In 2019, Architect Rafael G. Chan was conferred the title of ASEAN Architect (AA PH-101), becoming the first architect from Baguio City to receive both the APEC Architect and ASEAN Architect distinctions. The recognition affirms decades of professional excellence, ethical practice, and significant architectural experience, while opening opportunities for cross-border professional collaboration among the ten ASEAN Member States.
The ASEAN Architect Register (AAR) was established under the ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) on Architectural Services to facilitate professional mobility throughout Southeast Asia.
Qualified architects who satisfy stringent educational, professional, ethical, and experience requirements may be registered as ASEAN Architects, allowing them to pursue professional collaboration and registration opportunities in participating ASEAN Member States, subject to each country's laws and regulations.
Unlike ordinary professional registration, ASEAN Architect status recognizes architects whose competence has been independently evaluated against regional standards agreed upon by ASEAN governments.
Registration as an ASEAN Architect requires far more than years of practice. Applicants must demonstrate:
Accredited architectural education
Valid professional registration
Extensive post-licensure professional experience
Responsible charge of significant architectural works
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Excellent professional and ethical standing
Approval by the Philippine Monitoring Committee and the ASEAN Architect Council
These rigorous qualifications ensure that only architects with proven competence and integrity are admitted to the ASEAN Architects Register.
Architect Rafael G. Chan was registered as ASEAN Architect PH-101, becoming the second architect from Baguio City to receive this regional distinction.
The conferment recognizes more than four decades of professional practice, landmark commercial, hospitality, institutional, planning, and civic projects throughout Northern Luzon, together with continued commitment to technical excellence and professional ethics.
Combined with his earlier APEC Architect registration, the recognition places him among a select group of Filipino architects qualified for broader regional professional practice.
The ASEAN Architect Register promotes closer cooperation among architects across Southeast Asia by encouraging:
Professional mobility
Exchange of technical knowledge
Cross-border collaboration
Sharing of architectural best practices
Higher professional standards throughout the ASEAN region
These objectives strengthen the architectural profession while supporting the region's continued economic integration and sustainable development.
One important benefit of ASEAN Architect registration is eligibility to apply for registration as a Registered Foreign Architect (RFA) in another participating ASEAN Member State.
Subject to local laws and regulations, an RFA may collaborate with licensed architects in the host country on architectural projects requiring international expertise and regional cooperation.
This framework enables qualified architects to contribute their expertise beyond their home country while respecting each nation's professional regulatory system.
Today's development projects increasingly involve international investors, multinational organizations, and cross-border collaboration.
ASEAN Architect registration reflects the ability to work confidently within this broader professional environment while maintaining the same commitment to design quality, technical competence, sustainability, and client service that has defined RG Chan & Associates for decades.
Our ASEAN Architect credential reflects professional standards recognized throughout Southeast Asia, supporting projects with regional collaboration and confidence.