MANILA, Philippines – For Peter Banjao Zarriz, or “Pizza,” becoming an architect was never simply about earning a title. It was about gaining an opportunity to create meaningful work and contribute to the communities he hopes to serve.
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| Photo courtesy: Peter Banjao Zarriz/Facebook |
The 27-year-old from Balasan, Iloilo, placed Top 6 in the June 2026 Licensure Examination for Architects (LEA), capping a journey shaped by family sacrifices, creativity, perseverance and faith.
In an exclusive interview with The Summit Express, Zarriz shared the challenges, experiences and lessons behind his journey to becoming a licensed architect.
Zarriz grew up in a modest household. His father worked various jobs while his mother, the first in her family to earn a college degree, pursued a career in education. The family also ran a sari-sari store to make ends meet.
Despite their limited resources, his parents prioritized the education of Zarriz and his sister.
“Looking back, their sacrifices became the foundation upon which I built every opportunity that followed,” he said.
His creative interests began long before architecture. He joined poster-making and writing competitions and explored different forms of creative work, from making parols to designing festival floats. Architecture eventually became the profession where these interests came together.
Ironically, Zarriz entered architecture school knowing little about the profession and had no drafting experience. At Iloilo Science and Technology University (ISAT U), he relied on secondhand BluPrint magazines and online resources to develop his skills.
He also became a staff artist and writer for the university’s student publication, Technovator, where he continued developing his interests in visual design and storytelling.
After graduating Magna Cum Laude, Zarriz completed his apprenticeship and was selected for the Angat Sining Arkitektura Internship Program by Angat Buhay.
Along with fellow interns, he worked on projects addressing community needs in education, disaster response, sports, health and housing. The experience broadened his view of what architecture could accomplish and strengthened his desire to use the profession for social impact.
When he began reviewing for the LEA, Zarriz transformed his room into a temporary study space and followed a strict daily routine. Every morning, he answered 100 questions, recorded his scores, identified weak areas and documented his mistakes and corrections. He also sketched concepts to better understand difficult topics, took regular breaks and prayed throughout the process.
“I maintained a strict routine. Upon waking up, I made sure to answer 100 questions immediately. I captured everything I didn’t know by learning them immediately,” he said.
Weeks before the examination, however, Zarriz nearly decided to defer to January because he did not feel ready.
He ultimately pushed through, relying on preparation and faith.
“I started my review thinking only about what I wanted. But the process first asked me to humble myself,” he said.
After a two-week wait for the results due to the rescheduling of affected areas following the Davao earthquake, Zarriz finally saw his name among the topnotchers and broke down in tears.
Now a licensed architect, he hopes to join a firm whose work and values align with his own. But for Zarriz, the license marks the beginning of a bigger responsibility.
“I am an architect now (at least by exam standards), but the work still continues for the communities we help shape,” he said.
With his family’s sacrifices, mentors and experiences behind him, Zarriz hopes to turn his skills into work that creates lasting value for communities and, as he put it, “para sa bayan.”
— Noel Ed Richards, The Summit Express
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