DRIVERS OF URBAN LANDSCAPE CHANGES
by Rodel C. Cuyco
Urban
landscape is a dynamic system whose structures are altered continually through
time. Its attributes may be construed as by-products of the complex
interactions between natural environment and human activities (Shi, Xiao, and
She, 2008).
Like
all cities in the world, cities in the Philippines have undergone various
stages of development through time, from being small villages to becoming
municipalities and then to cities and metropolis. These transformations of
settlements were shaped by urbanization which has led to various alterations in
the urban landscape “to accommodate ‘current’ and future expansions” (Bagarinao:p.38)
. What were then dense green spaces are now already teeming with buildings and
massive infrastructures. What were then beautiful sand beaches are now teeming
with hotels and resorts. Transportation networks have become more complex over
the years.
What
are the driving forces to these urban landscape changes?
1.The
natural increase in population. The rate of death and births
characterizes the natural expansion of an area.
(https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/urbanization-and-urban-growth.php). The
Asian Development Bank describes the Philippines as a highly urbanized nation.
As early as 1980, urbanization was at 37.2%, and by 1990 it had reached 48.6%.
In 2000, urban areas were home to 48.1% of the country’s 76.5 million
inhabitants; by 2010, those areas accounted for 48.9% of a total population of 94
million. Although the level of urbanization has been relatively steady with
some fluctuation, there has been a steep increase in total urban population
during the last decade (ADB:p.5).
2.
Migration. Immigration is a major contributor to the
increase in the population of a place. Many people are forced to move to urban
areas in search of jobs, education, and housing (https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/urbanization-and-urban-growth.php).
This natural increase in population and migration present pressure to limited
space in the cities especially for settlement and infrastructures.
3.
Industrialization. Manufacturing has created more job
opportunities by providing people with the opportunity to be employed in new
sectors. https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/urbanization-and-urban-growth.php .
4.
Commercialization. Businesspeople prefer going to the cities to sell
their commodities and in search of higher profits. The kind of economic pull
urban centers have is one that attracts more and more people to move to urban
areas https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/urbanization-and-urban-growth.php .
5.
Advancement of transport and communication. Today, people prefer to
live near their place work not because of poor transport but to shorten
distance travel and avoid the traffic jam on their way work (https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/urbanization-and-urban-growth.php .)
6.
Availability of educational and recreational facilities. Most
training institutions, colleges, elementary schools, and technical institutions
are in urban areas. https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/urbanization-and-urban-growth.php .
7.
Urban planning policies. With better living standards and
infrastructures in the city, more people are attracted to live in the city,
consequently increasing its population https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/urbanization-and-urban-growth.php
8.
Topographical factors. Urban areas in or around an excellent
topographical area are easily extended and refined, thus drawing more people to
such areas https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/urbanization-and-urban-growth.php .
9.
Unbalanced spatial development. In many countries around the
world, there are developed regions and less developed regions. Many people tend
to move to more developed areas https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/urbanization-and-urban-growth.php .
10. Transformation
and modernization in the way of living. Transformation and
modernization play a very significant role in attracting people to the cities.
As technology improves, together with highly sophisticated infrastructure,
liberation, communication, dressing code, medical facilities, and other social
services offered; people tend to believe they can live a more comfortable life
in the cities (https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/urbanization-and-urban-growth.php .)
11.
Mining and investments. As more urban areas continue being
successful and well-off due to the discovery of minerals, resource
exploitation, agricultural activities, or business operations, urban areas
continue to grow economically (https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/urbanization-and-urban-growth.php .)
12.
Presence of functional administrative and social support offices. The
presence of administration dominance in an urban center promotes its growth.
Many cities today hold offices for various administration and governance
functions, which influence people to live in these areas for access to better
governance and social amenities like security, sanitation, housing, education,
and healthcare https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/urbanization-and-urban-growth.php .
How
these drivers affect government policies?
To
better plan and manage the opportunities as well as the accompanying problems
brought by urbanization, the Philippines for a number of years have passed and
implemented, either excellently and poorly some policies and plans.
Key
Legislations
The
key legislations considered critical to urban planning in the Philippines are
the Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA) of 1992 or RA 7279, and the LGC or
RA 7160. UDHA was enacted to provide for a comprehensive and continuing urban
development and housing program, establishing the mechanism for its
implementation. UDHA empowered the LGUs to address urban development issues
(ADB;p.19).
The
LGC mandates LGUs to prepare a comprehensive land use plan (CLUP) enacted through
a zoning ordinance, and to prepare a comprehensive development plan, as well as
other multisector development plans and public investment programs including
the local development investment plan (LDIP) (ADB;p.20).
To
make the urban areas climate and disaster resilient, Climate Change Act of 2009
and the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 were
passed.
Major
Plans
To
address the need to have an overall framework for policy and strategy, based on
a clear urban development vision, the National Urban Development and Housing
Framework (NUDHF) is periodically formulated, this time, the NUDHF 2017-2022.
NUHDF envisions for a better urban systems which are globally competitive,
economically vibrant and livable (NUHDF:p.5). This is anchored on the
aforementioned laws as well as the Agenda 30 and the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs). Specifically, SDG 11 which aims to “make cities and human
settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.” Also, this is founded
on The New Urban Agenda which aims to address urban poverty and social
exclusion as well as Ambisyon Natin 2040 which represents the long-term vision
and aspirations of the Filipino people for themselves and for the country
(NUDHF;p.2)
Some Government
Policies that Shaped Urban Landscape
Government
Policies that Shape Urban Landscape
Land
Conversion in Metro Manila
According
to Kelly (2000) in Malaque and Yokohari (2007), the peripheral provinces of
Metro Manila experienced a widespread conversion of farmland into industrial
estates and residential sub-divisions. The conversion is expected to continue
while the land owners are speculating on the future sale of their land (Malaque
and Yokohari, 2007). These converted farmlands is now a mosaic of residential,
industrial, and commercial sites (Bagarinao; p38)
Regionalization
The
declaration of Calamba City as the Regional Center of the
Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon (CALABARZON) economic region has led to its
rapid urbanization which changed its landscaped structure in the last two
decades. Such declaration has increased its income significantly, and has
attracted several investors to invest in the City. The expanding urbanization
of the City does not only threaten the local agricultural production but may
have some critical implications in its environment. (Bagarinao; p.38-39).
Metropolitanization
To address common problems affecting
adjacent cities, the Government of the Philippines has recently moved toward
“metropolitanization” to create a coordinating authority that can address
common problems of urban areas through concerted efforts and pooled resources. (National
Urban Assessment 2014: p.19).
References
Abhishek, N., Jenamani, M.,
& Mahanty, B. (2017). Urban growth in Indian cities: Are the driving forces
really changing?. Habitat International, 69, 48-57 as cited at https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/urbanization-and-urban-growth.php
Bagarinao, Ricardo. Changing
Urban Landscape and Its Implications in Environmental Management: The Case of Calamba
City, Philippines. UP Open University. IAMURE International Journal of Ecology
and Conservation, March 2013
Gray, Stephen and Ocampo, Mary
Anne. Resilient Edges: Exploring a Socio-Ecological Urban Design Approach in
Metro Manila. The Plan Journal, Volume 2 Issue 2 accessed at www.theplanjournal.comsystemfilesarticlesTPJ_Vol2_Issue2_Gray.pdf
Republic of the Philippines: National
Urban Assessment 2014. Asian Development Bank accessed at https://www.adb.org/publications/republic-philippines-national-urban-assessment
National
Urban Development and Housing Framework 2017-2022, Abridged Version. Housing
and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB). 2017 accessed at https://hlurb.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/services/lgu/clup guidebook/NUDHF_2017_2022%20_Abridged_Version.pdf
UN Department of economics and
social affairs. (2001). The concept of urban growth. Retrieved from
https://population.un.org/wup/Archive/Files/studies/United%20Nations%20(2001)%20-%20The%20Components%20of%20Urban%20Growth%20in%20Developing%20Countries.pdf
as cited at https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/urbanization-and-urban-growth.php
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