100 Years Gilbert Bridge (1914-2014)


(July 01, 2014 to October 3, 2014)

The Spaniards ceded to the Americans in December of 1898 as a result of the Treaty of Paris where the Americans paid the Spaniards $2,000,000 for the cession of the Philippines. And with the arrival of the Americans in 1899 came a lot of promise for the development in economics, education and infrastructure. The setting-up of the Philippine Commission, as appointed by US President William Mckinley, headed by Governor General William Howard Taft, initiated the progress.

William Cameron Forbes was Governor General of the Philippines from 1908 to 1913, and it was during his governorship that the development of ports, railways, roads and bridges progressed, and is the reason for him being known as the “father of road building” in the country.

“Transportation should make a great revolution in the industrial development of the islands, as it will put a market within reach of the tiller of the soil”

William Cameron Forbes  The development of the roads and bridges linking the towns and islands of the Philippines was carried on when Governor Francis Burton Harrison took over until the year 1920.

You may also like