Philippine Architecture Awards are going to a Non-Registered Architect?
This information was sent as an open letter via email by Armando D. N. Alli.
He would like us to view the the announcement that came out in the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Friday, 05 May 2006, Business Friday Section, bottom left hand portion of page B2-3).
It is about a certain Mr. Ed Calma, a supposed non-registered individual practicing architecture in the Philippines and who received the Philippine Jaycees' Ten Outstanding Young Men TOYM) Award for Architecture in 2002) and who is again poised to receive yet another award for architectural practice i.e. Lupel Marketing's UNI Circle of Ten Achievers. Kawawa naman tayo. There are now about 20,000 registered Philippine architects and the award for architecture (a regulated profession that includes any form of architectural consulting or advisory services as defined under RA 9266) again goes to a non-architect.
In Mr. Alli's own words: "Wala ba silang mapiling ibang arkitekto na lisenyado o registrado man lamang? The UAP (which supposedly controls resources for the advancement of the architectural profession) and the Board of Architecture (BoA, which oversees the implementation RA 9266 and which has official data on both Mr. Calma and his father) must act together to prevent things like this from happening, particularly since Lupel Marketing's chosen awardee for architecture is apparently running circles around RA 9266. The entity concerned actively seeks such awards to bolster his practice with the aid of his father. It was fortunate that a right-thinking UAP member (acting on his own) successfully stood up against him and his father in mid-2005 when Mr. Ed Calma apparently sought the Araw ng Maynila Award for Architecture. If Mr. Calma is as good and as qualified as he claims to be, then he should be able to take and hurdle the BoA's architecture licensure examinations without any difficulty. If Mr.
Calma wants to practice architecture in the Philippines to qualify him for future awards in architecture which he may desire (including UAP awards), then he should be registered and licensed first, no ifs and buts."
Mr. Alli then proceeds to cite several passages from RA 9226 as they apply to both Mr. Ed Calma and his father the better known Mr. Lor Calma. The list of passages is quite lengthy and very detailed.
He then concludes with the following:
"If neither the UAP nor the BoA communicates with the award-giving body (Lupel Marketing) about this continuing transgression of Philippine architecture laws, then the individual UAP members or UAP chapters should take matters into their own hands to promptly address the
possible failure/ inaction of their governmental and non-governmental organizations to stand up for them and for the profession. You may write to or call Lupel Marketing to make known your sentiments : Lupel
Marketing Corporation, 718 Quirino Ave., Paranaque City, Metro Manila with listed telephone number 8516053 (from page 278 of the PLDT 2003-04 MMla Telephone Directory) or try looking up their website or send a message to their e-mail addresses i.e. including the Mitsubishi Pencil Company of Japan, makers of UNI writing instruments.
Or better yet, try writing the other awardees such as Sen. Richard Gordon (a law-maker) and Che-Che Lazaro (a media person) to inform them of the fact that their fellow UNI Circle of Ten Achievers awardee may be practicing the regulated profession of architecture illegally.
As recalling an architecture award given out due to possibly inaccurate information and in possible violation of the earlier architecture laws i.e. RA 545, RA 1581 and their implementing rules and regulations (IRR) is still very much possible, particularly if there are many complaining architects or organizations, You may also opt write to or call the Philippine Jaycees to make known your sentiments about the December 2002 TOYM Award for Architecture : Philippine Jaycees, Inc., 14 Don A Roces Ave., Quezon City, Metro Manila (a stone's throw away from
the UAP HQ Building) with listed telephone numbers 3742495 or 3744138 (from page 359 of the PLDT 2003-04 MMla Telephone Directory) or try looking up the website and send a message to the e-mail address of the Philippine Jaycees.
Hoping You will all help urge the UAP and the BoA to act with dispatch on the foregoing. Or better yet, You may greatly help address the situation by acting on it yourself."
And there you have it. What are you going to do about it?
posted by ben tumbling @ 8:57 PM
13 comments
13 Comments:
i don't mind. i think architecture awards should be based on body of work. bahala na yung prc to pursue people who don't have licenses. dapat ma-adjust na rin yung law to give licenses to people who've practiced for 10, 20 years.
While we're at it, bigyan na rin natin ng license ang mga nagpra-practice ng law for 10-20 years at mga nagpra-practice ng medicine for 10-20 years. Let's not mind.
Bahala na ang PRC sa atin.
As long as you have the resources and connections to bypass the law giving you the opportunity to create a notable body of work in architecture, good for you.
If you don't have the resources and connections to bypass the law -even if you're more talented than an Ed Calma for example - you're shit out of luck. Live with it.
As a former employee of his, let me share a few sentiments, which I hope aren't too biased...
One CAN say that Ed Calma is legally not in breach of these supposed laws by means of several technicalities... if you wanna crack down, go ahead and give it a go... but note that Ed Calma doesn't go around bestowing the title of 'architect' upon himself (unlike the countless, title-obessesed "Hello, I'm Arch. Juan Dela Cruz" people out there)... he calls himself the "Design Principal" of Lor Calma Design Associates... and he doesn't sign official documents calling himself an architect - it's a system no different from many other professions where you have things like "attorney of record"... someone else just happens to be 'architect of record' in Ed Calma's case.
Let's not be hypocrites and acknowledge that most of the stuff built out there aren't really designed by the guys who signed the contract documents... many great buildings out there credited to so-called legit architects were the brainchild of some youngblood within the firm (read: brilliant but gullible fresh grad). The Bastard POSER Principals are mostly all just happy to pose and take all the credit (they're input mostly a few lousy comments here and there). Others on the other hand, simply take the DESIGN of so-called Design Cosultants from far
lands and tell every gullible fool that it was them who designed it... proudly flashing their signatures on the contract documents to 'prove it.' These 2 examples are just reversed versions of what Ed Calma is doing... they are borne of legal loopholes and it's working for them too.
As for awards, let's not deny the fact that he's a talented fellow with an impressive body of work... if they wanna recognize that, then let's leave it be. I think many will agree that he's far more deserving of such accolades as compared to the posers I just described above.
In a nutshell, Ed Calma's ability to 'get away' with as a 'de facto architect' can be credited to smarts and legal loopholes... to the bitter ones, try to change the laws or live with it.
As for Ed Calma's being respected for his work... to the bitter ones: shut up, don't be jealous, look closely... you just might learn something.
-a humble registered architect who learned a lot from Ed Calma
nakanamboogie,
Here's Armando N. Alli's email:
adna@broline.com
He's the guy who's been sending the emails around the UAP forums about opposing Ed Calma winning architecture awards. I'm sure it would be good for him to hear what you have to say so he can see the other side of it. Apparently, he's the guy who really cares about this. Judging from the three of us here, we really don't give a flying sh*t about this.
Although we must admit, it is really sort of absurd to give an award for "best architect" to a unregistered architect and it makes me just laugh at the state of Philippine architecture.
It's a whole different matter to accept an award for contribution to architecture or architectural design, any shmuck with talent is more than welcome to that.
For Ed Calma to receive an award for "best architect" with no fuss or qualms, you have to admit that the guy has balls.
I agree COMPLETELY with your point that it's more appropriate to recognize him for his 'contribution to architecture or architectural design'
Once again however, this is up to the awarding body. Somehow if another body would decide to give the same award (best architect) to a guy like Rem Koolhaas (should he hypothetically, for argument's sake, have a project/s in the Phils)... it wouldn't feel so wrong either... and what makes him so different from Ed Calma if that became the case?
Hundreds of foreign architects have been recognized as architects by means of awards or simply given rightful credit for their projects in these foreign countries even if they weren't the 'architect of record'... I think Ed Calma is no different.
With regards to Ed accepting the award and having balls, I concede on 2 things: 1. He probably deserves it and 2. Of course he has balls... he wouldnt be where he is now if he didn't have any.
As for Mr. Alli, I don't care to engage someone who seems to be on a crusade which reflects many of what I feel is wrong with Philippine Architecture... petty, mis-guided, and is totally focused on all the wrong things...
That's my explanation for the current sorry state of Philippine Architecture (another point of yours which I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH).
Let's not forget the fact that Ed Calma is one of MANY unregistered architects in the Philippines today. Many of them like Ed, are also considered among the best architects in the country (sounds REALLY ironic, doesn't it???): Anna Sy, Joey Yupangco, even Budji Layug, etc.
And thankfully, these are the people are NOT your High-Horse riding "Hi, I'm not Mr. Juan dela cruz... I'm ARCHITECT Juan Dela Cruz"... "followed by the 3-lettered initials of prof. org." so-called architects.
I agree that it's sad that they're not licensed architects, which explains the dark cloud looming over them within the profession. And that they should in fact go through the motions of getting these legal accreditations. But let me face the facts here: Philippine Architecture is not in such a sorry state after all PRECISELY BECAUSE OF THEM.
If the people you mention are so good, they'll have no problem taking the board exams then be it in the Philippines or any other country they are qualified to take the exam in.
Rem Koolhaas is registered in the country he's in and so are Michael Graves and I.M. Pei who have projects in the Philippines.
I'm sure Ed Calma is more than qualified to take the exam in the Philippines or even the U.S. because of his education.
I know Budji Layug does interior design and furniture design but I didn't know he acted as an architect -that's news to me - but I'm sure he can also qualify for the exam easily.
I really have no idea about the other people you mentioned (Anna Sy, et al) but I'm pretty sure that if they are to be held in so high an esteem, they should easily qualify to take the exam as well.
You're right, if they just took the exam and be done with it and go through all the legal motions, then there won't be a "dark cloud" as you say.
I'm not so sure about your final statement about Philippine architecture not being in such a sad state because of these people. The bottom line is that there is something inherently wrong in the Philippine Architectural scene when dancing around the legal system is perceived as acceptable. It's not so sad but it's still sad.
good points guys..what i meant about 'giving licenses' after some years of experience is based on what i've read about certain countries allowing people to take a licensure exam even with no architecture degree, number of years of experience lang ang kailangan. so actually mali ang pagkasabi ko, they still have to take an exam of sorts.
yung isang perspective din dito is, traditionally (as in pre-spanish or spanish period), wala namang licenses talaga. the people who built houses were the carpenters who passed down their knowledge from generation to generation. and they made perfectly good indigenous architecture. and then the foreigners came, and introduced to us the concept of architecture as a course, as a body of knowledge, as a practice. nawala yung indigenous knowledge. and i think few carpenters now know the traditional techniques of old, which is sad. and then here we are, educated along a western model, saying we should be the only ones who have the right to do design.
in my two years working for a design magazine, the best houses--those with character, and heart--were not designed by arhitects. at most, they acted as guides, or maybe mere signatories to the plan for the building permit. regulation is good, but it might work better for us if it had a more inclusive, not exclusive framework (e.g. how can people who want to design their own houses work with the code?) sa medicine, they train community health professionals to do work in the community, to fill the need of the lack of doctors in rural areas. could there be an equivalent for architects?
i do think ed calma and others mentioned should have at least tried to get a license. maybe it would be interesting to ask why they didn't. tinatamad ba silang mag-apply sa prc? tingin ba nila hindi ito credible? and it's probably not just the 'architectural scene'; it's also the 'philippine scene' as a whole, and why dancing around the law here is perceived as acceptable.
Pon,
I know what you meant. I just found the thought of leaving things to the PRC funny... para bang kung sila na ang bahala isama na rin natin ang ibang professions para tuloy-tuluyan na.
Yes, there are multiple paths to taking the registration in some countries like you said and one of them is based on verifiable years of experience. 10 years is about right and actually there's a movement here in the U.S. to lower it to may be 8. However, that just means that the individual has done an alternate path to fulfilling the internship requirement.
The alternate path is also open to foreign architects. Again, as a foreign architect you need to demonstrate at least 10 years of verifiable experience as a registered principal architect in your country of origin then you would have fulfilled the requirements of internship and you'd be allowed to take the exam.
Lots of alternate paths but everybody needs to take the exam in the end (except if you've been grandfathered of course).
Most houses here in the U.S. don't need an architect if it falls under a certain square footage same as Philippine national building code but it depends on the complexity and location (earthquake zone? hurricane zone?) of the structure as well. Of course the building code needs to reflect the economic realities of society to be effective.
Sure, architecture has started as an unregulated undertaking. What hasn't? Everything should start from somewhere.
We do have to remind ourselves why the need for regulation arose though.
Regulation of the profession is not about making sure that buildings look beautiful. You don't really need an architect for those things.
Let's not limit our conception of design as just something to do with aesthetics because it is not.
Regulation of the profession is about making sure that there is a general basic level of competency for safety's sake AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
Ed? hu? ulol kayo! mga lasengo!
I agree with Pon's comments about most of the good stuff built today being done by 'non-architects, which is where my sentiment on 'why it's not so sad after all because of them' comes from...
My point about Rem Koolhaas, I.M. Pei, etc. is about their being ackowledged as architects in foreign countries. These people are credited as the architects of buildings they've designed even if they're not registered architects in those countries and architects in those countries don't take offense if they take the credit for it. Similarly, these architects have been given awards as architects in countries where they are NOT registered as architects.
I also agree that these people (Ed Calma, etc.) should go through the motions of getting their licenses. Their choice not to do so is baffling... but it's their choice. Still there are questions beyond the 'are they jsut plain lazy?' agrument (which is also VERY plausible):
-Are they afraid to be 'picked on' by influencial people who MIGHT have the power to influence the outcome of their application / exam?
-Is the PRC's accreditation system flexible enough to give accreditation to those who schooled abroad (which is the case most of the time)?
-And even more compelling... is the exam system defective in its very nature? (exams for the regulation of practice are supposed to ensure a standard of safety, legal boundaries, accountability, etc. and NOT drafting speed or 'design ability' where the current exam is largely hinged on... what's the standard of design ability anyway??? Most 'progressive' countries' architecture accrediation exams are based on this... this can be elaborated on later in another discussion.... Bok Talk topic??? heheheh)
-And on the issue of accountability, this is where the professionalism and sense of resposibility of the 'architect-of-record' comes in... where the collaboration between the parties is essential. This is no different from Law Firms having an 'attorney-of-record' or the equivalent of such things in other professions.
-A few extras: some of you may know my name outside of the 'blog scene' as Mac-Mac.... there's a person who made several remarks on the Tag Board of the same name: THIS IS NOT ME.
If this person's name is really what it states: good for him he's got a nice nickname...
If this person however is just impersonating or mocking me... shame on him.
-Last point, can we edit out all the crude, senseless and irrelevant remarks / comments posted in this discussion? (I'm referring to the Anonymous message above)
let ed calma's design speak, not as his defense, but as the point itself. he is a great designer, thats the bottom line. i think that professionals trying to put him down should simply preoccupy themselves with there own work and prove themselves worthy designers before commenting on ones better than themselves
nakanamamboogie
You ARE biased. If he's good, then why did it take him that long to take the exams. Plain and simple -- he's just so full of himself. And sadly he had fears...all his 'popularity' would've been seconds gone if he -- let's say -- failed the exams. And he would become the crowds laughing stock. It's not about being talented and being registered, what we have here is pure arrogance on your ex-boss's side. He questions the laws of our country, Why? because he graduated at pratt? and he thinks himself God? I assure you that all the talk about his talent doesn't live up to his built works.
Parang pinilit yung mga porma ng buildings nya...sabi nga -- napupumilit magmukhang iba -- an obscured copy of foreign works.
-- siguru nagpapaka-howard roark siya? tingin mo?
One can win awards, one can win commissions not just by pure talent, alam mo ba yung storya nung WTC competition -- architecture is not how much you know and how good you are,
it's also about how many connections you have.
Kung hindi ba siya anak ni Lor eh tingin mo magkakarun siya ng opportunity to make it big and consequently win awards?
Mag-isip ka Mr. Humble Registered Architect.
If you plastic card holding architect thinks you are better than Ed Calma then why can’t any of you, just even one can bag the award?
Passing the board exam is all but mental mast*rb*tion. No real value with it!
The same goes for other professions like engineering. We have professional mechanical engineers at NAIA yet the cooling towers fail miserably for the passengers to languish in heat. We have professional electronics communications engineers yet many lost calls on mobile phone networks! Professional electrical engineers yet we hear BFP rule the fires caused by electrical overload.
Your license is just for mere compliance and another layer in government bureaucracy for permits. Nakakapawnyeta na pati CCTV kailangan ng plans signed and sealed by a lousy PECE! Maski high school graduate na may reading comprehension ay makakapagsetup ng CCTV. No PECE, ECE, ECT required.
Hanggang sign and seal lang ang galing ninyo! Walang economic value!
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