Urban Planning in the Philippines.docx

8/9/2019 Urban Planning in the Philippines.docx

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Urban Planning in the Philippines[Written by K. Delgado Camea for DURP class P20!

"ntrod#ction

$he problems confronted by planners today are still basic. %ne begs the estion' can (e act#allybreathe cleaner air) can (e li*e and (or+ in more comfortable comm#nities) or can (e ha*e morepleasant comm#nities, Can all these iss#es in fact be addressed by tho#ghtf#l and caref#l planning,

Cities in the Philippines de*eloped (itho#t ta+ing f#ll ad*antage of their en*ironmental assets. Urbancenters along the sea- bay- or any body of (ater (o#ld ha*e been terrific h#bs for the Philippinearchipelagic rep#blic. %n the contrary- the cities gre( (itho#t the benefit of proper #rban and regionalplanning.

$his paper (ill disc#ss the history of planning in the Philippines from the precolonial age #p to theperiod immediately after the /econd World War. $he c#rrent national planning en*ironment (ill also bedisc#ssed incl#ding its organiational frame(or+ and the la(s and stat#tes that affect spatial planning

in general. Prominent fig#res and policies thro#gho#t Philippine1s planning history (ill li+e(ise bere*ie(ed.

3istory of Planning in the Philippines

Precolonial ge

/ome scholars belie*e that the precolonial inhabitants of the Philippines e4hibited some degree ofsettlement planning [Reed and rg#illa in %campo- 552!. %ld (orld e4plorers from the West noted the#niformity of the pre/panish 6ilipinos1 d(ellings. $hey ha*e f#rther obser*ed that the nati*es1comm#nities (ere either near the bodies of (ater or dispersed aro#nd the land they c#lti*ated forfarming.

ccording to history there e4isted a +ingdom of 7oros located along the ban+s of the Pasig 200 yearsprior to the coming of the /paniards. $his gro#p of people (hich (as later headed by /#laymanestablished the city of 7anila and protected it (ith fortifications against the foreign in*aders. Whenthe /panish armada came- the 7oros resisted b#t (ere o*er(helmed by the po(er of the former1sforces.

When reb#ilding the city after the ra*ages of (ar- the /panish colonists employed local materials-technology- and craftsmen. /ome of the +no(n geni#ses in their craft (ere PandayPira and 89ldmirante.8 $he former (as a cannonma+er (hile the latter [a relati*e of /#layman! (as a masterb#ilder. 9l dmirante (as commissioned to #nderta+e the constr#ction of the (alled city of "ntram#ros[/hepherd in %campo- 552!.

%ther gro#ps of people aro#nd the archipelago displayed their o(n distincti*e patterns of planning

their settlements. 7o#ntain d(ellers in Cordillera belie*e that territory sho#ld be instit#tionalied bythe at# or (ard. $here (ere also nati*e fol+s (ho resided along bodies of (ater. $he $agalogs (eretagailog [ri*er d(ellers! (hile the 7arana(s (ere la+e d(ellers. $hese gro#ps (ere perhaps thedescendants of the earliest sea coast comm#nities +no(n as the barangay [also balanghay!.

/panish Regime

King Philip "" prom#lgated a code that ser*ed as g#ide to all colonied territories of /pain. $his code-(hich (as applied s#ccessf#lly to the /panish colonies in the mericas- (as +no(n as the :a(s of the


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"ndies. $he la( pro*ided g#idelines for site selection) layo#t and dimension of sares- streets andother land #ses) and the main phases of planning and constr#ction. Details (ere also (ritten pertainingto the location of the principal b#ildings- recreation spaces- c#lti*ation and past#re lands- and sites forgarbageprod#cing #ses. lso prescribed (ithin the code is the relationship protocol bet(een the/panish and the nati*es [%campo- 552!.

$he royal ordinances dictated that each to(n sho#ld be located on *acant and high gro#nd- properlyoriented to s#n- (ind- and (ater areas. $he site sho#ld also be on or near fertile land and accessible toso#rces of f#el- timber- and (ater. ;eca#se the la( is based on the


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French version of the Law of the Indies: Town plan for Santo Domingo, Dominican RepublicSource:http://wwwhmsforg/e!hibits/visions/tc/town"planhtm
http://www.hmsf.org/exhibits/visions/tc/town_plan.htmhttp://www.hmsf.org/exhibits/visions/tc/town_plan.htmhttp://www.hmsf.org/exhibits/visions/tc/town_plan.htm


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"n the late >th cent#ry the ?es#its established the red#cciones policy- (hich (as aimed to gatherdispersed comm#nities 8#nder the bells.8 $he policy created the 8plaa comple48 (ith its to(n residents[tagabayan!. Within the to(n [or p#eblo!- people li*ed aro#nd the plaa (ith the il#strados located

closest to the center and the lo(er classes li*ing at the periphery b#t still 8(ithin the so#nd of thebells.8 $he tagab#+id constit#ted a small minority (ho had to be in the fields or r#ral areas attendingthe agric#lt#ral acti*ities.

$his Philippian principle of planning is perhaps best e4emplified by the city of 7anila. fter all- 8allroads lead to 7anila and 7adrid.8 $he city of 7anila became the colonial Capital d#ring the time of:egaspi. ltho#gh /panish architects and engineers en*isioned 7anila as a city of stone- she rather (asde*eloped into a city of fortification. $he 7anila ;ay (as palisaded to protect the city from Chinesepirates [led by :imahong! and other foreign in*aders as (ell as the 7#slim and ?apanese inhabitants.$his (as the precedent of the constr#ction of "ntram#ros- (hich (as a selfcontained city 8(ithin(alls.8

Despite the shortcomings of this primate city- 7anila e4panded partly d#e to the s#ccess of the galleon

trade. $he city@s pop#lation (as racially and c#lt#rally di*erse. $he $agalogs (ere the maAority. small[more than B00! b#t po(erf#l gro#p (as the /panish. $he /panish friars (ho (ere considered the8masters of the city8 o(ned all b#t fi*e or si4 of the city d(ellings [


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#lan for IntramurosSource:http://enwi$ipediaorg/wi$i/File:Intramuros%&'(')pg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Intramuros-1898.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Intramuros-1898.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Intramuros-1898.jpg


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$he pop#lation of 7anila hit the 00-000 mar+ at the t#rn of the 20th cent#ry. lmost fi*e percent ofthe pop#lation (ere li*ing in "ntram#ros (hile others (ere li*ing in the s#b#rbs. $echnologicalad*ancements in #tilities (ere introd#ced at the time (hich incl#de (ater(or+s and telephonesystems. $ransportation systems li+e railroads and streetcar rail(ays (ere li+e(ise introd#ced.

Urban design by the /paniards left a lasting physical mar+ in the landscape of Philippine cities [as there(as an emphasis on the #se of stones for b#ilding!. 3o(e*er- efforts to address the economic and socialiss#es for the nati*es (as lac+ing. $his (as f#rther aggra*ated by the encomienda [00 in all! systemimposed in the time of :egapi- (hich (as nothing more than a re*i*al of the medie*al serfdom.ltho#gh King Philip "" had better intentions in his edict- /panish to(n planning (as principally done8first for the p#rpose of defense and second for grande#r. 3o#sing (as not considered at all- as ap#blic responsibility $he badlyho#sed (ere not the concern of the m#nicipality8 [rg#illa in %campo-552!. Regional planning (as none4istent. What only has been done (as the establishment of hierarchyof the political territories' the co#ntry is di*ided into pro*inces [or alcaldias!) the pro*ince is di*idedinto p#eblos) and the p#eblo is f#rther di*ided into barangays. $he 7a#ra :a( of B5 e4tendeda#tonomy to the pro*inces. "t established a m#nicipal trib#nal or co#ncil for each to(n (ith at least a

tho#sand ta4payers.

merican 9ra

Unli+e the /paniards- the mericans ga*e greater emphasis on other social *al#es li+e sanitation-ho#sing- and other aesthetic impro*ements. /ome of these *al#es- ho(e*er- (ere not merican inorigin. $he ideas of #rban de*elopment thro#gh sanitation practices and mass ho#sing (ere born as areaction to the ills of ind#strialiation in 9#rope [;ene*olo in %campo- 552!.

Planning #nder the infl#ence of the mericans is typified by the Daniel 3. ;#rnham1s plan of 7anila. "nDecember 50E- ;#rnham (as commissioned to prepare the physical de*elopment plan for the cities of7anila and ;ag#io. $rained as an architect and g#ided by the principles of the City ;ea#tif#l 7o*ement-he en*isioned the city manifesting aesthetic elements s#ch as (ide bo#le*ards- p#blic edifices and

landscaped par+s. "n the United /tates- ;#rnham dra( plans for cities li+e Chicago- Washington-Cle*eland- and /an 6rancisco.

;#rnham (as not only a man of artistic talents. 3is s#ccessor in the Philippines named William 9.Parsons described him as a man of 8so#nd b#siness A#dgment and e4perience-8 a man (ho can con*incepractical of b#siness to 8ma+e no little plans.8 ;#rnham@s obAecti*e (as to ma+e cities 8con*enient forcommerce and attracti*e and healthf#l as a place of residence [Parsons- 5F!.8 3is plan for 7anilapro*ided for the rapid increase of the pop#lation and the e4plosion of the city@s ind#stries.


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;#rnham prescribed the grid pattern for the city of 7anila. 3o(e*er- the gridiron (as interspersed (iththe circ#mferential and diagonal arteries- (hich (as reminiscent of his designs for /an 6rancisco-Chicago- and Washington. 3e proposed that the ;ay areas (o#ld be e4tended thro#gh reclamation anda ne( port (o#ld be constr#cted. $r#e to his City ;ea#tif#l principles- he f#rther proposed thede*elopment of nine par+s- t(o ne( playfields- and fo#ntains thro#gho#t the city for p#blic leis#re.

"n ;#rnham1s plan- there (ere sites allotted for national and m#nicipal b#ildings near "ntram#ros-hospitals- and colleges. /paces (ere also set for a (orldclass hotel- city and co#ntry cl#bs- a casino-boat cl#bs- p#blic baths- and the ne( residence for the


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*urnham+s plan for anilaSource:http://wwwessential%architecturecom/-R.IT0.T/*urnham#lan1f%anila)pg
http://www.essential-architecture.com/ARCHITECT/BurnhamPlanOf-Manila.jpghttp://www.essential-architecture.com/ARCHITECT/BurnhamPlanOf-Manila.jpghttp://www.essential-architecture.com/ARCHITECT/BurnhamPlanOf-Manila.jpghttp://www.essential-architecture.com/ARCHITECT/BurnhamPlanOf-Manila.jpg


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"n 50F- si4 months after he *isited the Philippines- ;#rnham sent bac+ the preliminary plans bac+ for7anila. 3o(e*er- another architect (as to implement ;#rnham@s plan. William 9. Parsons (asappointed Cons#lting rchitect to the "ns#lar


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po(ers of the HPC li+e oning- s#bdi*ision- and b#ilding reg#lation (ere de*ol*ed to the city andm#nicipal go*ernments.

Philippine Planning 9n*ironment


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relationships bet(een the national and local go*ernments. Passed almost sim#ltaneo#sly (ith 9% J-94ec#ti*e %rder J2 pro*ides for the preparation and implementation of the Comprehensi*e :and UsePlans [C:UP! for the :ocal B repealed Rep#blic ct JJ2-(hich is entitled 8Penaliing /atting and %ther /imilar cts.8 $he ne( la(- (hich (as passed d#ring

the Ramos administration- decriminalies satting in all its forms.

strategy for b#ilding #p capability for regional planning and de*elopment is the establishment of ana#thority that (ill administer the de*elopment of a special region [e.g. a component city!. $his idea ise4emplified by Rep#blic ct J52E- (hich is 8an act creating the 7etropolitan 7anila De*elopment#thority [77D!- defining its po(ers and f#nctions- pro*iding f#nds therefore and for other p#rposes.8$he po(ers of the 77D incl#de de*elopment [physical! planning- transport and traffic management-solid (aste disposal and management- flood control and se(age management- #rban rene(al andoning- health and sanitation- and #pholding of p#blic safety. $he territory of the #thority is


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comprised of the cities of Caloocan- 7anila- 7andal#yong- 7a+ati- Pasay- Pasig- #eon- and 7#ntil#paas (ell as the m#nicipalities of :as Pias- 7alabon- 7ari+ina- Ha*otas- Paraae- Pateros- /an ?#an-$ag#ig- and Ialen#ela.

Concl#sion

/ocial Planning

Precolonial comm#nities in the Philippines (ere dispersed- and as s#ch- there (as no real planningthat is comparable in scale to ncient

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Urban Planning in the Philippines.docx