After more than two decades of architectural practice, I made an important decision that would reshape my professional perspective. Twenty-three years after earning my Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Saint Louis University, I returned to the classroom—not because I needed another diploma, but because I believed that good architects should never stop learning.
Urban planning, environmental stewardship, and sustainable development became the next chapter of my professional journey.
In 1998, I enrolled in the Diploma in Urban and Regional Planning (DURP) program at the University of the Philippines–Baguio.
Although classes were held in Baguio City, most of our professors traveled regularly from the University of the Philippines Diliman, bringing with them the academic rigor and planning philosophy for which UP is widely respected. For this reason, I have always regarded the program as a true UP Diliman training experience.
Among the mentors who greatly influenced our class were Ms. Carmelita Liwag and Prof. F. B. Silao, who generously devoted almost every Saturday to teaching and mentoring us in Baguio.
The dedication demanded by the program proved worthwhile.
Upon completing the Diploma in Urban and Regional Planning in 1999, I graduated at the top of the class. The distinction was affirmed when I was invited to deliver the Graduation Address during the commencement ceremonies held at UP Diliman in Quezon City.
That recognition reinforced an important lesson—that professional experience and academic excellence can complement one another, regardless of age.
Rather than concluding my academic journey, I decided to continue.
In 2002, I returned to my alma mater, Saint Louis University, to pursue a Master of Arts in Environmental and Habitat Planning (MAEHP).
Balancing graduate studies with an active architectural practice required discipline, perseverance, and many evenings devoted to research and writing. Yet the experience deepened my understanding of sustainable communities, environmental planning, and the broader relationship between architecture and urban development.
After several years of coursework and research, I completed and successfully defended my master's thesis in 2008:
Consolidating Stakeholders' Responses to Urban Core Pedestrianization Using System Analysis
The study examined one of Baguio City's long-standing planning challenges—pedestrianization of the urban core—and explored how system analysis could help reconcile the differing perspectives of stakeholders to support better planning decisions.
The research reflected my long-standing belief that successful planning requires not only sound technical solutions, but also meaningful public participation and consensus-building.
In March 2008, I graduated with the degree of Master of Arts in Environmental and Habitat Planning, receiving the distinction of Magna Cum Laude.
The honor represented the culmination of nearly a decade of continued academic pursuit beyond architecture, building upon my professional experience while broadening my understanding of planning, sustainability, and community development.
Architecture shapes individual buildings.
Environmental planning shapes the communities in which those buildings exist.
The combination of architecture, urban planning, and environmental planning has enabled me to approach every project with a broader perspective—considering not only the building itself, but also its relationship to transportation, open spaces, sustainability, land use, and the people it ultimately serves.
That interdisciplinary approach continues to influence the work of RG Chan & Associates today.
Successful projects begin with thoughtful planning. We bring together architecture, environmental planning, and decades of practical experience.