PLANNING 2 – FUNDAMNETALS OF URBAN DESIGN independent or belong to what was only a loose

AND COMMUNITY ARCHITECTURE REVIEWER confederation of several barangays. Over which

the ruler picks among themselves who would
HISTORY OF PLANNING IN THE PHILIPPINES: Barangay
be foremost known as the Pangulo or Rajah. In
Communities to the present Philippine Government
most cases his function was to make decisions
Pre-Colonial Times: Settlement Planning in the which would involve multiple barangays, such
Philippines as dispute between members of two different
barangays.
When the first Spaniards arrived in the Philippines in  Historically, the first barangays started as
the 16th century, they found well-organized relatively small communities of around 50-100
independent villages called barangays. The name families. Most villages have only 30-100 houses
barangay originated from balangay, a Malay word and the population vary from 100-500 persons.
meaning “sailboat”. The first barangays started as When the Spaniards came, they found
relatively small communities of around 50 to 100 communities with 20-30 people only. They also
families. encountered large prestigious principalities.
 Like other cities in the world the earliest  Theories say that the original “barangays” were
Filipino communities developed out of the coastal settlements formed as a result of the
need for their inhabitants to band together. migration of these Malayo-Polynesian people by
 They were formed for security, or to be close to boat from other places in Southeast Asia. Most
critical resources like food and water. of the ancient barangays were coastal or
 Most of the earliest towns were by the coast riverine in nature.
for the fisher folk or where there was abundant  The coastal villages were more accessible to
agriculture land for the farmers. trade with foreigners. These were ideal places
 The word barangay in modern refers to the for economic activity to develop. Business with
smallest administration division in the traders from other countries also meant
Philippines. Also known as a Spanish adoptive contract with other cultures and civilizations,
name, the Barrio. This modern context of the such as those of Japan, Han Chinese, Indian, and
use of barangay was adopted during the Arab.
administration of Pres. Ferdinand Marcos, Sr.  In time, these coastal communities acquire
When he ordered the replacement of the old more advance cultures, with developed social
barrios and municipal council, this act was structures, ruled by established royalties and
eventually codified under the 1991 Local nobilities.
Government Code. There are several Spanish Colonial Times
distinctions between the modern barangay or
barrio and the city states an independent Laws of Indies – in 1573, King Philip II proclaimed the
principality encountered by the Spanish when Law of the Indies that established uniform standard and
they first arrived in 1521 and established planning procedures for colonial settlement. These laws
relatively permanent settlements in 1574. provided guidelines for site selection, layout and
 The most glaring difference would be that the dimensioning of streets and squares, the location of
modern entity represents a geographical entity. civic and religious building, open space, cultivation and
The pre-colonial barangays represent loyalty to pasturing lands, and even the main procedural phases
the particular head or Datu. of planning and construction.
 During the early days of Spanish rule, it was not
The Plaza Complex was a result of several ordinances of
unusual for people living beside each other to
the Law of the Indies. It is surrounded by important
act to belong to a different barangay. They
buildings such as:
owed their loyalty to different datus also while
the modern barangays only represent the  Catholic church
smallest administrative unit of government the  Municipal or Town hall
Barangay of pre-colonial times either  Marketplace and merchant’s store
  Elementary school The Arrabales
 The home of the principalia
 Quiapo – the ilustrado territory; the enclave of
 Other government buildings
the rich and powerful. Also, the manifestation
Intramuros of folk religiosity.
 Tondo – coastal city adjacent to Manila.
 Known as the walled city of Manila, Intramuros
 Binondo – the trading port developed by the
was the home of the Spanish (except for the
Chinese and Arabs
friars and the high-ranking officials).
 Sta. Cruz – the main commercial district with
 The city was 1.2 sq kilometers in area,
swirls of shops, movie houses, restaurants, etc.
containing large churches, plazas, office and
 San Nicolas – also a commercial town built by
residential buildings, housing 7,000 residents
the Spansih with streets of specialized
surrounded by high walls.
categories (ceramic, soap, etc.).
 Because of the physical limitation in growth,
 Sampaloc – centered on two churches, Our
decentralization occurred, and settlements
Lady of Loreto and Saint Anthony of Padua. Also
were built in Malate, San Miguel, and Paco,
known as the first “University Town”.
among other areas.
Later Suburbs
American Period
 San Miguel (Malacanang) – where rest-houses
With the arrival of Americans, their agenda was to guide
were built for the Spanish government.
urban growth and physical development. In doing so,
 Malate – the early “summer resort” of wealthy
they put emphasis on other values such as sanitation,
and cultured Filipinos. Then became the first
housing and aesthetic improvement.
fishing and salt-making town.
Daniel Burnham  Ermita – early tourist belt or bed-light district.
 Paco – first town built around a train station.
 An architect/planner who designed Chicago,
 Pandacan - town built by the Americans for oil
San Francisco, and parts of Washington DC was
depot.
brought in and commissioned to design Manila
based on the City Beautiful Movement theories FURTHER SUBURBANIZATION
was known for.
 Quezon City as the New Capital – in 1939,
 Burnham’s design of Manila was very similar to
Commonwealth Act No. 457, authorized the
his design of Washington DC, evident in the
transfer of the capital to an area of 1572
strong similarities of the Capitol Mall with
hectares. A master plan of Quezon City was
Luneta Park.
completed in 1941 by Ar. Juan Arellano, Harry T.
 Burnham went as far as ordering reclamation of
Frost, Louis Croft, and Engr. A.D. Williams.
the sea to create a better view of the ports.
 Constitution Hills – in 1946 a search committee
 Manila was designed with grand avenues and a
was formed to find a new site for the Capital. A
strong central civic core.
158-hectare area in the Novaliches Watershed
 It included a civic mall to house national
was selected and called constitution hills and
buildings (only the Finance and Agricultural
the National Government Center. The three
were built).
seats of Government were to form a triangle at
 It fronted Manila Bay like most Baroque plans
the center of the complex with a 20-hectare
fronted a large body of water.
civic space to be called the Plaza of the
 The Pasig River was to be an integral part of
Republic.
Manila as the main artery of trade and
 Philippine Homesite Housing Corporation
commerce.
(PHHC) - the precursor of the National Housing
 The plan was “too grand” that it was never fully
Authority, built homes for the masses based on
realized.
the neighborhood unit concept of Clarence
Growth of Manila Perry and Clarence Stein.
  Philamlife homes – middle class residential the Filinvest Corporate City is a joint
homes developed by Philmalife Insurance venture of the government and private
Company. The masterplan was designed by sector. It would become another major
Architect and planner Carlos P. Arguelles, based center surrounded by residential areas
on suburban development in California. with high accessibility to nearby
 BLISS (Bagong Lipunan Sites and Services) – industrial estates and technological
walk-up housing units built for the government parks.
sector.
Government Agencies
Metro Manila Central Business Districts
 National Housing Authority (NHA) – the sole
 Manila CBD – this traditional CBD is a center of government agency engages in direct shelter
business and commerce, has a population production, focusing in providing housing
nucleus and seats the national government. assistance to the lowest 30% of urban income
 Makati CBD – a business, financial, commercial, earners through slum upgrading, squatter
convention, and recreational center of the relocation, development of sites and services
Metropolitan Region. Begun by the Ayala and construction of core housing units.
conglomerate in 1948.  Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board
 Ortigas CBD – another business, financial, (HLURB) – formerly known as the Human
convention, shopping, and recreational node. Settlements Regulatory Commission, the HLURB
Developed by the Ortigas conglomerate in is the sole regulatory body for housing and land
1950s, its present configuration fully developed development. It encourages greater private
only in the late 80s. the area covered 600 sector participation in low-cost housing.
hectares.  National Home Mortgage Financing
 Cubao CBD – developed in the 1960s by the Corporation – the major government home
Araneta Family. Cubao was intended as an mortgage institution, its initial main function is
alternative business center in the Eastern side to operate a viable home mortgage market,
of the metropolis. This 37-hectare property now utilizing long term funds to purchase mortgages
reflects more of a bazaar economy, though originated by both public and private
plans are now being developed to convert the institution.
area to a more modern commercial and  Home Insurance and Guarantee Corporation –
recreational center. formerly known as the Home Financing
 Emerging CBDs corporation, it assist private developers in
 Fort Bonifacio Global City – the undertaking low- and middle-income mass
development of the former military housing production by encouraging private
base into another city that is envisioned financial institution and commercial lenders to
to be the first intelligent and ecological finance such developments through certain
city in the country. It covers 500 incentives.
hectares of prime real estate land in
Government Support Agencies
between Makati CBD and Ortigas CBD.
 Boulevard 2000 – this is envisaged to  Home Development Mutual Fund –
usher in the Renaissance of the City of administered provident fund contribution
Manila. To be built under the auspices collected from members employees and
of the Philippine Estate Authority, the employers, utilizing for housing loans.
mixed-use development will rise on the  Social Security System – the primary provider
reclaimed 1167-hectare area along the of funds for long term housing mortgages for
coast of Manila Bay to revive Manila as low- and middle-income private sector
the center of commerce and tourism. employees.
 Filinvest Corporation City – located in  Government Services Insurance System (GSIS)
the southern margin of the metropolis, – the primary provider for long term housing
 mortgages for low- and middle-income
government employees.

Government Planning Agencies

 Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) – provide

data on land valuation and taxation.
 Department of Agriculture/ Bureau of Soils
and Water Management – provides data on
network of protected agricultural areas.
 Department of Agrarian Reform – provides
data on lands covered by the Comprehensive
Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
 Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR)/ Environmental
Management Bureau (EBM) – provides data on
environmentally critical areas.
 Department of Transportation and
Communication (DOTC) – provides data on
transportation and communication services.
 Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA) – provides
data on population and demography.
 National Power Corporation (NPC), Manila
Electric Company (Meralco), National
Electrification Administration (NEA) – provides
data on power.
 Manila Waterworks and Sewerage System
(MWSS); Local Waterworks and Utilities
Administration (LWUA) – provides data on
water.
 Department of Public Works and Highways
(DPWH) – provides data on roads and other
related infrastructure.
 City/ Municipal Assessors Office – provides tax
maps and listing of all real properties with their
corresponding market values and/or assessed
values located in their respective localities.