WHAT IS PLANNING

Planning is a way of thinking oriented towards the future that anticipates change and
designs solutions.

It is a systematic process of establishing ends (goals, policies, outcomes) and means

and procedures to achieve the end.

Generic Planning is called ubiquitous‟ – it can be done by anyone anytime anywhere

But “professional” planning is governed by: • Professional principles • Standards •

Laws

PLANNING is the process of:

• Understanding the types of DECISIONS that need to be made

• Assessing OPPORTUNITIES and LIMITATIONS of the future
• Identifying the short-and-long-term consequences of alternative choices designed to
take advantage of these opportunities or respond to these limitations.
• Relating alternative decisions to the GOALS and OBJECTIVES established for an
urban area, agency or firm.
• Expressing this information to decision makers in a readily understandable and useful
form.
• The primary purpose of planning is to generate information useful to decision makers
on consequences of alternative actions

ACADEMINC PLANNING is the sequence of deliberate purposeful actions designed to

solve problems systematically, by foreseeing and guiding change through rational
decisions, reconciling public and private aims, and arbitrating between competing
social, economic, political and physical forces.

It allocates scarce resources, particularly land and other resources, in such a manner
as to obtain the maximum practicable efficiency and benefit, for individuals and for
society as a whole, while respecting the needs of Nature and the requirements of a
sustainable future.

ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING -refers to the multi-disciplinary art and science of

analyzing, specifying, clarifying, harmonizing, managing and regulating the use and
development of land and water resources, in relation to their environs, for the
development of sustainable communities and ecosystems.
- RA 10587 Environmental Planning Act of 2013
HISTORY OF PLANNING

Prior to the 18th century, most cities of various civilizations did not exceed 50,000
inhabitants. With small populations and no mechanical means of transportation, most
cities of the past, even the larger ones, did not exceed 2 kms and could be crossed on
foot in not more than 20 minutes. Thus, these towns were built on human scale.

For about 10,000 years, Man lived in villages, and For more than 5,000 years in small
urban settlements whose size and slow growth permitted the creation of continuous
and compact settlements, and endowed these with values which remain important.
In almost all these settlements, the 5 elements of human settlements – nature, man,
shelter, society and network were in complete balance.

However, at the start of the 18th century until the 19th century, and especially in the 20th
century, the picture completely changed, the elements of human settlements have
developed individually and in turn, the balance among them was lost. Man developed
demographically, culturally and intellectually. Society grew and became more complex.

Industrial Revolution brought large masses of people to live within cities.

More and more people live in metropolitan areas, but even the most economically
successful of these regions manifest sharply uneven development.

At the end of the 20th century, urban areas are vastly different from the metropolises of
a hundred years earlier. The old central cities contain a shrinking proportion of regional
wealth and population. Although some cities are the command center of the global
economy or nests of technological innovation, others have lost economic function even
while they still encompass large populations. Environmental pollution, traffic
congestion, racial and ethnic discrimination, and financial crises afflict many urban
cores.

History of Planning in the Philippines

Pre-Hispanic Filipino Settlements – communities called barangays settled by separate

kinship groups within their respective defined territories.

Manila was already a homogenous population of 3,000 inhabitants before Spain came.
It was an important Muslim outpost held by Rajah Soliman.

Spanish Colonial Period – gridiron arrangement … “plaza complex”. The church and
town hall were the dominant structures. Streets were laid to provide a continuous route
for religious processions.
The compact villages provided a framework for rapid Christian indoctrination and
societal organization. (Fort Santiago)

Towards the end of the 19th century, road building programs were introduced by the
Spanish government … the Manila-Dagupan railway.

Similar settlements were built by the Spaniards throughout the country … Fort Del Pilar
in Zamboanga, Davao, Ilocos, Visayas, etc.

American Era – saw the urgent need for guiding the urban growth and physical
development of the country … concentrated in planning of cities where growth was
inevitable.

Examples: development of waterfront; location of parks and parkways as a

means of recreation to every quarter of the city. Street system securing direct and easy
communication from one district to another; Location of building site for various
activities; Development of waterways for transportation; and Summer resorts.

Settlements During the New Republic – the problem of housing, health and sanitation
became the major concerns.

The People’s Homesite and Housing Corporation (PHHC), now the National
Housing Authority (NHA) purchased 1,572 has. in Q.C. (including UP area) for Php2.0
million … for the different housing projects.

Settlements During WWII – about 4/5 of Greater Manila Area was devastated. Manila
was a “giant slum”. Pres. Roxas instructed the National Housing Commission in 1946
to build houses for the US-Philippine War Damage Commission.

The National Urban Planning Commission was created to prepare general plans,
zoning ordinances and subdivision regulations.

Post War Settlements – President Quirino created the National Planning Commission
(NPC) for more integrated planning in the urban and regional areas.

NPC has prepared a master plan for Manila by 1954 with the following objectives:
1. Make Manila a convenient and ideal place for settlement, work, play and own;
2. Remedy the critical traffic congestion;
3. Prevent overcrowding of population;
4. Use land optimally;
5. Distribute schools and playgrounds;
6. Protect and promote healthy property values;
7. Utilize existing improvements.
CHARACTERISTICS OF PLANNING PROCESS (Alden & Morgan)

1. Technical exercise
a. Involves elaboration of means and prediction of consequences.
b. Provides technical base for decision-maker.

2. Comprehensiveness
a. Consider all alternatives and each of their consequences;
b. Consider implications of each alternative.

3. Allocative mechanism
a. Resources should be allocated in the most efficient manner within a
comprehensive framework.

Types of Planning

1. National, regional, local levels

- National level is multi-objective and tends to be economic in content.
- Regional level straddles the national and local gap; economic factors
are of major importance; deals with fundamental physical problems of
the region.
- Local level deals with problems of communities within its area.

2. Allocative or regulatory planning

- concerned with coordination,
- resolves conflicts,
- ensures that the existing system is ticking over efficiently through time
in accordance with evolving policies.
Innovative or development planning
- planning for efficient functioning of existing systems,
- improving/developing the system as a whole.

ATTRIBUTES OF PLANNING PROCESS

1. SCIENCE AND ART - requires quantifiable tools as well as subjective creativity

2. MULTI-DISCIPLINARY - requires the expertise of various disciplines; economics;
engineering; sociology; architecture; law; geography etc.
3. COMPREHENSIVE - covers all aspects of man/women and his/her environment;
physical, social, economic, political administration and the natural environment.
4. DYNAMIC - changes overtime, technological change; cultural norms and
traditions; not static; responsive to new demands and needs of people
5. PARTICIPATORY - values the engagement of multiple stakeholders.
 6. CYCLIC / SPIRAL - Unending process; Always goes back to where it started;
Were the problems solved? Goals and objectives attained? At what level of
satisfaction?
7. TIME BOUND Plan must have a time perspective; short, medium, long range;

LEVELS OF PLANNING

Short Term: 1-3 years e.g. expenditure plan

Medium Term: 3-7 years e.g. development plan
Long Term: 10 years e.g. CLUP 30-50 years e.g. Masterplan

PLANNING AND THE STATE

Planning seeks to direct and to control the form of the built environment in the interest of
society as a whole; power is necessary to carry out plans.
STATE‟s main instrument is the GOVERNMENT: Sphere of power.

Planning in the public domain is conflictive and therefore political, involves compromises
between contending groups.

Planning cannot be isolated from the political context of the city or region because
policy decisions affect local interests.

At times, planning becomes a practice of what is feasible politically instead of what is

technically efficient and effective (Campbell & Feinstein 1997:1).

Macro-level policies have impact on micro-level site, and these policies will influence
people’s lives if not affect them adversely.
.
PLANNING AND THE MARKET

MARKET / BUSINESS SECTOR: generates goods, jobs, and incomes for economic
survival

The planner has to operate alongside the market, directly influencing and frequently
assisting its functioning, but in a manner that takes account of both public and private
interests

Without town planning, land would be apportioned between competing uses by the price
mechanism and interaction of supply and demand
The market, operating alone, does not provide the most appropriate location for what
are generally described as the non-profit making uses of land (e.g., open spaces, roads
and bridges, etc.)

However, correct siting of these lands can make land uses more profitable

Thus, planning assists the market in becoming more efficient.

PLANNING AND CIVIL SOCIETY: Why does planning have to be “participatory”?

Process-oriented means engaging and involving people in various phases/stages

People are important because they ultimately execute the Plan; they are the main
actors of development.

• Hence, Experts have to plan “with” the people and not “for” the people.
• Participation and sharing help people overcome inertia and believe that change is
possible. “Change We Need, Yes We Can!”

• It is necessary to build consensus to legitimize and carry out the Plan; Plan provides
alternative solutions that have to be acceptable to the people.
“Social Acceptability”

• Because Planning decisions create tangible impact, (roads, parks, etc.), plan often
involves matters in which the people have large emotional stakes

• Planning often has large financial consequences on the part of the public. Plans are
directly linked to taxes and property values; people eventually pay for the plan.

• Citizens who might know more about their locality tend not to defer to external
planners; they have to be involved in the process of planning or else they become a
major force of resistance.