The 100 years of the Architecture Profession in the Philippines

In 1921 the first Engineers and Architects Law: Act no. 2985 prepared by AIAAF was passed. This law created separate Board of Examiners for Architecture and Civil Engineering. The law also allowed practicing Maestro de Obras to be automatically registered as Architects Tomas Mapua was given the number 1 license as architect and Carlos Barreto and Antonio Toledo as numbers 2 and 3. All the three of them graduated in Architecture abroad.

The first three-member Board of Examiners for Architects was constituted to regulate the architecture profession, pursuant to Public Act No. 2985 enacted on February 23, 1921. The examiners were appointed by the Secretary of Commerce and Communications who was authorized to appoint the boards of examiners for the engineering, accountancy and surveying professions. The first Board was composed of Arch. Elias L. Ruiz as Chairman with Arch. Rufino D. Antonio and Arch. Federico S. Ilustre as Members.

By virtue of Public Act No. 4007 enacted on December 5, 1932, the Board was attached to the Department of Public Works and Communications. On June 17, 1950, Republic Act No. 545 was enacted, separating architecture from the coverage of Public Act No. 2985. On September 19, 1979 the National Code for Architects was promulgated by the Board and approved by the PRC as part of the Implementing Rules and Regulations governing the practice of architecture in the Philippines.