1645

1571 1591-1631 1599 1632

Manila was hit by an
Construction work for the St. Augustine Church is Puente Grande was the first earthquake and was
Miguel Lopez de Legaspi founded the Santiago castle/fortress was the oldest stone church in bridge to be erected across the reconstructed 1686
City of Manila on June 24, 1571 The commenced in 1591 and was the Philippines. It was grand Rio del Pasig. Built in Irrigation and Water
Spaniards started building Fort Santiago completed in 1634. This was built in 1599; however, it 1632, this wooden bridge System The first artesian
connects Intramuros and wells were built in Betis,
(Fuerte de Santiago) after the the work of Leonardo Iturrino, was also destroyed and
Binondo together, making it
and was the second most Pampanga by Fr. Manuel
establishment of the city of Manila under rebuilt many times. It is easier and relatively faster to Camanes. The water
Spanish rule on June 24, 1571. They important fortress to be built of an immense structure of travel from one end to the system in Manila (now
stone in Manila, the Nuestra thick walls of Corinthian other. It underwent several MWSS) had its beginning
began with construction of wood and cane Señora de Guía fortress being and Ionic designs. reconstructions and from the water works
churches that succumbed to natural the first of these. 1596 - 1602 renovations as it was always constructed by Fr. Juan
catastrophes. heavily damaged by Peguero in 1686.
earthquakes.
1904-1905 1901-1902
1883-1892 1878
The above-mentioned Bureau of Engineering and Construction of
On 1883, the study of the first railroad The concession for constructing five tramways in Manila
Public Works and Bureau of Architecture and
Academia merged with the project between Manila and Dagupan and its suburbs was approved. The plan included a main
Construction of Public Buildings - were
Liceo and established the done by Antonio dela Camara. On July station at San Gabriel and the crossing of the river via the
created by Act. Numbers 222 and 268 of the
Escuela de Ingeniera y Philippine Commission and placed under the 31, 1887, construction of the Manila- "Puente de España" 1880 School for Maestro de Obras
Arquitectura, which offered a Department of Commerce and Police. This Dagupan railroad was started. On called Escuela Practica y Artes Oficios de Manila was
five-year course in includes improving harbours, constructing November 24, 1892, the entire line founded. Its first Filipino graduates were Julio Hernandez
architecture and civil maintaining bonded warehouses, wharves, from Manila to Dagupan, with a total (1891), Isidro Medina (1894), Arcadio Arellano (1894) and
engineering. The Escuela piers, light-houses, signal and life-saving length of 195.4 kms, was completed Juan Carreon (1896) Puente de Convalecencia or better
ceased to operate after its stations, and like instruments of commerce. and put into commercial operations known as the Ayala Bridge was completed in 1880.
first year of inception. The 18th and 19th CENTURY.
Bureau of Public Works was
1914
created and placed under 1906-1907 1908 Communal irrigation systems (CIS) were
Department of Commerce On July 7, 1906, Philippine Commission Act No. 1510 was enacted The above-named Escuela simple structures. The earliest on record is
and Police on October 26, giving the concession of the railway to Speyer and Co. with Mr. was reorganized and
Horace Higgins as General Manager 1907 The Faculty of
as far back as 1914, mostly located in the
1905 Act No. 1401 of the
Engineering of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) is the oldest reopened its doors to Ilocos area of northern Philippines and
Philippine Commission
engineering school in the Philippines. It was established on May students but this time known as the zanjera. The term zanjera is
passed on October 4, 1905,
18, 1907, as School of Civil Engineering with one program offered a three-year course derived from the Spanish term for turnout
abolished engineering
offering leading to the degree of Master of Science in Civil and used locally to refer to a co-operative
districts and positions of
Engineering (MSCE). From faculty records, it appears that it was
for architecture, civil irrigation society the function of which
district engineers. only in 1912 when the earliest batch of students was conferred engineering and electrical was to secure a stable and reliable supply
their MSCE degrees. engineering. of water for its members.
 1919
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.
1942
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.
1931
1928 1935
Department of Commerce and
A group of civil engineers from the On August 2, 1935, Act Number 4211
Communications renamed as the
government sector formed the Philippine
Department of Public Works and was enacted – permitting under-aged
Society of Civil Engineers (PSCE) which
was the first civil engineering organization Communications More development persons to take the board exam on
in the Philippines with Engr. Marcial for the Department took place in 1931 condition that they will not practice
Kasilag as its first president. Engr. Kasilag when the Philippine Legislature their profession until they attained the
thereupon received the honor of holding passed on May 1 of that year Act No.
required age of 21. During the
PRC Registration Number 1 for Civil 4007, renaming the Department of
Commerce and Communications as inauguration of the Commonwealth
Engineers. He then occupied a high-ranking
Department of Public Works and Government on November 15, 1935, a
position in the government and the early
members of PSCE were government Communications. This Act, however, reorganization of the DPWC was
did not state the proper composition undertaken.
engineers.
and functions of the DPWC.
1941 1937
When the Japanese forces entered Manila in January 1942, they occupied the The Philippine Association of Civil Engineers (PACE)
College/School buildings. In 1941, outbreak of World War II, the Department was formed from a group of civil engineers in the private
of Public Works and Communications (DPWC) and other government offices sector with Engr. Enrique Sto. Tomas Cortes as its first
president. The objectives of both organizations were
were practically abolished due to dislocation of manpower, lack of funds,
materials and equipment, installation of enemy administration and the setting similar with each other in which both of them wants to:
up of resistance movement. 24 December 1941 to 01 August 1944 The "elevate the standards of the profession, encourage
research and engineering knowledge and technology,
Department of Public Works and Communication became the Department of
foster fellowship among members, and promote
National Defense, Public Works, Communications and Labor, with Basilio
interrelation with other technological and scientific
Valdes as Secretary. societies". 
1945
1944 The reorganization of the government after it was
re-established on Philippine soil was undertaken
President Sergio Osmeña issued Executive Order 15-W on August with Executive Order No. 27 on February 27. The
8, 1944 reorganizing and consolidating the Executive Departments Department of National Defense and
of the Commonwealth government with Secretary Basilio Valdes as Communications was again named Department of
Secretary of National Defense and Communications. Public Works and Communications. 08 March
1945-1946 Justice Sotero Cabahug replaced
Secretary Valdes as Secretary of Public Works and
Communications.

1946
Ricardo Nepumoceno served as
Secretary of Public Works and
Communications under the
administration of President Manuel
Roxas. He continued to do so under the
administration of President Elpidio
Quirino.
1954
Bureau of Public Highways (BPH) was
created and placed under The Department
of Public Works, Transportation and
Communications (DPWTC) R.A. No. 1192,
AN ACT TO CREATE THE BUREAU OF
PUBLIC HIGHWAYS, ABOLISHING THE
DIVISION OF HIGHWAYS OF THE
BUREAU OF PUBLIC WORKS.
Approved, August 25, 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.
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.
1951
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.  Guevarra) was also passed the same
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.
1950 1949
On June 17, 1950, the Architects Laws separating statutes between
(Philippine Institute of Architects)
architects and engineers passed
prepared and lobbied the passing of the
first Architect’s law (RA 545) while the 1950’s The momentum to rebuild
Civil Engineers (Philippine Association from the ashes of WWII and
of Civil Engineers), the Civil replace destroyed public edifices
Engineering law (RA 544, through the and utilities made the 1950s an
efforts of PACE President Alberto eventful decade for the
construction industry.
year.

 1955
The first road classification system in the
country was established through Republic Act
No. 917, known as the Philippine Highway
Act, enacted in 1953 and Executive Order 113,
series of 1955 which classified roads into
national roads (national primary and national
secondary), “national aid” roads (roads of
sufficient importance for eventual
reclassification at a later stage) and
provincial/city/municipal/barangay roads.
1971
On August 20, 1971, Republic Act No. 6366 was
passed amending the PNR Charter 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.
1976
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.
 1978
The National Engineering Center
(NEC) was established as per
P.D. No. 1295. It is an agency
supported by the National
Government and by the UNDP.
The NEC will be an umbrella
body under which the non-
teaching activities of the college
will be administered.  objectives.
2006
November 2006 CE Board Exam,
the PRC 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
2007
November 2007 CE Board Exam was
invalidated (retake last January 2008 for
Hydraulics and Geotechnical Engineering)
Note: Results of retake exam (Hydraulics and
Geotechnical Engineering) was released last
January,2008
1987 1993...
As the primary engineering and
1991 The Board of Civil
And for the first time, a "Civil
construction arm of the government, the Engineering (at PRC) held its
Engineering Week" for the
DPWH is responsible for the planning, first fully computerized
period November 3 to 9, 1991
design, construction and maintenance of (board) examinations on May
was declared by Malacañang
infrastructures such as roads and bridges, 29, 1993 and released the
thru Proclamation No.799
flood control systems, water resource results on November 9, 1993.
issued on September 20, 1991
development projects and other public 1995 On February 28, 1995,
by President Corazon C.
works in accordance with national the Syllabi for the Subjects in
Aquino.
the Civil Engineering
licensure examinations were
2003 promulgated.
2004
Last March 17, 2004, RA 9266 or “The The San Roque Dam,
Architecture Act of 2004” was passed into operated under San Roque
2000
law. Republic Act No. 9275 was approved
Multipurpose Project RA 8981 or Professional Regulations
on March 22, 2004 “AN ACT
(SRMP) is a 200 meters tall, Commission (PRC) Modernization Act of
PROVIDING FOR A
1.2 kilometer long 2000 was enacted and signed into law on
COMPREHENSIVE WATER QUALITY
December 5, 2000 by President Joseph
MANAGEMENT AND FOR OTHER embankment dam on the Ejercito Estrada 2001 Philippine Institute
PURPOSES” 2005 In 2004, the Agno River. It spans the of Civil Engineers, Inc. (PICE) has been
Architecture Act was passed and signed municipalities of San awarded by the Professional Regulation
into law. Commission (PRC) as the Most
Manuel and San Nicolas,
Outstanding Accredited Professional
Pangasinan and is nearly 200 Organization.
km north of Metro Manila.
2008
Commission on Higher Education makes
Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR)
based on Executive Order No. 566 2008 After Submitted by:
several court hearings at the Manila Regional Arabella
Trial Court, the PICE's motion was denied on
January 29, 2008 and the RTC ruled in favor Mendoza
of the architects.
1. Main Building – University of Santo Tomas
Designed by a Spanish priest-civil engineer Rev. Fr. Roque Ruaño in 1920 to 1923, the main building of the Philippine’s oldest
university, located along Espana Boulevard, is also the first earthquake resistant building in the country. The design was fine tuned
after the lessons learned from the Great Kantō earthquake that flattened Tokyo and Yokohama in September 1, 1923.
2. Quezon Hall – University of the Philippines Diliman
Designed by Juan Nakpil, the first architect to receive the National Artist award in 1973, Quezon Hall houses the administrative
offices of the university located in Diliman, Quezon City. Constructed in the 1950s, the building sports an eclectic style, combining
different styles into one structure. The same style is used for the university’s main library, also designed by Nakpil.
3. Nicanor Reyes Hall – Far Eastern University Complex
Considered the largest body of work done in Art Deco style in Manila, the Nicanor Reyes Hall is part of the five buildings in the 
FEU complex designed by Pablo Antonio. Antonio is the second architect to receive the National Artist award in 1976, a year after
his death. In 2005, the five Art Deco-style buildings earned a citation from the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) for the Asia-Pacific Heritage Award for Cultural Heritage.
4. Philippine International Convention Center
An example of the massive, fortress-style Brutalist architecture, the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) is a
brainchild of Leandro Locsin, one of the greatest master architects that the Philippines has produced. For a state-of-the-art structure,
the PICC was surprisingly completed within only 23 months from 1974 to 1976. It has hosted foreign and local conventions,
including the annual Awards Night of the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS).
5. National Theater – Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex
The National Theater or Tanghalang Pambansa, formerly the Theater of Performing Arts, is the CCP’s flagship venue and houses its
principal offices. Like the PICC, the theater is only a part of the CCP complex, a sprawling 88-hectare government owned structure.
The National Theater’s design is another work by Leandro Locsin and carries his signature style of the “floating volume,” which
combines a heavy use of concrete with elevated structures. The result is a startling contrast of a massive looking structure that
seemingly floats.