The World Architecture Day celebration of UAP Diliman consisted of a number of activities that aimed to empower both young and seasoned architects to embrace participatory urban design practices. Two CPD seminars were organized; one designed for architects interested in understanding the roles of architects for livable, equitable and smart cities, and another aimed at architects who want to start their own Design and Build firms. But the heart of the WAD celebration focused on inspiring children to experience the same participatory urban design activities by doing an ART+TALK workshop with architects, landscape architects and artists. Finally, the celebration was rounded off with a community cleanup that got together different stakeholders to work not only to cleanup Pariaan Creek, but also learn about the past of Barangay Pinagbuhatan and reimagine its future. All four activities for WAD were part of Tabi-tabi, Halo-halo, Sama-sama! A Compendium of Activities to Celebrate World Architecture Day.
On October 4, 2024, the UAP Diliman chapter partnered with the Urban Design Studio of the UP College of Architecture to celebrate Urban October with the 2.5CPD Seminar, Leaders in Innovation: The Roles of Architects for Livable, Equitable and Smart Cities. The objective of the seminar was to learn how architects can address 21st-century challenges such as climate change and social inequality in today’s increasingly unpredictable world. Three diverse speakers took center stage in the Benito Sy Pow Auditorium: Ar. Enp. Donna Tabangin from the Baguio LGU talked about the city’s Smart Vision, Ar. John Ian Fulgar shared how to be a technologist in today’s creative climate, and Ar. Jessica Marie P. Salvador from TAO-Pilipinas shared innovations in participatory planning and design.
The following week, on October 7, World Architecture Day, the chapter partnered with Barangay Pinagbuhatan to conduct the TALK+ART Workshop on Sustainable Cities, Biodiversity and Placemaking. The participants were 50 Grad 6 students from Pinagbuhatan Elementary School, Barangay Pinagbuhatan. The objective was to use informative talks and art prompts on Biodiversity, Sustainable Cities and Placemaking to orient the young students on the importance of participating in the urban design landscape. The Art Prompts were led by Ar. Popi Laudico and were interspersed with talks about biodiversity by Biologist RJ Pescador and placemaking by Ar. Enp. Sali Kintanar and Ar. RMP Nap Ibañez Jr. This new innovative way of teaching and learning allowed the students to individually reflect more about themselves, their families, and their community. The biggest a-ha moment was when the children rose above their fears of making mistakes in their artworks to discover their incredible talents within by following along the unexpected prompts.
The second half was a visioning activity was conducted by esteemed muralist Kuya AG Saño. He gathered the children around to take them through a journey of envisioning the future of Pariaan Creek, the very same creek right outside their school gates. Now working collaboratively, each table of 6-8 kids aimed to create the slogan and image to define THEIR creek of the future. These two distinct activities not only introduced participatory urban design practices to 11-12year old kids, italso redefined to them the role and meaning of architects in society. By the end of the WAD event, there were 50 new individuals dreaming and proclaiming to become architects in the future! This TALL+ART Workshop allowed the participants to share their “reimagined places” and to frame their artworks to show the collaborate power of participation for one’s beloved place.

On October 12, the CPD seminar, Foundation to Success: How to Start Your Own Design and Build Firm brought together more than 200 participants interested in learning about starting their own firms. It was indeed a well-received seminar as most participants were young architects and architecture students raring to learn and grow into arki-preneurs. There was a lot of learnings from established and seasoned architects Ar. Gene Go and husband and wife team, Architects Ding and Isabel Asuncion, as they discussed the start and growth of their practices, the challenges faced along the way, and the many intricacies of running your very own practice in today’s business climate. The discussion was moderated by chapter IPP Ar. Rola Vizmonte.
The final #WorldArchitectureDay event of the chapter was a Cleanup Drive with the community of Barangay Pinagbuhatan! Many heeded the call to clean up the Pariaan Creek and Walkway especially after the positive response to the previous Talk+Art and Visioning activities just conducted days before. Various community members from the Barangay Pinagbuhatan led by Barangay Captain Robin Salandanan, Pinagbuhatan Elementary School Principal Jo Macawile with the Boy Scout and Girl Scout-student volunteers, Agos Kabataan, Samahan ng mga Kababaihan ng Willarey, PasigLaban Kabataan, Pasig Anti-Crime Community Action Force, Landscape Architecture students from Bulacan State University, Greenpeace Philippines, and UAP Diliman Chapter gathered for a CleanUp Drive supplement by educational and inspirational talks from community leaders. The cleanup goal was to get at least 50 bags of thrash. But surprisingly, the final count ended up being more than 80 garage bags taken our of the creek! 

To further strengthen the experience, Professor Francis Yumul from the local government gave the historical context of Barangay Pinagbuhatan and the Pariaan Creek. There was also a visioning activity led by UAPD Chapter President Katz Regala Odulio for the 60 community stakeholders from the barangay, including the sweepers and decloggers, the women-volunteers, the youth volunteers, barangay volunteers, and many more, Lastly, a talk on Sustainability Cities was given by Ar./EnP. Geolette Marie Esguerra.
The history lesson reminded the community of the significance of the Pariaan Creek to the story of the Philippines; the visioning activity allowed the participants to share their own stories about life in Barangay Pinagbuhatan and their memories of Pariaan Creek; the talk on cities allowed them to dream about how beautiful their barangay and their city can be, if only everyone continues to work on making it a better place for everyone.
All the learnings had during the weeklong celebrations for World Architecture Day will be used for an important future project for Barangay Pinagbuhatan in February 2025. These placemaking activities and lessons will be used towards a stronger, more inclusive participatory urban design project — a wall and ground mural along Parian Creek, spearheaded by the UAP Diliman Chapter, LAr. AG Saño, and all the stakeholders from the community of Pinagbuhatan. This project holds a lot of promise for all the members of the barangay. It is brimming with hope and promise as these stakeholders actively shared their own stories about Pariaan, hoping to weave a more inclusive story that has meaning for the everyone who considers Pinagbuhatan their home.
