Livable, healthy cities

of local governments must be favorable to balancing development and nature, and financial resources and expertise must be invested in human capital and technology.

There are manifold benefits to cultivating an agropolis. It can counteract the effects of urbanization such as hunger and poverty by empowering low-income households to establish livelihoods through urban farming. Baguio City and the province of Pangasinan have started distributing free seeds to residents, so they can grow their own “survival gardens.” In Metro Manila, there are so many vacant and idle lots. Why not convert these places to healthy and productive community gardens?

Alternatives to public transportation

To prevent the further spread of the virus, travel has been restricted and public transportation services were discontinued. In other cities around the world like New York, Philadelphia and cities in China, the rate of bicycle ridership has surged. In Metro Manila, however, because of the lack of alternative modes of transportation, many essential workers had a difficult time reporting for work. To address this and to increase mobility, green infrastructure like vast and secure networks of bicycle lanes should be established. Instead of focusing mostly on implementing car-centric strategies, our government should also prioritize creating multimodal roads that are more walkable and bikeable, and are safer, greener and cleaner. By doing this, a strong cycling culture will be supported and promoted, which will be healthier for the people and the environment.

With the way things are going, it is clear that many countries were caught unprepared. I hope our leaders can imitate the mindset the Singapore government has adopted. Singapore’s success in battling Covid-19 is the result of years of investment and preparation in the public health system. According to the deputy director of the communicable diseases division in Singapore, “During peacetime, we plan for epidemics like this.”