Yolanda Reyes is first woman to receive Likha award for architects

MANILA, Philippines - The United Architects of the Philippines will bestow the highest award ever to its esteemed member Dean Yolanda David Reyes — the Likha gold medal award  during the honor dinner of the 40th  National Convention on April 10. Architect Reyes is the first woman to receive the award. 

 Architect Reyes is considered to be as one of the most outstanding and respectable figures not only in the Philippines but also in the international scene. She served as the first lady national president of UAP and the first lady chairman of the Architects Regional Council Asia (Arcasia) with 18 member countries, and the first Filipino to hold position in the Union of International Architects (UIA), as council member representing Asia, Australia and New Zealand. She is also director of UIA Region IV Work Program on Responsible Architecture.  And in 2009, she was recognized as the first Southeast Asian lady awardee of the Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Architects.

 Recently, she was also designated by the Philippine government to chair the ASEAN Architects Council (AAC) with 10 member countries, when the Philippines took over the chairmanship and secretariat of the AAC in November 2013.

 She currently serves as chairman of the Commission of Higher Education, Technical Panel in Architecture, Fine Arts and other related fields, member of the Professional Regulatory Board of Architecture of the Professional Regulation Commission, chairman of the Environment cluster of City of San Fernando, Pampanga Multi-Sectoral Government Council (MSGC), and together with her husband Architect Romulo L Reyes and daughter Roanna Reyes-Aguirre, runs an active design office here in the Philippines and a satellite office in Muscat, Oman.

 She was Dean of the University of Santo Tomas College of Architecture and Fine Arts in 1991 to 2000 also making her the first lady Dean of this prestigious institution.