History of Civil Engineering Profession in the Philippines

• How were architecture and civil engineering viewed during the Spanish Colonial Period (1565-1898)?

  As synonymous professions.
• Were there Filipino civil engineers during the Spanish Colonial Period?

  No.
• What term was used for repressed Filipino builders during the Spanish Colonial Period?

  "Maestro de Obras."
• What is the modern equivalent of "Maestro de Obras"?

  Construction Foreman.
• Was civil engineering based on academic qualifications during the Spanish Colonial Period?

  No.
• Who held architectural or engineering degrees during the Spanish Colonial Period?

  Only Spaniards.
• What organizations were established in the Philippines in 1868?

  Bureau of Public Works and Highways; Bureau of Communications and Transportation.
• What is the Spanish name for the Bureau of Public Works and Highways?

  Obras Publicas.
• What is the Spanish name for the Bureau of Communications and Transportation?

  Communicationes y Meteologia.
• Who organized the bureaus established in 1868?

  A civil engineer known as the "Director General."
• What significant event occurred on November 24, 1892?

  Completion of the Manila to Dagupan line (195.4 km).
• What is the date when the entire Manila to Dagupan line was completed?

  November 24, 1892.
• What legacy did the Manila to Dagupan line establish?

  Width of right of way incorporated into law; became part of public domain.
• What were the two types of pavement used under the Spanish regime?

  Cut Adobe Stone Pavement; Rubble-Stone Pavement (Cobblestones).
• What are the dimensions of "Ordinario" adobe stones?


  20 cm x 20 cm x 50 cm.
• What is the size range for boulders in Rubble-Stone Pavement?

  .

  10 to 30 cm in diameter
• Were there civil engineering schools in the Philippines during the Spanish Colonial Period?

  No.
• What significant event occurred in 1898 related to the Philippine government?

  Issuance of the Organic Decree by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo.
• How many government departments were created under the Organic Decree?


  Four.
• Which department was responsible for building and maintaining roads and bridges?

  Department of War and Public Works.
• Who managed public works in the Philippines after Spain ceded the territory to the U.S. in 1898?

  .

  U.S. Army engineers
• What date marks the issuance of the Organic Decree by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo?

  .

  1898
• What date did the Philippines transition to U.S. management of public works after ceding from Spain?


  1898.