1. History of Engineering in the Phillipines
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2. During Spanish

3. 1571
Miguel Lopez de Legaspi founded the City of Manila on June 24, 1571 The Spaniards started building Fort Santiago (Fuerte de Santiago) after the establishment of the city of Manila under Spanish rule on June 24, 1571.
1584
Fort San Antonio Abad was built. It was captured by the British in 1762 and rebuilt at the beginning of the nineteenth century, when it was called La Polvorista because it was used as powder magazine.

4. 1599
St. Augustine Church is the oldest stone church in the Philippines. Plans were approved in Construction started in 1587 and completed in It is an immense structure of thick walls of Corinthian and Ionic designs. It has withstood many earthquakes from 1645 up to the present and survived the British invasion in 1762, the Spanish– American War in 1898 and the Japanese invasion in 1942.
1621
In 1621, Don Bernardino Castillo, a generous patron and a well-known devotee of St. Sebastian, Patron of Archers, donated his lot, which is now the present site of the San Sebastian Church. The original church, which was made of wood, was burned in 1651 during a Chinese uprising. The succeeding structures were destroyed twice by fire and an earthquake in 1859, 1863, and respectively. .

5. 1846
The Pasig River Light House was the first lighthouse (masonry-built) erected in the Philippines. It was first lighted on 1846 and deactivated on It was then located on the north jetty at the mouth of Pasig River, (San Nicolas, Manila) marking the entrance to the river for vessels around Manila Bay, looking to dock on the ports along the banks of the river in Manila.
1852
Puente Colgante (which is the term for a suspension bridge in Spanish; literally, hanging bridge) was the first suspension bridge built in Southeast Asia when it was started in 1849 and completed in

6. 1867
The project for public supply of fresh water to the city dates from the early 18th century. Before this, the city had to be content with a fresh water supply based on cisterns. In 1867, the town council decides to take on the challenge of a project to supply fresh water to the whole of the city. In 1882 the first public water fountain gushed forth its waters, and shortly after this, the technology of the times was successful in providing Manila with a fresh water supply from sources up-river.
1868
It was in 1868 when the Bureau of Public Works and Highways (Obras Publicas) and Bureau of Communications and Transportation (Communicationes y Meteologia) were organized under a civil engineer known as

7.
The founding of Carriedo Waterworks Manila didn’t get running water until 1878, when the municipal waterworks was established by Governor Domingo Moriones, with money from a fund that by then had become legendary as the Carriedo Legacy.
1875
On June 25, 1875, King ALFONSO XII of Spain promulgates the Royal Decree directing the Office of the Inspector of Public Works of the Philippines to submit a general plan of railroad in Luzon

8. 1876
The General Plan for Railways was drawn up in 1876 for the island of Luzon, and included a network totalling 1,730 kilometers. A km. stretch of track was constructed between Manila and Dagupan. This operated a regular service as from The most outstanding works carried out on the railway system were the bridge over the great Pampanga River and the building of Tutub·n Station, in the Tondo district.
1878
The concession for constructing five tramways in Manila and its suburbs was approved. The plan included a main station at San Gabriel and the crossing of the river via the "Puente de EspaÒa"

9. 1880
School for Maestro de Obras called Escuela Practica y Artes Oficios de Manila was founded. Its first Filipino graduates were Julio Hernandez (1891), Isidro Medina (1894), Arcadio Arellano (1894) and Juan Carreon (1896).
1887
On July 31, 1887, construction of the Manila-Dagupan railroad was started
1892
On November 24, 1892, the entire line from Manila to Dagupan, with a total length of kms, was completed and put into commercial operations

10. 1898
The Organic Decree issued by Gen. Emilio Aquinaldo establishing the Philippine Revolutionary Government created four (4) government departments among which was the Department of War and Public Works.
1899
The Malolos Constitution was ratified during a general assembly of Congress, and the first Council of Government of the First Philippine Republic was created. From January 21, 1899 to May 7, 1899, with Apolinario Mabini as President of the Cabinet (i.e. Prime Minister), Gracio Gonzaga served as the Secretary of Public Welfare, which included the transportation and communications portfolio.

11. Early 1900’s
Transportation in the Philippines was depended largely on trails, waterways, railroad, earth roads and partially-gravelled roads. Highway in the Philippines at that time is nothing more than a dream to most Filipinos. The US government initiated the development of roadways in the Philippines connecting towns, cities and provinces. The popular Macadam road type was introduced. It gained acceptance because of abundant supply of stones and gravel. .
1907
The Faculty of Engineering of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) is the oldest engineering school in the Philippines. It was established on May 18, 1907, as School of Civil Engineering with one program offering leading to the degree of Master of Science in Civil Engineering (MSCE). From faculty records, it appears that it was only in 1912 when the earliest batch of students was conferred their MSCE degrees.

12. 1911
The AIAAF was dissolved when the civil engineers (and other engineering profession) withdrew to form their own professional organization (The Philippine Society of Engineers), but not before it has struggled for the passage of an Engineers and Architects Law.
1914
Communal irrigation systems (CIS) were simple structures. The earliest on record is as far back as 1914, mostly located in the Ilocos area of northern Philippines and known as the zanjera. The term zanjera is derived from the Spanish term for turnout and used locally to refer to a co-operative irrigation society the function of which was to secure a stable and reliable supply of water for its members. Most zanjeras may have two or more sittios or barrios.

13. 1921
The Engineers and Architects Law (Act No. 2985) passed on February 23, The law created separate Board of Examiners for civil engineering and architecture. They were schooled abroad as civil engineers and architects. Due to the Engineers and Architects Law of 1921, Filipinos were allowed to practice as Architects and Engineers because of their experience as Maestro de Obras in the Spanish Period. Public Act No was enacted empowering the Secretary of Commerce and Communication to appoint members of the boards of the architecture and engineering professions.
1928
A group of civil engineers from the government sector formed the Philippine Society of Civil Engineers (PSCE) which was the first civil engineering organization in the Philippines with Engr. Marcial Kasilag as its first president.

14. 1937
The Philippine Association of Civil Engineers (PACE) was formed from a group of civil engineers in the private sector with Engr. Enrique Sto. Tomas Cortes as its first president. The objectives of both organizations were similar with each other in which both of them wants to: "elevate the standards of the profession, encourage research and engineering knowledge and technology, foster fellowship among members, and promote interrelation with other technological and scientific societies". The PACE being the most active than the PSCE led to the transfer of many PSCE members to PACE.
1938
Statutes for practice of architecture from engineering separated by law – National Assembly Bill No

15. During Japanese

16. 24 December 1941 to 01 August 1944
During the Japanese occupation, the exiled Commonwealth government of President Manuel Quezon issued Executive Order 396, which reorganized and grouped the cabinet. The Department of Public Works and Communication became the Department of National Defense, Public Works, Communications and Labor, with Basilio Valdes as Secretary.

17. 1942
On Philippine soil, to mitigate the sufferings of the people under the iron-clad rule of the Japanese, the Philippine Executive Commission was established. Under President Jose P. Laurel’s administration, Quintin Paredes served as Minister of Public Works and Communications. Caliraya Dam is an embankment dam located in the town of Lumban province of Laguna, in the Sierra Madre Mountain Range of the Philippines. The reservoir created by the dam, Lake Caliraya, initially supplied one of the oldest hydroelectric plants in the Philippines, and later became a popular recreational area for numerous water sports and fishing. The dam construction was started in 1939 and a small hydroelectric plant was operated in After the Second World War, the new independent Philippine government continued the rehabilitation and construction of roads, bridges, buildings and other infrastructures, through the reparations and war damages paid by the Japanese government. Other financial grants and aids from the US government were used in the construction and rehabilitation of roads, bridges, buildings and other infrastructures.

18. 1948
The country’s premiere airport, Manila International Airport Authority was originally a US Air Force base until 1948, when it was turned over to the Philippine government’s National Airport Corporation. The fledgling civil aviation airport’s facilities were nothing more than the current domestic runway and a small building as its only passenger terminal.

19. 1950 – 1956
The Ambuklao dam was the highest and biggest in the Far East. It is made of earth and rockfill which measures 129 meters in height and 452 meters in length. The elevation of its crest is 758 meters and the roadway that runs through the top of the dam has an elevation of 756 meters. The gross storage capacity of the dam's reservoir is 327,170,000 cubic meters and it has a usable storage capacity of 258,000,000 cubic meters. Construction began on July 1950 and opened on December 23, 1956.

20. 1954
R.A. No was enacted on June 15, 1954 – making bar and board exam (passers) are equivalent to First-Grade Civil Service eligibility.
1955 – 1970
National Waterworks and Sewerage System Authority (NAWASA) was created through RA 1383
1956
On June 16, 1956, the Civil Engineering law was further amended by Republic Act No On the same year, the Architecture law was further amended by Republic Act No

21. 1960’s
Philippines had created one of the top countries in the world that produces architects and engineers since the 60′s Private and infrastructure developments were not in existence in the country to make use of these new architects and engineers. Shortage of projects in the country have resulted to an influx of Filipino architects and engineers’ migration to the US and Europe which started in the 60′s. Inexpensive labor and be able to communicate in English of these Filipino professionals made them attractive to be hired by these developed countries. Due to their proficiency in English (compared to other immigrants), Filipino architects/engineers have successfully assimilated in the political and economic structure in their host country. Many architects and engineers have established their own firms. Due to their numbers, Filipino architects and engineers globally have formed their own groups and made alliances with other Filipino associations.

22. 1960 – 1980’s
The automobile age. It was during these decades that road construction becomes a matter of priority of the government under the slogan:
1964
On June 20, 1964, Republic Act No is enacted. It changes the corporate name of Manila Railroad Company (MRRCo) to Philippine National Railways (PNR)

23.
On 19 June 1971, Republic Act 6234 was enacted. It dissolved the National Waterworks and Sewerage System (NAWASA) and created in its place the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS). MWSS was thus given the mandate to ensure an uninterrupted and adequate supply and distribution of potable water for domestic and other purposes at just and equitable rates
1972
PACE President Engr. Cesar A. Caliwara, exerted a serious effort in merging the two organizations. Leaders of PACE and PSCE negotiated, and talked about the choice of name. Some concerns were raised such as formal accounting and turnover of assets and liabilities, accreditation of bonafide members and election rules for the first officers which were sooner resolved.

24. 1973
On June 1973, President Ferdinand E. Marcos issued Presidential Decree 223, creating the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) regulating all professions and accrediting only one organization to represent each profession. On December 11, 1973, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued Registration Certificate No to the PHILIPPINE INSTITUTE OF CIVIL ENGINEERS, INC. (PICE). This was the culmination and fulfilment of a vision to merge two separate organizations of civil engineers in the country, the Philippine Society of Civil Engineers (PSCE) and the Philippine Association of Civil Engineers (PACE). Presidential Decree No. 198, also known as The Provincial Water Utilities Act of 1973.

25. 1975
The first International convention was held in the Philippines on May 20 to 24, 1975 with the theme Civil Engineering in Disaster Prevention Control." (Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers)
On August 13, 1975, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) recognized the PICE as the only official organization of civil engineers in the Philippines with Accreditation No. 007
PD No Authorizing the Construction of the Magat River Multi-Purpose Project in Isabela, Providing for the Financing Thereof, and for Other Purposes.
National Housing Authority (NHA) was created under PD 757 to oversee housing development on a national level.
The Philippine Ports Authority was created under Presidential Decree No. 505 which was subsequently amended by P.D. No. 857 in December 1975.
In 1975, President Ferdinand Marcos, by a Presidential Decree, the System Internationale (SI) system of units was mandated in the Philippines

26. 1980
President Marcos founded the Rural Waterworks Development Corporation (RWDC), responsible for water supply in areas where neither MWSS nor LWUA carries out the service or assists the LGUs, respectively. The RWDC was expected to create rural water supply associations in order to construct, operate, and maintain their own water supply systems in communities with fewer than 20,000 inhabitants.
1982
Magat Dam is a large rock-fill dam on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. The dam is located on Magat River, a major tributary of Cagayan River. Construction of the dam started in 1975 and completed in Magat Dam is one of the largest dams in the Philippines and has two primary purposes: as a source of irrigation water and as a provider of hydroelectric power.

27. 1991
For the first time, a "Civil Engineering Week" for the period November 3 to 9, was declared by MalacaÒang thru Proclamation No.799 issued on September 20, 1991 by President Corazon C. Aquino. The C.E. week was celebrated nationwide thru coordinated activities of all PICE chapters and the PICE National Board culminating in the most successful and well-attended '91 PICE Annual Convention (1,400 plus registered participants).
1993
The Board of Civil Engineering (at PRC) held its first fully computerized (board) examinations on May 29, 1993 and released the results on November 9,

28. 2012
Last March 2012, the Board of Civil Engineering wrote to Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE) that the board exam questions will be increased from 30/35 (per subject) to 100 problems per subject effective for May 2012 CE Board Exams. Meaning, there are 100 problems per subject or a 300-item board exam questions.
2013
Last August 23, 2013, Republic Act or the Protection of Students' Right to Enroll in Review Centers Act of 2013 was signed into law.