The Manila Times

Planning a metropolis

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ACITY can be likened to a human body. It is made up of different organs and it interacts through a complex synchroniz­ation of nerves and arteries. The heart is the central business district, the lungs are the parks and green open spaces, and the arteries are the roads and transport corridors, among others. If one of the organs does not function properly, the body gets sick, and it is the same with cities. If the transport corridors are heavily people towards the central business district is impeded. And if the cities reduce the land area of their parks and open spaces, the air quality deteriorat­es and urban heat increases.

In a city, quality of life, the economy, the environmen­t, culture, health, and spirituali­ty are all intertwine­d. They are all inter-related. Planning and developmen­t should not be focused in one sector, rather they should be planned with all sectors in mind. For the longest time, this has been the problem of national government agencies, schools and universiti­es, and the business community. Each is moving in its own sphere. You would have national roads built without sidewalks and landscapin­g, economic developmen­t plans and business developmen­ts without considerin­g deep social and cultural impacts. And school and university researches collecting dust in library archives, never seeing the light of day for public considerat­ion and implementa­tion.

The city cannot be planned with only one or two sectors in mind. For example, when a road, it should not only be for cars, but it should also consider walkabilit­y, air quality, and disaster-mitigating measures. And the same goes with economic developmen­t. Government should not only invest in what “the market demands” like developing a mass transport only when the city is already crowded. By that time, real estate and land would have become very expensive, and would almost take more than a decade to acquire.

Moving forward, we should make sure that the emerging metropolit­an areas in other parts of the country should not copy the mistakes of Metro Manila. We need to realize that there is more to our country beyond Metro Manila and start considerin­g what other regions have to offer.

I am happy to share that just this October, the Mindanao Developmen­t Authority, in strategic partnershi­p with the Davao Regional Developmen­t Council and National Economic Developmen­t Authority, awarded the Urban Master Plan of Metro Davao to Palafox Associates.

Metro Davao master plan

The total land area of Metro Davao is hectares. This includes the municipali­ties of Panabo, Carmen, Tagum, Island Garden of Samal, Mabini, Maco, Pantukan, Banaybay, Lupon, San Isidro, Governor Generoso, Davao City, Sta. Cruz, Digos, Hagonoy, Padada, Sta. Maria, Malita, Don Marcelino, and Jose Abad Santos.

size of Singapore, four times the size of Hong Kong, and twice the size of Dubai.

Metropolit­an Davao is one of the fastest region grew 9.4 percent—the third fastest— and it contribute­d 4.1 percent of the gross - tor to the Philippine economy (Philippine Statistics Authority GRDP, 2017). According to the 2013 economic research of the Urban Strategies Group of the University of Asia the index of market potential for cities. The index has three dimensions, namely market growth, market spending capacity, and business and commercial support (UA&P Urban Markets Adviser, 2013).

- drigo R. Duterte, won the national elections as President of the Republic of the Philippine­s. Along with the strong economic growth of the Davao region, the election of President Duterte helped propel the increase of investment­s, region, most especially Metropolit­an Davao.

For this study, Metropolit­an Davao includes Davao City, Digos City, Panabo City, Tagum City, Island Garden City of Samal, and the municipali­ties of Sta. Cruz, Maco and Carmen.

Due to the increasing developmen­t and rapid urbanizati­on, the metropolis is experienci­ng growing concerns over popula goods, waste management, water security, and power, among others. But these concerns also present more opportunit­ies that can translate into technologi­cal innovation­s, human capital and developmen­t, and public and market capital for sustainabl­e infrastruc­ture and city planning. With increased sources of revenue for the metropolis, the quality of life of the citizens can be lifted.

Metropolit­an Davao has the opportunit­y to become a model for a sustainabl­e, pedestrian and transit-oriented, technologi­cally innovative, livable and resilient city in the country. First and foremost, it should learn from, and not copy, the urban ills of Metro Manila and the National Capital Region.

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