Remodelling to Prepare for Independence: The Philippine Commonwealth, Decolonisation, Cities and Public Works, c. 1935–46 illuminates the implications of the USA’s final phase of colonial rule in the Philippine Islands. It explores the Filipino side of decolonisation and the management of the built environment in the years immediately prior to self-rule. This book shakes off the collaboration vs. resistance paradigm that empire histories generally follow and consequently yields an original vantage point to comprehend transition within an Asian society in the years immediately prior to, during, and after World War Two. This will not only deepen insight of the American Empire, but also grants the opportunity to tie Philippine political-cultural change to the global history of urban planning’s advancement. Accordingly, it opens a new window to rethink Filipino ethno-history and societal evolution, alongside the opportunity to compare the Philippines with other nations that undertook planning projects as part of their decolonisation process and early-postcolonial advancement. The book utilises theoretical frames in order to help creatively excavate the era 1935–46 for the purpose of not just revealing what public works occurred, but to also uncover what those projects meant to the Commonwealth Government, the BPW’s staff, and the public who benefitted from public works projects. The book will be relevant to students and researchers of Urban History, Asian and American (Empire) History, and Imperial and Colonial Studies. Architects, planners, and members of the public who are interested in the form and meaning of urban environments designed/constructed in the past will also find the publication to be of great interest.

Table of Contents:
List of Illustrations List of Tables Acknowledgements Chapter 1: Introduction Reshaping the Nation and Public Works: A Précis Social Evolution, Foreign Influences, and Modernity in Philippine Cities, 1935-46 A Political and Philosophical Watershed: The Philippine Constitution, 1935 The Evolution of the Colonial-Built Fabric in the Philippines, 1898–1935 Decolonisation The Structure of the Book Chapter 2: A New Capital City for a New Nation The Constitution Convention and the Nature of the 1935 Constitution Quezon City: A Distinct City for an Evolving Country Planning Evolution in Quezon City: The 1941 and 1949 Plans The Park and Road Systems, and the Creation of Neighbourhood Units Public Buildings and Architectural Modernism Conclusion Chapter 3: Manila and the Provinces Beyond Quezon City: Urban Planning During the Age of the Commonwealth Manila’s Development and Antonio Toledo’s Professional Footprint The Return to, and Advancement of, Daniel Burnham’s Plan for Manila Renewing Manila: The Built Fabric and Fire Planning in the Provinces Housing and Planning in the Provinces Chapter 4: The Japanese Occupation Japan, the Philippines, the Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere, and Pan-Asianism The Japanese Occupation and the Evaluation of the Philippine-Built Fabric Governing the Towns and Cities Rebooting The Pensionados Program Neighbourhood Associations The Challenge and Opportunity Aligned to Post-War Rebirth Chapter 5: National Independence, Post-War Reconstruction, Urban Betterment and Planning A New Nation Looking Forward, Hesitantly The Planning of Roads Planning for New Housing Districts New Rulings and the Problem of Their Implementation Conclusion References Index