part), Visayas (center) and Mindanao (the southernmost). Located 5˚ north of the equator, the northernmost tip of the country, Y’ami of the Batanes Island group, is 241 kilometers south of Taiwan while the southernmost tip, Sibutu of the Tawi-Tawi
group of islands, is just 14.4 kilometers north of Borneo. Total land area is 1,840 square kilometers and coastline is 334,539 kilometers long. The Philippines is most popular for its beaches and deep waters with an overabundance of marine life. Major bodies of water surrounding the islands are the Pacific Ocean, the Philippine Sea, the South China Sea, the Sulu Sea and the Celebes Sea.
Country History Philippine history began in the 13th century, when ten D atus from Borneo and kinsmen, landed in Panay Island in the Visayas. It was the Portuguese Ferdinand Magellan who placed the Philippine archipelago on the map of the world. The fearless Magellan was dubbed the discoverer of the Philippines after he landed in H omonhon Islet, near Samar, in 1521. H e was later killed in Mactan Island near Cebu in a clash with native warriors led by a chieftain named Lapu-Lapu. The Spanish colonizers succeeded in introducing Christianity in Luzon and Visayas but were unsuccessful in Mindanao, where Moslems repelled Spanish efforts. Spain’s colonization brought about the construction of Intamuros in 1571, a “W alled City” enclosing European buildings and churches, replicated in different parts of the archipelago. A fter 350 years and numerous rebellions, the Filipinos, with leaders like Jose R izal
and Emilio A guinaldo, succeeded in winning independence from Spain on 12 June 1898. Spain ceded the archipelago to the U nited States of A merica for U S$20 million, thus the Philippines became the first and only colony of the U nited States. Following the Philippine-A merican W ar, a new fight for independence was waged lasting six years. The war ended in 1905 and the period of fighting was followed by decades of progress. In 1935, a Commonwealth government was established complete with a Constitution. The U nited States brought widespread education to the islands. W orld W ar II broke out in 1941. Filipinos fought alongside A mericans during W orld W ar II, particularly at the famous Battle of Bataan and Corregidor, which delayed Japanese advance and saved A ustralia. They waged a guerilla war against the Japanese from 1941 to 1945. The Philippines regained its independence in 1946. Japan annexed the Philippines after a heroic battle with Filipino-A merican forces making a stand in Bataan and Corregidor. W ith the surrender, Filipinos took to the hills and waged a guerilla war for four years. In 1945, U S forces liberated the Philippines and on July 4, 1946, the U S flag was lowered for the last time as the Philippines was finally granted independence. Filipinos are a freedom-loving people, having waged two peaceful, bloodless revolutions against what were perceived as corrupt regimes. The Philippines is a vi-
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brant democracy, as evidenced by 12 English national newspapers, seven nationwide television stations, hundreds of cable TV stations, and 2,000 radio stations.
political unit is the “barangay”, patterned and named after the tribes of ancient Malay Filipinos.
Currency Flag The flag is a field of two horizontal bands, blue on top and red at the bottom; the colors are reversed during war. The bands are joined at the staff side by a white triangle, in the middle of which is a sun, representing liberty, with eight rays representing the eight provinces that first revolted against the Spanish colonizers. In each corner of the triangle is a yellow star, which stands for the major island groups of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
Governm ent D emocratic republic; branches of the government:the Executive (represented by the President), the Legislative (Congress and Senate) and the Judicial (Supreme Court); smallest
The offi cial Philippine denomination is called the Peso or PhP
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The Filipinos are divided geographically and culturally into regions, and each regional group is recognizable by distinct traits and dialects: the sturdy and frugal Ilocanos of the north; the industrious Tagalogs of the central plains; the carefree Visayans from the central islands; and the colorful tribesmen and religious Moslems of Mindanao. Indigenous communities can be found scattered across the archipelago.
People Religions Filipinos, about 76.5 million, are basically of Malay stock with a sprinkling of Chinese, A merican, Spanish and A rab blood. The Filipino character is an amalgam of many cultures:the bayanihan or spirit of kinship and camaraderie is believed to have originated from the Filipino’s Malay forefathers; close family ties have been inherited from the Chinese; the piety came from the Spaniards who introduced Christianity in the 16th century; hospitality, which distinguishes the Filipino from other A sians, is a significant feature of the Filipino character.
H istorically, the Filipinos have embraced two of the great religions of the world– Islam and Christianity. Islam was introduced during the 14th century shortly after the expansion of A rab commercial ventures in Southeast A sia. Today, 4.6% of the population is Muslims and they can be found basically in Mindanao. Predominantly Christian, some 82.9% of the population is R oman Catholic; 5.4% Protestants; 2.6% Philippine Independent Church; 2.3% Iglesia ni Cristo and 3% Buddhists. The rest of the population is made up mostly of other smaller Christian denominations, Taoism, and indigenous beliefs (animism, pantheism).
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National Dress
Food
The terno, a Filipiniana formal dress for women, evolved from the “baro’t saya” of the 16th century, which also included the “tapis” wrapped around the waist as a mark of decency. The “panuelo”, draped over the shoulders and doubled as a scarf, was later added by the Spaniards for purposes of decency as women in those days didn’t wear bras. The Spaniards further refashioned the dress by introducing a more elaborate skirt style, the Maria Clara. The butterfly sleeves now seen in the modern terno made its appearance around the time of the A merican occupation. The one-piece (originally the top and skirt were not joined), and panuelo-less terno is what we know now as the modern version.
Food is an exotic, tasteful fusion of A sian (Chinese, Japanese, Indian), E uropean (Spanish) and A merican culinary influences with a wide variety of fresh seafood and delectable fruits. First-class restaurants offer gourmet specialties as well as Filipino Cuisine.
The national attire for men is the barong tagalog (literally meaning “dress of the Tagalog”) long sleeved shirt made of natural fibers of jusi, sinamay, piña or cool cotton, worn over “camisa de chino” (a Chinese collarless T-shirt) and sported a fine needlework or handpainted designs on the half-open chest (this design was called “pechera” from the Spanish word pecho meaning chest). “Barong Tagalog” can be worn at formal and informal occasions, for day and evening wear, for business and at leisure.
D ishes range from a simple meal of fish and rice to rich paellas and cocidos. Popular dishes include Lechon (whole roasted pig), Longanisa (native sausage); Tortas (egg wraps), Pan de sal (bread rolls), A dobo (chicken and/or pork marinated in garlic, soy sauce, and vinegar), K alderetang K ambing (rich goat stew), K are-K are (ox tail, beef chunks and/or tripe cooked in peanut sauce), Sinigang (chicken, fish or meat cooked in sour broth), Paksiw (fish simmered in vinegar and pepper), Pancit (stir-fried noodles), Lumpia (fresh or fried spring rolls), H alo-halo (a cold mixed fruit dessert) and lots of fresh seafoods. The staple is rice, served boiled or sinangag (cooked rice fried with garlic & spring onions). H owever, there are varied ways of using rice and rice flour. They are
used in cakes, sweets, and other savory snacks. The other native staples include maize (mais), bananas, and bread.
Clim ate The Philippines enjoy a tropical climate. Its relatively dry season is from N ovember to June and rainy season is from July to October. The best time to visit the country is from N ovember until February, when the weather is relatively cool and dry. One might even try to come during the summer months (March till May) for the numerous and colorful fiestas and festivals being celebrated all over the country.
Tourism Metro Manila is the center of entertainment and cultural activities. The Cultural Center of the Philippines
BORACAY
CHOCOLATE HILLS
LUNETA
RICE TERRACES
PINATUBO
CULTURAL CENTER OF THE PHILIPPINES
is the premier venue for the performing arts, for local and international guest artists. Museums in Manila and provinces offer a glimpse of the culture and colorful history of the country, while art galleries showcase the works of leading and promising artists. Year-round fiestas and festivals, celebrated all over the country, offer actual experience of the country’s culture and history, e.g., Sto. N iño festivals in A klan, Cebu & Iloilo; Penangbenga Baguio Flower Festival; commemoration of the Lenten season, e.g., Moriones in Marinduque; Flores de Mayo; Pahiyas in Lukban, Q uezon; Parade of R oasted Pigs in Batangas; T’boli Tribe Festival in South Cotabato; San Fernando G iant Lantern Festival in Pampanga; Christmas D ay when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and R amadan for Muslims. Local & foreign tourists shall certainly have a wide choice of sceneries, from the majestic man-made Benguet R ice Terraces in the Cordilleras to the most active and smallest Taal Volcano in southern Luzon; and sandy white beaches of Boracay and D akak in the Visayas and Mindanao, respectively. Tour packages, from day trips to five-day programs, are available to discover the Philippines and its wealth of culture. Special interest activities include golfing, game fishing, diving, white-water rafting and other aqua sports, trekking, spelunking and safari trips.
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Institute History D uring the Spanish era there were no schools of A rchitecture in the Philippines. The first Filipino recorded architect was Felix R oxas y A rroyo, born circa 1820 in Manila, studied in Spain and stayed for many years in England and France. Previous to this, a Filipino could aspire to erect an architectural structure through the help of a Maestro de Obras or master builder. The first formal school for master builders was opened only during the last decade of the 19th century. On 14 September 1902, many of the graduates of this school joined the civil engineers and surveyors in the country and founded the first professional organization of architects and allied professionals–the A cademia de A rquitectura y A guimensura de Filipinos (A A A F). It maintained direct consultation with the A merican Institute of A rchitects (A IA ). A year after, its name was changed to A cademia de Inginieria, A rquitectura y A grimensura de Filipinas (A IA A F). In 1904 it founded the first school of A rchitecture in the Philippines, the Escuela de Ingenieria y A rquitectura, which offered five-year courses in A rchitecture and Civil Engineering. In 1911, the A IA A F was dissolved when the civil engineers withdrew to form their own professional organization, but not before it has struggled for the passage of an Engineers and A rchitects Law. In 1921, the Phil-
ippine N ational A ssembly A ct N o. 2985 passed, the first enabling law for the practice of the professions of engineering and architecture, defined the unique and separate identities of the two professions. The profession of A rchitecture in the Philippines was given its first separate statute on 17 June 1950 with the enactment of R epublic A ct 545, “A n A ct to R egulate the Practice of A rchitecture in the Philippines.” From the early 1930’s to late 1950’s, associations of architects were founded, but only three survived until the early 1970’s–the A ssociation of Philippine G overnment A rchitects (A PG A ), League of Philippine A rchitects (LPA ), and the Philippine Institute of A rchitects (PIA ). In June 1973, President Ferdinand E. Marcos issued Presidential D ecree 223, creating the Professional R egulation Commission (PR C) regulating all professions and accrediting only one organization to represent each profession. The newly integrated organization of architects was called the U nited A rchitects of the Philippines (U A P). A ll 1300 members of the three organizations automatically became members of the U A P and during its first year, 700 members offi cially registered for active membership. On 26 March 1975, the U A P was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and on 12 May 1975, the PR C issued Certificate N o. 001 to the U A P
as the duly accredited professional organization of architects in the Philippines. The organization has been participating in the activities of local government units, in civic and in related professional fields. The U A P received many professional awards including the highly acclaimed Excellence A ward given by the G overnment of the R epublic of the Philippines and the Most Outstanding Professional Organization of the Year awarded by the PR C in 2002. The U A P has been instrumental in the passing of R epublic A ct 9266:The A rchitect’s Law of 2004, effective A pril 26, 2004. On 22 June 2004, the PR C, through its Board of A rchitecture, accredited the U A P as the Integrated and A ccredited Professional Organization of A rchitects (IA POA ). The new law granted Filipino architects more definitive rights, benefits and distinction as against other professionals in the construction industry.
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UNITED ARCHITECTS OF THE PHILIPPINES (UAP) M em bership and Organization Through the years U A P developed as a professional organization in the national and international context. Out of the 20,540 registered architects in the Philippines 15,046 are members of the U A P. The number of chapMEDELIANO T.ROLDAN JR. ters in D ecember 1977 of 20 President, 2007-2008 grew to 109, five of these are based abroad. The chapters are clustered under four geographical areas and 17 regional districts. The U A P has the following classification of members: Charter Member, R egular Member, Member Emeritus, U A P Senior Member, Fellow and H onorary Member of the College of Fellows. The N ational Board of D irectors, the governing body of the U A P, consists of the N ational Executive Offi cers, D istrict D irectors, Immediate Past Presidents and the Chancellor of the College of Fellows. The N ational Executive Offi cers, elected by the members of the Electoral College, are the N ational President, N ational Executive Vice President, N ational Vice Presidents (4), Secretary G eneral, N ational Treasurer and N ational A uditor. The U A P holds two major national gatherings annually – the N ational Convention and A nnual Business
NORBERTO M.NUKE, FUAP 1975
JOSE V.HERRERA, FUAP 1976
ROPERTO C.GAITE, FUAP 1977–1978
FELIPE M.MENDOZA, FUAP, LIKHA 1979–1980
OTILLO A.ARELLANO, FUAP 1981
LEANDRO V.LOCSIN, FUAP, LIKHA 1981–1982
MANUEL T.MAÑOSA, FUAP, LIKHA 1983–1984
CESAR V.CANCHELA, FUAP, LIKHA 1985–1986
FROILAN L.HONG, FUAP 1987–1988
ANGEL LAZARO, FUAP, LIKHA 1989
ROCHETO C.ALCORDO, FUAP 1990–1991
JAIME C.MARQUEZ, FUAP 1992–1994
NESTOR S.MANGIO, FUAP 1994–1996
ROBERT S.SAC, FUAP 2002–2004
ENRIQUE O.OLANAN, FUAP 2004–2005
PROSPERIDAD C.LUIS, FUAP 2001–2002
EMMANUEL P.CUNTAPAY, FUAP YOLANDA DAVID–REYES, FUAP 1996–1998 1998–2000
EDRIC MARCO C. FLORENTINO, FUAP 2005–2007
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Meeting (A pril) and the Mid-term N ational Conference of A rchitects (October). The N ational Offi cers are elected during the annual N ational Convention.
t Professional Product: To serve as a progenitor in exercising standards and quality of services by providing opportunities for development and innovation to attain local and global recognition and exposure.
Aim s and Tasks The U A P, as the Integrated and A ccredited Professional Organization of A rchitects, is the vanguard of the A rchitecture profession in the country which shall serve as the catalyst of dynamism and unity among Filipino architects, promoting the highest ethical conduct, discipline, responsibility and values beneficial to man & society, culture and the environment in the delivery of its professional mandate for local and global practice. Objectives: t Profession: To assert and sustain the primacy of the architecture profession and being responsive to the needs of the design and construction industry and it’s allied concerns. t Professional:To uphold and safeguard the dignity and integrity of architects in achieving the highest level of professional. t Professional Organization:To be the moving force in galvanizing unity and harmony and effective leadership in the promotion of qualified, respected, globally prepared and competent architects.
Participation and Awards Likha G old Medal A ward is the highest distinction that may be bestowed by the N ational Board, as endorsed by the College of Fellows, upon a Fellow. This award is given in recognition of his having impeccable moral character, having highest standards of professional and ethical conduct, excellence and prestige in the practice of the architectural profession and distinguished contribution and service to U A P. H e must have exceptional achievement and active participation in the concerns of the community, government and country.
H onorary Member of U A P are conferred upon any foreign architect of high and reputable character and have exceptionally contributed to the advancement of the architectural profession. A R CA SIA CH A IR MEN conferred as H ON OR A R Y MEMBER S of the College of Fellows are: Syed Zaigham Jaffery
(1981)
D ato Ikmal H isham A lbakri
(2001)
D ato K ington Loo
(2001)
R onald Poon
(2001)
Barry W ill
(2006)
P. K asi
(2006)
Foreign dignitaries conferred as U A P H onorary Fellows are: Prince R ichard
D uke of (1981)
D r. R od H acney
(1988)
Charles Correa
(1990)
Vassilis Sgoutas
(1998)
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Fellow U A P is a regular member in good standing for at least fifteen (15) years and have rendered notable contribution to the advancement of the architectural profession in the fields of D esign, Management & Technology, Education or Public Service and exceptional service to U A P. The annual Outstanding Chapter A ward is given in recognition to the chapter’s achievements representing the six (6) different regions. The U A P, in partnership with the MetroBank Foundation, Inc., Federal Land and BluPrint, has worked for the recognition of talented young artists and to launch them to national prominence through the annual N ational Competition in A rchitecture, Interior D esign, Painting, and Sculpture, i.e., the Metrobank A rt and D esign Excellence A ward (MA D E).
Publications The periodicals edited and published by the U A P are: Philippine A rchitectural Journal (semi-annual), U A P Post (monthly newsletter) and K eeping You Posted (monthly).
International Participation The U A P is a founding member of A R CA SIA and A SEA N A ssociation for Planning and H ousing (A A PH ), both in 1979. It is also a member of U IA since 1983, and a member of EA R OPH . International recognition has been sustained through its active participation in conferences, organizational activities and stature in prestigious positions in different professional organizations such as U IA , A R CA SIA , A A PH and EA R OPH .
Participation in ARCASIA Activities On March 1981, the U A P initiated the preparation of the document entitled “International Code of Ethics on Consulting Services” during the A R CA SIA workshop in Manila, later formally adopted by A R CA SIA in H ongkong in A ugust 1981. The U A P hosted and organized the First A sian Congress of A rchitects (A CA -1) in Manila on October 1984 and the 6th A sian Congress of A rchitects (A CA -6) on D ecember 1994. A mong the U A P members elected as Chairmen of A R CA SIA are Felipe M. Mendoza (1984-1985), R icheto C. A lcordo (1994-1995) and Yolanda D . R eyes (2005-2006).
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Prosperidad C. Luis and Yolanda D . R eyes served as deputy chairman Z one B and A CA E Chairman respectively. Edgardo C. A guila, R ebecca Tobias, G eronimo V. Manahan, Victor N . Tiotuyco, R obert Sac and A na M. Ling served as H onorary Secretary / Treasurer respectively.
SECR ETA R IA T A ddress
U A P Bldg. 53 Scout R allos Street, D iliman, Q uezon City 1103
Telephone
63-2-412-6364 / 6374 / 6403
Fax
(632)3721796
architects@ united-architects.org
W ebsite
www.united-architects.org