<div class="image-550">
<img src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources-17/tomas-mapua.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Tomas Bautista Mapua" />
<div>
(Tomas Bautista Mapua)
</div>
</div>


He was the first registered architect in the Philippines.



His education started at the Ateneo de Manila University and at the Liceo de Manila. In 1903, he was sent to the United States to complete his high school education and college education as one of the pensionado students of the United States. The <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/539/today-in-philippine-history-august-26-1903-the-pensionado-law-of-the-american-government-in-the-philippines-was-approved" class="news_link">1903 Pensionado Law</a> awarded university scholarships to the US for exemplary Filipino students.


He completed his secondary education at the Boone's Preparatory School in Berkeley, California and obtained a degree in architecture at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.


Upon his return to the Philippines, he joined the Bureau of Public Works where he initially worked as a draftsman in the agency from 1912 to 1917. He was later appointed as the supervising architect for the Bureau from 1917 to 1928. He spearheaded many government projects including the Philippine General Hospital Nurses Home, Psychopathic Building (National Mental Hospital) and the School for the Deaf and Blind. He also designed the Manila Central Post Office Building in Ermita, Manila. Tomas became known for his great contributions in the field of architecture.

He was also one of the first councilors of the City of Manila. He co-founded and became one of the presidents of the Philippine Institute of Architects. After retiring from public life, he eventually went back to the private sector. 


Aside from MIT, which he co-founded on January 25, 1925 with Civil Engr. Gonzalo T. Vales, he led his own construction firm called MYT Construction Works, Inc. His designs for private homes had also been adjudged as among Manila's beautiful houses before World War II.


Mapua was married to Rita Moya on November 3, 1916. They have three children, Carmen, Oscar, and Gloria.


He died on December 22, 1965 in Manila, just a day after is 77th birthday.



MIT was granted university status on May 18, 2017 by the Commission on Higher Education or CHED.


Source:

<ol class="article-sources">
<li>
Mapua University history, https://www.mapua.edu.ph/
</li>
<li>
Men of the Philippines : a biographical record of men of substantial achievement in the Philippine islands, Nellist, George Ferguson Mitchell, http://name.umdl.umich.edu/ABH5507.0001.001
</li>
<li>
Mapua University history, https://www.facebook.com
</li>
</ol>

December 21, 1888: Tomas Mapua, founder of the Mapua Institute of Technology, was born in Binondo, Manila