Transportation History of the Philippines

• Philippines
  • History of the Philippines
  • Transportation in the Philippines

1940

Vehicles

During this period, there were 50,000 automobiles in the region. The carabao was used as a primary transportation source.

Railways

There were 1,400 km of narrow-gauge track, owned by either the Maníla Railway Company[?] (based on Luzon) or the Philippine Railway Company (an American company based on Panay and Cebu). 1,130 km of these tracks were on Luzon, with about 50% of this amount located in the central plain. In addition, there were some 400 km of privately-owned track in the central plain of Luzon. All of this, with the exception of a stretch above Manila, was single-track.

Roads

There were 22,960 km of highway in the Philippine archipelago. More than half of these roads were in central and southern Luzon and three major highways of this island were, and probably still are, Routes 1, 3, and 5. These routes were two-lane roads with concrete or asphalt surfacing. Each of these 3 roads enters the capital, Manila, and their access roads linked the various parts of the island.