History of Civil

Engineering
 Let's do a little flashback on how civil
engineering started.

“ancient age civil

engineering”
 Origin of Civil Engineering in the Philippines
DURING SPANISH TIME

● In more than three-and-a-half centuries ● Master Builders as of today were

of Spanish subjugation, there were no equivalent to Construction Foreman.
Filipino civil engineers.
● There were no civil engineering
● Social prejudice constrained the schools in the country at that time and
repressed indio builders to content the only architects/engineers with
themselves to be called mere Maestro academic degrees were Spaniards.
de Obras (Master Builders) even if they
could design and build any type of
structure that technology could allow at
that time.
The Walled
City in
Intramuros
The walled city in Intramuros was
established by the Spaniards as a model
community.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, Filipino engineers
were assigned the task of maintaining,
repairing and/or remodeling infrastructure systems in all
pueblos or towns including churches, convents
and government buildings. Maestro de Obras were called
by the Ilustrados or the elite group to build
structures in villas and mansions.
 1571
• Miguel Lopez de Legaspi founded
the City of Manila on June 24, 1571

• The Spaniards started building Fort

Fort Santiago
Santiago (Fuerte de Santiago) after
the establishment of the city of
Manila under Spanish rule on June
24, 1571.
 1621
1584 Don Bernardino Castillo, a generous patron
and a well-known devotee of St. Sebastian,
Fort San Antonio Abad was built. It was
captured by the British in 1762 and rebuilt at the
Patron of Archers, donated his lot, which is
now the present site of the San Sebastian
1686
beginning of the nineteenth century, when it was
Church.
called La Polvorista because it was used as powder
magazine.
1632 Irrigation and Water System.
1599 Puente Grande was the first bridge The first artesian wells were built
St. Augustine Church is the oldest stone church in the to be erected across the grand Rio in Betis, Pampanga by Fr. Manuel
Philippines. Plans were approved in 1586. Construction del Pasig. This wooden bridge Camanes. The water system in
started in 1587 and completed in 1607. It is an immense connects Intramuros and Binondo Manila (now Metropolitan
structure of thick walls of Corinthian and Ionic designs. It together, making it easier and Waterworks and Sewerage
has withstood many earthquakes from 1645 up to the relatively faster to travel from one System) had its beginning from the
present and survived the British invasion in 1762, the end to the other. water works constructed by Fr.
Spanish–American War in 1898 and the Japanese Juan Peguero in 1686. The first
invasion in 1942. irrigation system was constructed
in Tanay, Rizal by Fr. Jose Delgado
 1846 1852 1876

The Pasig River Light House was

the first lighthouse (masonry- The General Plan for Railways
built) erected in the Philippines. was drawn up in 1876 for the
Puente Colgante(which is the
It was first lighted on 1846 and island of Luzon, and included a
term for a suspension bridge in
deactivated on 1992. It was then network totalling 1,730
Spanish; literally, hanging
located on the north jetty at the kilometers. A 195.4 km. stretch
bridge) was the first suspension
mouth of Pasig River, (San of track was constructed
bridge built in Southeast Asia
Nicolas, Manila) marking the between Manila and Dagupan.
when it was started in 1849 and
entrance to the river for vessels This operated a regular service
completed in 1852. It was built
around Manila Bay, looking to as from 1892.
and owned by Ynchausti y
dock on the ports along the
Compañia
banks of the river in Manila.
1878 1887
The concession for constructing five On July 31, 1887, construction of the
tramways in Manila and its suburbs was Manila-Dagupan railroad was
approved. The plan included a main station started.
at San Gabriel and the crossing of the river
via the "Puente de España"

1880 1898
School for Maestro de Obras called
Escuela Practica y Artes Oficios de Manila
was founded.

The Organic Decree issued by Gen. Emilio

Aquinaldo establishing the Philippine
Revolutionary Government created four
(4) government departments among
which was the Department of War and
Public Works.
1899
The Malolos Constitution was
ratified during a general assembly
of Congress, and the first Council
of Government of the First
Philippine Republic was created
with Apolinario Mabini as
President of the Cabinet

During American Regime

The coming of Americans brought about
drastic changes in our engineering culture.
The new colonizers pursued "benevolent"
policies that focused on English education,
public health, free enterprise and
representative governance thus bringing
with them were military engineers,
Thomasite teachers, doctors and evangelist.
1900
● Foundation of the Liceo de Manila, a
private institution offering academic
course for maestro de obras and headed
by Leon Ma. Guerrero.

● The introduction of reinforced concrete in

the Philippines was in the 1900s and its
use in the construction of the Masonic
Temple (Grand Lodge of the Philippines),
the first multi-structure in Escolta,
Manila.
 1901-1902
The 1901 municipal code (February 6, 1901)
provided for popularly elected municipal board
The first professional association members who were responsible for collecting
of architecture and surveyors was taxes, maintaining municipal properties, and
born on September 14, 1902 with undertaking necessary construction projects.
the creation of the Academia de
Arquitectura y Agrimensura de
Filipinas (AAAF). 1901
The Philippine Commission passed Act
Nos. 222 and 268 creating the
1902 Department of Commerce and
Police which gave birth to the Bureau
of Engineering and Construction of
public works and the Bureau of
Architecture and Construction of public
buildings.
 1907
The Faculty of Engineering of the
University of Santo Tomas (UST) is the
oldest engineering school in the Philippines.

1909
1912 Wawa Dam (also known as Montalban Dam) is a
The Irrigation Act of 1912: Under gravity dam constructed over the Marikina River in
the American regime, the the municipality of Rodriguez in Rizal province,
Government initiated policies to Philippines.
stimulate national economic growth
through irrigation development.

1919-1954 Metropolitan Water District was

founded.
 1921 1928
The Engineers and Architects Law A group of civil engineers from the
(Act No. 2985) passed on February government sector formed the
23, 1921. Philippine Society of Civil Engineers
(PSCE) which was the first civil
engineering organization in the
During the inauguration of the Commonwealth Government Philippines

1937 1938 1940

The Philippine Association of In 1938, statutes for practice of Highway 54 was the former name of the Epifanio
Civil Engineers (PACE) was architecture from engineering delos Santos Avenue (EDSA). Stretching some 54
formed from a group of civil separated by law – National kilometers, Highway 54 serves as a lifeline for
engineers in the Assembly Bill No. 1850. hundreds of thousands of Filipinos passing or doing
private sector. business in Metro Manila.
 1949 1950
Laws separating statutes between On June 17, 1950, the Architects
architects and engineers passed. (Philippine Institute of Architects)
prepared and lobbied the passing of
the first Architect’s law (RA 545) while
1955-1970 the Civil Engineers (Philippine
Association of Civil Engineers), the
National Waterworks and Sewerage
Civil Engineering law (RA 544,
System Authority (NAWASA) was
through the efforts of PACE
created through RA 1383.
President Alberto Guevarra) was also
passed the same year.
1956 1961
On June 16, 1956, the Civil The association of
Engineering law was further amended Structural Engineers of
by Republic Act No. 1582. On the the Philippines (ASEP)
same year, the Architecture law was was founded.
further amended by Republic Act No.
1581.
 1974 1975 1977

On February 1974, the On August 13, 1975, PD 1096, otherwise

first election of officers the Professional known as the National
of PICE was held and Regulation Commission Building Code of the
Engr. Cesar Caliwara (PRC) recognized the Philippines (the
became its first PICE as the only NBCP) signed by then
president. official organization of Pres. Ferdinand
civil engineers in the Marcos
Philippines with on 19 February 1977
Accreditation No. 007 and its Implementing
Rules and Regulations
(IRR)
 1982 1987 2012

Magat Dam is a large Finally, by virtue of Last March 2012, the

rock-fill dam on the island Executive Order No. 124, Board of Civil Engineering
of Luzon in the dated January 30, 1987, wrote to Philippine Institute of
Philippines. The dam the Ministry of Public Civil Engineers (PICE) that
islocated on Magat River, Works and Highways the board exam questions will
a major tributary of (MPWH) is now known as be increased from 30/35 (per
Cagayan River. the Department of Public subject) to 100 problems per
Construction of the dam Works and Highways subject effective for May 2012
started in 1975 and (DPWH) responsible for CE Board Exams. Meaning,
completed in 1982. the planning, design, there are 100 problems per
construction and maintenance of subject or a 300-item board
Infrastructures. exam questions.
THE END