Tecson, Yosemite M.

PLANNING 3
ARC155 Ar. Voltaire Vitug

History of Project Areas in QC.

An excerpt from The nation during Elpidio Quirino’s presidency, 1948 to 1953, an article by Gerardo
P. Sicat of The Philippine Star.

Investments and recovery were helped however by the heavy inflows of assistance from the
US.

Infrastructure reconstruction was rapid. Public edifices destroyed by the war were rebuilt with
public war damage money. Major roads and bridges, ports and school-buildings were
restored. Public utilities were restored.

Private housing and business investments were stimulated by the war damage payments.
Damaged businesses – in agriculture, industry, manufacturing and commerce – were assisted
in part by the quickly disbursed war damage payments.

New domestic infrastructure projects also came into being. Hydroelectric power began to be
harnessed. The Ambuklao Dam in Luzon and the Maria Cristina Falls were harnessed to
produce electricity.

The country’s major export industries began to recover. The processing of coconut products
expanded and many of the sugar mills began to be restored and exports of these products
began to recover. Some mining and timber firms resumed production.

During Quirino’s presidency, the country continued to receive support from US development
aid and enjoyed the early years of the special relations covering trade adjustment, war
damage payments, and an effort to promote domestic industrialization.

The import and exchange controls encouraged businessmen to produce products that
replaced imports. The beginnings of industrial import substitution were promoted by the law
promoting “new and necessary industries.”

The government also started to undertake mass housing for low and middle income earners.
This program was under the People’s Housing Homesite Corp., a forerunner of the National
Housing Authority. Thus begun housing projects designed to be amortized by citizens --
Projects 1, 2, 3 and 4 in the Metro Manila area.

The housing displacements during the war and continuous migration to cities haunt us even
today. A future in self-financed mass housing was begun during Quirino’s time.

Reference:

Sicat, G. P. (2015). The nation during Elpidio Quirino’s presidency, 1948 to 1953. Retrieved from
https://www.philstar.com/business/2015/11/10/1520510/nation-during-elpidio-quirinos-
presidency-1948-1953