Philippine Architecture

Philippine Architecture is an admixture of the Muslim, Malayan, Chinese, Japanese, European, Spanish &
American influences.

A. Geographical Influence

The Philippines is an archipelago made up of many islands (over 7,000) & where the sea is a familiar presence
in daily life. Three seas surround the Philippine Island: South China Sea in the North, Celebes Sea in the South,
Pacific Ocean in the East & South China Sea in the West. The islands vary in size & composition. Some islands
are coral atolls peeping from blue waters. Other islands are large land masses that were spewed by volcanoes &
are now watered by rivers running to the sea.

Mountains take up much of the island space, leaving little for plains, except in Central Luzon & western
Mindanao. River valleys are narrow & short. Some mountains are active volcanoes, for the Philippines sits on
tectonic plates that press against each other as part of the Pacific Ocean’s Ring of Fire. Earthquakes, of differing
strengths, are thus frequent.

B. Geological Influence

Wood, grasses & seashells are favorite Philippine building materials. Timber & mineral resources are abundant
in the country. Mineral resources include copper, gold, chromite, lead, nickel, manganese, platinum & uranium.
Timber sources include narra, molave, yakal, dao, Benguet pine, guijo, ipil, tanguile, apitong, palosapis, red &
white lawan, tindalo, kamagong & almon. Indigenous materials used for construction include coco lumber,
rattan & bamboo. Bamboo & capiz shells are the most common materials of rural Philippine architecture.

Capiz shell is a translucent flat bivalve that dwells in the muddy sandy bottoms of the brackish waters of
Southern Luzon & in Capiz Province on Panay Island. The flat shell is harvested, cleaned & then trimmed into
tiny panes for latticed panels called capiz windows.

Bamboo, the pliant & versatile grass, grows wild & plentiful in the countryside. Barely 20% of the country’s
300 species of bamboo find their way into all aspects of Filipino life – from boats & fishing to building
materials & utensils. Bamboo can be used to construct almost all house parts, including the roof. Primarily
bamboo, is the poor man’s timber: hewn, shaved, beaten, trimmed or woven for myriad uses and patterns in
rustic houses & furniture.

C. Climatic Influence

The Philippines, being in the tropics, are warm throughout most of the year. There are 3 seasons: dry & hot
season from March to June, wet & rainy season from July to November & dry, cold & mild climate from
December to February. Rain is abundant in most parts of the islands.

However, the temperature in the Cordillera Mountains of Luzon, where the summer capital, Baguio, is located,
is uniformly temperate throughout the year. Typhoons are unwanted visitors – originating from the east, in the
Pacific, between July & November, they race diagonally at more than 118 kph, from southeast to northeast,
causing destruction in eastern Visayas & Luzon.

D. Religious Influence

93% of Filipinos are catholic (christian), Christianity was introduced in the country by Ferdinand Magellan &
he planted the first cross in March 31, 1521. The rest believe in other religion/religious sects such as
Protestantism (introduced by the Americans in 1893), Mohammedanism (Islam/Muslim), Iglesia ni Cristo, etc.
Ancient Filipinos believed in Animoderism, whose beliefs include:
 Anitos – belief in the dead
 Bathala – supreme God, Aba Visaya

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  Kapitan – power to raise the dead to life
 Sumpay – God of the underworld
 Barangaw – Goddess of rain

There were also beliefs of the ancestors which states the lucky & unlucky days for a person. Lucky day includes
Easter Sunday while unlucky days include:
 January – 1, 3, 4, 28 & 29
 February – 2, 4, 5, 17 & 29
 March – 2, 3, 8, 9 & 10
 April – 2, 6 & 25
 May – 1, 2, 3, 4, 12, 13, 18 & 20
 June – 3, 5, 16, 19, 1, 24 & 30
 July – 4, 12, 15, 19 & 26
 August – 6, 9, 10, 19, 26 & 31
 September – 3, 12, 20, 21 & 29
 October – 3, 12, 20, 21 & 29
 November – 1, 2, 11, 23 & 28
 December – 5, 8, 16, 20, 24 & 25

March, April & May will not make harmony to the marriage. Months with letter “R” are unlucky. Balete,
Kanaway & Bago are known to be inhabited by encantos & babaylan.

Other beliefs:
 Bukidnon – with site food offering where tuba, chicken & nganga are placed on top of bamboo
platform
 Mindanao – (among the Manobos) ritual where chicken blood is poured upon the foundation, flooring
& roof; coins for good fortune

E. Historical Influence

The history and culture of the Philippines are reflected in its architectural heritage, in the dwellings of its
various peoples, in churches and mosques, and in the buildings that have risen in response to the demands of
progress and the aspirations of the people.

As in the rest of Southeast Asia, the earliest settlers of the Philippine Islands were short, dark-skinned, curly-
haired Negritos. They gathered wild plants for food in the abundant forests & hunted game. Around 3000 BC, a
new people crossed over from what is now Southern China to (modern-day) Taiwan, & then crossed over to the
Philippine archipelago spreading southwards until they reached the countries that are now known as Malaysia &
Indonesia. These were the Austronesians from whom the majority of Filipinos are descended. As the southern
branch of the Mongoloid family they are medium to tall in height, brown-skinned, & flat-haired.

The pale-skinned strangers came in 1565 & made the islands the westernmost march of their empire. Christian
missionaries gathered from small settlements, into new centers under the church bells. Urban centers multiplied.
They were laid out in grid pattern around a central plaza dominated by the church, the government building, and
the houses of the leading citizens. Churches & other buildings constructed from stone appeared. Sculptors,
silversmiths, painters & embroiderers used their skills to decorate these new structures. As the economy
improved under the Spaniards, architectural standards became stricter. Traditionally, builders were master
masons & carpenters who had learned their craft through apprenticeship. Schools for arts & trades were now set
up by the government; henceforth plans for new buildings were to be submitted to the government for approval.
The government also imported Spanish engineer-architects. However, the Spaniards could not make up their
minds about other aspects of policy. While they opened a public school system in 1863, at the same time as on
the Spanish peninsula, & continued encouraging higher education for those who could afford it, they
discriminated against locals in appointments to positions in the State & in the Church. Peaceful reforms sought
by national hero Jose P. Rizal & other intellectuals were eyed suspiciously. A revolution, led by Andres

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 Bonifacio, exploded in 1896. Leadership of the revolution passed on to Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo who had won
victories over the Spaniards.

Taking advantage of Spain’s weakness, the USA intervened in 1898. Although the Filipino army had won much
of Luzon & Visayas & had surrounded Manila, it was the Americans who took over the capital. The new master
pioneered in the new technology. The USA invested heavily in public education, sanitation & infrastructure. For
instance, Daniel Burnham, the well-known city planner, was brought over to Manila from the USA to design a
master plan for the capital. He gave Manila its Neoclassical government buildings & a new axis of broad, tree-
lined avenues. At the same time talented Filipinos were given scholarships in design & architecture to American
schools. Despite the considerable disruption of World War II, the Americans fully recognized the Philippine
Republic’s sovereignty in 1946.

Architecture in the Philippines today is the result of a natural growth enriched with the absorption of varied
influences. It developed from the pre-colonial influences of our neighboring Malay brothers, continuing on to
the Spanish colonial period, the American Commonwealth period, and the modern contemporary times. As a
result, the Philippines has become an architectural melting pot- uniquely Filipino with a tinge of the occidental.

The late national hero for architecture, Leandro Locsin once said, that Philippine Architecture is an elusive
thing, because while it makes full use of modern technology, it is a residue of the different overlays of foreign
influences left in the Philippines over the centuries:

 the early Malay culture,

 vestiges of earlier Hindu influences,
 the more than 300 years of Spanish domination,
 the almost 50 years of American rule, and
 the Arab and Chinese influences through commerce and trade over the centuries.

What resulted may have been a hybrid, a totally new configuration which may include a remembrance of the
past, but transformed or framed in terms of its significance today.

F. Architectural Character

The Philippine's architectural landscape is a contrast among:

 small traditional huts built of wood, bamboo, nipa, grass, and other native materials;
 the massive Spanish colonial churches, convents and fortifications, with their heavy "earthquake
baroque" style;
 the American mission style architecture as well as the buildings of commerce with their modern 20th
century styles; and
 today's contemporary, albeit "modern mundane" concrete structures of the cities.

Periods of Development:

1. Early Period or Pre-Spanish/Pre-Hispanic Era

 Caves and rock shelters like the Tabon Cave in Palawan served as shelter for early Filipinos; during
this period Filipinos established their villages near bodies of water where mostly food was taken from
the sea, also from agricultural environment. In both environment houses were not built permanently &
therefore light & flexible materials were used like nipa, bamboo, cogon & timber.
 Traditionally, many settlements stretch along a coast or a river to make it easy for house-dwellers to
wash their clothes, bathe, fish & visit other villages via the waterways. The houses themselves are

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 frame constructions whwere the floor is suspended over the ground as a precaution against floods, the
humid ground & predators.
 Early pre-Hispanic houses were characterized by rectangular structures elevated on stilt foundations &
covered by voluminous thatched roofs ornamented with gable-finials & its structure could be lifted as a
whole & carried to a new site.
 Mosques, the masjid, and the langgal in Tausug & Yakan or ranggar in Maranao, emerged as Islam
was established in Sulu (14th century) & in Mindanao (15th century).

Primitive Houses:

a. Cave – ex. Tabon Cave, Palawan - largest & oldest cave dwelling; located on Lipuun Point, Quezon,
Palawan; 138-hectares of rugged cliffs and deep slopes; discovered by an American, the late Dr.
Robert B. Fox and his team of Archaeologist from the National Museum in 1962; The cave was named
Tabon after the large-footed bird that lays eggs in huge holes it digs into cave floors, many of which
have been found in the cave.

b. Tree Houses – used by the Gadangs of Kalinga, Luzon’ Manobos & Mandayas, Mindanao; Moraos of
lake Lanao; Negritos, Bukidnon, North Cotabato; Bagobos, Gulf of Davao.

c. Lean-to type – consisted of a simple, single-pitched roof resting on an inclined series of rafters made
up of tree branches with the end resting on the ground & the other end resting on horizontal wooden
lintel supported by tree trunks & roofed with grass. Used by Negritos, Aetas & dumagats known as
Bungaran.

Ethnic Houses:

d. Bahay Kubo (Nipa Hut) – square or rectangular in plan, single room house supported by stilts or posts
with walls made-up of nipa, flooring made up of sawali & stairs made up of polished bamboo ladder.
Wide overhanging windows (awning type) were made of sawali. Floorings made of bamboo slats with
spaces in between to provide natural ventilation. Built without nails, instead lashing of rattan or
bamboo strip were used. It is built from 2 – 4.5 meters above the ground. Used by people at the
lowlands in all parts of the country. Special features are banguera (bangahan/bangerahan) & poultry
sheds. Typical parts of a Bahay Kubo:
 Bulwagan – living room, receiving area with a low table called “dulang”
 Silid – sleeping area with “papag” or bamboo bed & “tampipi” instead of closets
 Silong – where farm & fishing tools, pestles, pigs & cattles are kept
 Kamalig –storage house detached from the house where unhawled rice is kept
 Gilir or Paglutuan – kitchen area containing the ff:
* Dagopan or kalan – cooking apparatus with a shoe shape stove
* Bangahan or banggera – place where pots are kept; rack for drying utensils
* Batalan – an exposed porch where child-size jars are kept & washing, drinking & bathing
took place
* Paminggalan – cabinet with slatted bamboo doors for food & utensils

e. Ifugao House (Bale) – an enclosed structure w/o windows resting on 4 tree trunks as columns. Square
in plan, covered by 4 steeply pitched roof made of thatch. A stair which can be drawn & kept from the
ground for protection. The floor height is about 1.50 – 2 meters. Can be found in the mountains of
Cordillera. Special feature is the halipan – circular disc like feature found on the posts used to keep rats
from entering the hut.

f. Maranao House (Datu House / Torogan) – royal house rectangular in plan, built on stilts above the
water, used for political & social ceremonies by the Datu, also an ancestral house for the Datu & his
family. It is built from 0.30 – 2.20 meters above the ground. Located in the lakeshore of Mindanao.
Most important features are the panolong, wood carvings on the form of snake-like dragon & the use
of colors red, yellow & blue. Other terms:

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  Bilik – emergency hideout located behind the headboard of the sultan’s bed
 Torogan – royal house with features: roof covered with thick cogon grass & framing made of
rattan & bamboo
 Lamin – tower atop the torogan where the princess & her ladies – in waiting hide during the
occasions
 Walay – ordinary Maranao House
 Panolong – ornamental carved beam ends jutting from under the flooring
 Magoyoda – combination of dragon & plant motifs
 Pako Robong – intricate design inside of maranao architecture
 Sarimanok – cock of art
 Orik – ornamental design for both scroll & geometric forms
o Orik A Datu – scroll, gentlemen’s design
o Orik A Bai – geometric forms, ladies’ design
 Naga – serpent-like design in floral design
 Birdo – motif of growing vine, crowing plant in horizontal movement

g. Ancient Malay Tagala House – rectangular in plan, raised on wooden post about 2 m above the ground
with an open roofless veranda extended from the whole front of the house. With low partitions,
projected windows & bamboo slats for flooring.

h. Indonesian House – tree dwelling type of shelter, square in plan supported by 4 wooden posts &
capped with a rounded, pyramidal thatch roof. It sunk 1 m into the ground.

i. Badjao House – built on stilts right above the water. Its flooring is made of bamboo. One important
item found in the sala is the mirror not to check the appearance but to indicate the number of children
the family has & to drive away evil spirits.
 Djenging – storage / sleeping area

Other ethnic houses:

j. Bontoc House (Fayu)
 Angan – sleeping quarters
 Choksu – utility bench
 Soklut – cooking area
 Tap-an – pounding area
 Li-im – working/eating area
k. Tausug House (Bay-sinug) – meaning bay house; house with 9 posts & walls made of bamboo; wihtout
divisions on the interior; a gabled roof & larger slit windows characterize the present day Tausug
house
l. Apayao House (Binuron/Isneg) – what makes its roof unique is the layer on layer of bamboo shingles
m. Kankana-ey House (Binangiyan) – its roof provides vents over the storage platform; this house prefers
isolation with its runo fence.
n. Mangyan House
 Palanganan – passageway in mangyan communal house
o. Kalinga House (Binayon) – can be rectangular or octagonal in plan; in rectangular, logs are piled up on
one side for added protection
 Datagan – central area found in the lower kalinga house
p. T’boli House
 Lowa – sleeping area
 Blaba – side area for conversations
 Desyung – area for entertaining guest
 Dofil – sleeping quarters for wives & children of the headman
 Fato-Hu – utility area
 Kotel - toilet
q. Sagada House (Inagamang)
r. Ibaloy House (Damal)

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2. Spanish Period – from 1565 to 1898, many European architecture influences were introduced into the
country & were adopted by the Maestro de obras. Some of the major influences were classical, gothic,
renaissance, baroque, rococo & revivalist. Two considered important architectural structure as colonial
marks of this era were “Bahay na Bato” (domestic architecture) & churches (ecclesiastical architecture.)

 In 1564, the Franciscans built the first hospital in the Philippines, Hospital Real.
 The 1573 royal ordinance of King Philip II, known as the Laws of the Indies, was prescribed & stated
that every town was to have a gridiron design (cuadricula) with a central square (plaza).
 In 1583, Intramuros was destroyed by fire, requiring all new buildings to be constructed of stone &
tile.
 Jesuit Antonio Sedeño introduced stone & masonry construction.
 Implementation of the hybrid type of construction called arquitectura mestizo:
- Wood in the upper floor & stone in the lower floor;
- House posts or haligues supported the second floor;
- Stone floors at the ground floor acted as a solid curtain concealing the wooden framework within,
and;
- Wooden pegs & dovetailed joints connected the wooden structural system together.
 The last quarter of the 19 th century witnessed the rise of accesoria (apartment dwellings), single or
two-stories high & having multiple units called viviendas.
 School buildings surface: the colegio or universidad (urban areas) & the escuela primaria (pueblos), a
cluster of multi-storey buildings in rectangular configuration with a central courtyard.
 The leading-edge technology available at that time was employed to build ports, roads, bridges,
lighthouses, waterways, piped water systems, railways & street-car systems.

Domestic architecture:

a. Ivatan House –developed by the Dominican missionaries F. Baltazar Calderon & F. Bartolome
Artiguez; built or stand directly on the ground to withstand strong winds & typhoon. Walls built 2 ½
thick are made up of adobe limestones & stones with wooden reinforcement, held together by mud
with chopped cogon. Roofs are gabled made of cogon grass or thatch covered with net made of strong
rope for protection against strong winds. The net is fastened to strong pegs or large stone buried in the
ground. Located in Batanes, since 1783. Made of 2 parts:
 Rakuh – bigger house
 Kusina – smaller house

b. Bahay na Bato / Antillean House –a permanent house made of stone (ground floor) & wood (2nd
floor). It was patterned after the stone-constructed, huge “Antillean house”; Antillean architecture
brought by the Spaniards in 1571 via Acapulco, Mexico; The style from Antilles, C. America; not
specifically suited for the hot tropics; Filipino version of Spanish colonial architecture; emerged from
17th-19th century & developed in Manila & other Philippine cities. It is an improved version of bahay
kubo in terms of materials & space allocations. Characteristics are as follows:

 Plan

Ground level (storage & carriage depots)

 Zaguan – storage for carriages & saint’s icon floats

 Cuadra – horse stable
 Bodega – storage room for old furniture & palay bins
 Entresuelo – mezzanine elevated 1.0 m above the ground, used as an office or despacho,
bedroom for old bachelor (aunt/uncle)
 Patio – enclosed courtyard, open to the sky, adjacent to the Zaguan

Second level (overhanging the ground level, specialized interior space)

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  Ceremonial stairs – 1st 3 steps made of stone concrete then succeeding steps made of wood
 Caida – an antesala, spacious hall for entertaining guest, an all-purpose room for dining,
sewing & dancing
 Sala – living room
 Comedor – dining room
 Cocina – kitchen which sometimes built separately but connected to the house proper by a
causeway
 Dispensa – food storage, adjacent to kitchen
 Comun / latrina – toilet
 Baño / paliguan – bathroom separate from the toilet
 Azotea – open terrace open to the toilet, use for laundry drying space
 Quarto – bedroom / sleeping area with “kama” or a wooden bed raised high with a woven
rattan frame as a sleeping platform
 Oratorio – prayer room
 Balcon – open hanging balcony overlooking the streets
 Al jibe / Cistern – storage for collected rain water, underneath azotea

 Walls
Ground level
 Adobe stone
 Volcanic tuff
 Bricks
 2.40 – 3.0 m thick

Second level
 wood

 Roofs
 Hipped
 30o – 60o pitch
 Nipa, clay tile (weak against earthquake, replaced by g.i. sheets)
 Ceiling height – 3.0 – 4.50 m

 Rejas
 Grillwork of ground floor windows – made possible through the importation of iron from
China
 Originally used in Spanish Romanesque
 Secure the ground floor from thieves as well as to ornament the plain
 Made of wrought iron

 Openings
 Doors – heavy planks, studded with wrought iron or brass nails
 Windows – To take advantage of cooling breezes, the bahay na bato has large windows which
surround the upper floor. Adapted from the bahay kubo, the humble capiz is now well
integrated into contemporary home décor. The windows are made of capiz shells which is a
translucent material that allows enough amount of light to pass through even if the windows
are closed. open from floor to ceiling; 1.8 m high & wide openings; sliding panels (made of
mullions with capiz shells)
 Ventanillas – Small shuttered windows located below the large windows and are screened
with balusters or grillwork so that it can be left opened when the large windows are closed
such as at night; transom window
 Calado – decorative clerestory

 Barandilyas
 Lowest part of the window “from floor to window sill (pasimano)”

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  Made of ornamented wrought iron grillwork
 Window for small children

 Columns
 Made of hard & sturdy woods
 Buttresses are seldom
 Thin bricks with exposed posts & studs were urged by the Manila government after 1880
earthquake collapsed overly rigid adobe walls
 Supporting post are exposed in front of rather than behind, the street walls thus anticipating
the form follows function aesthetics of the Bauhaus

 Ornaments
 Decorative features from neo-renaissance, neo-baroque, Victorian, Moorish, art nouveau
(American period), neo-classicism & eclecticism
 Mostly made of wood that is finely hand carved
 Plants, flowers & fruits were used as motifs in lattice works over doors & screens

 Furniture
 Mesa altar – displayed the family’s wood & ivory santos (carved saint figures) or images of
saints
 Consolas – smaller or specialized side tables
 Mesittas – center tables
 Escritorios – desks
 Baul – wooded sea chest used by travellers for storage
 Aparador – large cabinets with one or two doors stored clothes, plates & books
 Butaca or sillon – planter’s chair, wide chair with a reclining back
 Silla peresoza – lazy chair, wide chair with reclining back & wide arms ideal for afternoon
naps
 Solihiya – woven rattan mesh (replaced upholstery of the chairs in the living rooms)

Eccleciastic architecture:

 Plan – Basilican or cruciform with the convento attached to the church proper
 Styles – followed Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque & sometimes Byzantine

a. Barasoain Church, Bulacan – built in 1630 in Malolos City, Bulacan ; Founded by

Augustinian Missionaries in 1859, The original church was burned during the outbreak of the
Philippine Revolution however, it was renovated & restored by Fr. Miguel de Vera (1894);
combination of Romanesque & Renaissance architecture; three major events in Philippine
History happened in this church:
- the convening of the First Philippine Congress,
- the drafting of the Malolos Constitution, and
- the inauguration of the First Philippine Republic.

By Presidential Decree No. 260, the church was proclaimed as a National Shrine by President
Ferdinand Marcos on 1 August 1973.

b. Binondo Church, Manila – also known as Minor Basilica of St. Lorenzo Ruiz; The original
structure of the Church, formally known as Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish or The
Minor Basilica and National Shrine of San Lorenzo Ruiz, was constructed in 1596; Founded
by Dominican friars, it is one of the oldest places of Christian worship in the Philippines.
early builders: Dominicans (1596), supervision of the dome by Domingo Cruz y Gonzalez
(1781); The present granite structure was completed in 1852 some two centuries after the

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 Dominican priests built the original church in 1596; The original structure was torn down a
few times:
- during the Chinese revolt in 1603,
- during the brief occupation of the British who bombarded the structure in 1762,
- an earthquake a century after and
- during the American occupation when they bombed Manila.

Although repeatedly damaged, the church still reflects its historic Spanish and European
Baroque style and retains many elements of its original character. The octagonal bell tower,
however, is the only significant remaining part of the original structure. St. Lorenzo Ruiz,
who was a Filipino-Chinese, served as an altar boy at the church in the 17th century.

c. Las Piñas Church, Metro Manila – original design by Fr. Diego Cera (1792) & restored by
Arch. Francisco Mañosa (1975); renowned as the house of the Las Piñas Bamboo Organ, a
pipe organ made mostly with bamboo pipes. In 1795, Father Diego Cera de la Virgen del
Carmen, a native of Spain, started building the church made from adobe (volcanic) stones in
the Earthquake Baroque architectural style.

Between July 18–20, 1880, three strong earthquakes affected the country, the St. Joseph
Church and the bamboo organ severely suffered damages from the quakes. In 1882, a strong
typhoon blew the roof off of the church, which also further damaged the organ. The church
was reconstructed in 1888.

Between 1971 and 1975, with the help from the community and neighboring towns, the
church was restored by a National Artist of the Philippines for architecture, Francisco
Mañosa, with Architect Ludwig Alvarez back to its 19th-century look. The event coincided
with the return of the Las Piñas Bamboo Organ on March 13, 1975 after three years of
rehabilitation in Bonn, Germany, reviving the organ back to its original state.

d. Malate Church – early builders: Augustinians (1591), rebuilding by Columbian fathers

(1950’s); a Baroque-style church which faces a small park and beyond that Manila Bay. The
church was built originally on this spot in the sixteenth century by the Augustinians, and is
one of the oldest churches in Manila outside of Intramuros.

British soldiers took refuge in this church during their occupation of the Philippines and
attack on Intramuros in 1762-63. The church was destroyed in 1773, rebuilt, badly damaged
in World War II, and later restored again.

Malate Church is dedicated to Nuestra Senora de Remedios ("Our Lady of Remedies"), the
patroness of women in childbirth. A revered statue of the Virgin Mary in her role as Our Lady
of Remedies was brought from Spain in 1624 and stands at the altar.

e. Manila Cathedral – early builders: Dominicans, then converted into Cathedral by Fr.
Domingo Salazar. Today, it is known as Basilica of Immaculate Concepcion. The cathedral
was known as Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate under the patronage of the La Purisima
Immaculada Conception. The Church of Manila was established by the secular Juan de
Vivero who had the honor of baptizing Rajah Matanda. It was a simple structure of nipa,
wood and bamboo, materials which were readily available during that time. The fire that
razed the city in 1583 prompted the first reconstruction of the church.

The second cathedral was erected using stone as its main structure. It was an arduous task to
complete the stone church. And in a country where natural calamities are common all year
round, the cathedral was again hit hard by disasters. Earthquakes and strong typhoons lead to
the devastation of the cathedral.

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 In 1614, the new stone cathedral was built. The architectural design consists of naves, chapels
and altars. Another earthquake toppled the church in 1645 and left everything in ruins.

The present Manila Cathedral, situated at the heart of the walled city of Intramuros has gone
several major reconstructions since its inception. The Neo-Romanesque-Byzantine cathedral
has long been the seat of archbishop in the Philippines.

f. Quiapo Church – early builders: Franciscans, then original plan designed by Juan Nakpil
(1933); the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene (canonically known as Saint John the
Baptist Parish and colloquially known as Quiapo Church) is a prominent Roman Catholic
Latin-rite basilica located in the District of Quiapo in the City of Manila, Philippines. The
basilica is famous home for the shrine of the Black Nazarene, a dark statue of Jesus Christ
many faithfully claim to be miraculous.

In 1586, the Franciscan Missionaries built the first church on the site, using bamboo for the
frame and nipa palm as thatching. The original church burned down in 1639 and was replaced
by a stronger edifice, which was partially destroyed by an earthquake in 1863. Under the
supervision of Rev. Eusebio de León and Rev. Manuel Roxas, the third church was completed
in 1899. On 30 October 1928, the church again caught fire and was almost completely
destroyed. Filipino National Artist, architect Juan Nakpil (the son of composer Julio Nakpil)
added the dome and a second belfry to the edifice. Miraculously, the church survived the
ravages of the Second World War, despite its surrounding buildings being completely
destroyed.

g. San Agustin Church, Intramuros – originally known as "inglesia de San Pablo", founded in
1571 is the oldest stone church (built in 1589) in the Philippines. When the Augustinian order
arrived in Intramuros, they were the first missionary order in the Philippines. These pioneers
established themselves in Manila via (1) a small church made of thatch and bamboo. This was
christened the Church and Monastery of Saint Paul in 1571, but the building didn't last long -
it went up in flames (along with much of the surrounding city) when the Chinese pirate
Limahong attempted to conquer Manila in 1574. (2) A second church - made of wood -
suffered the same fate. On the third try, the Augustinians got lucky: (3) the stone structure that
they completed in 1606 survives to the present day, reconstructed by Juan Macias.

San Agustín Church measures 67.15 meters long and 24.93 meters wide. The church interior
is in the form of a Latin cross. The church has 14 side chapels and a trompe-l'oeil ceiling
painted in 1875 by Italian artists Cesare Alberoni and Giovanni Dibella. geometric designs
and religious themes explode across the ceiling, creating a three-dimensional effect with paint
and imagination alone. At the far end of the church, a gilded retablo (reredo) takes center
stage. The pulpit is also gilded and decorated with pineapple and flowers, a true Baroque
original.

The church contains the tomb of Spanish conquistadors "El Adelentado Miguel Lopez de
Legaspi" Founder of the City of Manila, Juan de Salcedo and Martín de Goiti, as well as
several early Spanish Governors-General and archbishops. Their bones are buried in a
communal vault near the main altar.  The painter Juan Luna, and the statesmen Pedro A.
Paterno and Trinidad Pardo de Tavera are among the hundreds of laypersons whose remains
are also housed within the church.

The church's former monastery now houses the museum. The only surviving piece from a bell
tower damaged by an earthquake stands guard at the entrance: a 3-ton bell inscribed with the
words, "the Most Sweet Name of Jesus". The receiving hall (Sala Recibidor) now houses
ivory statues and jeweled church artifacts. Up the staircase, visitors can visit the monastery's
old library, a porcelain room, and a vestments room, along with an access hall to the church's
choir loft, which bears an ancient pipe organ & hand-carved 17th-century seats of molave, a
beautiful tropical hardwood.

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h. San Sebastian Church – the 1st all iron church in the world (1891), early builders:
Augustinians Recollects then Engr. Don Genaro Palacios y Guerra designed the present
church. Formally known as the Basilica Minore de San Sebastian; A Roman Catholic minor
basilica. It is the seat of the Parish of San Sebastian and the National Shrine of Our Lady of
Mt. Carmel. An example of the revival of Gothic architecture in the Philippines, it is the only
all-steel church or basilica in Asia.

In 1621, Don Bernardino Castillo, a generous patron and a devotee of the Christian martyr
Saint Sebastian, donated the land upon which the church stands now. The original church,
made of wood, burned in 1651 during a Chinese uprising. The succeeding structures, which
were built of brick, were destroyed by fire and earthquakes in 1859, 1863, and 1880.

In the 1880s, Estebán Martínez, the parish priest of the ruined church, approached the Spanish
architect, Genaro Palacios, with a plan to build a fire and earthquake-resistant structure made
entirely of steel. Palacios completed a design that fused Earthquake Baroque with the Neo-
Gothic style. His final design was said to have been inspired by the famed Gothic Burgos
Cathedral in Burgos, Spain. The prefabricated steel sections that would compose the church
were manufactured in Binche, Belgium.

In all, 52 tons of prefabricated steel sections were transported in eight separate shipments
from Belgium to the Philippines, the first shipment arriving in 1888. Belgian engineers
supervised the assembly of the church. The first column of the church was erected on
September 11, 1890.

The walls were filled with mixed sand, gravel and cement. The stained glass windows were
imported from the Henri Oidtmann Company, a German stained glass firm. Local artisans
assisted in applying the finishing touches of the steel church. The church was raised to the
status of a minor basilica by Pope Leo XIII on June 24, 1890.

It has long been reputed that Gustave Eiffel, the French engineer behind the Eiffel Tower and
the steel structure within the Statue of Liberty, was involved in the design and construction of
San Sebastián Church.

San Sebastián Church has two openwork towers and steel vaulting. The basilica's central nave
is twelve meters from the floor to the dome, and thirty-two meters to the tip of the spires. The
interior of the church displays groined vaults in the Gothic architecture style. The steel
columns, walls, and ceiling were painted by Lorenzo Rocha and his students to give off a
faux-marble and jasper appearance. Trompe l'oeil paintings were used to decorate the interiors
of the church.

In the 1970s, the famed architect I. M. Pei had visited Manila to confirm reports he had heard
that Eiffel had designed an all-steel church in Asia. When Pei inspected San Sebastián
Church, he reportedly pronounced that the metal fixtures and overall structure were indeed
designed by Eiffel.

i. Santa Cruz Church, Manila – early builders: Jesuits, Fr. Agustin de Mendoza reconstruct the
church (1868); On June 24, 1784, the King of Spain gave the deeds to about 2 sq km of land
that was part of the Hacienda de Mayhaligue to the San Lazaro Hospital which served as a
caring home for lepers in Manila at that time. The land was awarded to the Jesuits in 1581,
then later on June 20 1608, they built a church where the present Sta Cruz Church stands. The
church served as a parish for Chinese immigrants to Manila, in which many of them were
converted into the Catholic faith.

The original structure of the church was twice damaged by earthquakes, but was totally
destroyed during the Second World War. The belfry of the church was restored to its original

11
 structure, the facade was now painted and the bricks in those old photos were all gone. The
present building of the church, reconstructed in 1957, was designed to reflect the Spanish
baroque style.

Sta. Cruz Church is surrounded by three open spaces; Plaza Sta. Cruz in front, Plaza Goiti at
the rear, and a wide street on the right leading to Calle Escolta. In the 1900s, these areas came
to be known as downtown Manila. The centerpiece of the Plaza Sta. Cruz is the 19th
century Carriedo Fountain, which honors the legacy of philanthropist Don Francisco
Carriedo y Perredo who left in his will the establishment of the first waterworks system for
Manila.

Plaza Goiti, was also the city’s transportation network, where the tranvia ferried commuters to
old Manila‘s major thoroughfares. Named after Martin de Goiti, the busy plaza was
renamed Plaza Lacson in honor of the city’s first elected mayor, Arsenio H. Lacson.

j. Sto. Domingo Church, Quezon City – The church is known for the Feast of La Naval,
celebrated annually on 7 October. This feast in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary
commemorates the victory of the Spanish against the Dutch, who tried to invade Manila. It is
believed that the victory, involving a number of naval battles, happened through the Virgin
Mary’s intercession.

Measuring 85 meters in length, 40 meters in width and 25 meters in height, it is easily one of
the largest churches in the Philippines. The church is spacious. The total floor area is 3,400 sq
m, enough to accommodate more than 7,000 people. Its width gives it a cavernous and
magnificent appearance. It has two lateral naves, each with a five-meter width. Despite this,
there is no column at the center for support, a construction feat even today. Santo Domingo
Church is the biggest in Metro Manila and one of the biggest churches in Asia. The massive
church is a unique blend of Spanish colonial and modern architecture.

The Quezon City church, in fact, was the 6th Santo Domingo Church.

1st - built on a site near the University of Sto. Tomás University, on the northeastern flank of
Intramuros, near the Pasig, Bishop Domingo Salazar contributed 300 pesos toward the
purchase of land and 3,000 more for construction of a church of light material (nipa and
cogon) In 1589, the church’s roof collapsed.
2nd – made of stone inaugurated on 9 April 1592; burned during a fire on 30 April 1603.
3rd – church was built with stone vault but it collapsed on 30 November 1610 during an
earthquake.
4th - church of stone and hardwood; stayed standing for more than 200 years. On 15 June
1862, the church inaugurated a new façade said to have been patterned after Christopher
Wren’s plans for St. Paul’s in London, In 1863, the church collapsed during an
earthquake, a little less than a year since the new façade was completed.
5th - fifth was in the Neogothic style, designed by Felix Roxas Sr. with the upper story made
of wood and metal, resting on a lower story of stone, as caution against earthquake,
construction supervised by Fray Sixto and Fray Ristoro; damaged by Japanese
bombardment on 21 December 1941.
6th - After the war, the Dominicans built a new Sto. Domingo, designed by Jose Maria
Zaragosa, (who was still a student of architecture at UST when the Dominicans
commissioned him to design the church) in the Spanish Moderne style, along Quezon
Blvd. in Quezon City.

The site of Sto. Domingo is presently occupied by Far East Bank, Tuason-Gonzales Bldg.,
Beneficial Life, Letran’s gym and a parking lot.

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 The facade is notable for its massiveness and its clean lines. At the foot of the 44-meter tower
is the relief of St. Dominic, carved by the Italian sculptor Francesco Monti. At the top of the
entrance is a dramatic bas-relief of the Battle of La Naval, also by Monti.

Inside are beautiful stained-glass windows by Galo Ocampo, depicting the old 15 mysteries of
the rosary. The windows are large, measuring some 21 sq m. A huge mosaic of St. Dominic
constitutes the simple but imposing altar. The mosaic consists of colored stones imported
from Italy and inlaid to form a big picture of the founder of the Order of Preachers.

The late National Artist Carlos “Botong” Francisco depicted important incidents in the life of
St. Dominic in colorful murals at the cupola. Eight in all, the murals in the cupolas measure
three meters wide by nine meters long. On the corners of the cupola are the figures of the four
evangelists, done in vivid brown tones by Antonio Garcia Llamas.

The church has natural ventilation. The special plywood ceiling is perforated to allow the
escape of hot air & is also painted white to permit the reflection of the neon lights inside, and
thus give indirect lighting to the whole interior.

Terminologies:
1. Trompe l'oeil - visual illusion in art, esp. as used to trick the eye into perceiving a painted detail as a
three-dimensional object.
2. Loft - a room or space directly under the roof of a house or other building, which may be used for
accommodations or storage.
3. Perforated - Having a hole or holes, especially a row of small holes. 
4. Thatch - a roof covering of straw, reeds, palm leaves, or a similar material.
5. Conquistador - a conqueror, esp. one of the Spanish conquerors of Mexico and Peru in the 16th
century.

Military Buildings:
a. Fort Santiago or Fuerza de Santiago – named after Santiago Matamoro (St. James Slayer of the
Moors); one of the oldest fortifications in Manila,  built in 1571, on the site of the native settlement
of Raja Soliman. The original Fort was fenced with a structure of logs and earth during its early
construction but Chinese pirate Limahong attacked and destroyed the Fort sometime in 1574. Stone
fort built under the governorships of Santiago De Vera (1584-1590) and Gomez Perez Dasmarinas
(1590-1593) between 1589 & 1592, reconstructed and reinforced with the use of carved stones and
mud cement. The defense fortress is part of the structures of the walled city of Manila referred to as
Intramuros (Latin for “within the walls”).  In 1645 a great earthquake destroyed most of the edifice
but the Spaniards again repaired and restored the Fort in 1658 to 1663. During the British
occupation of the country in 1762 to 1764, it was used as their Headquarters. When the Americans
conquered the City in 1778 they renovated Fort Santiago where it was converted as the U.S. Army
Philippine Division Command Center. 

When Japan occupied the Philippines in 1942 during World War 2, the Japanese Military used the
Fort as their base where they imprisoned, tortured and executed hundreds of Filipino civilians and
guerillas. The U.S. Liberation Forces came to Manila in 1945 and battled the Japanese, damaging
the Fort severely during the Battle of Manila in 1945. Later, it was used as a depot of the US
Transportation Corps before turnover to the Philippine government in 1946. Declared “Shrine of
Freedom” in 1950. Restoration & maintenance of the fort began in 1951 under the National Parks
Development Committee. Management was turned over to the Intramuros Administration in 1992.

Fort Santiago was also the place where the Philippine National Hero, Jose Rizal, was imprisoned
prior to his execution at Bagumbayan. His bone, with a bullet wound, was enshrined in a glass urn
and placed in Fort Santiago as a secular relic sometime through the years. This has become one of
the many historical items now displayed at the Fort’s museum. Many other items during the
Spanish Times are for viewing at the improved Fort, which included paintings done on Jose Rizal

13
 and the persons with him during his time as well as samples of the clothes and utensils used in
those eras. 

Inside Fort Santiago:

 Baluarte de San Miguel - One of two fortifications guarding the bridge entering Fort Santiago;
faces Manila bay.
 Medio Baluarte de San Francisco - One of two fortifications guarding the bridge entering Fort
Santiago; faces Pasig river.
 Baluarte de Santa Bárbara – faces Manila bay and Pasig River; named after St. Barbara,
patroness of the artillery corps was initially built as a wooden platform in 1593. Storage vaults
and bomb-proof powder magazines were added in 1599.
 Plaza Armas - fort’s main square; surrounded by military barracks with Rizal’s statue at the
center
 Rajah Sulayman theater (Dulaang Rajah Sulayman) - an open air theater under the grounds of
Fort Santiago which was ruins of a former Spanish military barracks; designed and
conceptualized by Guidote
 Rizal Shrine – modern museum built in 1953 & houses the memorabilla of our national hero
Jose Rizal; It is made up of several rooms, each one arranged around a theme; in 1593, the
structure was a barracks building for Spanish soldiers; Rizal’s cell was in the former Cuarto
de Repuesto or storage area & pantry
 Postigo de la Nuestra Señora del Soledad (Postern of Our Lady of Solitude) - fort occupants
used this gate as a passage to the Pasig River; In 1762, Lieutenant Governor-General Simon
de Anda escaped here with part of the city's treasury and official documents as British soldiers
captured the city
 Dungeons – used to be the storage vaults & powder magazine of the Baluarte de Santa
Barbara; was the cellar where food supplies were kept & was converted as prison cells
 Falsabraga de Media Naranja - which means half orange; a semicircular gun platform, built to
augment the river defenses of the fort
 Falsabraga de Santa Barbara – probably built ca. 1729 to augment the river defenses of the
fort
 Baluarte de San Diego – was called Nuestra Señora de Guia, designed by Jesuit priest
Antonio Sedeño, abandoned due to its unstable foundations; New baluarte constructed with
orillons (curved corners) masking cannons on the flanks.

b. Fort Pilar, Zamboanga or Real Fuerza de Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragosa - The Royal Fort of
Our Virgin Lady of the Pillar of Zaragoza (Fort Pilar) used to be a 17th-century military defense
fortress built by the Spanish colonial government in Zamboanga. History has it that a Jesuit priest-
engineer by the name of Fr. Melchor de Vera built the fort in 1635 to protect the city from invaders
that include the Moros, the Dutch and the British. Originally named as La Fuerza Real de San Jose,
the fort is named after and dedicated to Our Lady of the Pillar, the patroness of the Archdiocese of
Zamboanga. Its image is embossed at the altar (which was then an entrance of the fort). Fort Pilar is
now an outdoor Roman Catholic Marian shrine and houses a regional museum of the National
Museum of the Philippines.

c. Fort of Iligan or Fuerza de San Miguel, Iligan City by Fr. Francisco Ducos - Originally named San
Francisco Xavier, it was renamed San Miguel later. Fort San Francisco may have been built by the
Jesuits as early as the 17th century. Built as an outer outpost to contain the expansion of the
Cotabato sultanate into northern Mindanao, the fort kept Sultan Kudarat of Cotabato from
overrunning northern Mindanao. Damaged by a 1916 flood, there are presently no traces of the fort.
Oral tradition identifies the fort’s site as the district of Timoga, Iligan City, near the mouth of the
Timoga River.

d. Fort San Pedro or Fuerza de San Pedro, Cebu City – smallest & oldest fort in the Philippines; built
by Spanish and Cebuano laborers as a military defense structure. The fort’s name was taken from

14
 Miguel Lopez de Legazpi’s flagship “San Pedro” in which he sailed the Pacific Ocean. They started
the building of Fort San Pedro on May 8, 1565 eleven days after their arrival in Cebu with Legazpi
himself breaking the ground.  It is triangle in shape with one side fronting the land and the other
two sides facing the sea.  The two sides facing the sea were defended with artillery and the front
with a strong palisade made of wood. On each corner of the Fort are three towers that served as
bastions. These are La Concepcion at the southwest, Ignacio de Loyola at the southeast, and San
Miguel at the North. As originally intended, these bastions are actually viewing decks. The Bastion
La Concepcion affords guests with a panoramic view of the ‘Malacañang sa Sugbo’ as well as the
Cebu Post Office. The bastion San Miguel (NE) was the “Alamazaros del Rivera” (powder
magazine where the fort’s supply or arms and gunpowder from Manila were stored).The fort has a
total land area of 2,025 sq. meters and the walls are 20 feet high with 8 feet thick. The towers are 30
feet high from the ground. The circumference is 1248 feet. The sides of the fort are unequal lengths
and the side fronting the city is where one may find entry to Fort San Pedro. The fort contains the
necessary buildings. The largest of these buildings was the “Cuerpo de Guardia” where the
personnel that manned the fort lived. Adjacent to it was the “Vivende del Teniente” which was the
living quarters of the lieutenant of the Fort. In between the aforementioned buildings is a well.

School Buildings:
a. Collegio de Sto. Tomas (now University of Sto. Tomas) by Fr. Roque Roaño, O.P. - the oldest
existing university in Asia. In terms of student population, it is the largest Catholic university in
the world in a single campus. The institution was established through the initiative of Bishop
Miguel de Benavides, O.P., third Archbishop of Manila. On July 24, 1605, he bequeathed the
amount of P1,500 and his personal library for the establishment of a “seminary-college” to prepare
young men for the priesthood. Those funds, and his personal library, became the nucleus for the
start of UST and its library.

The founding of the University of Santo Tomas followed on April 28, 1611. With the original
campus located in Intramuros, the Walled City of Manila, UST was first called Colegio de Nuestra
Señora del Santisimo Rosario, and later renamed Colegio de Santo Tomas, in memory of the
foremost Dominican Theologian, St. Thomas Aquinas.

In 1785 in recognition of the role of the students and faculty in resisting the British, King Charles
III conferred the title of “loyal” to the university and formally granted it the status of a royal
university. On September 17, 1902, Pope Leo XIII made the University of Santo Tomas a
“Pontifical University”, and by 1947, Pope Pius XII bestowed upon it the title of “The Catholic
University of the Philippines”. The University of Santo Tomas is the second university in the
world after the Gregorian University in Rome to be granted the formal title of Pontifical
University. The Gregorian University was allowed to assume this title in 1873.

The continuing increase in enrolment prompted the administration, in 1927 to transfer the
university campus from Intramuros to its present site in Sampaloc district, which covers a total of
21.5 hectares. The Intramuros campus continued to operate until its destruction during the Second
World War.

b. San Agustin College, Iloilo (now University of San Agustin) by Joaquin Diaz - The Provincial
Chapter held in Manila in 1893 appointed Fr. Manuel Gutierrez to take the lead in building the
school, which the latter initiated by purchasing a lot. But the cornerstone of the school was not laid
until 1895 when Fr. Fernando Llorente, the famed architect of the beautiful Janiuay (Iloilo)
cemetery, took over the construction project. Fr. Joaquin Diaz, after putting up the Oton church,
subsequently finished Llorente's work. 

     But the fruit of the magnanimous labors of the Augustinian builders was not used for its raison
d'etre. The American troops invaded in Iloilo in 1899 and transformed the school building into a
garrison. The structure was so heavily damaged that it had to undergo a major overhaul in the first
months of 1904. 

15
      On July 15, 1904, the school finally opened. It started as an exclusive school for boys, most of
whom were internos or student-boarders. In July 1912, the pioneer Augustinian administrators,
headed by the first rector Fr. Bernabe Jimenez, incorporated the school with the University of
Santo Tomas in Manila in a bid to seek government recognition for its courses. Eventually, the
school became independent of the University of Santo Tomas and was legally incorporated as the
Colegio de San Agustin de Iloilo on February 5, 1917.

In 1931, the Colegio's lot area was expanded by 2,810 square meters more. The opening of
the College of Education in 1940 also marked the first time the Colegio admitted female
students. In the outbreak of the Second World War, the Japanese invaders ordered the closure of
schools, only to have them reopened (with strict censorship) in June 1943. The air raids and
bombings in 1944 left the Colegio's buildings in ruins, except the Urdaneta Hall. It  was granted
"University" status on March 1, 1953, making the institution the first University on Western
Visayas, and, to date, the only Augustinian university in the Asian-Pacific region.

c. San Juan de Letran College by Fr. Miguel Narro - Colegio de San Juan de Letran emerged from
the fusion of two similar institutions both located in Intramuros (Colegio de Niños Huerfanos de
San Juan de Letran founded in 1620 by Don Juan Geronimo Guerrero & Colegio de Huerfanos de
San Pedro y San Pablo established by the Dominican brother Diego de Santa Maria at the
Convent of Santo Domingo). Both colleges’ purpose was to educate and mold orphans into good
Christian citizens. The name San Juan de Letran was inspired from the major basilica of Saint
John Lateran in Rome, mother of all Christian churches.  

In 1690, Letran was declared as an ecclesiastical college.  A royal decree of May 1865
pronounced Letran as a College of the First Class. The school’s curriculum was reviewed and
revised according to European and American patterns in 1886.  In 1937, a three-storey building
replaced the old structure. The growth of the Colegio was temporarily arrested when the building
was bombed in 1941 and then turned into a garrison by the Japanese army in 1944. After the war
in 1946, Letran returned to its home in Intramuros.

3. American Period – 1898 marked the beginning of the American Period. Prior to American colonization,
the architectural profession was essentially embodied by the maestro de obras (literally translated as
“master builder”). There was no actual title of “architect.” Instead the maestro de obras was
responsible for the construction and supervision over the erection of public & private structures.

The nearest form of architectural education during the Spanish period was the Escuela Practica y
Profesional de Artes Oficio de Manila – first training school to train to be Maestro de Obras, which
was established by the Spanish government in 1890. Among the first graduates of this school were
Arcadio Arellano, Juan Carreon, Julio Hernandez & Isidro Medina.

 Arcadio Arellano – first Filipino to be employed by the Americans as one of their

architectural advisors.

In 1900, the Americans came. Dr. Leon María Guerrero and Don Enrique Mendiola established a
School for Master Builders, “Liceo de Manila” with 2 classifications:

a. MO-P (practical experience of 5 years)

b. MO-A (completion of academic training of the Master builder’s course)

Liceo de Manila was a private institution offering academic course for maestro de obras & headed by
Leon Ma. Guerrero. Francisco Agraran, Carlos Diaz, Antonio Goguico, Angel Tampinco & Zoilo
Villanueva were among the first graduates of the Liceo.

16
In 1902, Americans introduced the use of the toilet via a pail conservancy system, or cubeta, in Manila.
In the same year, Academia de Arquitectura y Agrimensura de Filipinas – first Architectural Society in
the Philippines was founded. The Academia was a professional organization merging the practitioners
of architecture, civil engineering and surveying. In 1903, it was amended to Academia de Inginiera,
Arquitectura y Agrimensura de Filipinas. The Academia merged with the Liceo & established Ëscuela
de Inginiera y Arquitectura, which offered a 5-year course in architecture and civil engineering. But
then, the Escuela ceased to operate after its first year of inception.

Also in 1903, the Insular government had launched a scholarship program that allowed Filipino
students to pursue university education in the United Stated known as the pensionado program.
Recipients, called Pensionados, in the field of architecture were:
 Carlos Barretto – first recipient who received academic degree at the Drexel Institute of
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania & graduated in 1907. First Filipino Architect under the American
Period with Academic title MO-A. Became one of the pioneering staff of the Division of
Architecture.
 Antonio Toledo – the youngest pensionado sent to the US to study architecture at the age of
16; master of the Neoclassic style & was among the first architect educators being one of the
pioneer professors of Mapua Institute of Technology & taught there until 1967. He designed
Leyte Provincial Capitol, Manila City Hall, Bureau of Customs, Department of Tourism &
Finance Buildings.
 Tomas Mapua – holds the distinction of being the first registered Architect in the Philippines;
founder of Mapua Institute of Technology; known civic leader & became a councilor in
Manila; Buildings he designed were Librada Avelino Hall, Centro Escolar University & J.
Mapua Memorial Hall, Mapua Institute of Technology.
 Juan Arellano – best known for Manila Metropolitan Theater (1935), Legislative building
(1926, now houses the National Museum of the Philippines), Manila Central Post Office
Building (1926), Bank of the Philippine Islands Cebu Main Branch (1940) Malcolm Hall at
UP-Diliman and the Jones Bridge.
 Tomas Arguelles – known as a public administrator who advocated the enforcement of the
Building Code of Manila.

Together with the maestro de obras like Arcadio Arellano, these “first generation” Filipino architects
combined Beaux Arts elements – aesthetic proportions, optical corrections – with the influences of
modernism & the concepts of utility & honesty of architecture.

In 1906, the construction of the Asylum for the Insane in San Lazaro instigated the use of reinforced
concrete as the standard construction material for all government structures. Buildings that defined the
pre-war skyline of Manila include the El Hogar Filipino Building, Hongkong Shanghai Bank Building,
Pacific Commercial Company
Building, Filipinas Insurance Company Building, China Banking Corporation, French Renaissance
Luneta Hotel, and the Mariano Uy Chaco Building.

In 1908, Escuela reorganized & reopened its doors to students but this time offered a 3-year course for
architecture, civil engineering and electrical engineering. In 1912, Escuela was closed. Then other
schools that offered architecture were:

 Mapua Institute of Technology (1925) – offered 4-year degree course leading to a degree in
architecture.
 University of Sto. Tomas (1930) – opened its School of Fine Arts & Architecture.
 Adamson University (1941) – opened its School of Architecture.
 Cebu Institute of Technology (1946) – first architecture school outside Manila.

In 1908, the concept of a well-planned neighborhood called Sanitary Barrio was introduced & led to
the tsalet, a crossbreed of the tropical features of vernacular buildings with hygienic structural
principles & modern materials.

17
 Chalet - a type of building or house, native to the Alpine region in Europe; made of wood, with a
heavy, gently sloping roof and wide, well-supported eaves set at right angles to the front of the
house.

Daniel Burnham, the father of the City Beautiful Movement, was consulted by then-Secretary of War
William Howard Taft for advice on a plan to rebuild, modernize &  design master plans for Manila &
Baguio. Burnham endorsed the appointment to Beaux Arts-trained William Parsons as Consulting
Architect (1905-1914) whose contribution to local architecture include:

 The Kahn system of concrete reinforcements & concrete hollow blocks;

 The use of termite-resistive Philippine hardwood; and
 The concept for the mass fabrication of standard building types.

The “second generation’ architects emerged in the late 1920’s and 1930’s and introduced the Art Deco,
characterized by exuberant exoticism & ornamentation, namely:
 Andres Luna de San Pedro - son of the great Filipino painter Juan Luna & himself a highly
acclaimed painter; studied Arts in Paris where he got his diploma in 1911 and went on to
study Architecture and finished in 1918; served as architect of the City of Manila from 1920-
1924; His works in the revivalist style include Legarda Elementary School & Rafael
Fernandez House; Works in the art deco and modern styles include Perez-Samanillo Building,
Regina Building & Crystal Arcade; His works which were included in the Manila’s 1925
House Beautiful Contest were Perkin’s House & Jacobo Zobel residence.
 Fernando Ocampo – received his Bachelor of Arts in Ateneo de Manila in 1914, his Civil
Engineering degree in UST in 1919 and studied Architecture in the University of
Pennsylvania; in 1928, he joined Architect Tomas Arguelles to form their Architecture Firm;
Likewise they also formed the UST School of Architecture and became one of the pioneer
faculties of the University; In 1929 - 1930, he is one of the Members of the Board of
Architecture; His works include Angela Apartments, the Calvo Building, the UST Central
Seminary, the postwar Manila Cathedral & San Fernando Cathedral, Pampanga.
 Pablo Antonio - second & one of the five National Artists in Architecture and one of the
pioneers in Modern Architecture in the Philippines; graduated in University of London in
1927; major works include the Ideal Theater, Far Eastern University Administration and
Science buildings, Manila Polo Club, Lyric Theater, Galaxy Theater, Capitan Luis Gonzaga
Building, Boulevard-Alhambra apartments, Ramon Roces Publications Building (now
Guzman Institute of Electronics).
 Juan Nakpil – 1st National Artist in Architecture; graduate of UST; conferred on June 12,
1973, as National Artist; greatest contribution is his belief that there is such a thing as
Philippine Architecture, espousing architecture reflective of Philippine traditions and culture;
major works are the Magsaysay Building, Rizal Theater, Capitol Theater, Captain Pepe
Building, Manila Jockey Club, Rufino Building, Philippine Village Hotel, University of the
Philippines Administration and University Library, the reconstructed Rizal house in Calamba,
Laguna.

The 3-year Japanese occupation grounded all architectural production to a standstill.

Significant facts:

 From 1930-1966, the Program of Architecture was 4 years. In 1967, a new 5-year program was
introduced with a total of 210 units.
 In 1933, Juan Nakpil founded the Philippine Architect’s Society & became the president
 In 1945, it was amended to Philippine Institute of Architects, other societies established like:
League of Philippine Architects (LPA) & Association of Philippine Government Architects
(APGA) & these two merged to become United Architects of the Philippines (UAP)
 Filipino Architects brought to Europe to study: Felix Roxas y Arroyo & Diego Hervas

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  Two new building materials introduced:
 Galvanized iron
 Reinforced concrete
 Important features of early Government Buildings:
 Use of classical orders
 Grand stairway
 Symmetrical planning
 Monumentality
 Building Examples:
 Masonic Temple
 Post Office
 Legislative
 Agriculture
 Philippine Normal College
 Philippine General Hospital
 Manila Hotel
 Army & Navy Club
 Metropolitan Theater

4. Commonwealth Period – The Commonwealth era is the 10 year transitional period in Philippine
history from 1935 to 1945 in preparation for independence from the United States as provided for
under the Philippine Independence Act or more popularly known as the  Tydings-McDuffie Law. The
Commonwealth era was interrupted when the Japanese occupied the Philippines in January 2, 1942.

Due to improved method of concrete & steel construction & use of new materials, Philippine
Architects were ushered on a more Filipino participation in evolving new architectural design in the
construction of buildings. Among the Filipino Architects were:

 Andres Luna de San Pedro – Crystal Arcade, Escolta

 Pablo Antonio – FEU, Manila Polo Club
 Juan Nakpil – Main Library, Rizal Theater
 Fernando Ocampo – UST Seminary, Manila Cathedral, Ambassador Hotel

5. Post World War II – The aftermath of the second world war left nothing but destruction in its wake,
and a time of rebuilding ensued. The modern era dawned on Philippine architecture using the simple
straight lines of the International Modern Style as a chief mode of expression. In 1946, the independent
Philippines expressed its identity by implementing modernism through the utilization of reinforced
concrete, steel & glass, the predominance of cubic forms, geometric shapes & Cartesian grids, & the
absence of applied decoration.

In 1947, a corps of architects & engineers were tasked to study modern US & Latin American capitals
& formulate the master plan for Manila. New buildings departed from the neoclassic & art décor
getting fresh inspiration from the west. Federico Ilustre, consulting architect from the 1950’s to 1970’s,
worked on the buildings at the Elliptical Road in Quezon City. The centerpiece is the 66-meter high
Art Deco Quezon Memorial Monument, composed of 3 pylons topped by winged figures representing
the 3 island groups.

The 1950 & 1960’s staple architectural elements were the brise-soleil (sunbreaker), glass walls,
pierced screens & thin concrete shells. Sun breakers by Oscar Niemeyer were extensively used.

In the domestic front, one storey California style bungalow with picture windows & lanai & 2-3 car
garage. This new status symbol represents the Americanization of the Filipino houses.

Earlier, the low-cost urban housing was provided by the wooden row house called Accesoria – 2 storey
unit each with 3 or 4 meter wide & had backyard if fortunate at the back.

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 Government housing project built after the war provide one storey, cement block dwelling either
detached or joined with others. Multi-storey tenements were the alternative response for the need of
mass housing.

The post-war doctrine was “Form follows function,” professed by the “third generation” architects
namely:

 Cesar Concio - the first University Architect of the University of the Philippines; among his works
are: Church of the Risen Lord (UP), Melchor Hall (UP- Eng& Arch building), Palma Hall (UP-
CAS building), Insular Life Building & Children’s Hospital
 Angel Nakpil
 Alfredo Luz
 Gabriel Formoso
 Carlos Arguelles

The 1950’s also witnessed Space Age aesthetics & Soft Modernism, which experimented with the
sculptural plasticity of poured concrete to come up with soft & sinuous organic forms with the use of
thin-shell technology. Examples are:
 Space Age: Victor Tiotuyco’s UP International Center & Jose Zaragoza’s Union Church; and
 Soft Modernism: Church of the Risen Lord, Church of the Holy Sacrifice (UP Chapel), and the
Philippine Atomic Research Center.

Until the 1950’s, the height of buildings was limited by law to 30 meters or 10 storey. With the
amendment of Manila Ordinance No. 4131, a high-rise fever redefined Manila’s skyline:
 Angel Nakpil’s 12-storey Pichache Building, considered as the first skyscraper in the Philippines.
 Cesar Concio’s The Insular Life Building, the first office building to surpass the old 30-meter
height restriction.

6. Late 20th Century – In the 1960’s, Filipino architects incorporated some modernist formal principles
by employing local materials & referencing vernacular traditions:
 The Mañosa Brothers’ Sulo Hotel & Esso Gas Stations
 Francisco Fajardo’s Max’s Restaurant
 Felipe Mendoza’s Holiday Hill’s Golf Club House
 Otilio Arellano’s Philippine pavilion for the 1964 New York World’s Fair

In the 1970’s, former First Lady Imelda Marcos pursued a singular “national architectural style” to
concretize the official maxim of Isang Bansa, Isang Diwa (One Nation, One Soul). The oil crisis of
1973 gave rise to a movement for energy-efficient designs called Tropical Regionalism:
 The Mañosa Brothers’San Miguel Corporation Headquarters Building
 Felipe Mendoza’s Development Academy of the Philippines
 Locsin’s Benguet Corporation Building
 Jorge Ramos’ GSIS Building

The Marcos regime set the impressive & monumental construction in Metro Manila. Buildings
constructed during his time were:
 CCP, Folk Arts Theater, PICC, Philippine Plaza – by Leandro Locsin
 Manila Film Center – Froilan Hong
 Heart Center, Lung Center, Kidney Center – George Ramos
 Batasang Pambansa – F.C. Mendoza
 PNB – Carlos Arguelles
 GSIS Hospital – Pablo Cruz
 ADB – C. de Castro
 Twin Towers Ayala

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  San Miguel ProCathedral – Juan Nakpil
 Coconut Palace

7. The New Millennium – Exemplified by the garish application of pastel colors & the mixing &
matching of ornaments & styles. Skyscrapers adopted the tripartite division of columnar architecture
(Tower-on-the-podium): the podium, the shaft, and the crown.

Rise of master-planned micro-cities like Bay Vity, Eastwood City, Fort Bonifacio Global Cioty &
Rockwell Center, retails environments SM Mall of Asia, Gateway Mall, TriNoma, and Greenbelt Mall;
and gated communities of suburban pretensions.

Global architectural firms bestow “designer labels” to megastructures like Michael Graves’ Worlf
Trade Exchange, IM Pei’s Essensa Towers, Arquitectonica’s Pacific Plaza Tower, Kohn pederden Fox
Associates’ LKG Tower, and Skidmore & Owings & Merrill’s Yuchengco Tower. Architects were
labeled as late-modernists & later as neo-modernists & super modernists. Inspirations were drawn from
aircraft technology, robotics, and cyberspace as demonstrated by the One San Miguel Building, the
PBCom Tower, & the GT International Tower.

Reflective blue or aquamarine curtain walls, aluminum cladding, metallic sun visors & metal mullions
are mainstays of millennium skyscrapers. Presence of architecture of deconstruction, which is
characterized physically by controlled fragmentation, nonlinear design processes, stimulating
unpredictability, asymmetric geometries, and orchestrated chaos like the works of Alexius Medalla,
Eduardo Calma, & Joey Yupangco. There were advances in computer-aided design (CAD) &
computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) technologies.

The clamor to fight climate change has generated “green architecture” to minimize the negative results
of modernity and building high rise structures. The current trend is to improve efficiency of
constructed buildings while moderating the use of energy.

PHILOSOPHIES & FAMOUS WORKS OF FILIPINO ARCHITECTS:

1. Leandro Locsin : “Creating Architecture that is both modern & undeniably Filipino”

Famous works:
 Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP)
 Makati Stock Exchange
 Manila Mandarin Hotel
 Manila Hotel
 Benguet Center
 Davao Insular Hotel
 Philippine Plaza Hotel
 Ninoy International Airport
 Philippine International Convention Center (PICC)
 Palace of Sultan of Brunei “Istana Nurul Iman”
 PLDT Building
 NPC Center
 Greenbelt Square
 Manila Intercon Hotel
 Ayala Museum

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  Locsin Building
 Church of St. Andrew
 Chapel of Holy Sacrifice
 Folk Arts Theater

2. Francisco “Bobby”Mañosa : “Architecture must respond to local conditions”

The philosophy started with the Nipa Hut, local conditions include the climate, the materials on hand, the
techniques & the budget available.

Famous works:
 San Miguel Head Office near Megamall
 Coconut Palace known as Tahanang Pilipino
 Las Piñas Bamboo Church
 14 Station LRT Metrorail Transit
 Our Lady of Peace Shrine, Edsa
 Moonwalk Church, Las Piñas
 National Eucharistic Congress Altar

3. Gilbert Yu : “A Pragmatic Approach to Architecture”

His famous equation: 0+0+0=100

First 0 = the land owner who owns property but idle & undeveloped
Second 0 = the man who has money in the bank but inflation is eroding its real worth faster than the interest
it accrues
Third 0 = the Architect without land & money & still considered = 0

Add up all the 0’s & it will = to Perfect 100 (the land owner, the financer & the Architect)

Famous works:
 22 hectare Tutuban Station, Divisoria
 Manila Stock Exchange Center
 Golden Bay Condominium, Manila
 Chateau de Baile I & II, Ortigas & Roxas Blvd.
 Landmark Shopping Center, Makati
 Ever-Gotesco Grand Central, Caloocan
 28 storey Asian Trade Center Tower, Greenhills, Ortigas
 Orient Pearl Plaza, Manila
 New City Plaza, Manila
 Y.E.T. Building, Manila
 Gaisano Country Mall, Cebu City

4. Ramon S. Licup : “Good Architecture is not based on design but on the building’s function”

Good Architecture is not based on design but on the building’s function: the environment, the people’s
needs, the budget & the climate.

Famous works:
 Garden Island, N. Domingo, San Juan
 Rainbow Gardens, Ortigas
 Bayview Park Plaza Hotel, Roxas Blvd.
 Golden Bay Condominium, Manila
 Princeville Condominium, Ortigas

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  Verde De Pasadena Condominium, Ortigas
 Knots Realty Town House, San Juan
 Makati Palace
 San Juan Regency
 Pasig Tri Condominium

5. Felipe Mendoza : “He Makes the fullest possible use of natural light & ventilation.”

Famous works:
 Batasang Pambanse Bldg., Quezon City
 Development Academy of the Philippines Bldg., Pasig, Rizal
 RCBC Bldg., Buendia, Makati & 23 other branches
 National Library, T.M. Kalaw, Manila
 FEU Hospital, Nicanor Reyes, Morayta, Manila
 The Assumption School Bldg., Antipolo, Rizal
 Mormon Temple, Green Meadows, Q.C.
 San Jose Seminary Bldg., Ateneo de Manila University Campus, Q.C.
 Library & Science Center of Xavier University, Cagayan de Oro
 7 new buildings for International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños
 National Government Center Constitution Hills, Q.C.
 Central Mindanao University Museum, Bukidnon
 Mariano Marcos Memorial College of Science & Technology, Batac, Ilocos Norte
 250 rooms Suehiro Hotel & Safeway Market, Guam

6. William Vargas Coscoluella : “More on Vertical Approach”

Famous Works:
 Robinsons Commercial Complex, Ortigas, Q.C.
 32 Storey One Palace, San Juan, Mla.
 30 Storey Wackwack Twin Towers, Mandaluyong City
 Quezon City Sports Club, E. Rodriguez, Q.C.
 Atrium in Makati
 22 Hectare Tutuban Station, Divisoria

7. Cesar Homer Concio : “The structure must be well oriented.”

Famous Works:
 Diliman’s Palma & Melchor Hall, UP Diliman
 UP college of Forestry Bldg.
 Children’s Memorial Hospital, Q.C.

8. Claude Edwin Andrews : “Office bldgs are no longer simple spaces but are now termed as “Intelligent
Buildings”.

Famous Works:
 46 Storey Palladium Summit, Mandaluyong City

9. Cesar Yatco & Joey Rufino : “Creativity & Innovation in Real Estate.”

Famous Works:
 Makati Cinema Square Tower
 Rufino Tower, Makati
 Golden Lion Townhouse, Mla.
 Bel Air Place, Makati

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  Cuevas Tower Condominium, Mla.
 Taft Office Center, Mla.
 Crowne Place, Mla.
 Azalean Row Center, Mla.
 EGI-Rufino Plaza, Buendia cor. Taft Ave., Mla.

10. Ley Construction & Dev’t Corporation : “Laying the past, shaping the present & framing the future.”

Famous Works:
 Twin Tektite Towers, Ortigas
 5-Star Shangri-la Hotel, Edsa Plaza
 KP Tower Luxury Condominium, Divisoria
 Isetann Commercial Complex, Recto
 Gotesco Regency Twin Towers, Malate

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