THE HISTORY OF CIVI ENGINEERING AND ITS PROFESSION IN THE

PHILIPPINES FROM YEAR 1898-2013

THE 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. 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. 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. 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
Philippine landscape.

1900

Foundation of the Liceo de Manila, a private institution offering academic course for
maestro de obras and headed by Leon Ma. Guerrero. The first private school to offer an
academic title for Maestro de Obras (the forerunner of formal education in
architecture/engineering). The introduction of reinforced concrete in the Philippines was in
the 1900s and its use in the construction of the Masonic Temple (Grand Lodge of the
Philippines), the first multi-structure in Escolta, Manila.

1901

By virtue of Act No. 83 passed by the Philippine Commission on February 6, 1901, public works
and projects were placed under the <Provincial Supervisions=. The 1901 municipal code
(February 6, 1901) provided for popularly elected municipal board members who were
responsible for collecting taxes, maintaining municipal properties, and undertaking
necessary construction projects.

1902

The first professional association of architecture and surveyors was born on September 14,
1902 with the creation of the Academia de Arquitectura y Agrimensura de Filipinas (AAAF). The
Philippine Commission passed Act Nos. 222 and 268 creating the Department of Commerce
and Police which gave birth to the Bureau of Engineering and Construction of public works
and the Bureau of Architecture and Construction of public buildings. The Philippine Bill of 1902
(July 1, 1902) or the Philippine Organic Act authorized the Government of the Philippine Islands
to provide for the needs of commerce. This includes improving harbors, constructing
maintaining bonded warehouses, wharves, piers, light-houses, signal and life-saving
stations, buoys, and like instruments of commerce, as well as to adopt and enforce
regulations. (The US Congress authorizes the Philippine Government to grant franchise and
concession for the construction of public utilities and services). On December 8, 1902, the
first Railroad Legislation Act (Philippine Commission Act No. 554) was passed granting the
Manila Railroad Company (MRRCo) the right to construct branch lines.

1903

AAFF changed the name of association to Academia de Arquitectura, Ingeniera y

Agrimensura de Filipinas (AIAAF) – including civil engineers and surveyors

1904

The above-mentioned Academia merged with the Liceo and established the Escuela de
Ingeniera y Arquitectura, which offered a five-year course in architecture and civil engineering

1905

The Escuela ceased to operate after its first year of inception. The Bureau of Public Works was
created and placed under Department of Commerce and Police on October 26, 1905. Act No.
1401 of the Philippine Commission passed on October 4, 1905, abolished engineering
districts and positions of district engineers. Along with the economic growth of the country was
the need for a more extensive road network that would penetrate the rural areas. In order to
achieve that end, provincial boards were created in 1907 with authority to collect double
cedula taxes to finance the construction of provincial roads and bridges. In addition, the
national government appropriated P1,700,000 as aid to such constructions

1907

The Faculty of Engineering of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) is the oldest
engineering school in the Philippines. It was established on May 18, 1907, as School of
Civil Engineering with one program offering leading to the degree of Master of Science in
Civil Engineering (MSCE). From faculty records, it appears that it was only in 1912 when
the earliest batch of students was conferred their MSCE degrees. Don Ramon Irureta-
Goyena headed the UST-COE. During the early years of U.S. occupation, most of the civil
engineers in our country came from America. The College was patterned after the
University of Havana in Cuba and was first set up at the second floor of the old UST
building in Intramuros.

1908

The above-named Escuela was reorganized and reopened its doors to students but this
time offered a three-year course for architecture, civil engineering and electrical
engineering.

1909

Wawa Dam (also known as Montalban Dam) is a gravity dam constructed over the Marikina
River in the municipality of Rodriguez in Rizal province, Philippines. The slightly arched
dam is situated in the 360-metre (1,180 ft) high Montalban Gorge or Wawa Gorge, a
water gap in the Sierra Madre Mountains, and east of Manila. It was built in 1909 during
the American colonial era to provide the water needs for Metro Manila. It used to be the
only source of water for Manila until Angat Dam was built and Wawa was
abandoned. Due to insufficiency of water supply for Metro Manila, there was a strong
clamor to reuse the dam.

1910

The Board of Regents of the University of the Philippines, in a resolution passed on

June 3, 1910, appointed Mr. W.J. Colbert as acting Dean of the College of Engineering.
His appointment was set to effect on June 13, 1910 thereby creating the College of
Engineering. Dean Colbert was authorized to prepare the curriculum and select the
necessary teaching personnel for the new course. Initially, a four-year course
leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science with an additional degree of Civil Engineer
upon completion of an extra year of study was approved. The first instructor to be
appointed was Mr. Jose P. Katigbak of the City Engineer’s Office of Manila, as instructor in
graphics (drawing) on a part-time basis. The first appearance of motor vehicles in the
Philippine highways in 1910. Roads and bridges had to be kept in good condition at all
times. Naturally, there was a need for funds to keep the roads passable the whole year
round.

1911

In 1911, the AIAAF was dissolved when the civil engineers (and other engineering
profession) withdrew to form their own professional organization (The Philippine Society
of Engineers), but not before it has struggled for the passage of an Engineers and
Architects Law.

1912
The Escuela was closed. The Irrigation Act of 1912: Under the American regime, the
Government initiated policies to stimulate national economic growth through
irrigation development. The Irrigation Division under the Bureau of Public Works (BPW)
was established in 1908 (the friar lands were sold to govt. which in turn were sold to the
tenants in 1902). The Irrigation Act was passed in 1912. This regulated the appropriation
of public waters, investigation, construction, operation and maintenance of irrigation
systems. It also regulated the appropriation of public waters, prescribed rules on water
rights and provided for the securing of payments for irrigation services, from the
beneficiaries.

1914

Communal irrigation systems (CIS) were simple structures. The earliest on record is
as far back as 1914, mostly located in the Ilocos area of northern Philippines and known
as the zanjera. The term zanjera is derived from the Spanish term for turnout and used
locally to refer to a co-operative irrigation society the function of which was to secure a
stable and reliable supply of water for its members. Most zanjeras may have two or more
sittios or barrios. Membership may comprise of all land owner or tenants or a
combination of both. Water from these systems were usually obtained from river
diversions by bamboo and rock structures-the "brush dam." Being temporary
structures, the community was brought together in its reconstruction on a regular
basis.

18 January 1917 – 03 October 1922

When the first cabinet comprised of Filipinos was organized, Gov. Gen. Francis. B.
Harrison appointed Cebu governor Dionisio Jakosalem as Secretary of Commerce and
Communication. The construction of roads and public buildings marked his administration
as governor of Cebu. He is credited with having linked the southern and northern parts
of the province with roads.

1919 – 1954

Metropolitan Water District was founded.

1921

The Engineers and Architects Law (Act No. 2985) passed on February 23, 1921. The
law created separate Board of Examiners for civil engineering and architecture. They
were schooled abroad as civil engineers and architects. Due to the Engineers and
Architects Law of 1921, Filipinos were allowed to practice as Architects and Engineers
because of their experience as Maestro de Obras in the Spanish Period. Public Act No.
2985 was enacted empowering the Secretary of Commerce and Communication to
appoint members of the boards of the architecture and engineering professions.

1928

A group of civil engineers from the government sector formed the Philippine Society
of Civil Engineers (PSCE) which was the first civil engineering organization in the
Philippines with Engr. Marcial Kasilag as its first president. Engr. Kasilag thereupon
received the honor of holding PRC Registration Number 1 for Civil Engineers. He
then occupied a high-ranking position in the government and the early members of
PSCE were government engineers. There were relatively few civil engineers in private
practice during that time as most of the early graduates were readily engaged by the
various government agencies.

1930’s

Puente Colgante Bridge was replaced by a modern steel arch bridge during early
1930’s. It was renamed Quezon Bridge after Manuel L. Quezon, the president of the
Philippines at that time.

1931

Department of Commerce and Communications renamed as the Department of

Public Works and Communications.

1935 On August 2, 1935, Act Number 4211 was enacted – permitting under-aged
persons to take the board exam on condition that they will not practice their profession
until they attained the required age of 21.

During the inauguration of the Commonwealth Government on November 15, 1935, a

reorganization of the DPWC was undertaken. Under the set up, it was composed of
the Bureau of Public Works, Ports, Aeronautics, Coast and Geodetic Survey,
Metropolitan Water District Division of Marine, Railway and Repair Shop, National Radio
Broadcasting, Irrigation Council and Board of Examiners for Civil, Mechanical, Chemical
and Mining Engineers.

1937

The Philippine Association of Civil Engineers (PACE) was formed from a group of civil
engineers in the private sector with Engr. Enrique Sto. Tomas Cortes as its first president.
The objectives of both organizations were similar with each other in which both of them
wants 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". The PACE being the
most active than the PSCE led to the transfer of many PSCE members to PACE.

1938

In 1938, statutes for practice of architecture from engineering separated by law – National
Assembly Bill No. 1850. On January 31, 1938, the first Bicol train was put into operation
On May 8, 1938, the unified system of railroad from San Fernando, La Union in the North to
Legazpi in the South was formally inaugurated.

1940

Highway 54 was the former name of the Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA).
Stretching some 54 kilometers, Highway 54 serves as a lifeline for hundreds of thousands
of Filipinos passing or doing business in Metro Manila. It formed a major part of the
circumferential roads in Metro Manila. From the south, it passes through five cities
Pasay, Makati, Mandaluyong, Quezon City, and Caloocan. Its southern endpoint is at the
rotunda near the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City while its northern point is at Monumento
in Caloocan City near the Andres Bonifacio monument. When the avenue was
constructed in 1940 by engineers led by Florencio Moreno and Osmundo Monsod, it
was first named as North and South Circumferential Road. But at the end of World War II,
the American occupiers changed the name to Highway 54. But in 1959, by virtue of
Republic Act 2140, the highway was renamed in honor of Epifanio de los Santos, a
famous statesman of the province of Rizal.

1941

The tides of war in the Pacific came in December 1941 and thereby interrupted the
normal operations of the schools and colleges. By order of the President of the
Philippines, all schools were closed. When the Japanese forces entered Manila in January
1942, they occupied the College/School buildings. In 1941, outbreak of World War II,
the Department of Public Works and Communications (DPWC) and other government
offices were practically abolished due to dislocation of manpower, lack of funds,
materials and equipment, installation of enemy administration and the setting up of
resistance movement. 24 December 1941 to 01 August 1944 During the Japanese
occupation, the exiled Commonwealth government of President Manuel Quezon
issued Executive Order 396, which reorganized and grouped the cabinet. The Department
of Public Works and Communication became the Department of National Defense,
Public Works, Communications and Labor, with Basilio Valdes as Secretary.

1942

On Philippine soil, to mitigate the sufferings of the people under the iron-clad rule of the
Japanese, the Philippine Executive Commission was established. Under President
Jose P. Laurel’s administration, Quintin Paredes served as Minister of Public Works and
Communications. Caliraya Dam is an embankment dam located in the town of Lumban
province of Laguna, in the Sierra Madre Mountain Range of the Philippines. The reservoir
created by the dam, Lake Caliraya, initially supplied one of the oldest hydroelectric plants
in the Philippines, and later became a popular recreational area for numerous water
sports and fishing. The dam construction was started in 1939 and a small
hydroelectric plant was operated in 1942. After the Second World War, the new
independent Philippine government continued the rehabilitation and construction of
roads, bridges, buildings and other infrastructures, through the reparations and war
damages paid by the Japanese government. Other financial grants and aids received
rom the US government were used in the construction and rehabilitation of roads,
bridges, buildings and other infrastructures.

1945

The reorganization of the government after it was re-established on Philippine soil was
undertaken with Executive Order No. 27 on February 27. The Department of National
Defense and Communications was again named Department of Public Works and
Communications.

1946

Resuming its operation in 1946, the Department of Public Works and

Communications (DPWC) started with limited human resources, funds, materials and
equipment.

1947

The authority of the Department of Public Works and Communications was further
expanded when, in 1947, the Motor Vehicles Office was placed under its direct
supervision.

1948

The country’s premiere airport, Manila International Airport Authority was originally a US
Air Force base until 1948, when it was turned over to the Philippine government’s National
Airport Corporation. The fledgling civil aviation airport’s facilities were nothing more than
the current domestic runway and a small building as its only passenger terminal.

1949

Laws separating statutes between architects and engineers passed. 1950’s The
momentum to rebuild from the ashes of WWII and replace destroyed public edifices and
utilities made the 1950s an eventful decade for the construction industry.

1950 – 1956

The Ambuklao dam was the highest and biggest in the Far East. It is made of earth and
rockfill which measures 129 meters in height and 452 meters in length. The elevation of
its crest is 758 meters and the roadway that runs through the top of the dam has an
elevation of 756 meters. The gross storage capacity of the dam's reservoir is 327,170,000
cubic meters and it has a usable storage capacity of 258,000,000 cubic meters.
Construction began on July 1950 and opened on December 23, 1956.

1950 On June 17, 1950, the Architects (Philippine Institute of Architects) prepared and
lobbied the passing of the first Architect’s law (RA 545) while the Civil Engineers
(Philippine Association of Civil Engineers), the Civil Engineering law (RA 544, through the
efforts of PACE President Alberto Guevarra) was also passed the same year. They jointly
celebrated the passing of their respective laws at the Manila Hotel Winter Garden.

1951

President Elpidio Quirino under Executive Order No. 392 in 1951, the DPWC was again
reconstituted to Department of Public Works, Transportation and Communications
(DPWTC) to include the Bureaus of Public Works, Posts, Telecommunications, Motor
Vehicles Office, Irrigation Council, Flood Control Commission, Radio Control Board,
National Transportation Board and Government Quarters Committee. Taking cognizance
of the social impact of the road network to national growth, the Philippine Highway
Act of 1953 or Republic Act No. 917 providing for an effective highway
administration modified apportionment of highway funds and gave aid to provinces and
cities for the improvement and maintenance of roads and bridges. In relation to road
and bridge construction and maintenance, the Bureau of Public Highways was
created in 1954 by virtue of the Republic Act No. 1192 and placed under the Department of
Public Works, Transportation and Communications. This Act provided for a more effective
management of the Philippine Highways under a Commissioner. Active plans & programs
were formulated & implemented. With the abolition of National Airport Corporation in
1951, ownership and management of the airport fell to the Civil Aeronautics
Administration (CAA) under the Department of Commerce & Industry. In 1956, the CAA
was transferred to the Department of Public Works, Transportation & Communications.

1954

R.A. No. 1080 was enacted on June 15, 1954 – making bar and board exam (passers) are
equivalent to First-Grade Civil Service eligibility.

1955 – 1970

National Waterworks and Sewerage System Authority (NAWASA) was created through RA
1383

1956

On June 16, 1956, the Civil Engineering law was further amended by Republic Act No.
1582. On the same year, the Architecture law was further amended by Republic Act No.
1581.

1960’s

Philippines had created one of the top countries in the world that produces architects and
engineers since the 60′s Private and infrastructure developments were not in existence in
the country to make use of these new architects and engineers. Shortage of projects
in the country have resulted to an influx of Filipino architects and engineers’
migration to the US and Europe which started in the 60′s. Inexpensive labor and be able to
communicate in English of these Filipino professionals made them attractive to be
hired by these developed countries

1960 – 1980’s

The automobile age. It was during these decades that road construction becomes a matter
of priority of the government under the slogan: “This nation is on Wheels”.

1960

In 1960, the International Bureau of Weights and Measures prepared a system of units
designated the <Systeme Internationale d’ Unites= with the abbreviation SI, for worldwide
adoption. It has been adopted and used by most of the over 160 countries in the
world, with the exception of Borneo, the Sultanate of Brunei, Liberia and notably the
United States.

1961

The first thirteen years of the airport were marked by the building of infrastructure
dedicated to international flights. The international runway and associated taxiway were
built in 1953, and 1961 saw the completion of a control tower and a terminal building for
the exclusive use of international passengers at the southwest intersection of the
runways. This system came to be officially known as the Manila International Airport
(MIA).

On September 30, 1961, The Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines

(ASEP) was founded.

1961-1967

Angat Dam located at Norzagaray, Bulacan started its construction on November 1961 and
opened on October 16, 1967 with height of 131 meters, length of 568 meters and base
width of 550 meters. The source of dam is the Angat River, with a capacity of 850 million
cubic meters

1963

The National Irrigation Administration is a government-owned and controlled

corporation tasked with the development and operation of Irrigation Systems all over the
country. It was created under RA 3601 which was signed on June 22, 1963 by then
President Diosdado P. Macapagal.

1964

On June 20, 1964, Republic Act No. 4156 is enacted. It changes the corporate name
of Manila Railroad Company (MRRCo) to Philippine National Railways (PNR)

1970’s

The 70’s is commonly known as the Martial Law years. Declared in 1972, the first few
years of its implementation brought about good things to our country. But its later years
proved to be the most trying times of our country. Incidentally, the construction
industry in the Middle East was at its peak and civil engineers and architects were in
demand. In the early 1970's, there were already 591 national and municipal ports
plus 200 private ports scattered all over the country necessitating the need for
long-range planning and rationalization of port development.

1971 – 1997

On 19 June 1971, Republic Act 6234 was enacted. It dissolved the National
Waterworks and Sewerage System (NAWASA) and created in its place the
Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS). MWSS was thus given the
mandate <to ensure an uninterrupted and adequate supply and distribution of
potable water for domestic and other purposes at just and equitable rates.= The
proper operation and maintenance of sewerage systems was likewise part of its mandate.

1972

PACE President Engr. Cesar A. Caliwara, exerted a serious effort in merging the two
organizations. Leaders of PACE and PSCE negotiated, and talked about the choice of
name. Some concerns were raised such as formal accounting and turnover of assets
and liabilities, accreditation of bonafide members and election rules for the first
officers which were sooner resolved.

1973

On June 1973, President Ferdinand E. Marcos issued Presidential Decree 223,

creating the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) regulating all professions and
accrediting only one organization to represent each profession. On December 11, 1973,
the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued Registration Certificate No.53896
to the PHILIPPINE INSTITUTE OF CIVIL ENGINEERS, INC. (PICE). This was the
culmination and fulfilment of a vision to merge two separate organizations of civil
engineers in the country, the Philippine Society of Civil Engineers (PSCE) and the
Philippine Association of Civil Engineers (PACE). Presidential Decree No. 198, also known
as <The Provincial Water Utilities Act of 1973,= was signed into law on May 25, 1973.That
law created the Local Water Utilities Administration or LWUA in the national level and
provided for the establishment of Water Districts in provincial cities and municipalities.

1974

On February 1974, the first election of officers of PICE was held and Engr. Cesar Caliwara
became its first president. In order to truly unite the civil engineers of the
Philippines, provincial chapters were organized. The former Bureau of Public Highways
was expanded and restructured into the Department of Public Highways (DPH) for a more
effective administration of the country’s highway system through Administrative Order
No. 2, dated July 1, 1974

1975

The first International convention was held in the Philippines on 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 official organization of civil engineers in the Philippines
with Accreditation No. 007 PD No. 693 - Authorizing the Construction of the Magat
River Multi-Purpose Project in Isabela, Providing for the Financing Thereof, and for
Other Purposes. National Housing Authority (NHA) was created under PD 757 to oversee
housing development on a national level. The Philippine Ports Authority was created
under Presidential Decree No. 505 which was subsequently amended by P.D. No. 857 in
December 1975. In 1975, President Ferdinand Marcos, by a Presidential Decree, the
System Internationale (SI) system of units was mandated in the Philippines

1976
 With the shift in the form of government, national agencies were renamed from
Departments to Ministries. In 1976, Department of Public Works, Transportation and
Communications (DPWTC) became Ministry of Public Works, Transportation and
Communications (MPWTC) & Department of Public Highways (DPH) as Ministry of Public
Highways (MPH). In 1976, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) was created
through the National Water Code of the Philippines (Water Code of the Philippines) to
coordinate policies concerning water resources.

1977

PD 1096, otherwise known as the National Building Code of the Philippines (the <NBCP=)
signed by then Pres. Ferdinand Marcos on 19 February 1977 and its Implementing Rules
and Regulations (<IRR=);

1978

Under the 1973 Constitution, a Parliamentary Form of governance was established and
departments were renamed into ministries establishing the formal ministry system.
Hence, the Department of Public Works and Communications became the Ministry of
Public Works, Transportation and Communications (MPWTC). On June 11, 1978,
Presidential Decree Number 1594 or “The Prescribing Policies, Guidelines, Rules and
Regulations for Government Infrastructure Contracts” was promulgated.

Presidential Decree No. 1350 was promulgated on April 7, 1978 – allowing applicants for
citizenship to take the board exam pending the approval of their petition.

1978 – 1982

The construction and appurtenant structures were authorized by P.D. 693 signed on May
7, 1975 by the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos. The Magat Dam was constructed in
1978 and inaugurated by the Late Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos on October 27, 1982 and
started operations in 1983. Implementation of this multipurpose project was based on the
preliminary study conducted in 1973 by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA)
with the assistance of the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) and the United
States Agency for International Development (USAID).

1979

On July 23, 1979 under Executive Order No. 546, MPWTC was again restructured
into two (2) Ministries – the Ministry of Public Works (MPW) and the Ministry of
Transportation and Communications (MOTC), integrating all bureaus and offices
concerned with public works functions and activities under the Ministry of Public Works.

1980’s

Major highways and expressways were constructed through the financial assistance and
loans from foreign banks
1980

In 1980 President Marcos founded the Rural Waterworks Development Corporation

(RWDC), responsible for water supply in areas where neither MWSS nor LWUA carries out
the service or assists the LGUs, respectively. The RWDC was expected to create rural
water supply associations in order to construct, operate, and maintain their own water
supply systems in communities with fewer than 20,000 inhabitants. On July 12, 1980, the
country's president, Ferdinand E. Marcos, created the Light Rail Transit Authority
(LRTA) as a government agency. The Chairman was the then First Lady and
Governor of Metro Manila, Imelda Romualdez Marcos. This LRTA confined its activities to
determining policies, to the regulation and fixing of fares, and to the planning of
extensions to the system. The project was called Metrorail and was operated by a sister
company of the former tramway company Meralco, called Metro, Inc. Martial Law
executed Letter of Instruction 1000 on March 20, 1980 – the Malacanang edict of having
just one organization for each profession to be accredited by the Professional Regulations
Commission

1981

MPW and MPH were merged to become The Ministry of Public Works and Highways
(MPWH) In as early as 1981, the Philippine Board of Examiners for the Various Licensure
Examinations for the Practice of Engineering and Architecture began to use the new
system of units, SI. 1980’s The increase of handheld calculators revolutionized
engineering, with faster and more efficient calculations leaving the old slide rule
behind.

1982

Magat Dam is a large rock-fill dam on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. The dam is
located on Magat River, a major tributary of Cagayan River. Construction of the dam
started in 1975 and completed in 1982. Magat Dam is one of the largest dams in the
Philippines and has two primary purposes: as a source of irrigation water and as a
provider of hydroelectric power. The construction and appurtenant structures were
authorized by P.D. 693 signed on May 7, 1975 by the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos.
The Magat Dam was constructed in 1978 and inaugurated by the Late Pres. Ferdinand E.
Marcos on October 27, 1982 and started operations in 1983. It was Southeast Asia's first
large multipurpose dam. The dam is part of the Magat River Multipurpose Project
(MRMP) which was financed by the World Bank and whose purpose is to improve on the
existing Magat River Irrigation System (MARIS) and to triple the production of rice in the
Cagayan River basin.

1987

Finally, by virtue of Executive Order No. 124, dated January 30, 1987, the Ministry of
Public Works and Highways (MPWH) is now known as the Department of Public Works and
Highways (DPWH) with five (5) bureaus, six (6) services, 16 regional offices, 24 project
management offices, 16 regional equipment services and 118 district engineering offices.
As the primary engineering and construction arm of the government, the DPWH is
responsible for the planning, design, construction and maintenance of infrastructures
such as roads and bridges, flood control systems, water resource development projects
and other public works in accordance with national objectives. On August 17, 1987,
Republic Act No. 6639 was enacted and the MIA was renamed the Ninoy Aquino
International Airport.

1991

And for the first time, a "Civil Engineering Week" for the period November 3 to 9, 1991
was declared by Malacañang thru Proclamation No.799 issued on September 20, 1991
by President Corazon C. Aquino. The C.E. week was celebrated nationwide thru
coordinated activities of all PICE chapters and the PICE National Board culminating in
the most successful and well-attended '91 PICE Annual Convention (1,400 plus registered
participants).

1993

The Board of Civil Engineering (at PRC) held its first fully computerized (board)
examinations on May 29, 1993 and released the results on November 9, 1993.

1995

On February 28, 1995, the Syllabi for the Subjects in the Civil Engineering
licensure examinations were promulgated.

2000

RA 8981 or Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) Modernization Act of 2000 was

enacted and signed into law on December 5, 2000 by President Joseph Ejercito Estrada

2005

In 2004, the Architecture Act was passed and signed into law. But in 2005, a petition for
declaratory relief filed on May 3 2005 by the PICE and Engr. Leo Cleto Gamolo to declare
null and void Sections 302.3 and 302.4 of the Revised Implementing Rules and
Regulations “Revised IRR” of Presidential Decree No. 1096 (“theNational Building
Code”). The said provisions require that architectural documents submitted in
applications for building permits must be prepared, signed and sealed by architects. PICE
claim that the said sections of the Revised IRR, by effectively prohibiting Civil Engineers
from also preparing, signing and sealing architectural documents, are contrary to the
National Building Code and the Republic Act No. 544 (the “Civil Engineering Law”), which
purportedly gave Civil Engineers the said right.

2006

Since November 2006 CE Board Exam, the Professional Regulation Commission releases
only Top 10 Board Exam Performers and stopped releasing the 11th to 20th places
Executive Order No. 566 issued by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo dated
September 8, 2006 directing the Commission on Higher Education to regulate the
establishment and operation of review centers and similar entities.

2012

Last March 2012, the Board of Civil Engineering wrote to Philippine Institute of Civil
Engineers (PICE) that the board exam questions will be increased from 30/35 (per
subject) to 100 problems per subject effective for May 2012 CE Board Exams. Meaning,
there are 100 problems per subject or a 300-item board exam questions.

2013

Last August 23, 2013, Republic Act 10609 or the Protection of Students' Right to
Enroll in Review Centers Act of 2013 was signed into law.