By Sarah Andaya, Davao Today Intern
Davao City – The United Architects of the Philippines (UAP) wants to dominate the ASEAN region. This was revealed during a press conference Wednesday by Davao City’s only ASEAN architect, Benjamin Panganiban.
The annual National Architect Week will be hosted by the UAP under District D1 and its 8 local chapters this coming December 8-13 in an effort to uphold ASEAN Architecture within the region.
The six-day celebration themed: “Filipino Architects at the Forefront of ASEAN Integration 2015” will also promote the upcoming ASEAN Integration where the Philippines will be opening up its borders to other ASEAN countries in terms professional services, including architecture.
Panganiban said that Filipino architects are more creative. “The architects from other regions should fear us because of our creativity and ingenuity,” he said.
Panganiban is one of the 40 ASEAN architects in the Philippines and the only ASEAN architect in Davao City.
Panganiban gave the new structural designs and technologies in Singapore as an example where “the work force is diverse, however, the backbone of the architecture designs are all coming from the Filipino majority.”
UAP Davao chapter president, Architect Michael Madrazo said that being an ASEAN architect would be an advantage for Filipinos.
“We are limited to practice our profession in the Philippines only. Whereas when we became an ASEAN architect, we are eligible to practice in other countries in the ASEAN Region. For [big] practicing architects that’s a very big opportunity”, Madrazo said.
Aside from becoming the leading organization in the ASEAN region, the UAP wants to prepare not only the Filipino architects but also the architect major students and all those who are interested in the art of architecture for the bigger opportunities as well as the challenges that can be presented by the ASEAN Integration.
The UAP will hold an exhibit to showcase the different works, specialization and projects of the first 40 ASEAN Architects in the Philippines in one of the SM mall in Manila for the public to become aware of the event. (davaotoday.com)
