To weave advocacy, innovation, and professional growth into an experience that empowers future architects, the United Architects of the Philippines Graduate Auxiliary (UAPGA) conducted a two-day online professional development program featuring dialogues on professional integrity and preservation, as well as software tutorials on Parametric Design and Building Information Modeling (BIM), via Zoom on October 25–26.
The two-part event, “HABI 2025: Weaving Design, Practice, and Advocacy,” organized by the UAPGA Commission on Education and the Commission on Professional Practice, presented “TAGPO: Converging Knowledge and Practice in BIM Parametric Design” and “PAHAM: A Professional Dialogue Series.”
“One of the edges of [here in] archicad is [its] really intuitive interface. It is really user-friendly,” Ms Fullido emphasized, while showing the many ways the BIM software eases the design workflow.
In TAGPO, Mr. Lemuel Tabornal, AI Specialist and Design Team Co-Captain of Aedas Dubai, introduced participants to Parametric Design using Rhinoceros 3D and Grasshopper to create intricate parametric figures, and Ms. Ray Fullido, RMP and Ar. Ralph Bernal, UAP from Architechnologies, guided them in navigating ArchiCAD as a BIM software for architecture.
“We are empowering our profession through Balangkasan, and from then on, we have already been fighting for the integrity of our field and against illegal practitioners,” Ar. Seño expressed the continuous efforts UAP has been doing to address prevailing issues in the field,
HABI continued its second day with PAHAM, where esteemed speakers Ar. Sylvester Seño, MArch-CTM, UAP, PIEP, FRIA, PGBI AA+ADP, GreenAP, ICOMOS, and Ar. Mark Angelo Virtucio, UAP, shared insights and discussed how architects can protect professional integrity and uphold professional value.
Furthemore, UAPGA released an official statement three days later synthesizing general insights from the dialogues into a compelling call to action.
“We ought to collaborate with the United Architects of the Philippines, legal professionals, and relevant government agencies to find resolutions to the pressing concerns faced by today’s architectural apprentices, particularly on matters of fair compensation, ethical guidance, and professional protection,” UAPGA National stated, “…Guided by purpose, driven by Advocacy, and anchored in Honor, we hold the future of our profession in our hands – to fight for what is right and to uphold the integrity that defines us as architects of tomorrow.” it concludes.