History of Civil Engineering in the Philippines PDF

HISTORY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING IN THE PHILIPPINES DURING SPANISH TIME The history of the architecture and civil engineering profession in the Philippines were almost synonymous to each other. In more than three-and-a-half centuries of Spanish subjugation, there were no Filipino civil engineers. Socia...

HISTORY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING IN THE PHILIPPINES DURING SPANISH TIME The history of the architecture and civil engineering profession in the Philippines were almost synonymous to each other. In more than three-and-a-half centuries of Spanish subjugation, there were no Filipino civil engineers. Social prejudice constrained the repressed indio builders to content themselves to be called mere Maestro de Obras (Master Builders) even if they could design and build any type of structure that technology could allow at that time. Master Builders as of today were equivalent to Construction Foreman. Civil Engineering, as practiced in the Philippines during the Spanish era, was not by virtue of an academic title. There were no civil engineering schools in the country at that time and the only architects/engineers with academic degrees were Spaniards. The walled city in Intramuros was established by the Spaniards as a model community. The Friar Architects/Engineers during that time were the ones who built the government buildings, bridges, residential and other structures, incorporated European standards in engineering and architectural installations. During the 18^th^ and 19^th^ centuries, Filipino engineers were assigned the task of maintaining, repairing and/or remodelling 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 Santiago (Fuerte de Santiago) after the establishment of the city of Manila under Spanish rule on June 24, 1571. The fort has a perimeter of 2,030 feet (620 m), and it is of a nearly triangular form. The fort is one of the most important historical sites in Manila. Several lives were lost in its prisons during the Spanish Empire and World War II. José Rizal, one of the Philippine national heroes, was imprisoned here before his execution in 1896. 1584 Fort San Antonio Abad was built. It was captured by the British in 1762 and rebuilt at the beginning of the nineteenth century, when it was called La Polvorista because it was used as powder magazine. 1599 St. Augustine Church is the oldest stone church in the Philippines. Plans were approved in 1586. Construction started in 1587 and completed in 1607. It is an immense structure of thick walls of Corinthian and lonic designs. It has withstood many earthquakes from 1645 up to the present and survived the British invasion in 1762, the Spanish-American War in 1898 and. the Japanese invasion in 1942. 1621 In 1621, Don Bernardino Castillo, a generous patron and a well-known devotee of St. Sebastian, Patron of Archers, donated his lot, which is now the present site of the San Sebastian Church. The original church, which was made of wood, was burned in 1651 during a Chinese uprising. The succeeding structures were destroyed twice by fire and an earthquake in 1859, 1863, and 1880 respectively. Father Esteban Martinez, the parish priest at that time, approached the Spanish Architect Genero Palacios with a plan to build a fire and earthquake- resistant church made entirely of steel. Ambeth Ocampo states that the present San Sebastian church was ordered knockdown in steel parts from Brussels, Belgium. Two Belgian engineers supervised the construction of the church. On June 12, 1888, the first shipments of steel parts were brought to the Philippines. For two years, the church was assembled with local artists and craftsmen joining the Belgian firm in applying the final finishing touches on this new church of steel. The stained-glass windows were imported from the Henri Oidtmann Company, a German stained-glass firm. The engineering technique used in the construction of the church, including metal fixtures and the overall structure, were from Gustave Eiffel, the creator of the Eiffel Tower. This was confirmed when Chinese-American architect, I. M. Pei, visited the Philippines in the late 70\'s. He came to confirm what he heard about Gustave Eiffel designing a steel church in Asia. 1632 Puente Grande was the first bridge to be erected across the grand Rio del Pasig. Built in 1632, this wooden bridge connects Intramuros and Binondo together, making it easier and relatively faster to travel from one end to the other. It underwent several reconstructions and renovations as it was always heavily damaged by earthquakes. After the 1863 earthquake, Puente Grande was renamed to Puente de España. The bridge was replaced in 1875 widening its spans to masonry of six and two central houses. It can accommodate both pedestrians and vehicles including horse or carabao drawn carts and carriages, and tranvia. This bridge was replaced for the last time with a neo-classical design by Juan Arellano in the 1930s, and was called the Jones Bridge. 1686 Irrigation and Water System. The first artesian wells were built in Betis, Pampanga by Fr. Manuel Camanes. The water system in Manila (now Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System) had its beginning from the water works constructed by Fr. Juan Peguero in 1686. The first irrigation system was constructed in Tanay, Rizal by Fr. Jose Delgado. 1846 The Pasig River Light House was the first lighthouse (masonry- built) erected in the Philippines. It was first lighted on 1846 and deactivated on 1992. It was then located on the north jetty at the mouth of Pasig River, (San Nicolas, Manila) marking the entrance to the river for vessels around Manila Bay, looking to dock on the ports along the banks of the river in Manila. The lighthouse was demolished in 1992 and was replaced with an architecturally simpler lighthouse with the new tower built on the foundation of the old one. The Philippine Coast Guard Station of Manila is located adjacent to the lighthouse and the community that developed from the reclaimed lands is now known as "Parola" (Filipino for "lighthouse"). The present tower is a white conical concrete structure with a height of 46 feet (14.02 m) and a focal plane of 43 feet (13.11 m). The old tower was taller at 49 feet (14.94 m). Lighthouses in the Philippines are maintained by the Phillippine Coast Guard. 1852 Puente Colgante (which is the term for a suspension bridge in Spanish; literally, hanging bridge) was the first suspension bridge built in Southeast Asia when it was started in 1849 and completed in 1852. It was built and owned by Ynchausti y Compañia, the business headed by Jose Joaquin de Ynchausti. He commissioned the design from Basque engineer Matias Menchacatorre, The bridge was first named Puente de Claveria, likely in honor of the Governor-General of the Philippines Narciso Claveria, who served from 1844-1849. Puente Colgante was the first suspension bridge, not only the Philippines but in South East Asia as well, and, probably the first toll bridge of its kind in the Philippines, a precursor of the modern Sky Way, albeit for pedestrian use only. The suspension bridge measured 110 metres (360 ft) long and 7 metres (23 ft) wide, and had two lanes that allowed passage of horses and carabao-drawn carriages. It was also opened for pedestrians traveling on foot between Quiapo and Intramuros and nearby areas. 1867 The project for public supply of fresh water to the city dates from the early 18^th^ century. Before this, the city had to be content with a fresh water supply based on cisterns. In 1867, the town council decides to take on the challenge of a project to supply fresh water to the whole of the city. In 1882 the first public water fountain gushed forth its waters, and shortly after this, the technology of the times was successful in providing Manila with a fresh water supply from sources up-river. 1868 It was in 1868 when the Bureau of Public Works and Highways (Obras Publicas) and Bureau of Communications and Transportation (Communicationes y Meteologia) were organized under a civil engineer known as 'Director General'. 1878-1918 The founding of Carriedo Waterworks Manila didn't get running water until 1878, when the municipal waterworks was established by Governor Domingo Moriones, with money from a fund that by then had become legendary as the Carriedo Legacy, A 'public-spirited citizen, Don Francisco Carriedo y Peredo was a Basque who during his life conferred immense benefits on the Philippines, having migrated in the Philippines early in the 18^th^ century. One of his 'obras pias' (pious works), was a legacy he left in his will for the building of a Manila water system. Though Señor Carriedo did not live long enough to see his legacy since he died in 1743, Manila was to be without running water for more than a century longer. Thanks to Governor Moriones who acted on providing Manila with running water that the Carriedo Legacy was finally fulfilled. 1875 On June 25, 1875, King ALFONSO XII of Spain promulgates the Royal Decree directing the Office of the Inspector of Public Works of the Philippines to submit a general plan of railroad in Luzon 1876 The General Plan for Railways was drawn up in 1876 for the island of Luzon, and included a network totalling 1,730 kilometers. A 195.4 km. stretch of track was constructed between Manila and Dagupan. This operated a regular service as from 1892. The most outstanding works carried out on the railway system were the bridge over the great Pampanga River and the building of Tutubán Station, in the Tondo district. The tremendous growth of the city of Manila led the administration to contemplate, in 1878, the setting up of a public transport network, 1878 The concession for constructing five tramways in Manila and its suburbs was approved. The plan included a main station at San Gabriel and the crossing of the river via the \"Puente de España\" 1880 School for Maestro de Obras called Escuela Practica y Artes Oficios de Manila was founded. Its first Filipino graduates were Julio Hemandez (1891), Isidro Medina (1894), Arcadio Arellano (1894) and Juan Carreon (1896), Puente de Convalecencia or better known as the Ayala Bridge was completed in 1880. Originally it is composed of two separate spans connected by the Isla de Convalecencia, which is home to Hospisio de San Jose, dropping point for abandoned babies, the bridge over this island was originally made of wooden arched trusses. 1887 On July 31, 1887, construction of the Manila-Dagupan railroad was started 1892 On November 24, 1892, the entire line from Manila to Dagupan, with a total length of 195.4 kms, was completed and put into commercial operations. 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. Two types of construction under Spanish regime were practiced: First, pavement of cut spanish road, cut adobe stone pavement. 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. Second, 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 Paterno was appointed as Secretary of Public Works and Communications. Since then, Public Works, Transportation, and Communications have been grouped into one department. The coming of the 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. Highways, bridges, schools, hospitals, and government buildings steadily transformed the Philippinelandscape. Early 1900's Transportation in the Philippines was depended largely on trails, waterways, railroad, earth roads and partially-gravelled roads. Highway in the Philippines at that time is nothing more than a dream to most Filipinos. The US government initiated the development of roadways in the Philippines connecting towns, cities and provinces. The popular Macadam road type was introduced. It gained acceptance because of abundant supply of stones and gravel.