8:02 PM
RSG
- NP Beth Regala
MESSAGE:
Greetings!
It is with great pleasure that I present to you some of the highlights of the 2014-2015 Administration.
When I decided to run for President, I wanted nothing more than to be of service to the Organization that leads to the overall empowerment of the Profession. The objective then was to lead and ensure that the Agenda is pushed through and all ideas, suggestions are taken into consideration, anything, for the betterment of the of every member. As I however went along, I gained further knowledge about the needs of our practice. This is also why I take to heart the passing of our law. I believe that it is of utmost importance that our legislative agenda is realized.
I also met and added new friends across the Philippines and outside the country. I am inspired by the service of every individual and the belief that each of you have shown.
It has been a rewarding and humbling process, to always learn something new, to meet challenges head-on and get support from the best and most talented members and officers in the Profession.
I remain grateful to the trust given. Let us continue to stay united, as one family, all for the love of the profession.
EMPOWER! EQUIP! ENJOIN!
Mabuhay ang Arkitektong Pilipino!
Mabuhay ang UAP!
Mabuhay Kayong Lahat!
To empower the profession means creating more opportunities for Filipino RLAs to provide services in the private and public sector. This could be achieved through better public understanding of the role of architects in the construction industry and ensuring that architectural practice is only reserved for RLAs through a stronger RA9266.
House Bill 5127 Authors:
Representative Susan A. Yap – 2nd District of Tarlac
Representative Gary C. Alejano – MagdaloPartylist
Events:
• Upon advise of PCAP, amendments were drafted to Republic Act 9266 or the Architecture Act in 2013 and later on revised and refined in 2014 to exclude provisions that will impact on other laws like the Local Government Code, etc.
• The amendments were finalized in coordination with representatives from other associations and with the legal counsels of UAP, namely Atty. Marlon Cariño, and Atty. Jose Cabrera.
• After the meeting of UAP leadership with Rep. Susan Yap, the final draft was submitted to her office on October 20, 2014 which was filed in the House of Representatives as House Bill 5127 on October 22, 2014.
• Upon filing HB 5127, Representatives Yap and Alejano sent a letter endorsing House Bill 5127 for the filing of a Senate version to Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, the Chairperson of Senate Committee on Civil Service and Government Reorganization
• On December 17, 2014, the House Committee on Civil Service and Government Organization deliberated on the bill, with PRC, PRBOA and UAP leadership in attendance. HB 5127 was approved on the same day without any amendments.
• On February 25, 2015, the House Civil Service Committee reported out the amendatory bill under Committee Report 576, recommending approval of HB 5501 in substitution of HB 5127. Except for changes in style, there were no substantial amendments made to HB 5127.
• Committee Report 576 is currently pending on Second Reading.
Senate Bill 2623 Author: Senator Antonio Trillanes IV
Events:
• On February 2, 2015, UAP NP Ma. Benita O. Regala, Executive Director on Professional Practice Peach Buencamino met with Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, requesting for his sponsorship of HB 5127filed by Representatives Yap and Alejano. NP Regala informed Sen. Trillanes that the House Bill was approved by the House Civil Service Committee on December 2014.
• On February 3, 2015, Senator Trillanes filed Senate Bill 2623
• On February 10, 2015, Senator Trillanes conducted a public hearing on SB 2623. The PRC, PRBOA and the Allied Professionals expressed their position on the bill. The professional organizations made no substantial objections but the Interior Designers and Civil Engineers requested clarification on certain terms used in the bill. Senator Trillanes emphasized that there should not be an overlapping of roles and functions among the professionals in the building industry. Thus, a technical working group was constituted to resolve the issues raised.
• In mid-March, PRC Chairman Doble sent a letter to House and Senate urging the legislature to undertake a delineation of functions of the concerned professionals
• In mid-March, PRC Chairman Doble sent a letter to House and Senate urging the legislature to undertake a delineation of functions of the concerned professionals and authoritatively define their respective scope of practice.
Currently the National President along with her colleagues are working together with other professionals to be able to move forward and come up with an understanding and agreement beneficial to all. As in any amendments of any particular law, there are challenges to be reckoned with. It is, however, important to remember that all professions are essential, otherwise it will cease to exist. Hence, all will play an important role, if the ultimate result is in building anything of great value. ASEAN Integration being inevitable, and rapid change and competition brought by globalization becoming a norm, it is but necessary to prioritize the strengthening of our legal framework.
COUNCILOR RODERICK PAULATE AUTHORED THE BILL, WHICH WAS FULLY SUPPORTED BY MAYOR HERBERT BAUTISTA AND VICE MAYOR JOY BELMONTE
WHEN DBM WAS INFORMED OF THIS RESOLUTION, THEY CONFIRMED THAT IT WILL BE A FIRST IN THE COUNTRY, CREATING A WHOLE DEPARTMENT AND NOT JUST A DESIGNATION OF AN ARCHITECT TO BE A CITY ARCHITECT.
EQUIP THE ARCHITECT
The following scholars were awarded:
1) Ar. Michael Manalo
2) Ar. Ronaldo Santos
3) Ar. Kristian Bautista
4) Ar. Femil Villamor
Additional 6 scholars are under review and are to be awarded. These are just one of the programs of the current Administration that will last a lifetime.
“Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world” – Nelson Mandela
ENJOIN THE PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION
UAP is the IAPOA and to fulfill its responsibilities, the members are to be engaged in various programs and projects of the organization. On the other hand, the headquarters shall also be able to serve the members well by being member-centric and having an efficient office organization.
These three key result areas embodied in the theme represent a call to action and a call to unity in order that , together we may raise the Filipino Architects in a better position as professionals and as nation builders
22nd of July 2014- MOA signing with the City Government of Zamboanga and DEPED
26th of August 2014 – Met with Committee on Economic Affairs and Trade and Industry.
27th of August 2014 – UAP MOA signing with HCG and CODHASP
Summary: HCG has offered to partner once again with UAP and with CODHASP in the realization of its corporate goals and objectives by organizing a project called ArchiNEXT, which seeks to get the best innovative design ideas from architectural students addressing the current challenges to design and offering a scholarship program to deserving students of architecture;
16th of November 2015– Attended the Leapfrog event.
The Goal of Leapfrog: “Help rebuild cities around the world devastated by extreme natural hazards, through a collaborative undertaking that centers on the idea of achieving resilience, starting with central Philippines, where the most displacement (4.1 million people) was experienced”.
11th of November 2015 – USAID-PBED Roundtable Discussion
12th of November 2015 – Memorandum of Agreement with MNL
25th of November 2015 – Attended the Glasstech event
4th December 2015 – Attended the Adamson University Assembly on Asean Integration together with Ar. Peach Buencamino
18th of December 2015– Judged the First Nippon Paint Designers Award
STRENGTHENING WITHIN
One of the objectives of UAP is the creation of a more member-centric Secretariat. The administration through the leadership of NP Beth Regala and Secretary General Alfred Geoffrey Carandang, reviewed the Organizational Chart, creating a more strategic structure focusing on a more specialized leadership. The 3 departments were therefore created: Administration, Finance and Membership Care. To further enhance the interpersonal and develop potential leadership skills of the Secretariat, a first ever Team building Seminar was held in San Pablo Laguna las February 6, 2015. This seminar was attended by the whole Secretariat and NP Beth Regala, SG Alfred Carandang and NT Jojo Fernandez. The essence of working together, difference of personalities as well as discovering the strengths and working on weaknesses were discussed.
The Seceretariat with its new structure and on gin development initiatives are under its adjustment stage, it is howver certain that all these planse are geared towards the long-term improvement that will benefit every member and keep the Organization’s internal standards at par with the best practices required.
WEBSITE
The Administration also re-launched the UAP website. This initiative was completed through careful review and selection of the right partner. The website aims to provide more information to the Members and extend awareness to Non-Members. With the social network being now the fastest and main source of information, it is but necessary that our main network to members are updated and efficiently used.
Bayanihan Arkitektura.
Bayanihan is a Filipino term taken from the word bayan, referring to a nation, country, town or community. The whole term bayanihan refers to a spirit of communal unity or effort to achieve a particular objective. (Wikipedia)
The initial objective associated with the term is the ancient Filipino custom of helping a family transport their house to a new location, by literally carrying the house with the aid of bamboo poles and broad-backed men. Nowadays, the term has been adopted to refer to a communal spirit of volunteerism, teamwork, humanity, and acts of kindness, as an effort to resolve an issue.
BayanihangArkitektura.
This year's UAP CSR initiative, termed as "BAYANIHANG ARKITEKTURA," seeks to bring the bayanihan spirit into the realm of volunteerism - a strong testament to the bayanihan trait - making it possible for the Filipino architect to help each other and work together toward a common goal as enshrined in the corporate thrust of the administration: EMPOWER + EQUIP + ENJOIN.
The "BAYANIHANG ARKITEKTURA" aims to improve the lives of the community through architecture and planning, craft strategies available to architects wanting to incorporate community service into their architectural practice, assist in meeting the professions civic platform with respect to the social aspects of sustainability, develop diverse initiatives to promote Architect's social responsibility in improving the well-being of communities and promote design solutions that can provide significant positive impact on the underprivileged communities.
These will be achieved through a series of events, hosted by the UAP Committees and Chapters, that provide communal volunteerism for a humanitarian effort. These activities include the UAP Emergency Architects, which aim to help rebuild lives and support local communities affected by disasters and calamities, Accessible Tourism where UAP Chapters will provide technical assistance in designing tourist spots to give access to a disabled person/s ; Water and Sanitation projects will provide toilets for schools and evacuation centers, Architectural Clinic, which brings our services to people who many need them the most.
THE IAPOA
One of the biggest challenges that hit the Administration was after the Senate Hearing
held last January 20, 2015, when the National President along with other UAP Officers made representations to Senator “Sonny” Fuentes Trillanes IV to clarify issues pertaining to UAP accreditation as an IAPOA.
The drop of morale of the members were felt, several comments were made, the decision to
get up and move forward was however the first priority of the President.
UAP has presented their stand, providing documents validating that UAP was in fact borne out of the Integration between the three Architectural associations (the League of Philippine Architects - LPA, the Association of Philippine Government Architects - APGA, and the Philippine Institute of Architects-PIA on January 15, 1975, UAP was accredited by the Professional Regulation Commission as the “Accredited Bonafide Professional Organization of Architects in the Philippines” pursuant to the implementing rules and regulations of Presidential Decree No. 223.
After several meetings and submission of supporting documents, UAP’s accreditation was granted by the PRC, dated 16th of March 2015
EVENTS
“Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, and across the globe in a month” or at least this is how it felt due to the invitations and numerous important events that flooded UAP. The Administration recognizes the importance of each, hence as much as possible, all events were attended either by the President or her representative.
Successful Annual events were also held, starting with the WORD DAY OF ARCHITECTURE, headed by Ar. Neil Villanueva last October 6, 2015. The NATIONAL ARCHITECTURE WEEK was held December 8-13 through the leadership of Ar. Patrick Rodriguez. The 13th UAP GOLF headed by Ar. Ed Casares and Chancellor Ramon Mendoza was held last 16th of Feb 2015. The Joint Area Assembly headed by Ar. Tony Valdez was held in Cebu last February 20-21. The 40th Anniversary, headed by Secretary General Alfred Geoffrey Carandang was celebrated last 26th of March 2015.
The President’s trip abroad includes the Induction in California, the UIA trip in South Africa and MENA. There were also visits to Malaysia and just recently the chartering in Shanghai, China.
In between these events were meetings with Government and NON-government Organizations, continuous Congress and Senate hearings and Internal Improvement through Mancom,Execom and NBD meetings.
Events are not treated lightly. As they promote, camaraderie, resolutions and represent important milestones. Here’s to every road traveled.
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