:

The Code of Ethical Conduct

For Registered and Licensed Architects and For Holders of
Temporary/Special Permits Under R.A. No. 9266

TRAITS OF ARCHITECTS
• Profession of architecture – calls for men & women w/ highest
responsiveness, sensibility as well as artistic & technical ability

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Honesty of purpose
• Acts as a professional adviser to his/her advice must be unprejudiced
• Charged w/ the exercise of mediation and conciliation functions b/w
client and contractor
• Engaged in a profession which carries with responsibilities to the public
• Has moral responsibilities to his/her associates & subordinates

IN RELATION TO THE PUBLIC/PEOPLE

o Respect & conserve
▪ System of values
▪ Natural, historic & cultural
heritage of the community
o Improve the environment w/in
sustainable manner
o Promote interest of his/her prof
org & to do his/her part to the org
o Comply with the code of ethical &
the standards of professional
practice
o Observe laws on the practice of
architecture & on planning and
design of buildings
o No time act in a manner
detrimental to the best interest of
the architectural profession

o Share technical info & experience o Shall not use paid

w/ other design professions & advertisement/self-
construction industry laudatory/misleading publicity

o Shall abide by and observe the o May share the context of

laws and regulations of the advancing public knowledge
government about the architect’s function in
society as well as architecture
itself
o Not permitted to solicit to ads or o Shall not deceive the public as to
other supports the cost of any his/her professional competence
publication of works unless supported

o Refrain from taking part paid ads o May exhibit project billboards
endorsing any materials of indicating relevant information in
construction/building equipment’s a modest manner

IN RELATION TO THE CLIENT

o Protect client’s interest but never commensurate w/ the client’s
the expense of the higher public budget
interests/public welfare
o Bill his/her client for services
o Shall introduce prospective client rendered a professional fee
the professional services he/she based upon the basic minimum
is able to perform fee under SPP

o Shall not offer preliminary o Compensated solely through

sketches w/o service agreement
o Shall ascertain from the client the
exact nature and scope of his/her o
services and properly inform the
client the corresponding
professional fees
o Free from investments &
o Shall advise a client against
proceeding with any project
whose practicability may be
questionable due to financial/legal
conditions
o Shall include agreement with the
o Explain the conditional character
of estimates in order to secure
commission unless provided for o
by law/government projects
o Consider the needs & stipulation
of clients & effects of his/her work o
o Meet the aesthetic & functional
requirements of the project
his/her professional fee billed
directly to the client
Shall not ask for any other returns
in whatever form from any
interested source
business relations outside his/her
relations—if the architect has any
other business interest, inform the
client of such condition/situation
client a clause providing for
negotiation
Carry out professional work w/o
undue delay and within an agreed
reasonable time limit
Keep the client informed all the
times of progress of the work &
any issue that may affect the
project quality & costs
IN RELATION WITH THE CONRACTOR
o The contractor depends upon the oversight errors in the contract
architect to safeguard fairly the document to their financial
contractor’s interest as well as disadvantage
those of the client
o Immediately act upon knowledge
o Give assistance to fully & inspection in order not to cause
understand the contents of the unnecessary delay and additional
contract documents expense

o Furnishing clear, definite & o Reject any offer of free

consistent information in all professional engineering/allied
pertinent contract documents to design services
avoid unnecessary mistakes
o Inspect each phase of the work
o Shall not knowingly call upon the completed
contractor to correct/remedy

IN RELATION TO MANUFACTURERS, DEALERS, AND AGENTS

o Shall not solicit professional
engineering/allied design/other
technical services from
manufacturers/supplies of
building materials
o Shall not seek
commissions/discounts/fees/gifts
from agents/firms handling
building materials/equipment

IN RELATION TO COLLEAGUES AND SUBORDINATES

o Shall not render professional
services w/out a professional
service agreement
o Provide preliminary services on a
conditional basis prior to a
definite agreement
o Abide by the basic minimum fee
o Shall not use donation of
professional services as a device o Solicit any project already known
for obtaining competitive
advantage except for religious
projects
o Shall not submit
solicited/unsolicited sketches in
competition w/ other architects
o Shall not enter as a competitor in
any architectural competition
when he/she has been engaged
as adviser/juror
o Shall not accept and act as
adviser/juror in any architectural
competition when she/he has any
information regarding the
competition
to him/her as previously
committed to another architect
o Shall not undertake a commission
for which he/she knows that
another architect has been
 previously employed unless
notifies the architect
o Shall not undertake a commission
for additions, rehabilitation, or o
remodeling of any erected
structure undertaken previously
by another architect w/o duly
notifying them
o Limit his/her advertisement/claim
only to the extent of the specific o
work has done to the structure
o When involves of architectural
heritage, must look at all
possibilities of restoration
o Shall not unfairly criticize or
discredit another architect
o Refrain from associating by any
enterprise that may negatively
affect his/her/architectural
profession
o Shall not affix his/her signature
and seal to nay plans or
professional documents prepared o
by other persons or entities and
not done under his/her direct
personal supervision
o Shall provide employees a
suitable work environment
o Shall tutor and mentor the young
aspirants towards the ideals and o
responsibilities
o Shall unselfishly share technical
knowledge and experience to
young aspirants
Shall unselfishly give time and
effort to the advancement of the
profession
o Ensure the conduct of his/her
professional practice
Shall not take advantage of the
ideas of another architect
o Shall building professional
reputation on the merits of his/her
own services
o Shall not quote a fee w/out first
receiving an official invitation
o Must have sufficient information
on the nature/scope of the project
to prepare a fee proposal
o Shall continue to raise the
standards of aesthetic excellence
Shall promote allied arts and
contribute to the knowledge and
capability of the construction
industry
o File formal complaint if another
architect committed a violation of
this code
Shall not discriminate