October 18, 2025 – The Classroom Groundbreaking Ceremony and Participatory Design Workshop held at Nabuclod Integrated School, Floridablanca, Pampanga, marked a defining moment for the “Taas Noo, Aeta Ako” Classroom Project — a partnership between the UAP Diliman Chapter, the Rotary Club of San Juan West, and the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation.
Anchored on the World Architecture Day 2025 theme “Design for Strength,” the activity celebrated how architecture can serve as a force for resilience and continuity. The workshop brought together architects, educators, and Aeta community members in a hands-on design session, ensuring the classroom’s form and function would emerge from the community’s lived experiences and aspirations.
The ceremony also launched the “Give Hope. Build a Future.” Donation Drive, inviting partners, sponsors, and volunteers to contribute to the classroom’s construction — not merely as donors, but as co-builders of hope.
The initiative mirrors the UIA’s call to design beyond shelter, embracing equity, durability, and adaptability. The envisioned classroom will be a place of learning and refuge, designed to endure natural challenges while preserving cultural identity. Its participatory approach reflects the belief that true strength in design lies in community empowerment, inclusivity, and the capacity to rebuild with purpose.
Through this milestone, UAP Diliman reaffirms its commitment to the Visionary Initiatives and Member Empowerment pillars under MOVERS OF PROGRESS, embodying the B.U.I.L.D. spirit of unity, innovation, and service — where design becomes a dialogue of compassion, and architecture becomes an act of nation-building.
