Philippines launches APEC Architect Register
September 15, 2005
In an effort to help the profession offer architectural services throughout the Asia Pacific region, the Philippines through the United Architects of the Philippines, the duly integrated and accredited professional organization of architects in the country, has joined with architectural associations around the Pacific rim in launching the APEC Architect Register – Philippines Section last September 19, 2005 held at the Pandango Room, Manila Hotel.
“The APEC Architect Registry is a response to the strategic priority of facilitating mobility of qualified persons through the mutual recognition of professional qualifications among countries,” said Edric Marco C. Florentino, fuap, UAP’s national president. “It breaks down a major barrier that prevents Filipinos from practicing architecture abroad.”
Through the APEC Architect Registry, qualified Filipino architects will be internationally accredited for the practice of their profession in member countries.
The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), is an international forum composed of twenty-one member economies that have undertaken to act collectively to promote economic and technical cooperation within the Asia-Pacific region. On the initiative of the APEC Human Resources Development Working Group (HRDWG), one of the sectoral groups established to implement APEC programs, the APEC Architect Project was endorsed as a direct response to the strategic priority of facilitating the mobility of qualified persons by developing a means for the mutual recognition of qualifications.
The APEC Architect Project builds on the World Trade Organization (WTO) General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) principles for the progressive liberalization of trade in services through the reduction of regulatory restrictions, leading to reciprocal agreements between member economies.
The APEC Monitoring Committee Philippine Section, composed of the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP), Philippine Regulation Commission (PRC) and the Commission of Higher Education (CHED), recently launched the APEC Architect Register simultaneously with other APEC-member countries.
The synchronized international launch of APEC Architect Registry culminates four years of preparatory meetings held in Brisbane, Sydney, Kuala Lumpur, Taiwan, Hawaii, and Tokyo in which participating APEC countries agreed on the criteria by which a local architect may be evaluated as an APEC architect.
The Philippine launched was attended by foreign dignitaries, top government leaders, and key representatives of the initiating organizations. The program was highlighted by a powerpoint presentation presented by Past Nationl President, Arch. Prosperidad C. Luis, fuap, who delivered the Overview of the APEC Architect Project; PRC-BOA Chairman, Arch. Eugene G. Gan, fuap for the Evaluation Criteria and Arcasia Chairperson Arch. Yolanda D. Reyes, fuap for the Application Requirements.
The success of the launching event was made possible through the solicitation effort of National Executive Vice President, Arch. Medeliano “Boy” T. Roldan, Jr., with the support of Wilcon Builders Supply and Wilcon Builders’ Depot, material providers supplying the local building design and construction industry. Other sponsors include: Boysen Paints, Emerald Vinyl, Globalbrands, Koten Enterprises, and Philflex.
During the meeting in Tokyo, Japan, the participating economies agreed to simultaneously launch the APEC Architect Register in their respective countries on the 4th anniversary of the first APEC Architect Project meeting on September 19, 2005, on which date the APEC Architect Register will be operational and applications may be accepted.
APEC Architects
A candidate for registration as an APEC Architect must be currently registered, licensed or otherwise professionally recognized as an architect in the country that maintains the section of the APEC Architect Register to which application for admission is made. Meanwhile, a candidate in the Philippine Section of the APEC Architect Register must submit documents to the Monitoring Committee that show that they have completed an accredited program of architectural education, fulfilled a period of Post-Baccalaureate Diversified Training, fulfilled registration/licensing requirements for registration as an architect, have practiced for at least seven years as registered/licensed architects and satisfied additional requirements, have achieved the prescribed number of continuing professional development units and must be active members of the UAP-IAPOA.