EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez a
5547

House Bill No.
EXPLANATORY NOTE

The passage of Republic Act No. 9266 or the Architecture Act of 2004 was a very
welcome development for the field of architecture. It not only benefited the industry but also
the general public by protecting them from illegitimate architects.

Despite the passage of the law, there are still some areas where the law needs to be
improved on to further strengthen the practice of the architecture profession. This may be
accomplished by including specific architectural terms that will distinguish the practice of
architecture from other professions as well as require that architectural designs, plans and
documents prepared exclusively and signed by an architect are required before any building
permit may be issued.

For the foregoing reasons, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

It
aoftior


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES }
First Regular Session

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

__ Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rt

House Bill No. 2947

AN ACT
STRENGTHENING THE ARCHITECTURE PROFESSION, AMENDING FOR THE
PURPOSE CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED NINE THOUSAND.
TWO HUNDRED SIXTY-SIX (R.A. No. 9266), OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE
“ARCHITECTURE ACT OF 2004”

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. SEC. 3(1) of Republic Act No. 9266 is hereby amended to include the following
terms after paragraph (14) to be denominated as paragraphs (15), (16), (17), and (18)

"SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. As used in this Act, the
following terms shall be defined as follows:

15) _ ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN - ALSO REFERRED
TO AS “DESIGN” IN THIS ACT, MEANS THE ILLUSTRATED
CONCEPT THAT FOCUSES ON THE FEATURES OR
ELEMENTS OF BUILDINGS OR STRUCTURES AND THE
UTILIZATION OF THE SITE AND SPACE WITHIN AND
SURROUNDING SUCH BUILDINGS OR STRUCTURES AND
UNIFIES THEM INTO A COHERENT AND FUNCTIONAL
WHOLE, FOLLOWING A GENERALLY ACCEPTED APPROACH
TO ACHIEVE THE OBJECTIVES, ABIDING BY SET NORMS
AND CONSIDERING THE ARCHITECTURAL PRINCIPLES OF
UTILITY, STRENGTH AND BEAUTY, EXCLUSIVELY ‘
PREPARED BY ARCHITECT;

16) ARCHITECTURAL DOCUMENT - ALSO
REFERRED TO AS “DOCUMENT” AS USED IN THIS ACT,
MEANS THE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, ARCHITECTURAL
PLAN, DRAWING, SPECIFICATION, TECHNICAL DOCUMENT
AND OTHER INSTRUMENTS OF SERVICE PREPARED,
SIGNED AND SEALED EXCLUSIVELY BY AN ARCHITECT;

17) ARCHITECTURAL PERMIT - MEANS A
MANDATED DOCUMENT ISSUED BY ANY REGULATING
GOVERNMENT ENTITY BASED ON ARCHITECTURAL
DOCUMENTS AUTHORIZING THE CONSTRUCTION OF
BUILDINGS OR STRUCTURES AND THE UTILIZATION OF THE


STATE AND SPACE WITHIN AND SURROUNDING SUCH
BUILDINGS OR STRUCTURES;

18) ARCHITECTURAL PLAN ~ ALSO REFERRED TO
AS “PLAN” AS USED IN THIS ACT MEANS THE LATERAL
SECTION OR DIMENSIONAL REPRESENTATIONS OF A
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OR REDEVELOPMENT OF
BUILDINGS OR STRUCTURES AND THE UTILIZATION OF THE
SITE AND SPACE WITHIN AND SURROUNDING SUCH
BUILDINGS OR STRUCTURES SHOWING FEATURES OR
ELEMENTS OF THE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN SUCH AS THE
FLOOR PLANS, ELEVATIONS, CROSS AND LONGITUDINAL
SECTIONS, PERSPECTIVE, REFLECTED CEILING PLAN, SITE
DEVELOPMENT PLAN, ARCHITECTURAL INTERIORS, AND
OTHER ARCHITECTURAL DETAILS PREPARED, SIGNED AND
SEALED EXCLUSIVELY BY AN ARCHITECT; "

SECTION 2. Sec. 20 (2) of Republic Act No. 9266 is hereby amended by adding a new
provision which read as follows

Sec. 20. Seal, Issuance and Use of Seal. —xxx

(2-A) No officer or employee of this Republic, chartered cities,
provinces and municipalities, now or hereafter charged with the
enforcement of laws, ordinances or regulations relating to the
construction or alteration of buildings, shall accept or approve any
architectural plans or specifications which have not been prepared
EXCLUSIVELY BY AN ARCHITECT and submitted in full accord
with all the provisions of this Act. Nor shall any payments be
approved by such officer for any work, the plans and
specifications for which have not been so prepared
EXCLUSIVELY and signed by an Architect.

UPON APPROVAL OF THE ARCHITECTURAL DOCUMENTS,
THE CORRESPONDING ARCHITECTURAL PERMIT SHALL BE
ISSUED; PROVIDED, HOWEVER THAT NO BUILDING PERMIT
OR SIMILAR IMPORT SHALL BE ISSUED WITHOUT THE
CORRESPONDING ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, PLAN, AND
DOCUMENT PREPARED EXCLUSIVELY AND SIGNED BY AN
ARCHITECT.

SECTION 3. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, presidential proclamations, executive
orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent herewith, are hereby repealed or
modified accordingly.

SECTION 4. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is held invalid or declared
unconstitutional, the other provisions which are not affected thereby shall remain valid and
subsisting

SECTION 5. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation, whichever
comes first.

Approved,