The Birth of UAP

During the Spanish era there were no schools of Architecture in the Philippines. The first Filipino recorded architect was Felix Roxas y Arroyo, 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 Academia de Arquitectura y Aguimensura de Filipinos (AAAF). It maintained direct consultation with the American Institute of Architects (AIA). A year after, its name was changed to Academia de Inginieria, Arquitectura y Agrimensura de Filipinas (AIAAF). In 1904 it founded the first school of Architecture in the Philippines, the Escuela de Ingenieria y Arquitectura, which offered five-year courses in Architecture and Civil Engineering.

The United Architects of the Philippines (UAP) was born on December 12, 1974 out of the noble vision of unifying the three (3) existing architectural associations at that time - the Philippine Institute of Architects (PIA), the League of Philippine Architects (LPA) and the Association of Philippine Government Architects (APGA). Through the concerted efforts of the officers and members of the three organizations, the vision officially materialized on March 26, 1975, where the UAP was registered with the Philippines' Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). On May 12, 1975, the UAP was granted Certificate No. 001, the first professional organization to be accredited by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). The PRC is the central agency of the Philippine Government charged with the licensing and regulation of professionals and the professions, as well as the Accredited Professional Organizations (APOs).

Since its registration, UAP has received many awards, including the highly-acclaimed PRC's Most Outstanding Accredited Professional Organization. To date, it is still the first and only APO to win the award four times in the Award's eighteen-year history. These were in years 2002, 2007 and 2008 and this year 2011. The award is presented annually to recognize the achievements, services and commitments of the APO to the profession. UAP bested forty two (42) other professional organizations, through 12 stringent criteria set for the award.

For its volunteer works, UAP was chosen in addressing housing problems, urban degradation, environmental conservation and promotion of volunteerism for socio-economic development; the UAP was a Regional Nominee to the "Search for Outstanding Volunteers" by the Philippine National Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) in its celebration of National Volunteer Month last December 2005. PNVSCA takes the lead in advocating and recognizing the contributions of volunteers to nation-building and international cooperation.

Last April 2009, in celebration of the Earth Day, the UAP, through its advocacy group "Green Architecture Movement", was awarded the 2009 Father Neri Satur Award for Environmental Heroism - the only accredited professional organization in the Philippines to receive such a prestigious environmental award.

last November 2010, UAP received its First International Award ~ in Adelaide, Australia, the EAROPH 50th Golden Jubilee Award in recognition of the organization's substantial contribution to the advancement of Planning, Development and Management of Human Settlements in the Philippines.