The History of Civil Engineering

(And Its Profession)

In The Philippines

1571
REPORTER: JUDY ANGELA MANALO

Miguel Lopez de Legaspi founded the City of

Manila on June 24, 1571

The Spaniards started building Fort Santiago

(Fuerte de Santiago) after the establishment of
the city of Manila under Spanish rule on June
24, 1571.

1577
REPORTER: PATRICK JOSHUA MICUA

With the arrival of the Franciscan Order to

Manila in 1577, they began with construction of
wood and cane churches that succumbed to
natural catastrophes.

In 1739 they constructed a stone church that

was financed by the public charity and became
one of richest in Intramuros.

1586
REPORTER: KYLA SHANE MANANGAN

Designed and built by Jesuit priest Antonio

Sedeno from 1586 to 1587, it is one of the
oldest stone fortifications in Intramuros.

Began as a circular fort called Nuestra

Senora de Guia. Renovated in 1593 to join
the walls of the city. Fort fell in disrepair
and, in 1644, construction began for a new
baluarte which was completed between 1653 and 1663. Resembling an ace of spades, it housed
a foundry during the 18th century.
The baluarte was breached by British forces with cannon fire in 176 2. Restored and
strengthened after the British occupation but was damaged during the 1863 earthquake. It was
destroyed during the Battler of Manila in 1945. Restoration began in 1979 and completed in
1992. 

1591 – 1631
REPORTER: FRANCIS MONTERO

Construction work for the Santiago castle/fortress was

commenced in 1591 and was completed in 1634.

This was the work of Leonardo Iturrino, and was the

second most important fortress to be built of stone in
Manila, the Nuestra Señora de Guía fortress being the
first of these.

1596 - 1602
REPORTER: SEAN ANGELINE MICU

The Santiago fortress was built between 1596 and

1602 on the land promontory between the sea and
the Pasig River, and was the most important
fortification built in Manila. The walls encircling the
city started at this point.

1599
REPORTER: SEAN ANGELINE MICU

St. Augustine Church is the oldest stone church in

the Philippines. It was built in 1599; however, it was
also destroyed and rebuilt many times. It is an
immense structure of thick walls of Corinthian and
Ionic designs.
Philippine History of Civil Engineering Profession in year 1650-1700

Irrigation and Water System(1686)

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.

The first artesian well was built by Father Manuel Camañes. Located on the north-side of the
church which served as a source of potable water not only for the Betis townsfolk, but to the
other nearby towns as well. It was buried in mud and debris until it was unearthed again in
1976 and was rehabilitated on July 14, 2006.The present-day concrete fence with caryatids was
built in the 2nd quarter of the 20th century.

17th Century

Cavite friar land Irrigation system is one of the oldest Irrigation system in the Philippines.
Sometimes in the 17th century, the Spanish period encomiendas or Spanish royal Cavite. The
priests were granted by the Spanish king, portions of the agricultural land in Cavite. They
subdivided the lands into four estates namely: Naic estate, Santa Cruz de Malabon (Tanza)
Estate, San Francisico de Malabon (General Trias) Estate and Imus Estate, all of which are now
popularly called as Cavite Friar Lands.

The Spanish Crown grants lands to military officers and religious orders; Spaniards introduce
new techniques and designs in the construction of irrigation projects in friar lands; some major
irrigation structures and scope of irrigation, activities in friar lands around Manila; organization
and management of zanjeras; and implementation of the Spanish Law on Waters.

DURING THE SPANISH rule, the King of Spain granted lands to religious orders to support their
missionary efforts.These religious orders grew rice as a major crop to supplement the
allowance granted to them by royalty to carry out their mission. The colonial government, in
 response to the representations of these orders, .constructed irrigation projects on their lands
to make them more productive and therefore generate more income. These lands later became
familiarly known as "friar lands" or "friar estates."

The Spaniards introduced new techniques and designs in the construction of irrigation projects
for efficient operation and durability. Of all constructions undertaken during the Spanish
regime, nothing excels in conception, execution or useful worth the irrigation systems built on
friar lands in the five provinces around Manila, namely: Bataan, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite and
Laguna. The dams of these irrigation systems, for instance, are massive and are made heavy
stones, have no sluice channels and range in height from a few meters to as much as 40 meters
from the base. The distribution system in some cases includes great networks channels driven
through rocks to convey water to canals. The tunnels vary in width from 0.11 meters to 0.20
meters and have a height of 0.15 meters. They are not lined but are faced at the vent where
workers pass through in going down to clean the tunnels of sediment.

30 irrigation projects servicing 27,681 hectares of friar lands in the above-mentioned provinces
were constructed at a total cost of ₱6.13 million during the regime. The friar lands in Cavite
attained the highest level of irrigation development. The 18 irrigation system serving 18,000
hectares in that province represented 60 percent of the total number of irrigation systems and
65 percent of the aggregate irrigated are of friar lands in those five provinces.

List of oldest buildings and structures built in 1650-1700

Marikina Marikina First built of thatch and bamboo by the

Church 1690 Augustinian priests in Chorillo (now
Barangka), 1572. Moved to Jesus de la Peña
when the visita was transferred under the
supervision of the Jesuit priests, 1630. The
first mass was inaugurated and held, April 16,
1630. It was again relocated to its present
site, 1687. The stone church was completed
and became a parish, 1690. A large portion of
the church was burned down during the
Philippine Revolution and the Philippine–
American War. Its belfry was damaged during
World War II. The church was renovated in
1951 by the parish priest with the help of
citizens, religious and civic organizations.

Santuario The site was donated to the Franciscans on

de San QuezonCit 1699 February 17, 1590 by Governor Santiago de
Pedro y Vera in the name of King Philip II. Chapels
Bautista were built of thatch and bamboo in 1590, of
wood in 1593, and of volcanic tuff in 1599.
The last was badly damaged in the Chinese
uprising of 1639. Present church built from
1696 to 1699, through the generosity of
Tomás de Endaya. To this site retired for
prayer and recollection several Franciscans
who suffered martyrdom in Japan in the 17th
century and others who led missionary
expeditions to Japan, China and Cambodia.
The escuela serafica or probation school for
Filipino applicants to the Franciscan order
was opened here July 16, 1931.

The History of Civil Engineering and Its Profession in the Philippines (1700-1750)
 During the 18th and 19th centuries, Filipino engineers were assigned the task of
maintaining and/or remodelling infrastructure systems in all pueblos or towns including
churches, convents and government buildings.
 Since the 17th century, plumbing has been a practice here in the Philippines, it flourished
greatly throughout the years. All those years resulted in the formation of the laws in
plumbing, which we diligently follow every day in order to obtain the best results in the
plumbing systems of our newest structures.
 In the 18th century, the term civil engineering was coined to incorporate all things
civilian as opposed to military engineering.
 Between the 17th and 19th centuries, manila witnessed the birth of a new form of
construction that responded both to earthquakes and to the tropical climate: heat and
heavy rainfall. This architectural style combines elements of the Asiatic and Hispanic
traditions. Stone, pottery, and wood were the building materials used over the
centuries.
 For a long time, the Philippines were a Spanish colony, and the ideas brought by the
Spanish conquerors combined with local tradition, influences from china, Muslim
invasions, and a very seismic land. All that helped developed a baroque architecture like
no other in the world.
 The baroque started in the early 17th century, and was brought in the Philippines
archipelago by the Spanish. This style developed during the 17th century and most of the
18th century. These styles can be seen in most old churches in the Philippines.
1. One of the Philippine churches with baroque design is the church of Santo
Tomas de Villanueva in Iloilo. It was founded in 1731, built and completed in
1797.

2. Paoay Church (San Agustin

Church) is one of the oldest churches in the Philippines, having completed its
construction in 1710. It was declared as a National Cultural Treasure by the
Philippine government in 1973 and was then included in the list of UNESCO
World Heritage Site’s collective group of Baroque Churches of the Philippines in
1993.
 3. San Agustin Church (Intramuros). Built on November 5, 1739.It was destroyed in
the bombings of Manila during the Second World War. With the arrival of the
Franciscan Order in 1577, they constructed a stone church in 1739 that was
financed by the public charity and became one of richest in Intramuros.

4. The Church of Santa Ana (Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados de Santa Ana)
stands on the site of the first Franciscan mission established outside Manila in
1578. The church was built under the supervision of Fr. Vicente Ingles, OFM. The
cornerstone of the present church was laid on September 12, 1720 by Francisco
dela Cuesta, then Archbishop of Manila and Acting Governor General of the
Philippines.

 During the early years of Spanish colonization,

education was mostly run by the Church. Spanish friars and missionaries educated the
natives and converted indigenous populations to the Catholic faith. The Spanish
missionaries established schools soon after
reaching the islands and a few decades into the
Spanish period, there was no Christian village
without its school, with most children attending.
1. The Royal and Conciliar San Carlos Seminary
is the archdiocesan seminary of the
 Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila. It was established in the year 1702, by
decree of King Philip V of Spain.

2. Colegio de Santa Rosa is a private catholic school in the heart of Manila,

Philippines. Located at Beaterio St. in Intramuros. It was established on August
30, 1750 as the Beaterio y Casa de Segunda Enseñanza by Mother Paula de la
Santissima Trinidad to educate the half Spanish half Filipino young women. 

3. Santa Catalina College is a private sectarian

educational institution located in Sampaloc, Manila. It is being administered by
the Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena, a
congregation affiliated with the Dominican Order of the Roman Catholic Church.
Established in 1706.
 “THE HISTORY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING (AND ITS PROFESSION) in the PHILIPPINES’’

(1750-1800)

CAVITE FRIAR LAND IRRIGATION SYSTEM IS ONE OF THE OLDEST IRRIGATION SYSTEM IN THE
PHILIPPINES. SOMETIMES IN 17TH CENTURY, THE SPANISH PERIOD ENCOMIENDAS OR SPANISH
ROYAL LANDS GRANT WERE IMPLEMENTED IN CAVITE. THE PREISTS WERE GRANTED BY THE
SPANISH KING,PORTIONS OF THE AGRICULTURAL LAND IN CAVITE.THEY SUBDIVIDED THE
LANDS INTO FOUR ESTATES NAMELY: NAIC ESTATE, SANTA CRUZ de MALABON (TANZA)
ESTATE, SAN FRANCISCO de MALABON (GENERAL TRIAS) ESTATE AND IMUS ESTATE , ALL OF
WHICH ARE NOW POPULARLY CALLED AS CAVITE FRIAR LANDS.

IRRIGATION -IS THE PROCESS 0F SUPPLYING WATER TO THE LAND AT REGULAR INTERVALS BY
MEANS OF CANALS AND OTHER ARTIFICIAL METHODS.

IMPORTANCE OF IRRIGATION

• CROP REQUIREMENTS
• UNEVEN DISTRIBUTION OF RAINFALL
• UNCERTAINTY OF RAINFALL
• NATURE OF THE SOIL
• TO UTELIZE RIVER WATER EFFECTIVELY
• TO MAXIMIZE PRODUCTION

“THE HISTORY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING (AND ITS PROFESSION) in the PHILIPPINES’’

1850-1900
Puente Colgante
 The first suspension bridge built in Southeast Asia when it was started in 1849 and
completed in 1852. He commissioned the design from Basque engineer Matias
Menchacatorre. The bridge was first named Puente de Claveria, likely in honor of the
Governor General of the Philippines Narciso Claveria, who served from 1844-1849.
Puente Colgante was the first suspension bridge, not only the Philippines but in South
East Asia as well, and, probably the first toll bridge of its kind in the Philippines, a
precursor of the modern Sky Way, albeit for pedestrian use only.
Railroad In Luzon
  On 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. The General Plan for Railways was drawn up in 1876 for the island of Luzon,
and included a network totalling 1,730 kilometers. A 192 Km stretch of track was
constructed between Manila and Dagupan. This operated a regular service as from
1892. The most outstanding works carried out on the railway system were the bridge
over the great Pampanga River and the building of Tutuban Station, in the Tondo
district. The tremendous growth of the city of Manila led the administration to
contemplate, in 1878, the setting up of a public transport network. Five tramway lines
would link the city with its outskirts.
Puente de Espana
 The concession for constructing five tramways in Manila and its suburbs was
approved. The plan included a main station at San Gabriel and the crossing of the river
via the "Puente de Espana"
The Carriedo Fountain
  Its roots were traced to the first water system laid out in old Manila in 1878 from
funds donated by Spanish philanthropist Francisco Carriedo y Peredo. The
construction of a water system in 1878 delivered 16 million liters of water per day
(MLD) to 300,000people. Its main objective was to improve the people’s health and
living conditions through clean drinking water.
Puente de Convalecencia
 Its first Filipino graduates were Julio Hernandez (1891), Isidro Medina (1894), Arcadio
Arellano (1894) and Juan Carreon (1896) Puente de Convalecencia or better known as
the Ayala Bridge was completed in 1880. Originally it is composed of two separate
spans connected by the Isla de Convalecencia, which is home to Hospisio de San Jose,
dropping point for abandoned babies, the bridge over this island was originally made
of wooden arched trusses.
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. On April 20, 1900, the US military authorities
returned the railroad to its owner.