Republic of the Philippines

Polytechnic University of the Philippines

COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND FINE ARTS
Department of Architecture
NDC Compound, Sta. Mesa, Manila

HISTORY OF

SITE PLANNING
PLANNING 1: RESEARCH PAPER

Melgar, Carlo Lito U.

BSARCH 3-2

Ar. Anthony C. Yan

INTRODUCTION:
 “The site is a crucial aspect of the environment…..It sets limits to the things
that people can do, and makes possible their doing what they otherwise could
not.”

- Kevin Lynch

Site planning in the Philippines was started to develop from Pre-Hispanic era
and was still continued to attain its progression in our contemporary modern day.
Since the Philippines is known for having a rich natural resource, particularly the
availability of its land that had been left a remarkable shedding blood historical
events to both outside-country conquerors and Filipino people, the allotting of its land
for ownership whether it is just or unjust, has already been a past issue.

The possession of land begun in decentralization approach where the old

native Filipinos had settled to their communities in dispersed manner, either singly or
in small cluster. They supported their lives through hunting and fishing since they
lived at riverside and the land they cultivated. Site planning at Pre-Hispanic
settlement was dictated by their existing environmental condition rather than by their
willful activities. When the Spaniards came to the Philippines, they were captured by
the beauty of the land because of the quite natural resources reside within it that
torched their desire to acquire the land, not only to have their dwellings but also to
expand their territories. Agreeing to the fact that during Spaniards time, the planning
of the Philippines had gained improvement and had learned to the conform with the
system. However, the possessing of the land was not become fair for the Filipino
people especially those large mass whom they called Indios. At the time of American
period, greater significance about the sanitation, housing and other aesthetic
improvements had been introduced to the Filipino. The significant architect and
urban planner of the America whose name is Daniel Burnham, collaborating with
Pierce Anderson, was involved in this goal particularly to the plans that they
proposed in Manila, Baguio and other cities. America did not only develop the
planning system in the Philippines but also more emphasis in political structure. One
of the examples in which has relevant to the ownership of the land is the amendment
to the provisions of “Torrens System of Land Registration” was imposed which the
U.S government purchased titles were granted only after a survey about the
measurement of the entire archipelago of the Philippine and the ownership is proven
in Supreme court. No significant details about the development of site planning had
been recorded under Japanese period. It is more about the uprising of Filipinos
against the tyranny in order to get the lands away from them. When the
independence of the Philippines was finally attained and was established its own
government that made it to become Republic of the Philippines, a number of laws
and provisions have been enacted by some preceded presidents of the Philippines
to regulate more the rights in the proprietary ownership of land.

This study aims to give a wide understanding on how the Philippines became
equipped about the standard in site planning and became centralized in distributing a
land title – that is legal ownership to the Filipino through looking back at the glimpse
of the history.

Discussion:
HISTORY OF SITE PLANNING IN THE PHILIPPINES

Pre-Colonial Age

The pre-colonial inhabitants of the Philippines are former part of Malay world
– those live in Malaysia and Indonesia. They established their settlement separately
based on their kinship or blood relationship that created a character of their
communities. This type of settlement is known as barangay.

Mostly, barangay was settled along the rivers, coastal regions, or in inland
plains where have sufficient water supply for its irrigation. The houses in barangay
were scattered in a single manner or in a small cluster, estimating from ten to thirty
houses, but there was some numbering into hundred houses. The livelihoods of
these settlers are hunting, fishing until they learned the agriculture which became the
permanent source of their food production intended for their family consumption.

Some scholars believe that the barangay was the largest social unit
predominant in the Philippines. Its size was determined by its location within the
natural environment. However, there was no centralized government organization
prevails to their community. They were only headed by their chief whom they called
datu, who is possessing a personal ability that have the right to control over the
communities. Hence, the proper planning for their site was also not made better
especially to their sanitation in relation to the used of the space.

Some notable barangays were existed in Manila and Cebu. For instance, in
Manila, there were 2,000 Moro settlers lived at the barangay headed by Raja
Suleyman. Their territory was bounded by bamboo barricades to protect their
communities from the siege of Dutch and Chinese invaders. Unfortunately, the
Spanish squad overpowered the territory of Moros in 1570. Soon, the city became
subjected to recon and became the center of Spanish colonization – that is the
appearing of walled city of Intramuros where was undertaken by El Admirante, a
relative of Suleyman.

Despite of having different classes in social structure in which there were datu
(chief ruler), Maharlika (freemen) and to be followed by the least classes of aliping
namamahay (serfs) and aliping saguiguilid (slaves), pratically, everyone had free
access to the fruits of the soil. Money was not yet served as medium of exchange,
only rice can. Therefore, this is the distinguishing feature of a society in barangay –
that is the absence of private property of land.

To acquire more space of land for their cultivation, they used the slash and
burn or known as kaingin system, wherein either the vegetations existed in the land
were burning to make it clear out before planting the crops or the land was plowed
and harrowed before sowing.

Moreover, they believed in and practiced the concept of “stewardship” where

they value the crucial relationship between man and nature, believing to the saying
that “This land is ours, God gave this land to us”.
 Regarding about the probable case of selling and leasing of the land, there
are some codes exercised on this period. First, the Maragtas Codes that states
about the selling of Panay Island by the natives to the ten Bornean datus in
exchange of golden salakot and a long golden necklace. Then, the Luwaran Code, in
which the oldest written laws of the Muslim society that comprises of provision on the
lease of cultivated lands. However, there was no record how this lease arrangement
was practiced.

SPANISH COLONIAL PERIOD (1521-1898)

When the Spaniards came to the Philippines, the Filipino people experienced
an exploitation from European oppression. At this time, the communal land
ownership had gradually disappeared and the private ownership was introduced. For
333 years of conquest, the Spanish molds and cripples the island with its three “G-
goal” – they are Gold, Glory and God. It will be noted that religion and the form of
government of the Spain in relation with abusive economic agenda defined the
settlement patterns in the islands.

At the time King Philip II pronounced the code that shall be used for guiding
the colonized territories of Spain, it led to the successful enforcement of Spain to the
America as well as the Philippines, which called “Law of the Indies”. The law
provided guidelines for site selection; layout and dimension of squares, streets and
other land uses; and the main phases of planning and construction. Details were
also written pertaining to the location of the principal buildings, recreation spaces,
cultivation and pasture lands, and sites for garbage-producing uses. Also prescribed
within the code is the relationship protocol between the Spanish and the natives
[Ocampo, 1992].

Under the order of royal decree, each town shall be situated on unoccupied
high ground in relative to the orientation of the sun, wind and water areas. Besides,
the site shall be located on or near the fertile land and has accessibility to allocation
of fuel, timber and water. For effective control of the land, the natives were engaged
in the gridiron pattern in the establishment of roads and blocks – plaza complex.
Here, the plaza served as the starting point of the construction. Its dominant
structures were the church, casa real or a royal household – for Spanish family only,
townhall, bandstand which is a covered platform laid out for continuous route of
religious processions such as zarzuelas and other structures intended for health and
defense purposes. Other portions of land surrounding the complex were reserved for
the market place and dwellings of high class such as merchants and principalias
(noble family). The code also specified that the more the town lots have, it should be
direct proportionate to a number of farm lots. Likewise, the law states that each
house should have stockyards and courtyards. For this implementation, many
scholars believed that this could be the first land use and zoning law and building
code of the Philippines.

The instruction of the Laws of the Indies further aims at providing health,
safety, order, and beauty. The design and execution of the plans should be
implemented by architects or other "executors" so ordered by the colonial governor.
The final product—i.e. the town or pueblo—served as the instrument of colonization
and the staging ground for exploiting mineral and land resources [Ocampo, 1992].

In the late 16th century, the Jesuits inaugurated the reducciones policy,
aiming to gather disseminated communities "under the bells." The policy created the
"plaza complex" with its town residents [taga-bayan]. Within the pueblo, people lived
around the plaza with the ilustrados, the educated Filipino class, located closest to
the center and the lower classes living at the edge but still "within the sound of the
bells." The taga-bukid or the peasants, established a small minority who had to be in
the fields or rural areas attending the agricultural activities.

From a Gamboa-barricaded fort, Manila turned into Intramuros, which was a

self-contained city "within walls". This city became the capital of Spanish colony
under the rule of Legaspi. He was the one who created the policy that all lands in the
Philippines were recognized as part of the public domain except the local customs.

As the city took its place in the economic scheme of the galleon trade several
patterns of decentralization and locality concentration came into being south of the
city a group of wealthy Filipinos occupied the settlement of Malate and soon
Japanese settlers were found in San Miguel and Paco. By 1650, approximately
15,000 Chinese occupied Parian, the settlement relegated to them by the Spaniards
more than 7,000 Spaniards lived in Intramuros and 20,000 Filipinos settled
throughout the outlying sectors. Towards the end of the 19th century, road building
programs were initiated by the Spaniards government. The Manila-Dagupan railway
lines was constructed.

Furthermore, through the Laws of the Indies, the Spanish gained a vast tract
of land to wit. These are a friar lands for the religious orders; repartiamentos for
lands granted to the Spanish military as a reward for their service; and encomienda,
a large tract of land given to Spaniards, also called as encomiendero, to manage and
have the right to receive tributes from the natives tilling it. Natives within these areas
became mere tillers working for a share of crops. They did not even have any rights
to the land. Abusive encomienderos collected more tributes that became the land
rentals from the natives living in the area. A compras y vandalas system was
practiced wherein tillers were made to compulsory sell at a very low price or
surrender their agricultural harvests to Spanish authorities where encomienderos
can resell it for a profit. People of the encomiendas were also required to render
personal services on public and religious work and as a household help to the
encomienderos.

Other strategies of dispossessing peasants of their landholdings: outright purchases

of real estates at low prices by a Spaniard or a cacique and Pacto de Retroventa
(similar to today’s pagsasangla). One means of keeping mortgaged land – that is
imposing high interest rates for loans.

The Cacique system became more oppressive brought about uprisings from
agricultural areas such as Central Luzon. The major sources of conflict or rebellion
were tribute (tribute), polo (forced labor) and encomienda (land grant).
 The Spanish government issued a decreto realengo (royal decrees) which
urged landowners to secure a legal title of their lands since the Spaniards did not
levy a land tax or cedula (head tax) and only few records of land ownership were
kept. The Maura law issued in 1894 granted landholders 1 year to secure a legal title
to the land or suffer its forfeiture.

PHILIPPINE REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENT

After the establishment of the First Philippine Republic in 1898, the Emilio
Aguinaldo administration declared its intention to confiscate large estates, especially
the friar lands. Under Malolos Constitution, all estates and properties possessed by
the religious corporations shall be restored to the Philippine state as of May 24,
1898. During this period, there were 4 classes of estate-proprietors: religious orders,
Spanish officials and proprietors, mestizos and principalia (ruling class). Their
questionable ownership and continued possession of large estates aroused the
interest of the land – deprived native farmers. This became a predisposing factor of
the 1898 Philippine revolution. The Aguinaldo government believed that it had the
authority to reclaim these questionable lands.

By the end of the Spanish era, the friars possessed about one-fifteenth of the
land under cultivation. The largest of the friar hacienda was in Calamba with 16,414
hectares, and the next largest was in Pandi with 9,303 hectares. Unfortunately, the
revolutionary movement was cut short and the Aguinaldo government was aborted
with the capture of Aguinaldo by the American Soldiers headed by Col. Frederick
Funston at Palanan, Isabela.

AMERICAN COLONIAL PERIOD

Unlike the Spaniards, the Americans gave greater emphasis on other social values
like sanitation, housing, and other aesthetic improvements. Some of these values,
however, were not American in origin. The ideas of urban development through
sanitation practices and mass housing were born as a reaction to the ills of
industrialization in Europe [Benevolo in Ocampo, 1992].

Planning under the influence of the Americans is typified by the Daniel H. Burnham's
plan of Manila. In December 1904, Burnham was commissioned to prepare the
physical development plan for the cities of Manila and Baguio. Trained as an
architect and guided by the principles of the City Beautiful Movement, he envisioned
the city manifesting aesthetic elements such as wide boulevards, public edifices and
landscaped parks. In the United States, Burnham draw plans for cities like Chicago,
Washington, Cleveland, and San Francisco.

Burnham was not only a man of artistic talents. His successor in the Philippines
named William E. Parsons described him as a man of "sound business judgment
and experience," a man who can convince practical of business to "make no little
plans." Burnham’s objective was to make cities "convenient for commerce and
attractive and healthful as a place of residence [Parsons, 1915]." His plan for Manila
provided for the rapid increase of the population and the explosion of the city’s
industries.
Burnham prescribed the grid pattern for the city of Manila. However, the
gridiron was interspersed with the circumferential and diagonal arteries, which was
reminiscent of his designs for San Francisco, Chicago, and Washington. He
proposed that the Bay areas would be extended through reclamation and a new port
would be constructed. True to his City Beautiful principles, he further proposed the
development of nine parks, two new playfields, and fountains throughout the city for
public leisure.

In Burnham's plan, there were sites allotted for national and municipal
buildings near Intramuros, hospitals, and colleges. Spaces were also set for a world-
class hotel, city and country clubs, a casino, boat clubs, public baths, and the new
residence for the Governor General. Resorts were also to be developed near Manila
but the ultimate escape during the summer season would be the city of Baguio.

Burnham's plan also called for the development of Binondo as the center of
business and merchandising. Improvements were to be made in the area’s wharf,
warehouse, and other port facilities. In addition to extension of the port along the
Pasig, it would also be linked to railroads extending to north and south provinces.
The plan served as a proposal to the private sector. Burnham hoped that through
private action the expansion and developments in ports and roads would be
expedited.

Discussing about the land ownership during this period, American realized
that being landless was the main cause of social unrest and revolt at that time, the
Americans sought to put an end to the miserable conditions of the tenant tillers and
small farmers by passing several land policies to widen the base of small
landholdings and distribute land ownership among the greater number of Filipino
tenants and farmers.

Philippine Bill of 1902

This law provided regulations on the disposal of public lands wherein a private
individual can own 16 hectares of land while the corporate land holdings can avail of
1, 024 hectares. This also gave the rights to the Americans to own agricultural lands.

Some 400,000 native farmers were without titles at the start of the American
era, this situation was also aggravated by the absence of records of issued titles and
accurate land surveys. To remedy the situation, the Torrens system was then
introduced to replace the registration system implemented by the Spaniards.

Homestead program of 1903

This program allowed an enterprising tenant to acquire a farm of at least 16

hectares to cultivate. However, the program was not implemented nationwide and
was introduced only in some parts of Mindanao and Northern Luzon, where there
were available public alienable and disposable lands.

There was no limit on the size of landholdings one could possess.

Landholdings were once again concentrated in the hands of fewer individuals who
can afford to buy, register, and acquire fixed titles of their properties. Hence, more
lands were placed under tenancy.

COMMONWEALTH YEARS

The government under the stewardship of President Quezon realized that

land reform programs should be implemented immediately. They saw the purchase
of friar lands as a possible way to solve the problem of inequitable land ownership.
They also saw that the Homestead program could be transformed into a massive
resettlement program, if properly implemented.

JAPANESE ERA

During this occupation, peasants and workers organized the HUKBALAHAP

(Hukbong Bayan Laban sa mga Hapon) on March 29, 1942 as an anti-Japanese
group. They took over vast tracts of land and gave the land and harvest to the
people. For them, the war was a golden opportunity for people’s initiative to push
pro-poor programs. Landlords were overpowered by the peasants but unfortunately
at the end of the war, through the help of the military police and civilian guards’
landlords were able to retrieve their lands from the HUKBALAHAP.

THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT

Like other countries the problem of housing, health and sanitation became the
preoccupation in the field of planning. The People’s Homesite Corporation date to
become PHHC now NHA purchased 1,572 hectares. For Php 2 million in Quezon
City. The different housing project including the UP site was part of this area.

The 1939 census gave 623,997 as the population of Manila. The National
Parks Office was creation of President Quezon with the help of Louis Croft. The
American adviser on National parks and land planning served Quezon, Osmena,
Roxas and Quirino.

Then came the outbreak of the Second World War. Four-fifth of GMS
(Greater Manila Area) was destroyed. Manila was converted into one “giant slum”.
To arrest the housing problem. Roxas instructed the national Housing Commission in
1946 to build houses for the US-Phil. War damaged commission The National urban
planning commission was also created during that same year. It had the purpose of
preparing general plans, zoning ordinances and subdivision regulations for was
devastated areas, a real property Board was also created to attend to real estate
problems resulting from the plan implementation NUPC in Manila in 1947.

In 1950, Pres. Quirino created the National Planning Commission-Absorbing

the NUPC, CCPC, and RPB. The new agency was intended for more integrated
planning for both urban and regional areas at a greater efficiency and economy.
NPC prepared a master plan for Manila, which was submitted, to President
Magsaysay in 1954. The Plan has the ff. objectives;

1. Make Manila a convenient and ideal place to live, play and own

2. Remedy the critical traffic congestion and at the same time provide for
anticipated traffic needs

3. Prevent overcrowding of population

4. Use land to the best advantage and bring order and reason the present
undesirable mixture of homes, stores and factories

5. Distribute equitable the much-needed elementary schools and playgroundS

6. Protect and promote healthy property values; and

7. Utilize existing improvement as much as possible.

CONCLUSION 

Pre-colonial communities in the Philippines were dispersed, and as such,

there was no real planning that is comparable in scale to Ancient Greece or Rome.
Their small settlements were only knitted by kinship rather than explicit codes.
Issues like health and sanitation were probably never thought of in relation to their
use of space.

During the Spanish regime, some principles of Renaissance Europe were applied in
laying out the Philippine cities. The reducciones policy gathered the dispersed
communities "under the bells." But in principle, the policy only aimed at putting the
natives under the control of the Church. In this respect, the Spaniards were
successful as the same policy was employed to the American colonies.

The Americans were the ones to import the concepts of sanitary living at the
turn of the 20th Century. Mass housing ideas were manifested in Burnham's plan for
the city of Manila. It was also during this time that local labor groups established their
own barrio obrero after their request for worker's housing was ignored by the city
government.
 After the Second World War, there was a population explosion in the urban
areas. As a result, demand for housing rose. The city government, however, failed to
provide decent and affordable housing for the workers. There were laws that
addressed the issues of housing and urban planning, but they all fell short of
providing real reforms in the physical as well as social structures of the city.

With the continuous growth of the cities in the Philippines, other problems like
environmental pollution, congestion, and garbage are faced by the planners in the
national as well as the local level. Laws like the Clean Air Act and others were
passed to answer these problems, but there has been a lag in their implementation.
It is a common observation that Filipinos are only good at presenting solutions on
paper.

It is indeed a tragedy that the cities across the Philippine archipelago

developed in a random and haphazard fashion. Typical planning displayed by the
government is not predictive but rather remedial in approach. If the opposite is true,
problems like housing, traffic congestion, water supply, electrification, sanitation,
sewerage, flooding, and urban dilapidation among others would have been
addressed to punctually.

REFERENCE LINKS:

https://beat-architect.blogspot.com/2011/03/urban-planning-in-philippines.html

HISTORY%20OF%20PLANNING.pdf

Studocu.com/en/document/our-lady-of-fatima-university/health-
economics/summaries/history-of-land-reform-in-the-
philippines/2671099/download/history-of-land-reform-in-the-philippines.pdf

25833446-The-Philippines-History-of-Proprietary-Land-Ownership-English-Version
%20(1).pdf

Planning/The%20Age%20of%20Discovery%20-%20Impact%20on%20Philippine
%20Culture%20and%20Society.pdf

291744669-Brief-Historical-Background-of-Agrarian-Reform.pdf

155694850-Pre-Colonial-Agrarian.pdf

historyofagrarianreform-160902051208.pdf
INDEX