MODULE 3 HISTORY O OF

PHILIPPINE PLANNING
by
Michael T. Ang
UAP PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Scattered/dispersed communities
Riverine (linear patter)
Self-sufficient individual economies
Absence of stone structures
Barangay is the basic structure as:
a. Consisting of 30-100families
b. Was composed of single kinship with a chieftain as DATU.
c. Closed system, protected by substantial fortification
d. Self-sufficient agrarian economy supplemented by fishing and
hunting

Inter-Barangay contacts were minimal

Supra-Barangay for mutual protection validated through

inter-Barangay marriages
6. No distinct development plan followed to layout the internal
structure
7. Planning was more a dictate of environmental conditions rather
than a conceived and willful activity.

SPANISH SETTLEMENT PATTERNS

Barangay decentralization prevented a formidable obstacle to
Spanish colonizers
Christianization. Spiritual conquest could be achieved only by
community consolidation or reduction
Nucleation Strategy. Resettlement, a necessary condition and
logical corollary of Christian conversion and cultural
transformation.
a. 1520s-1570s. First attempts of resettlement but failed
b.
1589. First official resettlement Program.
c.
1597. Resettlement Policies were institutionalized in the
Laws of the Indies (indigenous inhabitants).
Compact Villages provided a rapid Christian indoctrination and
societal reorganization
Ciudades. These are urban cluster settlements with nonagricultural population of at least 10,000 persons. It functions as
defensive centers, seat of bishoprics, center for education,
regional centers for colonial rule. It has a social mix of Spanish
concomicaderos, resident ecclesiastics, Principalia and Chinese.
Villas. These are semi-urban nodes strategically scattered for an
effective colonial control.

SPANISH SETTLEMENT PATTERNS

Cabeceras are small misson settlements located at

the heart of the town. It functions as center for
religious activities and cultural change. With a social
mix of Spanish friars and Principalias, it features:
a.

Church/convents located at the center

b.

Municipal Building

c.

Residences of Chief Citizens (principalias)

d.

Approaches to reduction (reducir)

e.

Military coercion

f.

Enticement (colorful ritual of Catholicism)

g. Children as instrument s of resettlements

(seminario de Indio)
Spanish Law: All colonial land and produce belonged to the king.

Table 1. Hierarchy of Governmental Units.

Pre Conquest

Barangay

Early Spanish

Late Spanish

Contemporary (English

Ranchera

Sitio

Sitio (hamlet)

Visita Barangay

Barrio/Barangay

Barrio (Village)

Cabecerra

Poblacion

Pueblo

Municipio

Ciudad

Ciudad

Atealdia
Corregimiento

Mayor

Provinces

Poblacion
(Town)
Centro
Municipality
(township)
City
Province

Hispanic Masterplan derived from the urban formulas of the 15th

and 16th Century Italian Renaissance Theories:
a. Used plastic cultural materials
b. Standard Gridiron arrangements
Focused on a central plaza surrounded by an orderly system of
rectangular street blocks, where the public and civil structures
with the church as the nucleus.

or

Daniel Burnham (1905)., prepared a physical development

plan for Manila and a layout of the major land uses of Baguio.
He advocated the City Beautiful Movement which features:
a.
Aesthetic Values
b.
Visual image of the city
c.
With emphasis on wide boulevards (tree-lined), Park
system (landscaped), Symmetry of Public squares and
civic centers.
d. Focused on themes of devotion to classic-renaissance
character in the building design and commitment to
monumental city planning
e.
Municipal arts, civic improvements and outdoor arts
Revised Code of 1917 instructing the Public Works director to
prepare general development plans for all cities and
municipalities of the country. Local governments
enacted zoning ordinances to regulate the use of
privatge properties
SANITARY BARRIOS are models of sanitary facilities provisions for
nipa neighborhood.
1920s saw the development of barrio obreros meaning working
class districts.
1926-1933 started the survey of slums by the colonial government. Housing
Committees were formed to undertake slum clearance and housing projects.

O mm onwe alth
Manuel L. Quezon was focused on Social Justice. His key legislations
were:
1. 1936 Vitas Tenement Housing Project
2.
1938 saw the acquisitioned land at Diliman Hacienda.
3.
National Assembly enacted legislation to authorize upon just
compensation, the appropriation of lands to be subdivided
into small lots and conveyed at cost to individuals (CA201936; CA260-1938; CA420-1939; CA 538-1940).
4. CA No. 2 created the National Economic Council to undertake
planning and economic programs
5.
Urban Planning and Development Agencies:
o
PHC. Peoples Homesite Corporation. This agency is
responsible for home building, home ownership and
developer of model communities (Diliman Estate)
o
NHC. National Housing Commission , 1941 was
responsible for the handling of urban housing,
subdivision, slum clearance projects. However, it was
never formally organized due to the outbreak of WW2.
6. CA 502 (1/12/1939) made Quezon City the Charter New Capitol
City. A plan was prepared but was never implemented due to
the outbreak of the war.

1. Urgent need to reconstruct or

rehabilitate the housing requirements of
the masses
2. Emergency Measures-primarily building
of workers tenement housing, control of
urban tenant-landlord relations
3. Creation of new organizations/
reorganization of old organizations
4. Concentration of policy on economic
growth and recovery. However, there
was little support extended to urban
housing and development projects.
5. Planning and Development Agencies:
a.
National
Urban
Planning
Commission (EO98,1946). This
agency was mandated to rebuild
the settlements ruined by war and
prepared the general development
plans and formalization of zoning
ordinances
and
subdivision
regulations
b. Peoples Homesite and Housing
Corporation (1947) was mandated
for the acquisistion, construction
and management of low-cost
housing projects, slum clearances
and relocation.These were not
successful due to insufficient
funding, absence of defdiunite
policy, and shortage of qualified
personnel.

July 17, 1948 saw the organization and

operation of the Capital City Planning
Commission.
1950, the National Urban Planning
Commission, the capital City Planning
Commission and the Real Estate Property
Board (RPB) merged into the National
Planning Commission (NPC) with functions
as:
a.
Formulation
of
plans
for
all
municipalityes/cities/regions;
b.
Prepare zoning ordinances and
subdivision regulations; and
c. Draft a uniform building code
1954. NPC prepared a master plan for
Manila
1956. NPC made 194 plans ready for
adoption by cities and towns. These were
Model subdivision regulations and building
codes, generally oriented to CIVIC DESIGN..
1954. presidential Assistance on Housing
(PAH) was created. EO 64 & 68 authorized
PAH to propose and implement a nationwide
housing program with functions as:
a.
Formulated the uniform housing
standards
b.
Coordination with all government
relocation programs
c. Formulation of Policy proposal

1956, the Home Financing Commission was created to operate a mortgage insurance program,
to encourage/initiate the organization of building and of loans associations; and promoted
home building and land ownership. GSIS, SSS, DBP gave housing loans to low-income
groups for home construction.
1959. The Local (Government) Autonomy Act saw the decentralization of planning zoning and
subdivision regulations
1960. Concept of regional planning introduced to bridge the gap between National development
and local planning efforts for reasons:
a. To stimulate economic development of potential regions that were then underdeveloped, and
b.

To effect a more even distribution of growth in the different regions of the country.

1961. Mindanao (Mindanao development Authority)-Sulu-Palawan Association was created to:

a. Prepare a comprehensive plan to enhance socio-economic developments of a region
based on the guidelines of NEC.
b. Extend planning, management and technical assistance to private investors
c. Recommend to agencies what agricultural and industrial projects to implement.
d. Coordinate and harmonize diverse programs and operations of different public and
private agencies.
1962. Five year Integrated Socio-economic Plan for Regional development in Mindanao and
Cagayan Valley in Central Luzon. Mindanao plan was for industrial and agricultural
development and for integrated steel mill, aluminum, fertilizers and plywood manufacturing.
Cagayan was planned for the development of water resources. The emphasis was to
decentralize planning functions to regional level RDA and yielded:
a. Mindanao Development Authority
b. Central Luzon-Cagayan Valley Authjority
c. Bicol Development Company
d. Laguna Lake Development Authority

1962. Administrative order 31- For the City/Municipality/

Provinces to form its local planning board to prepare development
plans and development control regulations under the supervision of
NPC.
1964. Presidential Assistance on Housing was created under the
direct supervision of the President and served as overall
coordinator of all agencies related to housing and as liaison office
between the government and the Private Sector.
1968. EO 121 BY president Marcos strengthened the Provincial
Planning into the Provincial Development Committee tasked to
prepare provincial development plans and to coordinate public and
private sectors implementation of development projects.
1970 saw the impact of uncontrolled urbanization. UNDP
Programs under the World Bank were implemented, as:
a.
Physical Planning Strategy
b.
Manila Bay Metropolitan Development Project
c. Mindanao development Project
1972. PD 1 created the National Economic and Development
Authority (NEDA) to replace the National Economic Committee
(NEC). It also subdivided the country into eleven administrative
regions with a regional center or capital designated and a Regional
Development Council.

September 19, 1973. EO 419 created the Task Force on Human

Settlements to provide a viable environment and human habitat, with
functions as to:
a. undertake and support the National Human settlements
program and handle land use planning and resource
management activities
b.
In-depth studies on existing human settlements to identify
priority areas for project development
c. Formulate policy guidelines for project implementation.
1978. PD 933 TFHS was elevated to Human Settlements Commission to
Human Settlements Regulatory Commission. PD 1396 created the Ministry
of Human Settlements with forcus on land use and town planning,
environment management and economic and livelihood programs.
1980. Town Planning Assistance Program extended inter-agency programs
MLGCD, NEDA, MHS.
1970-1975:
a. IRP 1972 Regionalization made:
i. The administration of the national government closer
to the people.
ii. To provide a more rational framework for regional
planning (ADB, 1990)
b. Creation of RDC and NRC with emphasis on Physical
Framework Planning integrating economic, social and
administrative goals.

1976 1976 saw the following:

a. IAD-Integrated Area Development
b.
Human Settlements Approach 11 Basic needs of
Human settlements
c. Industrial Dispersal Policy
d. Shift from Framework planning to Investment
Programming (RDIP)
e. PD 1517 created the Urban Land Reform to liberate
communities from blight, congestion and hazard, to
promote devel0pment and modernization.
1986 - 1996
a. 1986 is the period of decentralization and autonomy.
b.
1987 saw the reformulation/updating of the 1935
Constitution.
i. More genuine political commitment to
regionalization and decentralization
ii. The early years of the Aquino Government has
intensified efforts towards decentralization and
creation of autonomous regions (Cario, 1990).
1987-1989 saw the reorganization of government to strengthen
regional units, reduction of national government office
personnel and decentralization of DBM and devolution of
authority to lower levels. It also reorganized RDC, PDC,
MDCs and BDCs.

19871989

a. RA 6734 created the Organic Act of ARMM in 1989. EO 820

created the Cordillera Administrative Region
b. Autonomy of Local Government Units had:
i. Devolve substantial planning and implementation powers to
LGUs making a more viable and effective planning and
decision making machineries.
ii. Created the functions for policy guideline formulation and
monitoring and setting planning and implementation
standards.
c. RA 7279 created the Urban Development and Housing Act
which:
i. Plays down the role of the government as support to private
sector in
urban development
ii. Focused on the underprivileged and homeless citizens
iii. Decent housing at affordable cost, basic services and
employment
opportunities creating the socialize
housing Program
iv. Equitable utilization of residential lands
d. RA 7160 created the Local Government Code
i.
Land mark decrees:
PD 144 Local development offices and
established the Local Development Fund
PD 231 Codified the taxing powers of LGUs
PD 464 Codified all laws pertaining to the real
property tax
PD 477 codified all laws regarding the
administration of local funds and budgets.

i. ( RA 7160) Services and facilities devolved to LGUs:

Agricultural extension and on-site research
Community-based forestry projects
Field health and hospital services
Public works and infrastructure projects
funded out of local funds
School building programs
Social welfare services
Tourism promotion and development
Telecommunication Services
Town planning and reclassification of
agricultural lands to urban uses
Housing projects for provinces and cities
Investment
information
and
industrial
research and development services.

GOOD LUCK!