HLURB's PLANNING STANDARDS

SECTORAL STANDARDS

Courtesy of youtube

A.                 SOCIAL SECTOR

 

1.                  Education

 

1.1       Pre-School (Kindergarten Level)

 

1.  School site must have a minimum lot area of 500 square meters. The area may be  divided into a minimum 140 square meters for the playground. This area is only good for not more than 4 classes.

 

2.  Space for playground must be provided, otherwise, easy and safe access to the nearest part of open space not more than 200 meters walking distance from school site may be presented as an alternative.

 

3.  Classroom size should be 1 ½ square meter per child.

 

4.  There should be at least one toilet seat for every 25 children at one time, preferably with separate bathroom for boys and girls.

 

5.  Lighting and ventilation should be proper and adequate. There should be natural and electric lighting. For a classroom 7 x 9 meters, there should be at least two fluorescent lamps and one wide window and electric fans to allow cross ventilation.

 

1.2              Elementary School Sites

 

Standard Requirements

 

Size. This size of the site must meet the requirements of the enrollment and kind of schools as well as the recreational needs of the pupils. It shall be wide enough to make adequate provisions for an athletic field playground, lawns, agricultural activities and future building expansions.  The standards requirements of school sites for elementary schools are as follows:

 

a.       One-half hectare (1/2 ha.) for a barrio school which has only one or two classes and no grade above Grade IV.

 

b.      One hectare (1 ha.) for a central school which has six classes or for non-Central School which has from three to four classes.

 

c.       Two hectares (2 has.) for schools which have from seven to nine classes.

 

d.      Three hectares (3 has.) for schools which have from ten to twelve classes.

 

e.       Four hectares (4 has.) for schools which have more than twelve classes.

 

How ever for special cases, where is difficulty in meeting above standards, the following may be allowed:

 

a.         For Rural Areas

One-half hectare (1/2 ha.) for a center school which has six classes. One and One half non- central school which has from three to four classes. One and one half hectare (1 ½ ha.) for

One-half hectare (1/2 ha.) for six to ten classes. Three fourth of a hectare (3/4 ha.) for eleven to twenty classes. One hectare (1 ha.) for twenty one or more classes.

 

Elementary Buildings

Standard Requirements

Adequate. There should be sufficient number of standards classrooms to accommodate the school enrollment, as well as enough internal spaces for other basic curricular and administrative needs of the school. A standard classroom should provide at least 1.2 sq. meters of space per pupil and on that basis the standard dimensions of elementary classrooms have been prescribed.

 

In a complete elementary school, there should be a room of preferably, a separate building for Industrial Arts (shop) classes and other room or separate building for home Economics classes, with a minimum standard area of 2.5 square meters per place, or a total of approximately 100 square meters.

 

Internal space should also be provided for such basic needs as an administrative office, a library (and/or learning resource center), a health clinic (first aid), a guidance and counseling room, toilets, storeroom, launch counter or room etc. At least 2 electrical outlets should be provided infront of each classroom, for the implementation of any feasible educational technology which requires electricity.

 

The minimum standards for instructional and administrative spaces are as follows:

 

1.    classroom (elementary)                              1.40 sq.m. per place

2.    Elementary School Shop                           2.50 sq.m. per place

3.    Administrative Office                                5.00 sq.m. per place

4.    Library/LRC                                              2.40 sq.m. per place

(10% of total employment) Provided that it is not smaller than The size of a classroom

5.    Medical/Dental Clinic                                28.0 sq.m. per gross

6.    Guidance Room                                         28. sq.m. per gross

7.    Corridor                                                     Above ground level, the minimum clearance width is 2.0 m. provided that the provisions

of the national Building Code & Fire codes of the Philippines other relevant rules and regulations are observed.

 

1.3              Secondary Schools

 

Size. The size of the school site is largely determined by the level of the education, the size of  the enrollment, the type of curriculum offered and the location of the school, i.e., whether urban or rural. The ground area occupied by school buildings and other structures should not exceed 40% of the school site in order to provide adequate open spaces for assembly and co-curricular activities, as well as to conform with national and local regulations and standards pertaining to setbacks and distances between buildings.

Minimum standards for instructional and administrative spaces: Classroom                                    1.40 sq.m. per place

Science Laboratory                                    2.10 sq.m. per place

Metal Trades                                   5.00 sq.m. per place

Mechanical Trades                          7.00 sq.m. per place

Electrical Trades                              4.00 sq.m. per place

Drafting/Drawing                              2.50 sq.m. per place

Farm Mechanics                               5.00 sq.m. per place

Farm Machinery                                6.50 sq.m. per place

Fish Capture/Culture                      2.50 sq.m. per place Preservation

 

Administrative and Services spaces

Administrative Office                           5.00 sq.m. per place

Medical/Dental Clinic                         28.00 sq.m. per place

Guidance Room                                  28.00 sq.m. per place

 

Library/Learning Resources Center

Capacity of 10% of the enrollment at 2.40 sq.m. per place, provided that the total area is not less than that of a standard classroom. In schools with more than one shift, the basis for computing the area is the shift with the largest enrollment.

 

Corridors

Not required at ground level if appropriate access to enclosed spaces is provided. Above ground level, the minimum clear width is 2.0 meters provided that the provisions of the National Building and Fire Codes of the Philippines and other relevant rules and regulations are observed.

 

1.4              Colleges and Universities

1.    The area of school site as a general rule will be as follows: 500 or less students           0.50 ha.

501 to 1,000                                        1.00 ha.

1,001 to 2,000                                     2.00 has.

2001 to 3000                                       3.00 has.

 

As a general rule, the same ratio should be maintained for enrollment in excess of 3,000.

 

2.     For larger colleges and universities the campus should be at least 7 hectares on the minimum number of students which is 10,000.

 

3.    There should be space on the campus for holding class programs and sports activities.

 

4.      The shape of a college site is not important as its total site, since landscape architects and college administrators can adapt a campus plan to a variety of shapes with relatively little less in efficient. A rectangular plot of ground with length not more than one and one-half times the width heads itself most readily to the proper location of the various college units.

Annex 4

 

Standard Classroom Dimension

 

TYPE OF BUILDING	FLOOR DIMENSION (m)	FLOOR AREA (sq.m.)	GROSS AREA Per place @ 40 PUPILS/ ROOMS (sq.m.)
Gabaldon Type Army Type Magsaysay Type Marcos Type Bagong Lipunan 1 Bagong Lipunan 2 Bagong Lipunan 3 RP-US Bayanihan ESF Building Imelda Type Pagcor Building JICA-EFIP Building JICA-TRSBP Building Multi-Purpose Workshop DECS one-room Bldg.	7 x 9 6 x 7 6 x 7 7.3 x 6 6 x 8 8 x 6 6 x 8 7.35 x 6 6 x 8 8 x 6 6 x 8 8 X 7 8 x 6.25 7 x 16 6 x 8	63 42 42 43.8 48 48 48 47.7 48 48 48 56 52 112 48	1.575 1.05 1.05 1.095 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.192 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.4 1.35 2.80 1.2

 

2.                  Health

 

2.1  Standards in RHU Personnel Population

One (1) Municipal Health Officer (MHO) per 20,000  population

One (1) Public Health Nurse (PHN) per 20,000 population

One (1) Rural Sanitary Inspector (RSI) per 20,000 population One (1) Rural Health Mid-Wife (RHM) per 20,000 population

 

2.2  Suggested Bed Requirements by facility Type Municipal Hospital             -           6 to 24 beds Provincial Hospital             -           100 to 199 beds Regional Hospital              -           200 to 299 beds Medical Centers                 -           300 and over

 

2.3  Standard Area per Hospital/Clinic Municipal Hospital   - 1.5has                    Provincial Hospital   - 1.5 has. 

      Regional Hospital   -  2.5 has. 

     Medical Centers      -  3.5 has.

 

2.4              Accessibility Parameters

 

1.                  Proposed site is at least 35-kms. away from an existing government hospital facility.

2.                  Proposed site is less than 35 kms. away from an existing government hospital facility but more than 3-hours travel by the usual means of transportation for the most part of the year.

 

2.5              Catchment Population Parameters

 

1.                  Catchment population is at least 75,000 and accessible as a referral activity to at least 3 RHU or main health center.

2.                  Catchment population is less than 75,000 but more than 25,000.

3.                  Catchment population is less than 25,000.

 

Distance/Population	>/= to 35 kms.	< than 35 kms. >/= to 3 hours travel time	<than          35 kms. < than 3-hours travel time
>75,000 <75,000 Less than 25,000	District Municipal Extension	Municipal Extension RHU infirmary	RHU Infirmary None None

 

 

Clinical Service

Facilities

Nomenclature                  Clinical Service Category                Usual No. of Beds

BHS – RHU Sub-system

Barangay Health Station Rural Health Unit                   RHU Infirmary

Primary Primary  Primary

none none  5-10

 

Hospital Sub-system

Extension Hospital	Primary capability/	10
	Secondary Facility
Municipal Hospital	Secondary	10 – 25
District Hospital	Secondary	25 – 75
Provincial/Gen. Hospital	Tertiary	100 – 250
Regional	Teaching-Training	300 – 500

Source: Department of Health

 

3.                  Protective Services

 

1.At the city/Municipal level, there shall be a PNP station, each headed by a chief of police.

2. There shall be one fire station for city/municipal level, headed by a city or municipal fire marshall; Provided, that, in the case of large cities and municipalities a district office with subordinate fire stations headed by a district fire marshall may be organized.

3.There shall be established and maintained in every district, city and municipality a secured, clean, adequately equipped and sanitary jail for the custody and safekeeping of city and municipal prisoners.

4. The Jail Bureau shall be composed of city and municipal jail, each headed by a city or municipal jail warden

1.              On the average nationwide, the manning level of the PNP shall be approximately in accordance with a police-to-population ratio of one (1) policeman for every 500 persons.

2.              The actual strength by cities and municipalities shall depend on the state of peace and order, population density and actual demands of the service in the particular area; Provided, that the minimum police-to-population ratio shall not be less than one (1) policeman for every 1,000 persons; Provided further; that urban areas shall have a higher police-to-population ratio as may be prescribed by regulations.

(Source: RA 6975: An Act Establishing the Phil. National Police under a Recognized Department of the Interior and Local Government, and for other purposes.)

 

                                                                                            1policeman

Ideal Police-to-population ratio                               = -------------------

                                                                                                       500 persons

                                                                                         1policeman

Minimum Standard Police-to-population Ratio    = -------------------

                                                                                                1,000 persons

 

4.                  Sports and Recreation

 

Minimum of 500 sq. meters per 1,000 population for city and municipal park 

Minimum of 0.05 ha. Per 1,000 population for playfield/athletic field.

 

5.                  Social Welfare Services

 

One Day Care Center per Barangay per RA 6972

One Senior Citizen Care Center per City/Municipality per RA 7876 Minimum Area of 500 sq. meters for Senior Citizen Care Center

Minimum Area requirement for Day Care Center – 2 sq. meters per 3 children, indoor and 1 sq. meter per child, outdoor

 

6.                  Housing

 

Refer to Annex of Housing Sector for the Summary of Standards for PD 957 and BP 220.

 

 

B.                 INFRASTRUCTURE AND UTILITIES

 

1.                  Communication

 

1 toll station per municipality

1 telephone per 1,000 population (residential)

1 telephone per 1,500 employees (industrial)

1 letter carrier per 5,000 population

1 post office per 5,000 population (urban) 1 post office per 10,000 population (rural)

 

For municipalities without post office,

1 postal circuit for every barangays/sitio

 

2.                  Road and Network

 

For national roads in rural areas the minimum width of road right of way shall be 60

For provincial roads, the minimum right-of-way is 15 meters which may be widened to 20 meters.

 

All municipal/city roads shall have a right-of-way of 10 meters and the width traveled way is 4.0 meters.

 

Barangay roads shall have a minimum right-of-way of 10 meters and the width traveled way is 4.0 meters.

 

Standard Road-Population Ratio                    =  29,137   x  2.4 km.      - 28.363 km.

1000 pop

 

3.                  Water

 

Three (3) levels of services:

Level I - point source (such as rain collector, wells and springs); generally for rural areas where houses are scattered too thinly to justify a distribution system.

 

Level II – communal faucet system; generally for rural areas where houses are clustered densely enough to justify a piped distribution system with a faucet provided for a number of household.

 

Level III – individual house connection; generally for urban areas.

 

Water Standard Requirement Developed by LWUA

Type of Consumer	Level I	Level II
Residential Commercial/Industrial Institutional	60 lcpd communal faucet 1.0 – 2.0 cumd/connection 3.0 cmd/connection	100 – 110 lcpd individual connection

 

 

C.                 ECONOMIC

 

1.                  Commerce

1.5 – 3% of the total built-up area

 

2.                  Agriculture

Food production VS. Food requirement

 

Food	Kg./Capita/Annum
Rice/cereals	109.20
Vegetables	54.75
Meat	33.13
Fish	30.66
Sugar	30.66
Root crops/tuber	60.59
Fruit	76.65
Milk and milk products	24.42
Eggs   3.         Industry	3.98

Medium-Scale Industries Large-Scale Industries

Above 15 M – 60 M Above 60 M

 

 

 

According to Employment Size

This is useful in determining which types a city/municipality which pursue given the number and skills of the Labor Force Population in search of job in the locality.

 Industry Classification According to Employment Size

SCALE	EMPLOYMENT SIZE
Micro-Industry	No Specific
Cottage Industry	Less than 10 workers
Small-Scale Industries	10 to 99 employees
Medium-Scale Industries	100 to 199 employees
Large-Scale Industries	200 or more employees

 

According to Degree of Hazard and Pollution

This is useful as decision criteria for the municipality in the choice of specific types of industries that conforms to environmental protection.

 

Hazardous Industries. These industries are fire and health hazards, i.e. their wastes have large amounts of combustible and toxic materials. Non-hazardous industries discharge negligible amounts of combustible or toxic wastes.

 

Pollutive Industries. These industries discharge large amounts of air, water, and solid pollutants. Non-pollutive industries on the other hand omit little  negligible amounts of these pollutants.

 

Based on the hazard and pollution potential, industries are classified into:

 

Light Industries                       non-pollutive/non-hazardous non-pollutive/ hazardous

 

Medium Industries                   pollutive/non-hazardous non-pollutive/ hazardous

 

Heavy Industries                     highly pollutive/non-hazardous highly pollutive/ hazardous

highly pollutive/extremely hazardous pollutive/ extremely hazardous

non-pollutive/ extremely hazardous

 

D.                 TOURISM

 

1.                  Site Planning

 

1.1              Siting

 

The detailed Site Development Plans for each of the resort areas and other proposed land uses of areas in the Framework Plan must be submitted for review, evaluation and approval by the Tourism Estate Department.

Service facilities such as parking areas, spaces for loading and unloading goods, utility areas, staff housing, and similar uses, should be located in convenient locations.

 

1.2              Grading and Clearing (site and beaches)

 

Careful grading and clearing must be done to preserve and enhance the special features such as hills, promontories, steep banks, cliffs, rock formations, and similar land forms.

 

1.3              Beaches Improvements

 

The beach area should be cleared of litter and other garbage. A swimming area may be provide by clearing the identified site of rocks, dead corals, seaweeds, and other unsightly or dangerous obstructions under strict supervision of the Resort Estate Management.

 

1.4              Setbacks and Buffer Zones

 

1.4.1        Buffer Zone

There shall be minimum of 10-meter buffer zone, along the entire perimeter of each of the clusters or tourism zones, and around the proposed golf course site.

 

1.4.2        Setbacks

 

1.      Along the Beach Front - any development along and adjacent to coastlines must respect the beach’s natural function as an energy dissipation system which provides a dynamic equilibrium and gives protection to the inland against storm surge.

 

Any regulation or change of the natural coastal environment such as construction of piers, groins and breakwaters must be designed on the basis of a comprehensive study.

 

Design and specifications must justify that the construction will have no negative impact on the environment. An EIA must be carried out before construction permit can be issued.

 

A mandatory beachfront easement along all coastal areas shall be defined at 30 meters from the edge of the beach zone inland perpendicular to the coastline.

 

2.      Along the Green Areas -  no structures shall be allowed to be built within 5  meters from the edge of the green areas.

 

3.      Distances between Structures

 

-                    for single storey units – the minimum setback should be 10 meters along walls with openings; and at least 7 meters along wall without opening;

 

-                    for multi-storey units – the minimum setback along walls with openings should not be less than twice the height of the building measured from the ground floor lone, to the apex or tip of the roof; and at least 15 meters along wall without openings.

 

1.5              Landscaping and Protection of Trees

For ease in determining the number of rooms allowed, the concept of GROSS DENSITY may be allowed. This would refer to the total number of the rooms (double rooms) that will be allowed to be built within a given resort zones area.

 

 

The following gross density standards may be use in arriving at the maximum number of rooms allowed in any one resort zone:

 

-                      HIGH DENSITY                   60 to 80 rooms/hectare

-                      MEDIUM DENSITY             30 to 45 rooms/hectare

-                      LOW DENSITY                     10 to 15 rooms/hectare

 

1.7              Parking

Parking should be located within 200-300 meters (maximum of 500 meters) from the tourist facilities.

 

1.8              Maintenance

Proper maintenance of facilities, grounds, beach areas and other zones must be done on a regular basis.

 

2.                  Utilities

 

2.1              Solid Waste Disposal

 

Solid waste disposal shall be sorted. Biodegradable waste shall be deposited into sanitary landfill areas in the utility zone provided this is covered by soil immediately after disposal. Non- degradable waste shall be brought to a selected site in land and incinerated.

 

2.2              Sewerage Treatment

 

Sewerage disposal system should be at lower elevation from shallow wells and deep wells. Electrical generators that cause excessive noise should be enclose in containers or housings.

 

2.3              Water Supply

 

Water supply shall be designed separately for domestic use and drinking purposes. Quality of water for domestic use and drinking water quality shall strictly adhere to the requirements for sampling, testing and treatment of the Water Digging of waterwells shall be regulated and allowed only in accordance with the Water Code.

 

2.4              Drainage

 

Drainage for dirty water and storm water shall be provided for. Storm water maybe directly drained to the sea, however, dirty water form laundry dish washing and other domestic uses shall first be filtered before directly draining to the sea.

 

2.5              Fire Protection

 

There shall be facilities for at least one fire truck and fire station. Water hydrants shall be installed in accordance with design requirements. All other protection requirements shall be in accordance to the specifications of the fire Code of the Philippines.

Metropolitan Governance

Metropolitan governance can be defined as a set of institutions, rules, and actions that delineate policies and conditions for the life and economy of a metropolitan region (region interrelated with a city, networks of cities or conurbated areas or areas with continuous high densities all across the territory) (GIZ 2015:11).

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Metropolitan governance addresses the problem on fragmentation, inequity, spillovers, and dysfunctional governance system (GIZ 2015: 15). Through an effective metropolitan governance, development areas that transcends territorial boundaries like development planning, transport and traffic management, solid waste disposal and management, flood control and sewerage management, urban renewal, zoning and land use planning and shelter services, health and sanitation, urban protection and pollution controls and public safety (Mercado and Manasan:13) can be given attention thru cooperative undertaking and sharing of resources.

An effective urban metropolitan governance can only be achieved if it operates within the applicable ideal institutional arrangement and adheres to the good urban governance norms of “subsidiarity, equity, efficiency, civic engagement, transparency and accountability” (UN Habitat 2007:6)

Types of Metropolitan Institutional Arrangements:

1. Fragmented Governance – with some Inter-Municipal Coordination (horizontal cooperation among the local governments) 

    • Ad hoc cooperation among local governments / Case-by-case joint initiatives 

    •Committees, commissions, partnership agreements, consortium agreements, etc. 

    • Contracting among local governments 

2. Metropolitan / Regional Authority 

    • Regional authorities (metropolitan council, regional planning authority, service delivery              authority, or regional planning & service delivery authority) 

3. Metropolitan or Regional Government 

    • Metropolitan-level local government 

    • Regional government established by the national government 

4. Consolidated Local Government 

    • Territorial annexation or amalgamation

Some politico-administrative problems/issues encountered by metropolitan governments:

1. Laws / regulations discouraging, limiting, or prohibiting MG arrangements

2. Discouraging higher level government (e.g. due to different agendas)

3. Parochialism and governance fragmentation (lack of local support)

4. Reluctance of richest local governments and their constituencies to engage and share, sub-delegate decisions/ powers to metropolitan arrangements

5. Uncertainty about “who is responsible for what”; overlapping expenditure responsibilities

6. Limited institutional, administrative and/ or financial capacity at local level (GIZ:22)

7. Lack of authority, lack of commitment among the local governments in the area, and lack of financial sources are common pitfalls.

8. The need of metropolitan governance body to earn the command and respect from the local governments it is intended to coordinate.

9. Metropolitan areas with one dominating, core local government, present an additional challenge, to find a way to motivate both large and small local governments for joint, coordinated efforts - in other words, to find “win-win” situations. (GIZ;30)

To address these, the following have to considered:

1. Establish appropriate metropolitan governance structure based on the national and local context (the legal framework, local government responsibilities, the particular issues and opportunities for the area, institutional capacity and tradition, etc.).

2. Weigh in the (a) potentials for economies of scale and service efficiency as well as the need to address spill-overs and regional disparities; versus (b) the impact on the access of citizens to their local government as well as their respective responsiveness and accountability.

3. Demand or encourage cooperation among local governments through the regional or national government, through intergovernmental systems, legal frameworks, or specific financial incentives (GIZ;10)

References

Anderson, Mats. Metropolitan Regions as Governance Systems: Unpacking Metropolitan Governance for Sustainable Development. Discussion Paper. GIZ and UN Habitat. August 2015

Inclusive and Sustainable Urban Planning: A Guide for Municipalities. Volume 2-Urban Situation Analysis. UN Habitat 2007

Metropolitan Regions as Governance Systems: Unpacking Metropolitan Governance for Sustainable Development. Discussion Paper. Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. GIZ 2015.

Mercado, Ruben G. and Manasan Rosario G. Metropolitan Arrangements in the Philippines: Passing Fancy or the Future Megatrend?: An Inquiry Into the Evolution and Dynamics of Metropolitan Arrangements in the Philippines Under a Decentralized Regime.

The Metropolitan Century: Understanding Urbanisation and its Consequences OECD (2015), OECD Publishing, Paris as cited at Metropolitan Regions as Governance System. Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. Discussion Paper. GIZ. August 2015

The COVID-19 pandemic: Impacts on cities and major lessons for urban planning, design, and management

The Covid19 pandemic has changed the way people behave and interact consequently resulting to various social and environmental changes as well.

In a study recently conducted by AyyoobSharifiabc and Amir RezaKhavarian-Garmsird published at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969720359209#s0095 , the following are the major issues revealed by the pandemics and recommendations for post-COVID planning.

 

Major Issues Revealed by the Pandemic	Major Recommendations/Implications for Post-COVID Planning
Environmental Quality (Air quality)
-Traffic emissions are major sources of pollution in many cities - Non-traffic sources of pollution are also important in some contexts - In some contexts, COVID-19 transmission/mortality rates are strongly associated with high levels of air pollution - Long-term exposure to air pollution can increase human vulnerability to pandemics	- Greening the transportation and industry sectors can provide major air quality benefits - Measures to reduce traffic-related pollution are not enough to address air quality in all contexts - As measures designed for reducing some pollutants may increase secondary pollutants, holistic approaches to pollution mitigation are needed - Reducing air pollution can contribute to reducing transmission/mortality rates of pandemics
Environmental Factors
- Evidence on the association between temperature and COVID-19 transmission rate are inconclusive - When the wind speed is low, air pollution is likely to intensify transmission rate	- During pandemics, social distancing and other protection measures should continuously be promoted irrespective of environmental conditions - Improving air quality can contribute to addressing issues related to covid-19 and other pandemics both in short and long term
Urban Water Cycle
- Unregulated human activities have resulted in the contamination of water resources in many cities - Drugs used for treatment of COVID-19 patients may pollute freshwater resources - Lack of sewage treatment facilities in poor areas undermines the effectiveness of lockdown measures	- Designing regulations to minimize negative agricultural, industrial, and traffic impacts on water resources should be prioritized - Sufficient disinfection of water plants and wastewater treatment plants and measures such as the prevention of sewage leakage into freshwater resources are essential to reduce human exposure to the virus
Socio-economic impacts (Social impacts)
- COVID-19 has exposed old problems and inequalities in a new light - Inequalities make containment challenging, and may also lead to further diffusion of the virus - Enforcing social distancing and other response measures is challenging in slums	- More inclusive actions towards reducing inequalities and addressing the needs of vulnerable groups should be prioritized - Slum upgrading should be prioritized - Social distancing policies should be coupled with economic support mechanisms - Enhancing sense of community is critical for improving response and recovery capacities
Economic Impacts
-Homogeneous economic structure increases vulnerability - Marginalized groups are disproportionately affected by the economic impacts of the pandemic - Global supply chain makes cities vulnerable to disruptive events	- Diversifying urban economic structure is essential - Developing relief programs to support vulnerable and marginalized groups is necessary during pandemics - Transformation to more local supply chain that increases self-sufficiency is needed for dealing with the economic fallouts of the pandemic and similar future events
Management and Governance (Governance)
- Absence of proactive planning and emergency plans is a major reason for failure to respond effectively is some countries - Fragmented urban governance erodes response and adaptation capacities	- Long-term visioning and integrated urban governance enhance adaptive capacity - During pandemics, local governments should provide economic and social support to vulnerable groups - In addition to top-down initiatives, certain levels of local leadership and community engagement are critical for timely response to pandemics
Smart Cities
- Smart solutions have contributed to developing more effective and efficient response and recovery measures (e.g., identifying and isolating infected individuals, reducing human-to-human contacts in service delivery, etc.) - Techno-driven approaches have been successful in containing the virus, but have raised concerns regarding privacy protection and transparency	- Public access to real time and geo-referenced data enables better response and recovery from adverse events - Techno-driven approaches should not undermine privacy issues and be misused to reinforce power relations - Human-driven approaches are more suitable for citizen empowerment - Combined approaches are better suited for containing the pandemic, dealing with privacy concerns, facilitating coordination and information sharing, and controlling the spread of misinformation
Transportation and Urban Design (Transportation)
- Increased transport connectivity is a risk factor that may contribute to the diffusion of infection diseases - Public transportation may increase the risk of transmission during pandemics - The pandemic may increase negative attitudes towards public transportation	- Smart mobility restrictions, based on the transmission risk of different transportation modes, is essential for containing the spread of the virus - More attention to minimizing potential public health risks of public transportation is needed - Modal shift to cycling and walking offers a unique opportunity to further promote active transportation
Transportation and Urban Design  (Urban design)
- Density alone is not a key risk factor contributing to the spread of the virus - Some cities lack appropriate levels of green and open spaces to meet outdoor exercise and recreation demands of their citizens while fulfilling social distancing requirements	- Density alone is not a key risk factor contributing to the spread of the virus - Some cities lack appropriate levels of green and open spaces to meet outdoor exercise and recreation demands of their citizens while fulfilling social distancing requirements

 

 

 

Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969720359209#s0095

 

INCLUSIVE CITY CONCEPT AS IMPLEMENTED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THE PHILIPPINES (A Paper by Rodel C. Cuyco)

 

An inclusive city is  one that adheres to the “principle of growth with equity (UN-Habitat).” At the core of an inclusive city is people empowerment which means all “regardless of their economic means, gender, race, ethnicity, or religion” are actively engaged in the creation and enjoyment of “social, economic, and political opportunities (UN-Habitat)” in the city. It is founded on the principle that it is through an empowered citizenry that a “safe, livable environment with affordable and equitable access to urban services, social services, and livelihood opportunities (ADB; p.4)” can be sustainably established.

 

In the Philippines as presented in its New Urban Agenda, an inclusive city means “it is equitable, participatory, and provides universal access to quality basic services. It safeguards children, women, the elderly people, and persons with disability. It equalizes access to livelihood opportunities. And last but not least, it facilitates the transformation of informal settler families in the metropolises, enabling them to live their lives with more pride and dignity (https://hudcc.gov.ph).” It is also characterized as “better, greener and smarter.” “Better Cities are globally competitive, economically vibrant, and livable. Greener Cities are environmentally sustainable, climate resilient, and safe. Smarter Cities are connected, physically, spatially and digitally” (https://hudcc.gov.ph).

Pillars of an Inclusive City

According to the World Bank, the pillars of an inclusive city are spatial, social and economic inclusions. Spatial inclusion means providing affordable necessities such as housing, water and sanitation. (https://www.worldbank.org). Social inclusion means “guaranteeing equal rights and participation of all, including the most marginalized” (https://www.worldbank.org). And, economic inclusion which means creating jobs and giving urban residents the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of economic growth” (https://www.worldbank.org).

 

Factors

These pillars are given flesh and blood through policies and programs that consider the following factors: accessibility, affordability, resilience, and sustainability (ADB:p3). Accessibility which is the presence of “opportunities for safe, secure housing and reliable basic services for all individuals and communities” and “enabling these opportunities within social structures and cultural norms that may constrain individual or collective access to a service (ADB:p3).” Affordability in terms of “shelter, services, and transport solutions” both of individual families as well as the “capacity local and national governments” to deliver the same (ADB:p3). Resilience which is “the ability to resist, absorb, recover from, and reorganize in response to natural hazards without jeopardizing sustained socioeconomic advancement and development (ADB:p3).” Sustainability which is the capacity of the responsible entity, be it a family or a local or national government, to service debt, operate, maintain, renew, and/or expand its shelter or service delivery system and pro-poor infrastructure. Sustainability also calls for access to the technical, financial, and human support required for shelter and service delivery through ongoing systems and programs (ADB:p4).”

 

Mechanisms

 

An inclusive city is built on the following mechanisms: (i) joint strategic visions of all stakeholders through a participatory planning and decision-making process incorporating universal design, integrated urban planning, transparent accountability mechanisms, and the use of the city’s inherent assets; (ii) knowledge and information sharing; (iii) public participation and contribution; (iv) cross-subsidies, social protection, and gender balance, to ensure an adequate standard of living to the most economically disadvantaged and vulnerable population; (v) geographical and social mobility; (vi) business environment and pro-poor financing services that attract capital investment and allow everybody the possibility to undertake economic activities; (vii) resilience to global environmental and socioeconomic shocks an threats; and (viii) mechanisms to ensure the sustainable use of its resources (ADB:p4).

 

Government Policies and Laws that Support Inclusive Urban Development

 

1.   Adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically, Goal 11 which states “make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable” (https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal11) and mainstreaming this to the Philippine Development Plan (PDP);

2.   Adoption of the UN Habitat III’s New Urban Agenda leading to the formulation of the Philippines New Urban Agenda with its goals for a Better, Greener, Smarter Cities in an Inclusive Philippines (https://hudcc.gov.ph) and the National Urban Development and Housing Framework;

3.   Ambisyon Natin 2040 which is the overall vision of the country and its people and being carried out thru the Philippine Development Plan. In a nutshell, Ambisyon Natin 2040 envision for Filipinos to “enjoy a strongly rooted, comfortable, and secure life” (http://2040.neda.gov.ph).

4.   Social inclusion programs like the Conditional Cash Transfer Program (CCT) or the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program, Universal Health Care Program, Free Tertiary Education Act, Enhanced Basic Education Act, K-12 Act, and Alternative Learning System (https://hudcc.gov.ph).

5.   Climate Change Act of 2009 (Republic Act No. 9729 of 2009) and the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 (RA 10121) which mandate for the mainstreaming of climate change action (CCA) and disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) in local development and comprehensive land use planning (https://hudcc.gov.ph).

6.   Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA) of 1992 or RA 7279 which empowered the local government units (LGUs) to address urban development issues, paved the way for participatory governance, and ensured private sector participation in the national shelter program through a mandatory requirement to set aside 20% of all proposed subdivision areas for socialized housing (NUA:p.56)

7.   Passage of the 1991 Local Government Code (LGC) 1991 which mandates  the preparation of a Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) and a Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) by local governments (https://hudcc.gov.ph).

To improve urban governance in their localities, Local Government Units have been implementing the following:

1.   Localization of Sustainable Development Goals, Ambisyon Natin 2040, Philippine Development Plan by mainstreaming these to major and term-based local development plan like the Comprehensive Development Plan and Comprehensive Land Use Plan and most especially to the Annual Investment Program which is the basis in the formulation of the LGU’s Annual Budget (DILG Memo);

2.   Subjecting the LGU to governance measures like the Local Government Performance Management System (LGPMS), Public Financial Management System (PFMS) and the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG). These measures the effectiveness and efficiency of local governance and promote transparency, accountability, financial management, disaster preparedness, social protection, business friendliness, peace and order, and environmental management (https://hudcc.gov.ph).

3.   Road clearing operations to maintain public open spaces (https://www.dilg.gov.ph);

4.   Establishment of transparency and accountability measures which include the implementation of an effective Public Financial Management System, posting of financial records at the DILG’s Full Disclosure Portal and LGUs Bulletin Boards, implement Anti-Red Tape Act, No-Noontime Break Policy, and Freedom of Information Policy.

5.   Institutionalization of participatory mechanisms as all Local Special Bodies are mandated to have representatives from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) coming from the basic sectors like women, youth, farmers, fisherfolks, senior citizens, etc. Barangays are mandated to conduct barangay assemblies twice a year (LGC).

 

Conclusion

 

          The creation of an inclusive city is a manifestation of a well-managed urban development. It is holistic and balanced in the sense that all areas of development are being harmonized including the social, economic and spatial (or land use) thru an empowered citizenry coming from all social strata as the driving force. It is the ideal goal of every local government.

 

          In the Philippines, all plans, policies and programs towards the achievement of creating inclusive cities are in place. It adopted the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and UN Habitat III’s New Urban Agenda as expressed in Ambisyon 2040, Philippine Development Plan, Philippine New Urban Agenda, National Urban and Housing Development Framework. These plans are then being mainstreamed and localized thru the Comprehensive Land Use Plan and Comprehensive Development Plans and other term-based plans of the local governments.

 

          In terms of laws, the Philippines has passed Climate Change Act of 2009 (RA 9729) and the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 (RA 10121) and other environmental laws to ensure city’s resilience. It also has enacted Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA) of 1992 (RA 7279) and the Local Government Code of 1991 (RA 7160) to empower local governments thru a system of decentralization as they address the challenges and demands of urbanization.

 

          The government has also installed good governance mechanisms to ensure transparency, accountability and participation like the Seal of Goof Local Governance, Anti-Red Tape, Full Disclosure Policy, among others.

 

           The Philippines seems to have an ideal enabling framework for creating inclusive cities, making it happen is the real big challenge. Prioritization of this framework and having competent implementors can spell the big difference.

         

         

References

 

Ambisyon Natin 2040. National Economic Development Authority accessed at http://2040.neda.gov.ph/about-ambisyon-natin-2040/

 

DILG Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2020-145 accessed at https://www.dilg.gov.ph/issuances/mc/Continuation-of-Road-Clearing-/3286

 

https://dilg.gov.ph/PDF_File/issuances/memo_circulars/dilg-memocircular-2019515_b8b6e90fef.pdf

 

Enabling Inclusive Cities. Tool Kit for Inclusive Urban Development. Asian Development Bank. 2017

 

Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. IS Global  accessed at https://www.isglobal.org /en/-/sdg-11-make-cities-and-human-settlements-inclusive-safe-resilient-and sustainable#:~:text=Making%20cities%20safe%20and%20sustainable,a%20participatory%20and%20inclusive%20manner.

 

Habitat III: The Philippine National Report. HUDCC accessed at https://hudcc.gov.ph/HABITAT_III#:~:text=The%20theme%20of%20the%20New,%2C%20economically%20vibrant%2C%20and%20livable.

Inclusive Cities accessed at https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/inclusive-cities#1

 

National Urban Assessment: Republic of the Philippines. Asian Development Bank. 2014 accessed at https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/42817/philippines-national-urban-assessment.pdf

 

SDG Goal 11. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development accessed at https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal11

 

The New Urban Agenda accessed at https://habitat3.org/the-new-urban-agenda/

 

 

 

 

Norms of Good Urban Governance

 The norms of good urban governance as advocated by UN-HABITAT include sustainability, subsidiarity, equity, efficiency, transparency and accountability, civic engagement and citizenship, and security (UN-HABITAT, 2000). There is a strong linkage between good governance norms and the urban strategic planning process). Improvement in urban governance and planning practice are interdependent and mutually reinforcing

 

Sustainability

 

Sustainability involves ensuring that allocation and use of land and other resources is based on balanced social, economic and environmental priorities, with the aim of balancing the needs of present and future generations. Sustainability can be achieved by using the forum of urban consultations as a vehicle to a broad-based discussion on the future of the city, including potential impact of alternative development strategies on the community’s life, social and economic conditions, and the natural and built environment.

 

The urban strategic planning process provides that leaders and stakeholders representing all sections of urban society work together for a long-term, strategic vision and develop the ability to reconcile divergent interests for the common good. Thus, sustainability can be ensured through informed, collective decision-making and broad-based ownership of final solutions.

 

Subsidiarity

 

The principle of subsidiarity means that the responsibility for the provision and management of any service must be vested in the lowest level of authority that is best positioned to deliverthese services in an efficient and cost-effective manner. This implies that as the level of governance closest to the people, municipalities should be empowered as much as possible to develop and implement strategic and spatial plans. Such empowerment (or even ‘enablement’) would necessarily include delegation of power and resources to municipalities, accompanied by efforts to build their capacity to engage stakeholders in a meaningful, constructive decision-making process.

 

The strategic planning approach encourages and supports local governments to develop and implement urban development plans in consultation with stakeholders. The approach especially emphasizes the preparation of realistic action plans to address immediate priorities, which can be implemented in partnership with stakeholders.

 

Equity

 

Equity entails establishment of equitable principles for allocation of land, development of infrastructure, pricing for services and participation in setting priorities. Establishing investment incentives for targeted sectors and geographic areas is another aspect of equitable development.

 

The Urban Strategic Planning process underscores the importance of involving representatives of all stakeholder groups through a clear identification of different groups of stakeholders and their needs, including collection of gender-disaggregated data as far as possible. The consultation phase provides for participation of all stakeholders in a broad-based urban consultation event to determine the city’s development priorities. Ensuring that all stakeholders – men and women, vulnerable groups - have access to decision-making processes is the key to equitable development.

 

Gender equality is a central aspect in the principle of equity in good governance. This principle is recognized as being essential in the development of sustainable human settlements. Equality between men and women in governance refers to issues such as the equality of women in the family; women’s equal participation in public life; women’s equal access to resources, including land and property; women’s equal access to information, education and training as well as decision-making.

 

Efficiency

 

Efficiency implies that cities must be financially sound and cost-effective in their management of revenues and expenditures, the administration and delivery of services, and that all development decisions must ensure the most efficient use of resources. The promotion of inter-sectoral planning both at the local and central level is another aspect of efficiency.

 

The urban strategic planning process aims at maximising the existing human, physical and financial resources available in the city for urban development, by mobilising and engaging various stakeholder groups through innovative mechanisms and public-private partnerships. Through the involvement of the private sector and communities in setting priorities, cities can make better judgements regarding the prospective commitments of these partners in the implementation of development projects.

 

Transparency and Accountability

 

Transparency in decision-making and accountability of local authorities to their citizens are fundamental principles of good governance. Transparency and accountability are essential to build stakeholder understanding of local government. Access to information is the key to ensuring transparency and accountability. Laws and public policies should be applied in a transparent, predictable and even-handed manner. Public feedback systems such as report cards, hotlines and ombudsman should be established. Elected and appointed officials and civil servants need to set an example of high standards of professional and personal integrity.

 

 

In the context of urban strategic planning, transparency and accountability can be achieved through the active involvement of stakeholders in setting priorities and making decisions on how public resources will be spent. Transparent tendering and procurement procedures must be adopted for the implementation of action plans and projects. Involvement of stakeholders in priority-setting and preparation of action plans must be reinforced by facilitating greater access to information, including statistics and municipal financial data. These systems should be designed in such a way that they are equally accessible to all segments of the population, including being equally available to men and women.

 

Civic Engagement and Citizenship

 

Civic Engagement and citizenship is key aspect of good urban governance. People are the principal wealth of cities; they are both the object and the means of sustainable human development. Civic engagement implies that living together is not a passive exercise: in cities, people must actively contribute to the common good. Citizens, especially women, must be empowered to participate effectively in decision-making processes. The civic capital of the poor must be recognized and supported. Participation of civil society must be enabled through appropriate legal instruments and provisions. Participation must extend to not only decision-making about also making capital investments.

 

Engagement of stakeholders for taking development decisions is crucial for the successful implementation of any development plans. Involvement of men and women equally in positions of decision-making is central for engagement of citizens in the governance process. This could be done through mechanisms such as city consultations, citizen’s forums and issue-specific working groups. Civic engagement also refers to proper and regular payment for services, care of existing and newly developed infrastructure and the establishment of community support groups or community-based organizations to resolve issues directly affecting specific areas.

 

Security

 

Security as a principle of good urban governance applies to individuals and their living environment. Every individual has the inalienable right to life, liberty and the security of person. Cities must strive to avoid human conflicts and natural disasters by involving all stakeholders in crime and conflict prevention and disaster preparedness. The notion of security also implies security of tenure, and freedom from persecution and forced evictions. Through the involvement in the urban strategic planning, citizens can raise issues pertaining to their own sense of security, in relation to person and property. Security of women and children, ethnic and religious minorities must be addressed in a way that satisfies their specific needs.

 

Promoting security of tenure through increased access to housing for the most vulnerable groups is one of the key objectives of urban strategic planning. Adopting suitable methodologies for environmental planning and management and formulating disaster-preparedness strategies and emergency management at the central and local levels are also important aspects of security.

 

 

Source: Inclusive and Sustainable Urban Planning: A Guide for Municipalities. Volume 1. UN Habitat. United Nations Human Settlements Programme. December 2007

 

A New Role for Planners

A planner is:

An Enabler. Planners perform a positive role, as they enable development to proceed and allow developers, environmentalists, the public, and others involved in the future of towns and cities a

voice and stake in sustainable development issues.

A Facilitator. A planner undertakes an essential role in facilitating development and environmental protection as well as facilitates an on-going process of discussion and negotiation with and between a range of actors and institutions that shape the future of urban areas.

A Choreographer. A planner plays a pivotal mediation role between different interest groups and vested interests in the city, and choreographs the various pressures and conflicts of interests that typically come to the fore in discussions over the future of cities.

A Strategist. A planner manages a complex political and policy-making process in urban areas that requires long- and medium term planning and attendant strategic thinking across short-term needs and conflicts.

An Adviser. A planner is expected to advise his or her employer, and other actors and institutions in an urban area, imparting professional opinion based on the development of unique knowledge and skills, and to do so in an impartial way.

An Educator. A planner works in an environment where his or her decisions, or those of others in the urban area with a responsibility for the future of cities, need to be disseminated among professionals and the public at large, and where decisions, choices and the rationale behind them are adequately explained

 

Source: Jones (2002). Suggestions for ‘Value-Added by The Professional Planner, UCL.