TACLOBAN CITY – The United Architects of the Philippines (UAP) expressed dismay over the city government’s neglect of the role of architects as agents of development.

Architect Ben Tan, UAP district coordinator, said during the weekly media forum ‘Express it at the Park” that it is one reason why the tourism industry in the city is stagnant.

According to him, the reason why tourists and visitors would not stay in Tacloban id because the city has no “one stop hotels” and modern structures to offer.

“The city is still inferior compared to the resorts and hotels that can be found in Cebu, Davao, Manila and other urbanized cities in the country because our structures here are also not that sophisticated in architectural terms,’ Tan said.

The UAP has visited Tacloban because they want to appeal to the local government to give them proper consideration in its development projects.

The UAP through its top officer told the media that if given a chance, they want to make a master plan for Tacloban to turn into a modern city, far from what it is now.

Through this the city would be orderly, pleasant to look at, and more investments would be attracted as a result.

“Tacloban needs architects because as we see, architectural considerations were not realized such as spacing in roads, structural designs of buildings and others,” Tan added.

He also lamented that the city is giving more attention to engineers to the point of entrusting to them even architectural functions.

He said the law R.A. 9266, gives the architects the sole right to make and sign architectural designs, thus, enabling them to play their role in development.

The law also gives distinction between functions of an engineer from architect.

It was also learned that an engineer is only concerned of quantitative aspect of the building while the architect holds the responsibility of the design, functionalities, aesthetic and structural strength of a project.

At present, Tan disclosed that there is already an ordinance approved by the city council that would give favor to the architects for their participation in the development projects in the city.

But Tan said the city mayor makes the final decision on what to do.

“It seems we are in a political battle fighting for the rights of architects to take their significant share n in development. There are a lot of talented architects in Tacloban, but they are not being utilized,” Tan said .

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