MULDONG, DANICA GAILE G.

ARCHI 3C
PROPRAC-1

VIRTUES OF AN ARCHITECT
"MAY THE ARCHITECT BE HIGH-MINDED; NOT ARROGANT, BUT FAITHFUL;
JUST, AND EASY TO DEAL WITH, WITHOUT AVARICE;
NOT LET HIS MIND BE OCCUPIED BY RECEIVING GIFTS,
BUT LET HIM PRESERVE HIS GOOD NAME WITH DIGNITY..."
- MARCUS VITRUVIUS POLLIO

ARCHITECT’S CODE OF ETHICS

I shall work with this general objective – that my duty is not only to myself, but also to

my Country and God.

I shall uphold the ideas and follow the norms of conduct of a noble profession and

endlessly endeavor to further its just ends.

I shall humbly seek success not through the measure of solicited personal publicity, but

by industrious application to may work, strive to merit a reputation for quality of

services and for fair dealing.

I shall ask from all, fair remuneration for my services while expecting and asking no

profits from any other source.

I shall hold the interest of my Client over and above any self-interest for financial

returns.

I shall exercise my professional prerogatives always with impartiality and

disinterestedness.

I shall avoid any private business investments or venture which may tend to influence my

professional judgment to the detriment of the trust placed upon me.

I shall inspire by my behavior the loyalty of my associates and subordinates and take

upon me the mentorship of the aspirants to the profession.

I shall confine my criticisms and praises within constructive and inspirational limits

and never resort to these means to further malicious motives.

enlightened Art and Science generously sharing with colleagues, friends and strangers

alike the benefits of my experience and experiments.

CODE OF ETHICAL CONDUCT

The profession of Architecture calls for men of the highest integrity, judgment,

business capacity and artistic and technical ability. an architect’s honesty of purpose

must be above suspicion; he acts as professional adviser to his client and his advice

must be unprejudiced; he is charged with the exercise of judicial functions as between

client and contractor and must act with entire impartiality; he has moral

responsibilities to his professional associates and subordinates; and he is engaged in

a profession which carries with it responsibilities to the public. These duties and

responsibilities cannot be properly discharged unless his motives, conduct, sense of

moral values and ability are such as to command respect and confidence.

In order to promote the highest standards of ethical conduct in the practice of

Architecture, the United Architects of the Philippines; with the approval of the Board of

Architecture and the Professional Regulation Commission, has codified and formulated at

the following principles for adoption and compliance of the Architect.

THE ARCHITECT’S RESPONSIBILITIES IN RELATION TO THE PEOPLE

1. STATEMENT: The Architect is engaged in a profession which carries with it civic

responsibilities towards the public, whether such responsibilities are the

natural outcome of good citizenship or of his professional pursuit or whether they

partake of informative and educational matters or of his normal, good public

relations.

1A. The Architect shall seek opportunities to be of constructive service in civic

and urban affairs and to the best of his ability advance the safety, health and well-

being of the people and the community as well as the promotion, restoration or

preservation of the general amenities and other examples of historic and

architectural heritage of the nation.

1B. The Architect shall promote the interest of his professional organization and

do his full part of the work to enhance the objectives and services of the

organization. He should share in the interchange of technical information and

experience with the other design professions and the building industry.

1C. The Architect as a good citizen shall abide and observe the laws and regulations

of the government and comply with the standards of ethical conduct and practice of
 the profession in the Philippines. He shall at no time act in a manner detrimental

to the best interest of the profession.

1D. The Architect shall not use paid advertisement nor use self-laudatory,

exaggerated or misleading publicity. However, the presentation of factual

materials, verbal or visual, of the aims, standards and progress of the profession

through literature or by industrious application of his work and services which

tend to dignify the professional or advance public knowledge of the Architect’s

function in society may be presented through any public communication media.

1E. The Architect shall not solicit nor permit to solicit in his name,

advertisements or other support towards the cost of any publication presenting

his work. He should refrain from taking part in paid advertisement endorsing any

materials of construction or building equipment.

1F. The Architect shall not mislead the public through advertisements, signs or

printed matter citing his professional specializations unless such

qualifications are well known facts or sanctioned by professional consensus and

years of experience.

THE ARCHITECT’S RESPONSIBILITIES IN RELATION TO HIS CLIENT

2. stateMent: the architect’s relation to his client is depended upon good faith. to

insure the continued existence of such state of good relationship, the architect’s

position carries with it certain moral obligations to his Client and to himself.

2A. The Architect may introduce to a prospective Client the professional services

he is able to perform provided it is limited to presentation of examples of his

professional experience and does not entail the offering of free preliminary

sketches or other services without the benefit of an agreement with the Client

for legitimate compensation.

2B. The Architect shall acquaint or ascertain from the Client at the very inception

of their business relationship, the exact nature and scope of his services and the

corresponding professional charges.

2C. The Architect shall advise a Client against proceeding with any project whose

practicability may be questionable due to financial, legal or arresting or exigent

conditions, even if such advice may mean the loss of a prospective commission to

the Architect.

2D. The Architect shall explain the conditional character of estimates other than

estimates submitted in the form of actual proposals by contractors and in no case

Client as to probable cost of the work in order to secure a commission.

2E. The Architect shall consider the needs and stipulation of his Client and the

effects of his work upon the life and well-being of the public and the community as

a whole, and to endeavor to meet the aesthetic and functional requirements of the

project coMMensurate with the client’s appropriation.

2F. The Architect shall charge his Client for services rendered, a professional

fee commensurate with the work involved and with his professional standing and

experience based upon the Basic Minimum Fee prescribed under the “standards of

professional practice” of the “architect’s national code”.

2G. The Architect shall not undertake, under a fixed contract sum agreement, the

construction of any project based on plans prepared by him. He may in certain cases,

undertake the construction of a project even when the plans were prepared by him

provided it is undertaken in conformity with the conditions set forth under

sections covering “construction services” “coMprehensive services” or “design-

build services” of the docuMent on “standards of professional practice.”

2H. The Architect shall be compensated for his services solely through his

professional fee charged directly to the Client. He shall not accept nor ask for any

other returns in whatever form from any interested source other than the Client.

2I. The Architect shall be free in his investments and business relations outside

of his profession from any financial or personal interest which tend to weaken and

discredit his standing as an unprejudiced and honest adviser, free to act in his

client’s best interests. if the architect has any business interest which will

relate to, or affect the interest of his Client, he should inform his Client of such

condition or situation.

2J. The Architect shall include in his agreement with the Client a clause providing

for arbitration as a method for settlement of disputes.

THE ARCHITECT’S RESPONSIBILITIES IN RELATION TO THE CONTRACTOR

3. STATEMENT: The Contractor depends upon the Architect to safeguard fairly his

interests as well as those of the Client.

3A. The Architect shall give the Contractor every reasonable aid to enable him to

fully understand the contents of the Contract Documents by furnishing clear,

definite and consistent information in all pertinent contract documents to avoid

unnecessary mistakes that may involve extra costs to the Contractor.

oversights or errors in the contract docuMents to the contractor’s financial

disadvantage.

3C. The Architect shall immediately upon his personal knowledge and inspection,

reject or condemn materials, equipment or workmanship which are not in conformity

with the Contract Documents in order not to cause unnecessary delay and additional

expense to the Contractor.

3D. The Architect shall not, at any time or circumstance, accept free engineering

services, or receive any substantial aid, gifts, commissions, or favors from any

Contractor or sub-contractor which will tent to place him under any kind of moral

obligation.

3E. The Architect shall upon request by the Contractor promptly inspect each phase

of the work completed and if found according to the terms of the Contract Documents

issue the corresponding Certificates of Payment and the Final Certificate of

Completion, respectively, to the Contractor.

THE ARCHITECT’S RESPONSIBILITIES IN RELATION TO MANUFACTURERS,

DEALERS, AND AGENTS

4. STATEMENT: An exchange of technical information between Architects and those who

supply and handle building materials or equipment is necessary and therefore

encouraged and commended. However;

4A. The Architect shall not avail or make use of engineering or other technical

services offered by manufacturers, or suppliers of building materials or

equipment which may be accompanied by an obligation detrimental to the best

interest of the client or which May adversely affect the architect’s professional

opinion.

4B. The Architect shall not at any time receive commissions, discounts, fees, gifts

or favors from agents or firms handling building materials or equipment which may

place him in a reciprocal frame of mind. He may however, accept marker discount

which shall be credited to the Client.

THE ARCHITECT’S RESPONSIBILITIES IN RELATION TO HIS COLLEAGUES AND

SUBORDINATES.

5. STATEMENT: The Architect has a moral responsibilities towards his profession, his

colleagues and his subordinates.

except for small civic or charity projects. He shall neither offer nor provide

preliminary services on a conditional basis prior to definite agreement with the

Client for the commission of the project.

5B. The Architect shall not knowingly compete with other Architects on the basis

of difference of professional charges, nor use donation as a device for obtaining

competitive advantage except for worthy civic or religious projects. Neither

shall he submit solicited or unsolicited sketches or drawings in competition with

other Architects unless such competitive arrangements are conducted

substantially under the terms of the UAP Architectural Competition Code.

5C. The Architect shall not under any circumstances nor through any means seek

commissions already known to him as previously endowed to another Architect,

whether such endowment has been definitely agreed upon or still in the process

of negotiation.

5D. The Architect shall not, in any case, enter as a competitor in any Architectural

Competition when he has direct relations with the formulation of the Program

thereof or when he has been engaged to set as Professional Adviser or Juror for

such competition. Neither shall the Architect accept and act as professional

adviser or juror in any architectural competition when he has had any information

or has reviewed or assisted in the preparation of any competition design

entered. Nor shall an Architect, retained as professional adviser in a competition,

accept employment as an Architect for that competition project except as

Consulting Architect.

5E. The Architect shall not undertake a commission for which he know another

Architect has been previously employed until he has notified such other Architect

of the fact in writing and has conclusively determined that the original

employment has been terminated and has been duly compensated for.

5F. The Architect shall not undertake a commission for additions, rehabilitation or

remodeling of any erected structure under taken previously by another Architect

without duly notifying him of the contemplated project even when the Owner is no

longer the same. When the greater mass, area or design of the original structure is

substantially maintained the new Architect should limit his advertisement or

claim only to the extent of the work done to the structure. Architects are enjoined

to preserve or restore as much as possible especially the few and remaining

historic examples of our architectural heritage affecting this phase of practice.

5G. The Architect shall not knowingly injure falsely or maliciously, the

professional reputation, prospects or practice of another Architect.

of his name by any enterprise of doubtful character or integrity.

5I. The Architect shall not affix his signature and seal to any plans or professional

documents prepared by other persons or entities not done under his direct

personal supervision.

5J. The Architect shall inspire the loyalty of his employees and subordinates by

providing them with suitable working conditions, requiring them to render

competent and efficient services and paying them adequate and just compensation

therefore. He shall tutor and mentor the young aspirants towards the ideals,

functions, duties and responsibilities of the profession.

5K. The Architect shall unselfishly give his share in the interchange of technical

information and experience among his colleagues and young aspirants and do his part

in fostering unity in the fellowship of the profession.

5L. He shall unselfishly give his time and effort to the advancement of the

profession thru his active and personal commitment and involvement with the

accredited professional organization for architects.