What is infrastructure?

noun
1.

the basic physical and organizational structures and facilities (e.g., buildings,
roads, and power supplies) needed for the operation of a society or enterprise
Infrastructure refers to the fundamental facilities and systems serving a country, city, or area,
[1]
including the services and facilities necessary for its economy to function.[2] It typically
characterises technical structures such as roads, bridges, tunnels, water supply,sewers, electrical
grids, telecommunications, and so forth, and can be defined as "the physical components of
interrelated systems providing commodities and services essential to enable, sustain, or enhance
societal living conditions."[3]

Investment in infrastructure development can boost the economic growth. Particularly, in

disaster affected areas, the reconstruction of essential public infrastructure is an important
ingredient for recovery, sustained economic growth and poverty reduction. Our Infrastructure
Development (ID) Program contributes to the rebuilding and development of physical
infrastructure particularly in the disaster affected areas. It helps impoverished/disaster affected
communities by improving their access to essential infrastructure, such as schools and houses;
easing access to water supply schemes; employing local skilled and un-skilled labors for
construction work. In the past year, our focus remained on construction of school to assist
earthquake victims. Help HHRD fulfill its visions.
Infrastructure Development involves fundamental structures that are required for the
functioning of a community & society. This is usually referred to structures like roads, water
supply, sewers, electrical grids, telecommunications, renewable energy, and so on. At this time,
the Helping Hand (USA) For Relief & Development's International Infrastructure Development
Program does not include larger scale civil projects like roadways, electric grids,
telecommunications, and renewable energy (can be considered in the future). Projects like home
construction, sanitation, basic hygiene provision, water sources identification & boring (wells),
purification systems for clean water. This program has been started with the "Integrated
Approach towards Rebuilding Pakistan Program" and presently (April 20th, 2011)
includes two components: Home Construction Program (HCP) and Water & Sanitation Hygiene
(WASH). It is being implemented in 11 Union Councils of Pakistan. (Note: WASH is presented in
another module on this www.HHRD.Org website: Click WASH to enter this section)

http://www.hhrd.org/hhrd-infrastructureDev.aspx

Mandate and Functions

Mandate
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is one of the three departments of
the government undertaking major infrastructure projects. The DPWH is mandated to
undertake (a) the planning of infrastructure, such as national roads and bridges, flood
control, water resources projects and other public works, and (b) the design, construction,
and maintenance of national roads and bridges, and major flood control systems.
Functions
The Department of Public Works and Highways functions as the engineering and
construction arm of the Government tasked to continuously develop its technology for the
purpose of ensuring the safety of all infrastructure facilities and securing for all public
works and highways the highest efficiency and quality in construction.
DPWH is currently responsible for the planning, design, construction and maintenance of
infrastructure, especially the national highways, flood control and water resources
development system, and other public works in accordance with national development
objectives.

Brief History
The development of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) into its present
structure underwent a long process of evolution spanning a century of colorful and
significant events in laying the groundwork for the physical foundation of the country.
The Department is considered as old as the Philippine government, its existence dates
back to about four (4) centuries at the time of the Spanish colonial era. It emerged from
its embryonic form in 1565 when the first settlement roads were constructed by forced
labor. Fortresses then were connected by improved trails as supply lines and means of
communications. As Spain was in its expansion program in the islands, it resorted to a
policy of attraction by way of public works construction. In order to pursue their objective,
the King of Spain designated the Spanish Governor General in the country as Chief of
Public Works assisted by Junta Consultiva through a Royal Degree in 1867.
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 enginer known as Director General.
Since then, the Department underwent various stages of development and
evolution that largely depended upon the change in government shift of administration
policies, and reorganization in its structure and responsibilities to suit the demands of
times.
Finally after a long process of evolution by virtue of Executive Order No. 124,
dated January 30, 1987, the agency is now known as the Department of Public Works and
Highways (DPWH) with five (5) bureaus, six (6) services, sixteen (16 regional offices,
twenty-four (24) project management offices sixteen (16) regional equipment services and
one-hundred eighteen (118) district engineering offices.

Evolution of DPWH

1898

1902

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, Gen. 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.

Bureau of Engineering and

Construction of Public Works and
The Department of Commerce and Police
Bureau of Architecture and
Construction of Public Buildings were created by Act. Nos 22 and
When Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States in 1898, the
268 of the Philippine
public works and activities were placed under the U.S. Army engineers. By
Commission and placed under
virtue of Act No. 83 passed by the Philippine Commission on February 6, 1901,

Vision / Mission
Vision
By 2030, DPWH is an effective and efficient government agency, improving the life of every
Filipino through quality infrastructure.
Mission
To provide and manage quality infrastructure facilities and services responsive to the needs
of the Filipino people in the pursuit of national development objectives.

Guided by the overall policy directive of President Benigno S. Aquino IIIs Tuwid Na
Landas, DPWH Secretary Rogelio L. Singson laid down his DPWH Transformation
Framework, with the following objectives: (1) transform the organization and its
employees; (2) simplify/innovate to reduce corruption and improve efficiency; and, (3)
optimize resources.
The Department of Public Works and Highways is rationalized pursuant to Executive Order No. 366 Series
2004

History of the DPWH stretches back as far as the history of Philippine government itself. During
Spanish times, the Spanish constructed the first roads in the Philippines using significant forced
labor. These public works projects were not only used in the connection of towns and fortresses, but
also in improving communications. As Spain expanded the scale of its public works projects, it
resorted to a policy of attraction through public works projects. In 1867, in order to pursue this
objective, the King of Spain by decree designated the Spanish Governor-General as the Chief of
Public Works assisted by Junta Consultiva through a Royal Degree in 1867. Joan Lucero
It was in 1868 that the DPWH was born as the Bureau of Public Works and Highways, or Obras
Publicas. Alongside the Bureau of Communications and Transportation (Communicaciones y
Meteologia), now the Department of Transportation and Communications, the BPWH was organized
under a civil engineer known as the Director General. It was responsible for all public works
projects being done in the islands.
During the Philippine Revolution, public works duties were assumed by a new department known as
the Department of War and Public Works (DWPW). Although initially included in the portfolio of the
Department of War (now the Department of National Defense), public works projects were so
important to the war effort that public works were also prioritized through this department.
During the American period, public works projects were initially put in the hands of the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers. However, this was transferred to a department known as the "Provincial
Supervisions" on February 6, 1901. This eventually became the Department of Commerce and
Police (DCP) in 1902, with two public works-related agencies, the Bureau of Engineering and
Construction for public works projects and the Bureau of Architecture and Construction for the
construction of public buildings. Both agencies were eventually merged into a bureau known as the
Bureau of Public Works and was eventually subsumed into the DCP during reorganization in 1905.
To keep pace with further developments in transportation and communications, the DCP was
transformed into the Department of Commerce and Communications (DCC) in 1921.
In 1931, the DCC was renamed by the Philippine Legislature the Department of Public Works and
Communication (DPWC). Upon the inauguration of the Commonwealth of the Philippines in 1935,
the DPWC was reorganized to contain the following bureaus: the Bureau of Public Works, Ports,
Aeronautics, Coast and Geodetic Survey, the Metropolitan Water District Division of Marine, Railway
and Repair Shop, National Radio Broadcasting, the Irrigation Council and Board of Examiners for
Civil, Mechanical, Chemical and Mining Engineers.
During World War II, the DPWC's offices were destroyed in the Japanese occupation of the
Philippines. It resumed operations in 1946, albeit with limited funds and manpower. To assist
reconstruction efforts, the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads set up an office in the Philippines to

coordinate with the Philippine Bureau of Public Works in implementing the Philippine highway
network, which was in ruins.
The DPWC was renamed in 1951 the Department of Public Works, Transportation and
Communications, or DPWTC. In 1954, a body named the Bureau of Public Highways was
established. This became a separate department on July 1, 1974. Two years later, with the adoption
of the 1976 amendments to the 1973 Constitution, the department became the Ministries of Public
Works, Transportation and Communications, and Public Highways, respectively. In 1979, the
MPWTC was split into two ministries, the Ministry of Public Works (MPW) and the Ministry of
Transportation and Communications (MOTC), now renamed as the Department of Transportation
and Communications.
On January 30, 1987, with the approval of the 1987 Constitution, the MPW was merged with the
former Ministry of Public Highways to become the present-day DPWH.

Republic of the Philippines DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS 2012

STRATEGIC INFRASTRUCTURE POLICIES AND PROGRAMS Page 1 EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY The national road network is the most important infrastructure asset of
the government. An indicative estimate of the national road network asset is valued
at P1.2 Trillion. The road network provides the connectivity to all Filipinos for their
economic and social activities. As such, the President has directed DPWH to ensure
that the quality and safety of our national road network is upgraded and maintained
properly. The funding of DPWH for our national roads and bridges is being increased
substantially to ensure continued growth nationwide. In support of the key priorities
of the Aquino Administration, the main societal goal of the DPWH is to contribute to
the sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction and improve the countrys
global competitiveness. THRU : Construction and proper maintenance of the
countrys national roads, bridges and public works to provide access to major
airports, seaports/RORO ports, markets, production areas, strategic tourist
destinations and economic centers throughout the country. Our target outcomes
until 2016 and budgetary support is intended to achieve these targets: Pave all
existing unpaved national arterial roads (15,872 Kms) by 2014; Pave all existing
unpaved national secondary roads (15,370 Kms) by 2016; Make all national
bridges permanent by 2016; Implement Flood Master Plans for the countrys major
and principal rivers by 2016. To achieve these goals and desired outcomes, the
DPWH has adopted the following five strategic programs as follows: 1. Good
Governance Reform and Anti-Corruption Program 2. Better Quality and Safer
National Roads and Bridges Program 3. Strategic Convergence Program 4. Public
Private Partnership Program 5. Effective Flood Control Program Key Outcomes and
Actual Accomplishments: 1. Institutionalized Accountability Reformed public works
processes resulted in the elimination of wastes and the curbing of corruption, a
more prudent and objective selection of projects and the strict adherence to the

policy requiring the preparation of Program of Work with detailed estimates for each
capital outlay instead of indiscriminate releasing of project funds. Improved
procurement procedures, as well as competitive and transparent bidding, have
resulted in P15.45 Billion savings which can be utilized for additional infrastructure
projects like funding the site development for the relocation sites for typhoon
victims, rehabilitation of damaged infrastructure projects, etc.
OUTLINE A. Strategic Policies and Programs 1. Good Governance and Anti-Corruption
Program a. Right Project b. Right Cost c. Right Quality d. Right on Time e. Right
People 2. Better Quality and Safer National Roads and Bridges Program 3. Strategic
Convergence Program a. Tourism Convergence Program b. Water Convergence
Program c. Integrated Transport System d. Metro Manila Flood Management
Program e. Community Based Employment Program f. Peace and Prosperity Program
g. School Building Program h. Rural Road Development Program 4. Public Private
Partnership (PPP) Program a. On-going PPP projects b. Proposed PPP projects 5.
Effective Flood Control Program B. State of Infrastructure in the Philippines based on
Global Competitiveness Report C. State of Philippine Road Network D. 2010-2016
Target Outcomes 1. National Arterial Road (100% paved by 2014) 2. National
Secondary Road (100% paved by 2016) 3. National Bridges (100% permanent by
2016) E. Public Investment Program F. Infrastructure Program for Mindanao G.
Status of Fund Utilization H. Priority Overseas Development Assistance (ODA)
Projects 1. On-going and Completed ODA projects 2. Proposed ODA projects I.
Climate Change Adaptation and Strategies