AN ORDINANCE setting into place architecture in Baguio City is being pushed.
Councilor Mylen Yaranon has proposed the approval of the "Architecture Ordinance of Baguio City,” in a bid for order, uniformity and safety of all buildings in the city.
“There is a clear need to effect the soonest the implementation and enforcement of the provisions of RA (Republic Act) No. 9266 and its implementing rules and regulations particularly the multiple sections that limit the preparation, signing and dry-sealing of all architectural plans, designs, drawings, specifications, estimates and architectural documents relative to the construction of a building, habitable structure only to Registered and Licensed Architects,” Yaranon said.
The ordinance said the city recognizes the importance of architects in nation-building and development and declared in the proposed law the policy of the City of Baguio that any architectural plan, design, drawing, schedule, specification, estimate and other contract documents duly signed, stamped or sealed, as instruments of service, are the intellectual property and documents of the architect, whether the object for which they are made is executed or not.
“Architects have a five-year course studying architectural design and are registered and licensed. Architects are responsible for the architectural aspects of the buildings they design. Right now, there are building permits being designed without an architect, and worse, are issued building permits,” the councilor said.
Members of the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP) Baguio Chapter, Summer Capital Chapter, Cordillera Chapter and the Philippine Institute of Architects–Baguio Chapter have submitted their petitions requesting the Baguio City Council to cause the full implementation of RA 9266 or the Architecture Act Of 2004.
If the law is approved, it will cover all architectural plans, designs, specifications, drawings, schedules, specifications, estimates and architectural documents relative to the construction of a building, whether government or private undertakings.
It will also become unlawful for any person who is not a Registered and Licensed Architect (RLA) to sign architectural plans, designs, drawings, schedules, specifications, estimates and related architectural documents, as well as for any architect to sign, seal or use any other method of signature or architectural plans, designs, drawings, schedules, specifications, estimates or other contract documents made under another architect’s supervision.
It will also be unlawful for any person to duplicate or to make copies of architectural plans, designs, drawings, schedules, specifications, estimates and other architectural documents for use in the repetition of and for other projects or buildings, whether executed partly or in whole, without the written consent of architect or author of said documents.
The City Buildings and Architecture Office and the City Engineering Office will be tasked to fully implement and enforce provisions of the proposed law and cause the prosecution of those found to violate it.
Yaranon said there are positions in government occupied by non-architects that should have been filled only by architects clearly stated and covered in RA 9266.