The United Architects of the Philippines-Qatar led by its founder/adviser Jhin Tabuzo holds review sessions every Friday in Chowking Al Sadd. Right: Architect Jhin Tabuzo
By Joey Aguilar/Staff Reporter
The United Architects of the Philippines (UAP) Qatar chapter has started review sessions every Friday at Chowking Al Sadd, gathering at least 80 new students who are already working in various companies in Qatar.
UAP-Qatar founder/adviser Jhin Tabuzo told Gulf Times that they usually get an average of 80 students every year. The passing percentage for the October 25-26 examination was 63.63%, the highest so far in Qatar in the past four years.
He said giving architecture graduates abroad an opportunity to become licensed architects was his personal mission.
“Many of them left the country without a PRC (Philippine Regulation Commission) license and I thought of coming up with review sessions here in Doha,” said Tabuzo, who has been able to license at least 211 new architects since 2009.
He started the review sessions after he came to this country despite having offers to work in other GCC countries.
“I was really destined to be here,” he said.
Thinking that only few students would attend the sessions, Tabuzo was surprised to see 101 candidates.
“It helped many architecture graduates because they don’t have to resign from their work here and go back to the Philippines to take the test,” Tabuzo said.
Last year, 49 of the 77 students passed the test and took their oath at Oryx Rotana hotel. Ambassador Crescente Relacion, some embassy officials and other Filipino community leaders were present on the occasion.
Labor attaché Leopoldo De Jesus said that there was an increasing demand for Filipino architects and engineers in GCC countries especially in Qatar.
Citing the advantages of being a full-fledged architect, Tabuzo also said it serves as a way of earning Urban Planning Development Authority-listed (UPDA) Grade A status.
It means that they are qualified to be employed by Grade A companies which handle big projects. If listed as Grade B or C, they will only be allowed to handle small projects like villas, houses, shops and the like.
However, the UAP founder disclosed that some of the architecture graduates who have been working in Qatar for many years have earned the “UPDA-listed” status.
Besides architecture, board exams for engineers, nurses and accountants are also being held in Doha. Each of the organisations holds their respective review sessions regularly while oath-taking rites takes place in hotels a few weeks after the test.
UAP-Qatar is urging architecture graduates in Qatar to attend the review sessions.
“Being an architect is matter of pride for your family. It is beyond the remittances we send to them,” said Tabuzo, who is also the adviser/consultant for the 2003 Philippine Independence Day Organising Committee (Pinoc).