URBAN PLANNING IN

THE PHILIPPINES

URBAN PLANNING IN THE

PHILIPPINES

1. Burnham
2. Existing

Plan

Urban Planning Laws

Burnham Plan
Daniel

Burnham believed that an ideal city

could be both beautiful and commercially

When

Daniel Burnham visited the Philippines in

the 1900s to plan the cities of Manila and
Baguio, he was already a well-known
proponent of the City Beautiful movement.

Burnham Plan - MANILA

Burnham Plan - MANILA

Burnham

wanted Manila to be The City

Beautiful of the Orientthe Pearl of the
Orient.

Manila

was to be a mesh of Rome, Paris, and

Venice.

Burnham

predicted that Manila would be home

to millions of people before the century was
over, so he planned Manila accordingly.

Burnham Plan - MANILA

There were five interrelated major proposals in
Burnhams Plan of Manila:
1.

Waterfronts, parks, and parkways

2.

Street System

3.

Proper location of building sites

4.

Manilas waterways for transportation

5.

Provision of summer resorts.

Burnham Plan - MANILA

Of

Burnham's proposed government center,

only three units were completed when World
War II erupted;
1.

Legislative Building

2.

Buildings of the Finance

3.

Agricultural Departments

Burnham Plan - MANILA

In

1948, President Elpidio Quirino moved the

seat of government of the Philippines to
Quezon City.

The

move ended any implementation of the

Burnham Plan's intent for the government
center to be at Luneta.

Burnham Plan - BAGUIO

Burnham Plan - BAGUIO

Burnham,

in his early plans for Baguio,

advocated a strictly controlled growth and
development, and the acquisition of the hills
and forests as part of public domain to protect
the fine view of pines.

The

physical framework embodied in the plan

integrates a road and park systems into one, a
compact garden city for 25,000 to 30,000
people.

Burnham Plan - BAGUIO

Three

fundamental elements in the Baguio

Plan;
1.

Street system and railroad system

2.

Placement of important Institutions

3.

Recreational Areas

Burnham Plan - BAGUIO

September 1, 1909
Baguio

was declared as a chartered city and

the "Summer Capital of the Philippines".

The

scenic Kennon Road was opened to

vehicular traffic soon after the charter was
approved.

The

events of the Second World War stalled all

development, leaving the city in total
devastation.

Burnham Plan - BAGUIO

Fast

placed development however ensued

following the war years. Such development
trends transformed the city into what it is
today.

The

skeleton of the plan remains in the city

center, but just like Manila, the citys
urbanization became too rapid to control, and
the plans lay forgotten.

Existing Urban Planning Laws

1. Executive

Order No. 72

2. Memorandum
3. Executive

Circular No. 2016-102

Order No. 124

Executive Order No. 72

Providing

for the Preparation and

Implementation of the Comprehensive Land
Use Plans of Local Government Units Pursuant
to the Local Government Code of 1991 and
Other Pertinent Laws

Memorandum Circular No. 2016-102

An

updated memo from DILG Memorandum

Circular No. 2007-114 and No. 2010-112 which
prescribe the guidelines of Sec. 20, R.A. 7160,

Mandates

local government units to continue

preparing their respective comprehensive land
use plans enacted through zoning ordinances
which shall be the primary and dominant bases
for future use of land resources.

Executive Order No. 124

Establishing

Priorities and Procedures in

evaluating Areas for Land Conversion in
Regional Agricultural/ Industrial Center,
Tourism Development Areas Sites for Socialized
housing.