the-history-of-civil-engineering-philippines

Maestro de Obras

Refers to the repressed indio builders in the Philippines during the Spanish era who were skilled in designing and constructing various types of structures.

Friar Architects/Engineers

The architects and engineers who were responsible for building government buildings, bridges, and other structures in the Philippines during the Spanish era, incorporating European standards in engineering and architectural installations.

Fort Santiago

A fort built by the Spaniards in Intramuros, Manila, after the establishment of the city in 1571. It served as a model community and played a significant role in the history of civil engineering in the Philippines.

St

The oldest stone church in the Philippines, built in 1599. It underwent multiple destructions and reconstructions throughout history.

San Sebastian Church

A fire and earthquake-resistant church made entirely of steel, designed by Spanish architect Genero Palacios and constructed with the assistance of Belgian engineers. It is known for its unique architectural design and the use of steel in its construction.

Puente Grande

The first bridge erected across the Pasig River in Manila, built in 1632. It underwent several reconstructions and renovations due to damages caused by earthquakes.

Cavite Friar Land Irrigation System

One of the oldest irrigation systems in the Philippines, implemented in Cavite during the Spanish period. The priests were granted portions of agricultural land in Cavite and developed irrigation systems to manage the lands.

Pasig River Lighthouse

The first masonry-built lighthouse erected in the Philippines in 1846. It served as a guiding beacon for vessels entering the Pasig River.

Puente Colgante

The first suspension bridge built in Southeast Asia, completed in 1852. It was a toll bridge designed for pedestrian use and allowed passage for horses and carriages.

Gustave Eiffel

Designer of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, but not the bridge in question.

Basque Designer

The original bridge was designed by a Basque engineer, not Gustave Eiffel.

Puente de Ayala

Another bridge in Manila that is also falsely attributed to Gustave Eiffel.

Fresh Water Supply

In 1867, the town council decided to provide fresh water to the entire city of Manila.

Carriedo Waterworks

Established in 1878, it provided Manila with its first running water supply.

Manila-Dagupan Railroad

Constructed in 1892, it connected Manila and Dagupan with a total length of 195.4 kms.

Spanish Road Construction

The Spanish regime in the 18th and 19th centuries paved roads with cut adobe stone or cobblestones.

Department of War and Public Works

Established in 1898 under the Philippine Revolutionary Government.

Malolos Constitution

Ratified in 1899, it created the first Council of Government of the First Philippine Republic.

American Regime

The coming of the Americans in the early 1900s brought about changes in engineering culture and infrastructure development.

Bureau of Engineering

Placed under the supervision of American military engineers in 1899.

Liceo de Manila

Founded in 1900, it offered academic courses for maestro de obras (architects/engineers).

Introduction of Reinforced Concrete

Occurred in the 1900s with the construction of the Masonic Temple in Manila.

Development of Roadways

The US government initiated the development of roadways in the Philippines in the early 1900s.

Provincial Supervisions

Public works and projects were placed under provincial supervisions in 1901.

Academia de Arquitectura y Agrimensura de Filipinas

The first professional association of architecture and surveyors, established in 1902.

Bureau of Engineering and Construction of Public Works

Created in 1902 and placed under the Department of Commerce and Police.

Department of Commerce and Police

The department created by Act Nos. 222 and 268 of the Philippine Commission, which gave birth to the Bureau of Engineering and Construction of public works and the Bureau of Architecture and Construction of public buildings.

Philippine Bill of 1902

The bill that authorized the Government of the Philippine Islands to provide for the needs of commerce, including improving harbors, constructing warehouses, wharves, piers, light-houses, and more.

Manila Railroad Company (MRRCo)

The company granted the right to construct branch lines under the first Railroad Legislation Act.

Academia de Arquitectura, Ingeniera y Agrimensura de Filipinas (AIAAF)

The association that changed its name to include civil engineers and surveyors in 1903.

Bureau of Public Works

The bureau created under Act No. 1401 of the Philippine Commission, responsible for the construction and maintenance of public works, placed under the Department of Commerce and Police.

Escuela de Ingeniera y Arquitectura

The school that merged with the Liceo in 1904 and offered a five-year course in architecture and civil engineering.

Wawa Dam

The gravity dam constructed in 1909 to provide water needs for Metro Manila, abandoned after the construction of Angat Dam.

University of Santo Tomas (UST) Faculty of Engineering

The oldest engineering school in the Philippines, established in 1907 as the School of Civil Engineering.

Engineers and Architects Law

The law passed in 1921 (Act No. 2985) that created separate boards of examiners for civil engineering and architecture, allowing Filipinos to practice as architects and engineers.

Philippine Society of Civil Engineers (PSCE)

The first civil engineering organization in the Philippines, formed in 1928 with Engr. Marcial Kasilag as its first president.

Puente Colgante Bridge

The bridge replaced by a modern steel arch bridge during the early 1930s, renamed Quezon Bridge after Manuel L. Quezon.

Department of Public Works and Communications

The department renamed from the Department of Commerce and Communications in 1931, responsible for public works and communications.

Act Number 4211

The act enacted in 1935, permitting under-aged persons to take the board exam on the condition that they will not practice their profession until they reach the required age of 21.

Bureau of Public Works

The bureau under the Department of Public Works and Communications, responsible for public works, ports, aeronautics, coast and geodetic survey, and more.

Philippine Association of Civil Engineers (PACE)

A professional organization formed by a group of civil engineers in the private sector, with Engr. Enrique Sto. Tomas Cortes as its first president.

Objectives of PACE and PSCE

Both organizations aim to elevate the standards of the civil engineering profession, encourage research and engineering knowledge and technology, foster fellowship among members, and promote interrelation with other technological and scientific societies.

Transfer of PSCE members to PACE

Due to PACE being more active than PSCE, many members of PSCE transferred to PACE.

Highway 54

The former name of Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA), a major road in Metro Manila stretching 54 kilometers. It serves as a lifeline for Filipinos passing or doing business in the city.

Construction of Highway 54

Constructed in 1940 by engineers led by Florencio Moreno and Osmundo L. Monsod, it was initially named North and South Circumferential Road. It was later renamed Highway 54 by the American occupiers after World War II. In 1959, it was renamed Epifanio de los Santos Avenue.

Japanese Occupation (World War II)

During the Japanese occupation, the normal operations of schools and colleges were interrupted, and the College/School buildings were occupied by the Japanese forces.

Reorganization of the Department of Public Works and Communications (DPWC)

During the Japanese occupation, the DPWC became the Department of National Defense, Public Works, Communications, and Labor, with Basilio Valdes as Secretary.

Caliraya Dam

An embankment dam located in Laguna, Philippines. It created Lake Caliraya and initially supplied hydroelectric power. It later became a popular recreational area.

Rehabilitation and construction after World War II

The new independent Philippine government used reparations and war damages paid by Japan, as well as financial grants and aids from the US government, to rehabilitate and construct roads, bridges, buildings, and other infrastructures.

Reorganization of the Department of Public Works and Communications

After the re-establishment of the government on Philippine soil, the Department of National Defense and Communications was renamed the Department of Public Works and Communications.

Resumption of DPWC operations

After resuming operations in 1946, the DPWC started with limited resources. An office of the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads was set up to cooperate with the Philippine Bureau of Public Works in implementing the highway program.

Bureau of Public Highways (BPH)

Created in 1954 under the Department of Public Works, Transportation, and Communications, it provided effective management of the Philippine Highways under a Commissioner.

Manila International Airport Authority

Originally a US Air Force base, it was turned over to the Philippine government in 1948. Its facilities were initially limited but later expanded.

Separation of statutes between architects and engineers

Laws were passed in 1949 to separate statutes between architects and engineers.

Construction of Ambuklao Dam

Construction of the dam in Bokod, Benguet began in July 1950 and was completed on December 23, 1956.

Amendments to Civil Engineering and Architecture laws

In 1956, the Civil Engineering law and Architecture law were further amended by Republic Act No. 1582 and Republic Act No. 1581, respectively.

National Waterworks and Sewerage System Authority (NAWASA)

Created through RA 1383, NAWASA was responsible for waterworks and sewerage systems in the country from 1955 to 1970.

Agusan Dam

Construction of the dam began in May 1956 and was completed on December 29, 1957.

Filipino architects and engineers

Professionals from the Philippines who specialize in architecture and engineering.

Migration

The act of moving from one country to another to live and work.

Influx

A large number of people or things coming in or entering a place.

Developed countries

Countries that have advanced infrastructure and high standards of living.

Assimilated

Integrated or adapted into a new culture or society.

Ceiling

A metaphorical barrier or limit to advancement or success.

Global alliances

Collaborations and partnerships formed between Filipino architects and engineers worldwide.

Contract work

Temporary employment for a specific project or period of time.

North Luzon Expressway (NLE or NLEx)

A toll expressway connecting Metro Manila to the provinces of the Central Luzon region in the Philippines.

Radial Road 8 (R-8)

A road network in Metro Manila, with North Luzon Expressway being one of its branches.

Infrastructure

The basic physical structures and facilities needed for the functioning of a society or industry.

Binga Dam

A dam and hydroelectric power plant located in Itogon, Benguet, Philippines.

Systeme Internationale d' Unites (SI)

A system of units of measurement adopted by most countries in the world.

Manila International Airport (MIA)

An airport in Manila, Philippines, dedicated to international flights.

Angat Dam

A concrete water reservoir and hydroelectric dam that supplies water to Metro Manila and irrigates farmland in Bulacan and Pampanga.

National Irrigation Administration (NIA)

A government-owned corporation responsible for the development and operation of irrigation systems in the Philippines.

Philippine National Railways (PNR)

The national railway system in the Philippines.

Contractor's License Law

A law regulating constructions and the licensing of contractors.

Martial Law

A period of strict military rule imposed in the Philippines from 1972 to 1981 under President Ferdinand Marcos.

Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS)

An organization responsible for ensuring the supply and distribution of potable water in Metro Manila.

Professional Regulation Commission (PRC)

A government agency that regulates and accredits professional organizations in the Philippines.

Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE)

An organization representing civil engineers in the Philippines.

Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA)

An agency responsible for the establishment and management of water districts in provincial cities and municipalities.

Feasibility study

A study conducted to assess the practicality and viability of a proposed project.

Magat Dam

A multi-purpose dam project in Isabela, Philippines, aimed at providing irrigation, power generation, and flood control.

System Internationale (SI) system of units

A measurement system mandated in the Philippines in 1975 by President Ferdinand Marcos through a Presidential Decree.

Ministry of Public Works, Transportation and Communications (MPWTC)

Renamed from the Department of Public Works, Transportation and Communications in 1976 under the new form of government in the Philippines.

National Water Resources Board (NWRB)

Established in 1976 through the National Water Code of the Philippines to coordinate policies concerning water resources.

National Building Code of the Philippines (NBCP)

Signed by President Ferdinand Marcos in 1977, this code regulates the construction of buildings in the Philippines.

Pantabangan Dam

An earth-fill embankment dam on the Pampanga River in the Philippines, completed in 1977, providing water for irrigation and hydroelectric power generation.

Pampanga Basin

Authorized for development in 1969, this basin was the site for the construction of the Pantabangan Dam in 1971.

National Engineering Center (NEC)

Established in 1978, this agency supports non-teaching activities related to engineering in the Philippines.

Presidential Decree Number 1594

Promulgated in 1978, this decree prescribes policies, guidelines, rules, and regulations for government infrastructure contracts in the Philippines.

Magat Dam

A large rock-fill dam completed in 1982 on Magat River in the Philippines, serving as a source of irrigation water and hydroelectric power.

Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA)

Established in 1980 as a government agency responsible for determining policies and regulating fares for the Metrorail system in Metro Manila.

Rural Waterworks Development Corporation (RWDC)

Founded in 1980, this corporation is responsible for providing water supply in rural areas of the Philippines.

Belgian consortium

Provided financial assistance and loans for the construction of the LRT project in the Philippines in the 1980s.

Ministry of Public Works and Highways (MPWH)

Formed in 1981 through the merger of the Ministries of Public Works and Public Highways in the Philippines.

SI units

The new system of units adopted by the Philippine Board of Examiners for the Various Licensure Examinations for the Practice of Engineering and Architecture in 1981.

Handheld calculators

Revolutionized engineering in the 1980s, making calculations faster and more efficient compared to using slide rules.

Ipo Dam

A gravity concrete water reservoir dam completed in 1984 as part of the Angat-Ipo-La Mesa water system in the Philippines.

Spill level

The elevation at which water spills over the dam.