Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
1st Regular Session

0660

House Bill No.

Introduced by Hon. Francis Gerald Aguinaldo Abaya

EXPLANATORY NOTE

As professionals, architects have a primary duty of care to the communities
they serve. Members of the architectural profession are dedicated to standards of
professionalism, integrity, and competence, and thereby bring to society unique
skills and aptitudes essential to the sustainable development of the built environment
and the welfare of their societies and cultures. Principles of professionalism are
established in legislation, as well as in codes of ethics and regulations defining
professional conduct.

Given the public interest in a quality, sustainable built environment and the
dangers and consequences associated with the development of that environment, it
is important architectural services are provided by properly qualified professionals
for the adequate protection of the public.

The passage of Republic Act No. 9266 ("R.A. 9266"), otherwise known as
the Architecture Act of 2004, is a significant step in protecting and assuring the public
that only Architects can offer and provide architectural services.

This bill seeks to strengthen the practice of the architecture profession in the
country by amending specific provisions of R.A. No. 9266, the Architecture Act of
2004 and harmonizing it with other laws. 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.

CiS;GERALD Sonn Eisen
Representative, First District; Cavite


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No.___ 0660

Introduced by Hon. Francis Gerald Aguinaldo Abaya

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:

1) xx
14) xx

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


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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) ARCHITETCURAL 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 IMPRT
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.


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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,