18th And 19th Century Road Work In The Philippines PDF

18th and 19th CENTURY Road work in the Philippine Islands during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. under the Spanish regime. consisted in the opening of routes of communication throughout the Islands. in a very thorough manner. and leaving a very valuable asset to the present Government in t...

18th and 19th CENTURY Road work in the Philippine Islands during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. under the Spanish regime. consisted in the opening of routes of communication throughout the Islands. in a very thorough manner. and leaving a very valuable asset to the present Government in the matter of the width of right of way. which was incorporated into the law and became a part of the public domain. The location of these routes has been justified. inasmuch. that few changes have been made in the general alignment. except when new sections have opened up and a change in location justified. Grades have been improved and method of construction changed. The right of way. as established by law. has made possible the construction methods of to-day. The use of broken stone or gravel on road work seems not to have been practiced by the Spaniard. as little evidence is found to promulgate this berief. Two types of construction under Spanish regime were practiced: First. pavement of cut Spanish road. Cut adobe stone pavement. Stone. This was usually of the adobe quality. probably used because it is easily quarried. cut. and handled. the size used called "ordinario" 20 by 20 centimeters and 50 centimeters long. This makes a very smooth and pretty pavement. but. where an ordinary amount of traffic is encountered. wears very rapidly. Had a hard stone been used. the result would have been of a permanent nature. Second. Spanish road. rubble-stone pavement cobblestones. The pavement of cobblestone consisted of boulders probably taken from river beds varying in size from 10 to 30 centimeters in diameter. This type was very durable and lasting. so long as the individual stones retained their position in a bed of earth. Owing to the size used there was no bond. and stones were easily displaced. unless covered with earth. sand. or gravel. This pavement was very rough and. had a second or top course of small gravel been used and bound together with a binding material. would have been in use to-day. Attention is often called to the good roads that existed during the Spanish regime. First Philippine Republic (Aguinaldo) 1898 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. In 1896. after four (4) centuries of Spanish colonization. our Filipino forebears started the revolutionary movement and the struggle to gain freedom began. On June 12. 1898. Gem Emilio Aguinaldo declared the Philippine Independence in Kawit. Cavite. The Organic Decree of the Philippine Revolutionary Government on June 23. 1898 issued by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo provided for the creation of four (4) Departments in the government. one of which was the DEPARTMENT OF WAR AND PUBLIC WORKS. Though once included in the Department of War. now Department of National Defense. its functions as builder and maintainer of roads. bridges and other public works structures are inherent in the present Department_ The inclusion of public works in the War and Department can be explained by the exigencies of the revolutionary period. The construction of fortifications and trenches was needed in the cause for freedom which our heroes had fought for. When Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States in 1898. the public works and activities were placed under the U.S. Army engineers. 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 1899 The Malolos Constitution was ratified during a general assembly of Congree and the first Council of Government of the First Philippinr Repyblic was created. From January 21. 1899 to May 7. 1899. with Apolinario Mabini as President of the Cabinet (i.e. Prime Minister). Gracio Gonzaga served as the Secretary of Public Welfare. which included the transportation and communications portfolio. When Mabini was replaced by Pedro Paterno as President of the Cabinet. among the seven departments set up was the Communicaciones y Obras Publicas (i.e. the Communications and Public Works Department). Maximo Patemo was appointed as Secretary of Public Works and Communications. Since then. Public Works. Transportation. and Communications have been grouped into one department.