URBAN PLANNING IN THE

PHILIPPINES
Planning 3
HISTORY
Urban Planning in the Philippines
PRE-COLONIAL AGE
PRE-COLONIAL AGE
• Some scholars believe that
the pre-colonial inhabitants
of the Philippines exhibited
some degree of settlement
planning.
PRE-COLONIAL AGE
• Natives’ communities were
either near the bodies of
water or dispersed around
the land they cultivated for
farming.
PRE-COLONIAL AGE

• According to history
there existed a
kingdom of Moros
located along the
banks of the Pasig
200 years prior to the
coming of the
Spaniards.
PRE-COLONIAL AGE
• Mountain dwellers in
Cordillera believe that
territory should be
institutionalized by the
atu or ward.
• The Tagalogs were
taga-ilog (river
dwellers) while the
Maranaws were lake
dwellers.
SPANISH REGIME
SPANISH REGIME
Laws 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.
SPANISH REGIME
Laws of the Indies
• Details were also
written pertaining to
the location of the
principal buildings,
recreation spaces,
cultivation and
pasture lands, and
sites for garbage-
producing uses.
SPANISH REGIME
Laws of the Indies
• Each town should be
located on vacant and high
ground, properly oriented
to sun, wind, and water
areas.
• The site should also be on
or near fertile land and
accessible to sources of fuel,
timber, and water.
SPANISH REGIME
Laws of the Indies
• The instruction of the Laws
of the Indies further aims
at providing health, safety,
order, and beauty.
SPANISH REGIME
• Urban design by the
Spaniards left a lasting
physical mark in the
landscape of Philippine
cities as there was an
emphasis on the use of
stones for building.
• However, efforts to
address the economic and
social issues for the
natives was lacking.
AMERICAN ERA
AMERICAN ERA

• Americans gave
greater emphasis on
other social values
like sanitation,
housing, and other
aesthetic
improvements.
AMERICAN ERA

• Planning under the

influence of the
Americans is typified
by the Daniel H.
Burnham's plan of
Manila.
AMERICAN ERA
Burnham Plan of
Manila
• The gridiron was
interspersed with the
circumferential and
diagonal arteries,
which was reminiscent
of his designs for San
Francisco, Chicago, and
Washington.
AMERICAN ERA
Burnham Plan of
Manila
• He proposed that the
Bay areas would be
extended through
reclamation and a new
port would be
constructed.
AMERICAN ERA
Burnham Plan of
Manila
• 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.
AMERICAN ERA
• Matters like sanitation and
mass housing were neglected
by the architects and
engineers.
• In 1908, Insular Health
workers introduced the
concept of "sanitary barrios,"
which were exemplary in the
sense that they reflected the
new sanitation and building
standards.
POST-WAR ERA
POST-WAR ERA
• In 1936, the Interior
Department created
local and planning
commissions composed
of the Provincial
Governor, district
engineer, and other
local officials.
POST-WAR ERA
• Within ten years, some
powers of NPC were
devolved to the local
government.
POST-WAR ERA
• Successive reorganization
led to the formation of the
following planning bodies:
Ministry of
Settlements, Task
Force on Human
Settlements, Housing
and Urban
Development
Coordinating Council,
and Department of
Housing and Urban
Development.
LOCAL AUTONOMY

• Legislations like the Local

Government Code [RA
7160] and the Housing and
Urban Development Act
[RA 7279] further developed
the capabilities of the local
government units [LGUs].
THE PHILIPPINE
PLANNING ENVIRONMENT
PLANNING AT THE LGU LEVEL
• Executive Order 71 [1993]
seeks to ensure the efficient
devolution of powers to the
local government units and
provide for an orderly and
smooth transition as well
as definition of future
relationships between the
national and local
governments.
• Passed almost
simultaneously with EO 71,
Executive Order 72
provides for the
preparation and
implementation of the
Comprehensive Land Use
Plans [CLUP] for the Local
Government Units.
HOUSING
• Presidential Decree 957 of
1976, which mandates the
protection of subdivision
and condominium buyers.
• PD 1344 was enacted
empowering the National
Housing Authority[NHA] to
regulated and police the
real estate trade and
business.
HOUSING
• Batas Pambansa 220
authorized the Ministry of
Settlements to urge the
private sector to provide
"economic and socialized
housing" for the middle and
lower income earners.
LAND USE
• HLURB released a set
of guidelines as a
prescribed framework
for Land Use planning
at the LGU level.
INFORMAL SETTLERS
• This problem has been
in existence in the cities
of the country since
after the War
• In 1997, Republic Act
8368 repealed Republic
Act 772, which is
entitled "Penalizing
Squatting and Other
Similar Acts."
REGIONAL
PLANNING
• A strategy for building up
capability for regional
planning and development
is the establishment of an
authority that will
administer the development
of a special region
• This idea is exemplified by
Republic Act 7924, which is
"an act creating the
Metropolitan Manila
Development Authority”
LOCAL GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE

National
Government

ARMM

HUCS and
Provinces
ICCS

Component
Municipalities
Cities

Barangays Barangays Barangays

HIERARCHY AND LINKAGES OF PLANS
MTPDP
NFPP PIP
(or PDP)
NGA Plans &
Programs
RPFP RDP RDIP
Regional Plans
and Programs
PPFP/
P/C CDP PDIP/CDIP
P/C CLUP
Provincial/City
Plans &
Programs
C/M CLUP C/M CDP LDIP

C/M Plans &

Programs
INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS FOR
PLANNING

NATIONAL NEDA BOARD NEDA SECRETARIAT

NEDA REGIONAL
REGIONAL RDCs
OFFICES

LOCAL LDCs P/C/M PDO/Cs

URBAN PLANNING IN THE
PHILIPPINES
Planning 3