Investigation on Urban Planning in Manila in the Philippine - Report Example

Research on Urban Planning in Manila in Philippine Philippine has, for quite a long time, been on the spotlight over health concerns in some of its major cities. However, it remains an ideal destination for tourists and business personnel from all corners of the globe. Agriculturally, the nation has vast rice fields, while industrially, it is advanced. One of the key destinations of interest to many within this Asian nation is Manila, the capital city and political hub of Philippine. In this case, the city of Manila is critically reviewed to determine urban planning issues and other challenges, especially environmental, facing the city, and how such challenges are dealt with. It is undisputable that Manila is a renowned tourist hub and business center. Indeed, this administrative city acts as the center of power in Philippine, and also contributes critically to the nation’s economy. The culturally rich city, which is the second largest in the Asian country after the city of Quenzon, spans an urban area of approximately 25Km2. It had an approximate population of 1.652 million persons according to the 2010 census. This translates to a population density of 42,858 persons per square kilometer (Republic of the Philippines, 2014). The city, commonly known as the Pearl Orient, has a rich history of resistance to European invasion. In educational perspective, the city of Manila has developed into an academic hub, a process that started during the colonial period. In fact, its rich educational history is perceived to have contributed in attracting foreigners, especially the Chinese and other Asians, to immigrate into the nation. Currently, therefore, the urban center has retained its rich history of excellence as evident by the large number of credible universities available in the city. Economically, Manila supports a wide range of business and industrial activities that not only contribute to local economy, but also boost the national economy. Sadly, despite its large operational expense of 2.97 billion in local currency, the city is running at a financial deficit. Manila city, however, is at the center of many environmental and social challenges, some of which make life within the city untenable. Firstly, it is evident that Manila city experiences massive environmental pollution (Infoshop News, 2014). Due to the rise in industrialization in the city, many industrial wastes are discharged into the water bodies thus rendering usage of such water unfavorable. In addition, the industrial gases are great factors towards air pollution and global warming. Through various surveys, it has been shown that the city produces more than 10% of the total national waste volume. Further, poor drainage of the rivers and water system in the city has resulted into dead rivers which are threats to human health by predisposing local populations and immigrants to contagious diseases. Geographically, the city of Manila is located above fault lines making the locality to earthquakes and other natural disaster. Some of the disasters that have been experienced in the cities have been fatal, recording deaths in excess of 37, 000 per incident. Despite its large economy, the business hub of Manila has recorded one of the largest economic gaps between the rich and the poor within Philippine. This gap is, in fact, the reason why the metropolitan is experiencing financial deficit, and is on the verge of running bankrupt. Coupled to the widespread poverty, food scarcity and overfishing are common issues within the city. In the infrastructural and developmental perspectives, heavy traffic jams make it quite difficult to travel from one destination to another, while housing shortage is slowly, but surely, developing into a menace within the city. Lastly, social integration is a major challenge within this city which is highly segregated along social classes. In fact, pupils and students of diverse social backgrounds are hardly allowed to socialize within the educational systems established within the city. Despite the challenges though, the local and national governments are working on collaborative measures to curb the concerns. Evidently, the burden of managing the city seems to have been shifted to the private sector, which produces essential services at affordable rates. For instance, the city has many healthcare and recreational facilities run by private owners. These facilities aid in ensuring quality healthcare services are decentralized to the people. Also, the private firms run a series of educational institutions in a bid to empower the people. Further, the transport system, which happens to be crowded, is run by the investors. However, the governments have collaborated to ensure credible road and commuter train networks. In the near future, the governments are looking into establishing electric train systems to speed up travelling, and also to minimize air pollution as a result of waste gas discharge. To manage water pollution, the city government has embarked on campaigns to sensitize the people on the need to keep water sources clean. Moreover, the authorities collect garbage from the residential and industrial settings. To improve recyclability of the wastes, the people are advised to adopt the segregated waste management program which facilitates faster sorting of the wastes (Philippine Institute for Development Studies, 2009). Of great interest in this case are the urban issues within this city. According to reports by the UN Habitat, housing is a critical concern in Manila just as seen in other cities within Asia and in developing countries. With the constant rise in the city’s population, overcrowding has led to development of informal settlements, some of which are established along waterways and transportation networks (Kristine, 2011). This impedes water flow thus increasing chances of flooding. While upgrading of such informal slums is an ideal solution, the Philippine government seems to favor an antagonistic approach involving relocation of the residents. Sadly, this option which is perceived to involve forceful eviction is never favorable among many. Further, it is clear that mortgage programs through which residents are to be empowered to acquire houses is impractical among the poor citizens. This therefore translates into efforts of enabling success of the rich, while suppressing rise of the poor. For some time, public transport in Manila was a great concern. However, efforts in place have ensured seamless operation of the transport sector within the city through private entities. The major modes of transport in the city include taxis, buses and train services. To facilitate rapid transport within this congested city, the government has established elaborate transportation networks. Further, the train services offer pre-paid perks through which one can subscribe and enjoy comfortable services. In future, the national transport body plans to venture into electric trains to speed up commuting within the city. In another aspect, Manila is enriched with national parks, some of which are highly attractive. Some of the most common and popular parks include the Ayala Triangle Garden located adjacent to the Ayala avenue. The park has beautiful trees which create a serene environment suitable for studies and leisure. In addition, the park has free WiFi services making it youth-friendly. The Salcedo Park, on the other hand, is a serene environment in which smoking and ball games are totally prohibited. In addition, the city has the Legaspi Park, Fort Santiago, Balara Filters Park and Mehan Garden just to mention a few. All these parks are well managed, and an entry fee is charged on most. The government of Manila and Philippine have shown great understanding of the threat posed by uncontrolled waste disposal which has been part of the city for a long period. As such, clear strategies aimed at managing and recycling solid wastes have been put in place. Notably, citizens are advised to sort the solid wastes based on their chemical characteristics. An oversight authority has, consequently, been established to spearhead this campaign. In addition, resettlement programs established by the government are aimed at creating sanity along rivers and water sources. This prevents contamination of the water through inconsiderate waste disposal mechanisms common in slum settlements. Moreover, there are specifically designed waste disposal sites in the city. These waste disposal sites are cited to have the ability to effectively manage up to 35% of total wastes in Manila. To facilitate these management programs effectively, the Manila Metropolitan has stipulated regulatory legislations that should be followed to the letter (ICAS, 2013). In summary, Manila experiences challenges just like any other city in a developing state. However, I foresee a developed Manila with effective waste management systems, a city free of waterborne infections and massive water pollution. Further, I foresee a Metropolitan with proper housing and transport systems thus improving accessibility to all corners of the city. Further, Manila has the great potential to develop into a globally competitive business hub. In addition, there are positive signs that Manila will develop into socially inclusive locality with advanced social and cultural integration in its learning institutions. Pursuant to the efforts the local and national governments are putting in place, I am confident these projections will be realities. Bibliography ICAS., 2013. Manila’s urban housing issues (Panel 1). International Convention of Asian Scholars [Online] Available from: [cited on 28 October 2014] Infoshop News. 2006. Waste survey exposes extent of plastic pollution in Manila Bay. News.inforshop.com [Online] Available from [cited on 22 October 2014] Kristine L. A., 2011. Metro Manila produces a forth of Philippine garbage. NewsInfo [Online] Available from [cited on 22 October 2014] Philippine Institute for Development Studies, 2009. Governance and urban development. Philippine Institute for Development Studies [Online] Available from [cited 28 October 2014]. Republic of the Philippines, 2014. Philippines Statistics Authority. National Statistics Office [Online] Available from [cited 22 October 2014]. Read More