Joshua T.

Teñoso BSCE 1 – 2

CENG21 | Civil Engineering Orientation

Group Activity: The History of Civil Engineering in the Philippines; RA No. 544; Famous
Structures Designed by the Civil Engineers: Locally and Abroad

Introduction

Civil engineering is involved in every aspect of the world around us. It is solely accountable
for everything, including public utilities like sewage systems, dams, bridges, and hospitals, as well
as infrastructure like schools, hospitals, and churches. And it is clear from this perspective that
civil engineering is essential to human civilization. Civil engineering is a well-known professional
engineering field that deals with the planning, building, and maintenance of the built environment's
physical and natural environment. Being one of the earliest engineering disciplines, its principle
was already applied during prehistoric times. Through its extensive specialization, it is also
accountable for the environment's health, safety, and welfare. And understanding the history of
civil engineering is essential for gaining a thorough understanding of it.

The history of civil engineering began with the old people who used the principles of civil
engineering for their survival by building prehistoric shelter caves to shield themselves from the
elements and hostile surroundings, and they created a variety of tools and equipment to hunt
animals that will serve as their food. The term "civil engineering" was coined by John Smeaton,
generally regarded as the first engineer and the Father of Civil Engineering, to distinguish it from
military engineering. And in 1818, first’s world engineering society, The Institution of Civil
Engineering was established in London, and Thomas Telfold was elected as its inaugural
president in 1820. As years progresses, it continues to contribute to human civilization until well-
known structures are found in various nations. Similar to the history of architecture, the history of
civil engineering has also been progressively developing in the Philippines along with the
discipline's global expansion.

This paper seeks to inform readers about the history of civil engineering in the Philippines,
as well as the Civil Engineering Law and notable structures designed by both local and foreign
civil engineers.
Objectives of the Study

This paper aims to answer the following:

1. What is the history of Civil Engineering in the Philippines?

2. What is Republic Act No. 544 all about and its purpose?

3. What are the different structures mentioned in RA No. 544?

4. What are some famous structures designed by the Civil Engineers?

5. What are the lessons you have learned?

Methodology

This report explains various methodologies that were used in data gathering. This paper
includes; research design.

Research Design

The history of civil engineering in the Philippines, the law under RA No. 544 and
different structures mentioned in RA No. 544, and famous structures designed by various
civil engineers both locally and internationally will be addressed and explained on using a
descriptive research design. A descriptive research design is a type of research
methodology that seeks information to describe a concept, context, or population in a
systematic manner.

The proposed study design will assist future Civil Engineers in determining and
comprehending the following objectives. The necessary data is gathered by conducting
research on various websites and informative books.
Result and Discussion

History of Civil Engineering in the Philippines

i. During the Spanish Time

Way back in more than three-and-a-half centuries during the Spanish subjugation,
social prejudice prevented the indio builders from creating any form of structure that
technology could support at the time since they were content to be referred to as "Maestro
de Obras," or Master Builders, which is equal to Construction Foreman in the present time.
During that era, there were no civil engineering colleges in the Philippines at the time and
only Spaniards had academic degrees in architecture and engineering, civil engineering
was not practiced in the country. Because of this, Spaniards are the one who initially build
momentous structures that is still known and still standing today, like the walled city in
Intramuros. Government buildings, bridges, residential and other structures were built by
Friar architects and engineers whose engineering and architectural installations were
incorporated in European standards. It was June 24, 1571, when Miguel Lopez de Legaspi
founded the City of Manila. After it was established, the Spaniards started building Fort
Santiago (Fuerto de Santiago). Another structure existed, the construction of wood and
cane churches began in 1577, with the arrival of the Franciscan Order to Manila. It was
followed by the construction of one of the oldest stone fortifications in Intramuros which
was designed and built by Jesuit Priest Antonio Sedeno from 1586 to 1587, the circular
fort called Nuestra Senora de Guia. Then the work of Leonardo Iturrino, the construction
of the Santiago castle or fortress that was commenced in 1591 and was completed in 1634
and was known to be the second most important fortress to be built of stone in Manila,
and the Santiago fortress was built between 1596 and 1602 on the land promontory
between the sea and the Pasig River, the most important fortification builds in Manila. Next
is the oldest stone church in the Philippines that was built in 1599, the St. Augustine
Church, an immense structure of thick walls of Corinthian and Ionic designs. 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. In
1632, Puente Grande was the first bridge to be erected across the grand Rio del Pasig. It
is a wooden bridge connects Intramuros and Binondo together, making it easier and
relatively faster to travel from one end to the other. In 1686, construction of irrigation and
water system started. The first artesian wells were built in Betis, Pampanga by Fr. Manuel
Camanes. The water system in Manila (now MWSS) 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. In 17th century, one of the oldest irrigation
systems in the Philippines existed, known as the Cavite Friar Land Irrigation System. In
1846, the first lighthouse (masonry-built) erected in the Philippines, The Pasig River Light
House, which was known locally as Farola (Spanish for "lighthouse") was one of the most
conspicuous landmarks in the harbor of Manila in the early part of the 20th century. In
1852, by Ynchausti y Compañia built and owned the first suspension bridge built in
Southeast Asia, the Puente Colgante (which is the term for a suspension bridge in
Spanish; literally, hanging bridge). In 1867, the town council decides to take on the
challenge of a project to supply fresh water to the whole of the city and a year later, 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”. 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. And a year later, the General
Plan for Railways was drawn up in 1876 for the island of Luzon and included a network
totaling 1,730 kilometers. It was followed by the plan to include a main station at San
Gabriel and the crossing of the river via the "Puente de España" in 1878. In 1880, school
for Maestro de Obras called Escuela Practica y Artes Oficios de Manila was founded. On
November 1, 1883, the study of the first railroad project between Manila and Dagupan
done by Antonio dela Camara was approved, and its construction started on July 31, 1887,
and was completed on November 24, 1892.
ii. 18th to 19th Century

It was during the 18th and 19th centuries that Filipino engineers began to
contribute towards the development of the country. At that time, they were assigned with
maintaining, repairing, and remodeling the infrastructural systems in all pueblos (towns
including churches, convents, and government buildings). Under the rule of Spain, road
construction in the Philippine Islands took place in that era. It involved thoroughly opening
communication routes throughout the islands and leaving the current government with a
very valuable asset in the form of the width of the right of way, which was codified into law
and became a part of the public domain. There isn't much evidence to support the idea
that the Spaniards used broken stone or gravel on their road construction, therefore it
appears unlikely that this was the case. Spanish rule employed two different types of
construction: first, the paving of Spanish roads that had been cut. The second route has
a pavement made of broken stones.
iii. First Philippine Republic

On June 23, 1898, the Department of War and Public Works was one of four
government agencies established by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo’s Organic Decree, which
established the Philippine Revolutionary Government. Although it was formerly a part of
the Department of War, which is now the Department of National Defense, the current
Department performs the construction and maintenance of roads, bridges, and other
public works structures by default. The demands of the revolutionary era may account for
the inclusion of public works in the War and Department. The cause of liberation that our
soldiers had battled for required the building of fortifications and trenches. Public works
and activities were transferred to U.S. control after Spain ceded the Philippines to that
country.

iv. During American Regime

Significant changes in our engineering culture were brought about by the arrival of
the Americans. By pursuing "benevolent" policies that prioritized English education, public
health, free enterprise, and representative government, the new invaders brought with
them military engineers, Thomasite teachers, doctors, and evangelists. Such
"assimilation" took the concrete shape of infrastructures under the civil authority put in
place in July 1901. The landscape of the Philippines was gradually altered by roads,
bridges, buildings for the administration, and schools. Until they were returned to civilian
control, the management of public assets and revenues, as well as the usage of all public
transportation, were to be handled by the military authorities (i.e., the US Army), according
to the directives for the islands' Benevolent Assimilation from 1899. As a result, American
military engineers were assigned to oversee the Bureau of Engineering. All foreign nations
were welcome to conduct business at the ports. In 1900, Foundation of the Liceo de
Manila, a for-profit college run by Leon Ma Guerrero that offers academic programs for
maestro de obras. The first private school to grant Maestro de Obras academic standing.
Reinforced concrete was initially used in the Philippines in the 1900s to build the Masonic
Temple (Grand Lodge of the Philippines), the country's first multi-structure, at Escolta,
Manila. This was the precursor of formal education in design and engineering. Early 1900s
transportation in the Philippines relied heavily on trails, canals, railroads, earth roads, and
partially graveled highways. The US military authorities handed back ownership of the
railroad to its owner on April 20, 1900. For most Filipinos, a highway in the Philippines at
the time was just a pipe dream. Initiated by the US government, the construction of roads
linking provinces, cities, and towns throughout the Philippines. It was first used as the well-
liked Macadam Road type. Because there were so many stones and gravel available, it
became popular. With the establishment of the Academia de Arquitectura y Agrimensura
de Filipinas (AAAF), Bureau of Engineering and Construction of Public Works, and Bureau
of Architecture and Construction of Public Buildings by Act on September 14, 1902, the
first professional association of architects and surveyors was established. Philippine
Commission Numbers 222 and 268. The Philippine Bill of 1902 (July 1, 1902) also known
as the Philippine Organic Act gave the government of the Philippine Islands the power to
address the needs of commerce, including constructing and maintaining bonded
warehouses, wharves, piers, lighthouses, signal and life-saving stations, buoys, and
similar commercial instruments, as well as adopting and enforcing regulations. And on
December 8, 1902, the Manila Railroad Company (MRRCo) was given the go-ahead to
build branch lines, thanks to the passage of the first railroad legislation act (Philippine
Commission Act No. 554). The name of the organization that included surveyors and civil
engineers, Academia de Arquitectura, Ingeniera y Agrimensura de Filipinas (AIAAF), was
altered in 1903. However, under our understanding new rulers, everything became
disorderly and muddled. Even in politics, it took time for the Philippine commission to get
to work and establish the first Philippine legislature. The association and the Liceo joined
forces to form the Escuela de Ingeniera y Arquitectura in 1904, which provided a five-year
program in architecture and civil engineering. The Bureau of Public Works was established
on October 26, 1905, and it was housed under the Department of Commerce and Police.
The country's economic expansion necessitated the construction of a wider road system
that would reach the rural districts. The Faculty of Engineering at the University of Santo
Tomas (UST), which is the oldest engineering school in the Philippines, was founded on
May 18, 1907, as the School of Civil Engineering and offers just one program leading to
the Master of Science in Civil Engineering degree (MSCE). After being restructured and
opening its doors to students once more, Escuela provided a three-year study in
architecture, civil engineering, and electrical engineering a year later. In 1909, the Wawa
Dam (also known as the Montalban Dam), a gravity dam built across the Marikina River
in the Philippine municipality of Rodriguez in the province of Rizal, was built. The Board
of Regents of the University of the Philippines designated Mr. W.J. Colbert as acting Dean
of the College of Engineering on June 3, 1910. However, not until it had fought for the
enactment of an Engineers and Architects Law, the AIAAF was disbanded in 1911 when
the civil engineers (and other engineering professions) withdrew to form their own
professional association (The Philippine Society of Engineers). In 1912, the Irrigation Act
was adopted. This governed the exploration, building, operation, and maintenance of
irrigation systems, as well as the appropriation of public waterways. Additionally, it
governed the use of public waterways, established guidelines for water rights, and
stipulated how to collect payments from beneficiaries for irrigation services. In 1913, The
San Miguel River Irrigation System in Tarlac, was the first NIS to be established. The
Engineers and Architects Law (Act No. 2985) was passed in 1921, the same year that the
Metropolitan Water District was established. Separate Boards of Examiners for civil
engineering and architecture were established by legislation. They received their
architectural and civil engineering education abroad. Filipinos were permitted to practice
as architects and engineers according to the Engineers and Architects Law of 1921, which
recognized their work as Maestro de Obras during the Spanish Period. Later Public Acts
Nos. 3159 and 3182 revised Public Act No. 2985, which included fairly vague rules on the
control of engineering and architecture. The Philippine Society of Civil Engineers (PSCE),
the country's first organization dedicated to civil engineering, was founded in 1928 by a
group of civil engineers working for the government and its first president was Marcial
Kasilag. The early members of PSCE were government engineers, and he subsequently
got the honor of having PRC Registration Number 1 for Civil Engineers. He also held a
senior position in the government.
v. Commonwealth Government

Act Number 4211, which allowed minors to sit for the board test with the condition
that they wouldn't start working until they were 21 years old, was passed on August 2,
1935. A group of civil engineers working in the private sector came together to join The
544Philippine Association of Civil Engineers (PACE) in 1937. Emmanuel Sto Tomas
Cortes served as its inaugural leader. Both organizations share the same goals, which are
to “elevate the standards of the profession, encourage research and engineering
knowledge and technology, foster fellowship among members, and promote interrelation
with other technological and scientific societies”. Due to the PACE being more active than
the PSCE, many PSCE members moved to the PACE. On January 31, 1938, the first Bicol
train was put into service. On May 8, 1938, the united railroad system from San Fernando,
La Union in the North to Legazpi in the South was formally launched. In 1938, statutes for
the practice of architecture and engineering were legally separated. Additionally, the
American occupants changed the name to Highway 54 at the conclusion of World War II
in 1940. However, Epifanio de los Santos, a well-known statesman from the province of
Rizal, was honored with a new name for the route in 1959 because of Republic Act 2140.
vi. During Japanese Occupation (World War II)

In December 1941, the Pacific War began, interrupting the regular schedules of
the schools and institutions. All schools were closed as per the President of the
Philippines' directive. In January 1942, when Japanese troops invaded Manila, they took
control of the buildings housing the College and Schools. The Department of Public Works
and Communications (DPWC) and other government agencies were essentially abolished
in 1941, when World War II broke out, because of manpower shortages, a lack of funding,
supplies, and equipment, the installation of an enemy government, and the emergence of
a resistance movement. In the Philippines' Sierra Madre Mountain Range, in the
municipality of Lumban in the province of Laguna, is where Caliraya Dam is situated. Lake
Caliraya, the reservoir built by the dam, was initially used to power one of the country's
oldest hydroelectric facilities before becoming a well-liked destination for fishing and other
water sports. Beginning in 1939, work on the dam's construction, a modest hydroelectric
plant began operating in 1942.

vii. Continuation of Commonwealth Government (After the War)

By using the reparations and war damages payments from the Japanese
government, the newly independent Philippine government carried on with the
construction and renovation of roads, bridges, buildings, and other infrastructures. The US
government also provided further financial grants and help that was use in the building
and repair of buildings, bridges, roads, and other infrastructure.
viii. Third Republic

In 1947, the Motor Vehicles Office was brought under the direct control of the
Department of Public Works and Communications, greatly extending its authority. Prior to
being transferred to the Philippine government's National Airport Corporation in 1948,
Manila International Airport Authority, the nation's busiest airport, was a US Air Force
installation. Nothing more than the existing domestic runway and a modest structure
served as the airport's sole passenger terminal at the time it first opened to civil aviation.
The 1950s were an important decade for the construction sector as efforts to recover from
the rubble of World War II and replace devastated public buildings and utilities gained
steam. In 1949, laws separating the legislation governing architects and engineers were
approved. It was followed by the building of the Ambuklao dam, which is the tallest and
largest in the Far East. The first architect's law (RA 545) was written and lobbied for on
June 17, 1950, by the architects (Philippine Institute of Architects), while the civil
engineers' law (RA 544) was approved that same year thanks to the efforts of PACE
President Alberto Guevarra. At the Manila Hotel Winter Garden, they gathered to jointly
celebrate the passage of their separate laws. President Elpidio Quirino issued Executive
Order No. 392 in 1951, reorganizing the Department of Public Works and Communications
(DPWC) as the Department of Public Works, Transportation, and Communications
(DPWTC). This new organization included the Bureaus of Public Works, Posts,
Telecommunications, Motor Vehicles Office, Irrigation Council, Flood Control
Commission, Radio Control, and Public Works. The Philippine Highway Act of 1953, also
known as Republic Act No. 917, which provided for an efficient highway administration,
altered the distribution of highway funds and provided assistance to provinces and cities
for the improvement and maintenance of roads and bridges in recognition of the social
impact that the country's road network has on economic development. By virtue of
Republic Act No. 1192, which was passed in 1954, the Bureau of Public Highways was
established under the Department of Public Works, Transportation, and Communications
to oversee the building and upkeep of roads and bridges. The Philippine Highways will
now be managed more efficiently by a Commissioner thanks to this Act. Active strategies
and programs were created and put into effect. The Civil Aeronautics Administration
(CAA), a division of the Department of Commerce & Industry, took over ownership and
management of the airport in 1951 after the National Airport Corporation was abolished.
RA 1383, which was passed in 1955, established the National Waterworks and Sewerage
System Authority (NAWASA). Republic Act No. 1582, which was passed on June 16,
1956, further revised the Civil Engineering Law. Republic Act No. 1581, which was passed
the same year, further altered the law governing architecture. In Brgy, there is a
hydroelectric plant that includes Ambuklao Dam. Philippines' Benguet province,
Ambuklao, Bokod. Agusan Dam construction began in May 1956, and on December 29,
1957, it was completed. Since the 1960s, the Philippines has become one of the top
producing nations for architects and engineers in the globe. However, at the time, there
were no private or infrastructural improvements in the nation to utilize these new architects
and engineers. Many Filipino architects and engineers in the Philippines have found
contract work abroad. The North Luzon Expressway (NLE or NLEx), formally known as
Radial Road 8, was formerly known as the North Diversion Road and the Manila North
Expressway (MNEX). During that time, Filipino architects and engineers worldwide formed
their own groups and formed alliances with other Filipino associations. Binga Dam was
developed during the period of the vehicle. Located in Barrio Binga, Barangay Tinongdan,
Itogon, Benguet, Philippines, it is a dam that is connected to a hydroelectric power plant.
he construction of the airport's international flight-specific infrastructure began in 1961,
marking the airport's first thirteen years. A control tower and a terminal building for only
use by international passengers were finished in 1961 at the southwest intersection of the
runways. The international runway and its corresponding taxiway were constructed in
1953. Officially, this system became known as the Manila International Airport (MIA).
Republic Act No. 3597 was approved on June 22, 1963. This act, titled "An Act Creating
a Public Corporation to be Known as the National Waterworks and Sewage Authority,"
amends a few parts of the republic act numbered 1388. Angat Dam, a concrete water
reservoir embankment hydroelectric dam that provides water to the Manila metropolitan
region, was also in place in 1967.
ix. During Martial Law

The Republic Act 6234 was passed on June 19th, 1971. The Metropolitan
Waterworks and Sewerage System was established in place of the National Waterworks
and Sewerage System (NAWASA) (MWSS). The correct management and maintenance
of sewerage systems were also included in the mandate of MWSS, which was to "provide
an uninterrupted and adequate supply and distribution of potable water for home and other
purposes at reasonable and equitable prices." The Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers,
Inc. received Registration Certificate No. 53896 from the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) on December 11, 1973. (PICE). This was the realization of a desire to
combine two distinct civil engineering organizations in the nation, the Philippine Society of
Civil Engineers (PSCE) and the Philippine Association of Civil Engineers (PACE). On May
25, 1973, President Johnson issued Presidential Decree No. 198, better known as "The
Provincial Water Utilities Act of 1973." Engr. was chosen in the inaugural PICE officer
election, which took place in February 1974. First president of the country was Cesar
Caliwara. The first international convention was held in the Philippines from May 20 to 24,
1975, with the theme "Civil Engineering in Disaster Prevention Control." (Philippine
Institute of Civil Engineers) On August 13, 1975, the Professional Regulation Commission
(PRC) recognized the PICE as the only recognized civil engineering organization in the
Philippines. In 1977, PD 1096, also known as the National Building Code of the Philippines
(the "NBCP"), was signed by the country's then-president Ferdinand Marcos and its
Implementing Rules and Regulations (“IRR”); In Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija province, the
Philippines, the Pantabangan Dam is an earth-fill embankment dam on the Pampanga
River. On July 23, 1979, MPWTC was once more divided into two (2) Ministries—the
Ministry of Public Works (MPW) and the Ministry of Transportation and Communications
(MOTC)—under Executive Order No. 546. This time, all bureaus, and offices with a stake
in public works operations were brought under the Ministry of Public Works. The Ministries
of Public Works and Highways (MPW and MPH) were combined in 1981 to form the
Ministry of Public Works and Highways (MPWH). This was done in accordance with
Executive Order No. 710, dated July 27, 1981, to conduct infrastructure projects more
successfully and consistently. The organization was reorganized to become the Ministry
of Public Works and Highways (MPWH), which included 14 regional offices, 94 district and
60 city engineering offices, five bureaus, six service offices, corporations and councils
attached to the Ministry for administrative oversight, as well as five bureaus and six service
offices. The new system of units, SI, was adopted by the Philippine Board of Examiners
for the Various Licensure Examinations for the Practice of Engineering and Architecture
as early as 1981. The invention of handheld calculators in the 1980s changed engineering,
replacing slide rules with quicker, more accurate computations. On the Philippine Island
of Luzon, the massive Magat Dam was built using a rock-filling technique in 1982. On the
largest tributary of the Cagayan River called the Magat River, the dam is situated. The
dam was built from 1975 until its completion in 1982. One of the biggest dams in the
Philippines serves as both a source of irrigation water and a generator of hydroelectric
power, and its main functions are these two. In 1984, Ipo Dam—a gravity-concrete water
reservoir dam located in the Philippines—took its place as a result. In the province of
Bulacan, Norzagaray, there is a dam about 7.5 kilometers downstream from the Angat
Dam. It belonged to the water network between Angat and Ipo La Mesa.

x. After Edsa Revolution

The Ministry of Public Works and Highways (MPWH) is currently known as the
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), with five bureaus, six services, 16
regional offices, 24 project management offices, 16 regional equipment services, and 118
district engineering offices, thanks to Executive Order No. 124, dated January 30, 1987.
The DPWH oversees planning, designing, building, and maintaining public works like
roads and bridges, flood control systems, water resource development projects, and other
public works in accordance with governmental goals. It is the primary engineering and
construction branch of the government. The Tutuban Station and a portion of the railroad
yard were leased for the construction of a retail mall on August 23, 1989. PNR Operations
Center moves to its railroad station in Paco, Manila, and PNR Management Center moves
to its training center location in Caloocan City. The La Mesa Dam and an ecological nature
reserve site in Quezon City, Philippines, make up the La Mesa Watershed and Eco-Park,
which was established in 1929. Additionally, Malacaang designated a "Civil Engineering
Week" for the first time from November 3 to 9, 1991, under Proclamation No. 799, which
was issued on September 20, 1991, by President Corazon C. Aquino. The C.E. week was
observed across the country through coordinated activities of all PICE chapters and the
PICE National Board, which culminated in the most prosperous and well-attended '91
PICE Annual Convention (1,400 plus registered participants). 1993 On May 29, 1993, the
PRC Board of Civil Engineering held its first fully computerized board examinations, and
on November 9, 1993, it announced the results. The Syllabi for the Subjects in the Civil
Engineering Licensure Examinations were published on February 28, 1995. The
privatization of MWSS from 1997 to the present In 1997, the legislature enacted Republic
Act 8041, often referred to as "The Water Crisis Act." Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers,
Inc. (PICE) was recognized by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) as the
Most Outstanding Accredited Professional Organization in 2001. RA 8981, also known as
the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) Modernization Act of 2000, was passed
in 2000 and signed into law by President Joseph Ejercito Estrada on December 5, 2000.
San Roque Dam's operation as part of the San Roque Multipurpose Project began in 2003.
(SRMP). within the Agno River. Nearly 200 kilometers (km) north of Metro Manila, it
straddles the Pangasinan municipalities of San Manuel and San Nicolas. 2004 saw the
passing and enactment of the Architecture Act. But in 2005, the PICE and Engineer filed
a suit for declaratory relief on May 3, 2005. Sections 302.3 and 302.4 of the Revised
Implementing Rules and Regulations (Revised IRR) of Presidential Decree No. 1096 (the
"National Building Code") have been declared invalid by Leo Cleto Gamolo. According to
the regulations, architectural documentation submitted with building permit requests must
be created, signed, and sealed by architects. The National Building Code and Republic
Act No. 544 (the "Civil Engineering Law"), which allegedly granted civil engineers the right,
are allegedly violated by the sections of the Revised IRR, which effectively forbid civil
engineers from also preparing, signing, and sealing architectural documents. Additionally,
in 2008, the Commission on Higher Education created Implementing Rules and
Regulations (IRR) based on Executive Order No. 566 2008. On January 29, 2008, the
Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) refused the PICE's application and decided in the
architects' favor. [National Capital Judicial Region, Regional Trial Court, Branch 22 Manila
- The Honorable Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. in his capacity as Secretary of Public Works
and Highways as Respondent and United Architects of the Philippines as Intervenor-
Respondent for Civil Case Number 05-112502 for: Declaratory Relief, Injunction with
prayer for Writ of Preliminary Prohibition and/or Mandatory Injunction.

xi. House of the Representatives

House Bill No. 2200 as filed by Representative Salvador H. Escudero III Status of
the Bill: Pending with the Committee on Civil Service and Professional Regulation since
2010-08-11.

House Bill No. 2797 as filed by Representatives Rufus B. Rodriguez and Maximo
B. Rodriguez, Jr. Status of the Bill: Pending with the Committee Civil Service and
Professional Regulation on since 2010-09-01.

House Bill No. 4071 as filed by Representative Angelo Palmones Status of the Bill:
Pending with the Committee on Civil Service and Professional Regulation since 2011-02-
02.
 House Bill No. 4456 as filed by Representative Aurelio “Dong” D. Gonzales Jr.
House Bill No. 5940 Status of the Bill: Submitted by the Committee on Civil Service and
Professional Regulation on March 1, 2012 Recommending its approval in substitution of
HB No. 2200, 2797, 4071 and 4456 (It was approved in substitution of HB Nos.2200, 2797,
4071 and 4456) Sponsors: Representatives Andres D. Salvacion Jr., Salvador H.
Escudero III (Sorsogon 1st District), Rufus B. Rodriguez (Cagayan de Oro City, 2nd
District), Maximo B. Rodriguez Jr. (Abante Mindanao PartylistABAMIN), Angelo Palmones
(Agham Partylist) and Aurelio D. Gonzales Jr. (Pampanga 3rd District) Hon. Andres
Salvacion Jr. (of Leyte 3rd District) was chairman of Committee on Civil Service and
Professional Regulation.

xii. Senate

Senate Bill No. 2109: “An act further amending Republic Act No. 544, as amended,
or the Civil Engineering Law” (Introduced by Senator F. Escudero); 15th Congress Filed on
July 27, 2010, by Escudero, Francis "Chiz" G. Status: Pending in the Committee (9/15/2010)
Senate Bill No. 2770: “An act professionalizing the practice of civil engineering in the
Philippines, repealing for this purpose Republic Act Number Five Hundred And Forty-Four
(RA NO. 544), as amended, and for other purposes” <Civil Engineering Law of 2011>
(Introduced by Senator P. Lacson) Filed on March 31, 2011, by Lacson, Panfilo M. Status:
Pending in the Committee (5/9/2011)

xiii. Present Time

The Board of Civil Engineering informed the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers
(PICE) in a letter dated March 2012 that the number of board exam questions would
increase from 30/35 (per subject) to 100 issues starting with the May 2012 CE Board
Exams. Therefore, there are 100 issues per subject or 300 questions on the board test.
The PICE appealed the National Building Code problem to the Court of Appeals. The Civil
Engineers now have the authority to draft, sign, and seal building plans and designs such
as perspective, floor plans, elevations, sections, reflected ceiling plans, and the like. On
January 5, 2012, the Court of Appeals of the Philippines granted PICE's appeal and
overturned the Regional Trial Court's decision. Republic Act 10609, also known as the
2013 Protection of Students' Right to Enroll in Review Centers Act, was signed into law
on August 23 of that same year.

Republic Act No. 544

R.A. No. 544, also known as the Civil Engineering Law, is an act to regulate the
practice of Civil Engineering in the Philippines. This act comprises of five articles:

1. Article I: Title of the Act and Definition of Terms

2. Article II: Board of Examiners for Civil Engineers

3. Article III: Examination and Registration

4. Article IV: Enforcement of Act and Penal Provisions

5. Article V: Miscellaneous Provisions.

Structures mentioned in R.A. No. 544

In the first Article, it gives emphasis to the title and definition of terms. It stated
there that as a civil engineer, one must construct the following structures:

1. A street, pavement, or road is a wide, frequently shared area used for the movement of
cars, people, and animals.
2. A bridge is a building constructed to cross a physical obstruction, such as a body of
water, a valley, or a road, without blocking the path beneath it to provide access over the
obstruction.

3. A highway is a wide, congested road. The fastest way to travel between cities is typically
on a highway.

4. A railroad is a mode of transportation that transports people and commodities using

wheeled vehicles that travel on rails built into tracks.
5. An airport is a location with structures and amenities for travelers where airplanes land
and take off. A hangar, on the other hand, is a sizable structure where airplanes are
maintained.

6. A port works is a type of marine facility that includes one or more wharves or loading
zones where ships can load and unload passengers and goods.
7. A canal is a man-made waterway that enables ships and boats to move between
different bodies of water.

8. A lighthouse is an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways,

which can be a tower, building, or other form of structure that emits light through a network
of lights and lenses.
9. A dry dock is a small vessel or basin that may be flooded to accommodate floating loads
and then drained to enable those loads to land on a dry platform.

10. A building is a permanent, typically walled and roofed construction (as for a dwelling).

11. The components of an irrigation system are the primary intake structure or pumping
station, the conveyance system, the distribution system, the field application system, and
the drainage system.
12. Flood prevention refers to mitigating damage brought on by floods by avoiding the
building of homes and businesses in current and future flood-prone locations, as well as
by adapting future developments to the risk of flooding and by supporting suitable land-
use, agricultural, and forestry practices.

13. Drainage is the artificial removal of water, both surface and sub-surface. It is necessary
to avoid flooding and other damage.
14. Water supply and sewerage works are defined as pipes or conduits, pumping stations,
force mains, and other buildings, fixtures, equipment, and facilities used to transport waste
to a destination for disposal or treatment.

15. structure must be permanently connected to the ground by one of the many foundation
types, slabs, piers, poles, or other methods permitted by building standards.

16. A tunnel is an underground corridor that has been dug through the surrounding soil,
rock, or earth. It is contained aside from the entrance and exit, which are typically at each
end.
 On the succeeding articles, it states there the need for board exam, the
requirements and how to register, and the penalty and provisions for acting as a civil
engineer without passing a board exam.

Famous Structures Designed by the Civil Engineers: Locally and Abroad

With the continuous development of civil engineering in the Philippines and in other
countries, many structures designed by civil engineers have become popular. One of the
examples of the well-known structures is the Manila Central Post Office located in
Liwasang Bonifacio, Magallanes Dr, Intramuros, Manila and it was established by one of
the civil engineers named Pedro Siochi. Pedro Siochi was born somewhere in the 1880s
in Malabon, Zambales, Philippines. He has at least one son and one daughter with
Esperanza Villongco. He passed away in Manila, Philippines, on December 15, 1950, at
the age of 64. He was a well-known civil engineer and architect who was Japanese Filipino
in the Philippines. He built amazing sites that Filipinos are still familiar with and enamored
of today. The Legislative Building, Manila Metropolitan Theater, Manila Central Post
Office, and other well-known structures were designed and constructed by him. The
architectural firm Pedro Siochi and Company, Inc. was founded and owned by Siochi. The
building's construction started in 1926, with the firm of architects Pedro Siochi and
Company in charge of the project. It suffered significant damage, nevertheless, in the
Battle of Manila during World War II, and was reconstructed in 1946, largely adhering to
the original plan. The Philippine Postal Corporation efficiently, quickly, and competitively
provides payment services, merchandise, and communication networks to every Filipino
community. Another example, which can be found outside the country, is the Sagrada
Familia located in Barcelona, Spain by a civil engineer named Antoni Gaudi. Spanish
 Antonio Gaud y Cornet, also known as Antoni Gaudi, was a Catalan architect who spent
almost all his time in or near Barcelona. His distinctive style is characterized by form
freedom, voluptuous color and texture, and organic unity. His full name is Antoni Gaudi I
Cornet. Gaud was born in Reus, Spain, on June 25, 1852, and died in Barcelona on June
10, 1926. Given the strong relationship between construction, form, and decoration in
Gaud's buildings, the artist was interested in nature and held the view that an object's
structure influences both its form and ornamentation. He worked on the Barcelona
Sagrada Familia's building for a significant portion of his career. When he passed away in
1926, it wasn't completed. Park Güell, Casa Milá, and Casa Batlló are a few other
noteworthy Barcelona constructions. As the surviving workers on the La Sagrada Familia
team laboriously strive to piece together the salvaged sections, construction is being
delayed even more. No substantial progress is made until the war's end in 1939, even
though the exterior is unaltered. As a penance temple, the Sagrada Familia was
constructed to celebrate the atonement for transgressions against God or church doctrine.
Construction is moving slowly since donations from visitors and the public are directly
funding the project. The fundamental objective of Gaud's La Sagrada Familia project was
to spread Catholicism through architecture. The greatest spot to see this is outside the
church, where there are memorials all over.

Summary

For instances, Civil Engineering has a role to fulfill in our society. Civil engineers often
specialize in one area, there are also laws that is for this profession which is Republic Act No.
544. In article 1 which consist of the title of the act and definition of terms, the section 1 states the
Title of Act.” This Act shall be known as the “Civil Engineering Law. While in section 2 is the
definition of terms which states that The practice of civil engineering within the meaning and intent
of this Act shall embrace services in the form of consultation, design, preparation of plans,
specifications, estimates, erection, installation and supervision of the construction of streets,
bridges, highways, railroads, airports and hangars, port works, canals, river and shore
improvements, lighthouses, and dry docks; buildings, fixed structures for irrigation, flood
protection, drainage, water supply and sewerage works; demolition of permanent structures; and
tunnels. The enumeration of any work in this section shall not be construed as excluding any other
work requiring civil engineering knowledge and application.
 There are several numbers of famous structures designed and built by civil engineers in
the world where we can see it locally and internationally. The Manila Central Post Office is located
locally in the Philippines that is designed and built by Pedro Siochi y Angeles, Pedro Siochi y
Angeles was a well-known Japanese Filipino architect and civil engineer in the Philippines. He
created remarkable landmarks that are still known and loved by Filipinos today. Pedro Siochi y
Angeles spent his time designing and building his known works such as the Manila Central Post
Office, Manila Metropolitan Theater, Legislative Building and more. While the Sagrada Familia is
a well-known foreign structure in Spain, it was built and designed by Antoni Gaudi, an architect
and civil engineer who spent much of his career working on the construction of the Sagrada
Familia in Barcelona. When he died in 1926, it was unfinished. Other notable Barcelona projects
include Park Güell, Casa Milá, and Casa Batlló. In a nutshell, the construction is being slowed
even further as the remaining members of La Sagrada Familia's team laboriously try to piece
together the salvageable pieces. Even though its exterior remains untouched, no significant
progress is made until the war's conclusion in 1939. The Sagrada Familia is a penance temple,
which means it was constructed to honor the reparation of sins committed against God or Church
laws. The work is directly financed by donations made by visitors and the public, which explains
why construction is moving slowly. The main goal of Gaud's La Sagrada Familia project was to
educate people about Catholicism through architecture. The best place to see this is outside the
church, where there are tributes all over. These two civil engineers showed their passion and love
for their works as they built these famous structures. They made difference in the world with their
creations.

Conclusion

Civil engineering is not new to our society, given the fact that here in the Philippines, it
even started way back Spanish regime up until to day and we can see on the historic
infrastructures that their techniques and skill are what we adapt and improve today given that it is
still standing. Even the constitution has a law to regulate the civil engineering in the Philippines
and that is RA. 544. With that law, many infrastructures were built by the civil engineers, different
names has been known locally and internationally because of schools providing quality education
that can compete internationally. And with government focusing on making the golden age of
infrastructure, civil engineers were being in demand today and schools were increasing and
improving their quality education. For what I’ve learned in this activity, it is right thing for me to
enter and remain here in civil engineering program.
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