Because of her determination and zeal to excel, her forward vision and leadership by example, she became the first woman national president of UAP. She has served well the integrated and accredited professional organization of architects for two years from fiscal years (FY) 1998-1999 and 1999-2000. Two of her major contributions to her profession was uplifting the UAP organization into the international arena and by being the first lady architect to sit down as an elected chair (or president as it is now called) to lead the Architects Regional Council of Asia or ARCASIA comprised of 22 Asian countries. Because of her devotion to the profession, she was conferred the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Presidential Medal and an Honorary Fellow of the AIA, which was a first for a woman architect from the Asean region to receive such a prestigious award. She was also the vice president of the Union of International Architects (UIA) for Zone B. It was quite a remarkable achievement for a Filipina architect to sit in the international world body of architects prior to her stint at the PRC.