Report on Investment Promotion and

Tourism Development in
Naga City

The University of British Columbia

Jeff Chase
Celene Fung
Brady Martin
Marian Thomas

Submitted on 8 June, 2007 in Naga City, Philippines

PREFACE
The report you are about to read was
written by MA-level graduate students
and submitted to the Naga City
Government and relevant stakeholder
groups to partially fulfill the
requirements in PLAN 548H – Planning
Studio Course in Participatory Planning
and Governance. This was a graduate
program course offered at the School of
Community and Regional Planning
(SCARP) at the University of British
Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, Canada
and conducted in the summer of 2007
in Naga City. The course offering was a
first in many ways. It was the first field
studio course at SCARP offered in the
Philippines. The course description,
outline and schedule of activities were
developed with Naga City Planning
Division, other City officials, and the
Ateneo de Naga Centre for Local
Governance. It also benefited from
students’ feedback and assessment of
initial interests. The topics of the final
group report assignments were decided
after the first class meeting with Naga
City Mayor, Hon. Jesse Robredo, who
outlined his City’s strategic planning
priorities and his hopes of what the
UBC students can do as he puts it, in
helping “reinvent City governance.”
Why a Studio Course in Participatory
Planning and Governance?
Professional planners-in-training need
exposure and experience in the
challenges that face many developing
countries. The transnational flows of
people, ideas, services, movements and
goods around the world make those
challenges almost universal in
character, if not in dimension and
scale. Planning is inextricably and
organically linked with governance.
Planning practices depend much on
political institutions, guiding policies,
procedural rules and programs that are
shaped by governance practices and
cultures. A studio course design
optimizes the learning and teaching of
lessons derived from the real world of
planning-governance nexus. Hence, the
course was designed to be experiential,
dialogic, interactive, and community-
based. It was structured as a mutual
learning experiment for students and
the Naga City planners, officials, and
residents.
Thus, the course general learning
objectives for the twenty Canadian and
international graduate students were
to:
• Understand and appreciate the
real world of planning challenges
in a developing country;
• Provide meaningful inputs to
Naga City planning processes and
implementation plans;
• Create a new generation of
planners who bring in their
thoughtful analytical skills into
creative and practical solutions.
• Bring lessons from Naga City and
the Philippines as a whole to
places, sites and cultures in their
future planning work.
More specifically, the students were
expected to be able to:
• Provide sustainable, low-cost
and effective recommendations
to promote good change in Naga
City;
• Demonstrate and apply their
interdisciplinary planning skills
in local governance issues;
• Write thoughtful and well-
researched planning reports that
 Naga City officials and staff, as
well as community groups, can
use in their current and future
work.
Why a Studio Course in Naga City?
Naga is a mid-size city of 150,000
residents in Bicol region, central
Philippines. It is internationally and
nationally renowned as among the
“best practices” in good local
governance in the Philippines and in
the developing world. Naga City has
maximised the opportunities for
governance reform, local capacity
building, and improved delivery of
basic services created by political
decentralization under the Local
Government Code. Since 1988, Naga
City has been creating and
implementing various mechanisms to
involve local organized groups,
particularly from the marginalized
sectors of society, in governing the
city. Its City Government has been
working closely with the highly
functional People’s Council and various
other Councils, Committees, Special
Bodies, and Task Forces to deal with
local governance issues – from social
housing for the poor to creating
sustainable social enterprises, from
addressing school board governance to
using new information communication
technologies in creating closer relations
between the people and the city
government. This long history of public
engagement and capable leadership
continuity make Naga City an ideal and
productive laboratory for examining the
promises and challenges of
democratizing planning in a rapidly
growing and complex city environment.
Caveats and Constraints
The following is one of six Planning
Reports submitted to the City
Government. The six reports are:
(1) Quality Universal Public
Education
(2) Youth Development Planning
(3) Urban Agriculture
(4) Investment Promotion
(5) Transportation, and
(6) Social Housing for the Urban
Poor
Each of these reports were developed
in close consultation with the course
instructor and the relevant City
Officials, as the students went about
framing their research questions,
identifying their data needs, doing
interviews, leading focus groups,
collecting and analyzing data, and
writing the final drafts that served as
bases of the students’ public
presentations to the City on June 6 and
7. As there are some groups that have
more members than others, and as
each of the groups went about
developing its own methodological and
analytical frameworks suited to their
topics, it is expected that there will be
some variations and diversity in their
final outputs. The research and writing
that went in the preparation of these
reports spanned only a period of three
weeks, from May 17 to June 7. More
time and more consultations would
have greatly improved the quantity and
quality of our data and analysis. We did
the best that we can under the limited
circumstances, and we apologise for
any mistakes, gaps in analysis, and
oversights that our reports may have.
We provide our insights and
recommendations without any strings
attaches or expectation that they will
be adopted by the City
Without pre-empting the
acknowledgment of each of the
reports, I join my students in thanking
the Naga City Government, particularly
its Planning Division Director Wilfredo
Prilles, Jr. and his Staff; Mayor Jesse
Robredo; the Directors and Staff of the
City Agriculture, City Environment and
Natural Resources, City Engineers, City
Health, City Tourism and City Social
Welfare and Development Offices, the
Local School Board members; the City
Division of the Department of
Education, the City Investment Board,
and the Naga City People’s Council. We
thank all our guest speakers, guides
and key informants from the above
Offices; Dr Danny Gerona and Atty Sol
Santos; Mr George Abonal, Principal of
Ateneo de Naga High School; Fr Joel
Tabora SJ, President of Ateneo de Naga
University; ADNU Head Librarian Edna
and Dr Malu Barcillano, her Staff and
student volunteers at Ateneo Centre for
Local Governance; the municipal and
barangay officials of Pamplona,
Camarines Sur; and the staff of the
Naga City Youth Centre. We thank all
Naga residents for the warm
hospitality, generosity and enthusiasm
they showed us. Dios mabalos po, at
mabuhay kayong lahat sa Naga!

Leonora C. Angeles
Associate Professor
School of Community and Regional
Planning
University of British Columbia
Naga City, Philippines, June 7, 2007
Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMARY

1.0 CONTEXT
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Organization of Report
1.3 Background of Problem
1.4 Goals & Objectives
1.5 Methods of data collection
1.6 Constraints & Challenges

2.0 REVITALIZATION OF CBD I

2.1 Background
2.2 Recommendations
2.3 Case study: Nashville
2.4 Urban design & Place making

3.0 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT &

INVESTMENT PROMOTION
3.1 Background
3.2 Enhancing public space
3.3 Case study: Vancouver
3.4 Recommendations
3.5 BIA Model
3.6 Case study; Vancouver

4.0 NAGA CITY RIVERWALK

4.1 Background
4.2 Case study: San Antonio
4.3 Recommendations

5.0 TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

5.1 Background
5.2 Case studies: Canada & Peru
5.3 Recommendations

6.0 CONCLUSIONS

7.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY

8.0 LIST OF APPENDICES

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report defines some of the key
areas of opportunity available to Naga
City in regards to investment,
promotion and revitalization strategies.
This research was done in coordination
with certain goals expressed by City
Staff as well as a number of primary
stakeholders. Although many of the
principles and recommendations in this
report can be applied elsewhere, this
report is primarily concerned with
processes and strategies for the
revitalization of Central Business
District I and for promoting tourism to
Naga City and the surrounding area.
Following a number of interviews, focus
groups and meetings with City Officials
and other key stakeholders, this report
has considered the following five key
areas for future development and
change:
1. The revitalization of CBD 1 through
establishing a legal framework for
implementing urban design
guidelines and place-making
initiatives within the city;
2. Collaborative Public-Private
Partnerships as a tool for
maximizing a project’s full
potential;
3. Business Improvement Areas (BIAs)
as a tool for enhancing and
sustaining local economic,
community revitalization efforts and
place-making;
4. The development of a riverfront
district parallel to Central Business
District 1 (CBD 1) which could serve
as an activity center and tourist
draw for the region and
demonstrate the BIA model;
5. The integration of cultural tourism
and ‘culture as destination’, with
health and wellness initiatives in
the Naga region coupled with
changes to existing strategies
surrounding tourism.
These five key areas are examined in
context to Naga and corresponding case
studies provide real-world examples of
the recommendations made throughout
the report.
1.0 CONTEXT
The report you are about to read has
been written by four University of
British Columbia Masters Students. Jeff
Chase, a Canadian student enrolled in
the School of Community and Regional
Planning (SCARP) with a political
science and international relations
background; Celene Fung, a Canadian
SCARP student with a background in
city planning at the municipal level;
Brady Martin, an American Asian
Pacific Policy Studies (MAPPS) student
with a background on Asian policy; and
Marian Thomas, an American SCARP
student with a background in
development and architecture in
Southern California.
Each of the contributors has come from
different backgrounds of education and
employment, and has brought to the
table diverse perspectives of
investment and tourism. The diversity
of the group, coupled with the
cooperative nature of its interactions,
have resulted in what we hope are
thoughtful and innovative collective
recommendations that will prove
useful as Naga charts its course
forward in the future.
1.1 Introduction
Investment and promotion are intrinsic
to any healthy, growing local economy.
Here in Naga, investment and
promotion are key strategic areas for
realizing future short and long-term
development and economic growth in
the city and surrounding
neighborhoods. This report highlights
some key areas of opportunity that
connect to the goals for tourism and
investment as expressed by the Naga
City Government.
1.2 Organization of Report:
The first section of this report
addresses the background and context
to the research problem. A number of
goals are outlined which work to
illuminate the recommendations made
in the following sections.
The second section outlines our list of
recommendations for Naga City and is
separated into three parts:
• Revitalization strategies for CBD I
which includes potential strategies
for physical rehabilitation using
‘best practice’ urban design
guidelines and place-making
initiatives;
• Funding and investment
improvement strategies and best-
practices which includes a dire need of a ‘face lift’. As currently
comprehensive overview of the
Business Improvement Area (BIA)
model followed by a case study
applying the BIA model to a
riverwalk revitalization project in
Naga City;
• Strategic tourism opportunities
relating to cultural tourism and
existing programs and resources.
1.3 Background of Problem:
Naga is clearly a city with innovation
and strategic visioning in regards to
investment, promotion and
revitalization. The City Staff, private
investors, concerned citizens, and the
local business community have all spent
countless hours developing ideas and
projects to attract business, revitalize
commercial areas and promote tourism
to the city. However, as the city grows
and shifts, new opportunities arise and
often unexpected constraints surface.
Of these opportunities and challenges,
the City of Naga has highlighted two
areas that are of particular interest not
only to City Staff, but to local citizens,
private investors and the local business
community at-large: The revitalization
of Central Business District I and the
implementation of low-cost strategies
for promoting tourism to Naga City and
the surrounding area.
The revitalization of CBD I is a priority
concern for the City as new
development patterns show potential
competition with the growth of CBD II
and specifically the impending SM Mall
development. Market vendors at the
Public Market are particularly
concerned with losing business. CBD I
is, in the words of one developer, in
laid out in the Executive-Legislative
Agenda for 2007-2010, the City is
seeking out revitalization and
beautification strategies for CBD I that
would be financially viable and
inclusive of all stakeholder concerns.
The second area of interest for the city
relates to tourism, specifically the
development of the East Highland
Zone. Naga City, although centrally
located and the ‘heart’ of the Bicol
Region is, unfortunately, landlocked
and competing with a number of other
area attractions in the province.
However, there is still a great deal of
untapped potential for Naga City’s
tourism industry. The City is currently
seeking low-cost, low infrastructure
strategies to develop and market in the
tourism sector.
This all comes at a strategic time for
Naga. The city has seen a number of
very large development projects in the
past few years including two shopping
complexes, a lifestyle center and a
water sports complex. At the same
time, the Naga City Community
Planning and Development Office are
currently updating the City’s
Development and Land Use plans.
1.4 Goals and Objectives:
The goals of this report and the
corresponding research are to achieve
the following objectives:
1. To take advantage and complement
the many ideas, practices and work
already underway in the City, local
business council and community
here in Naga City;
2. To develop recommendations that
take into account and build on
Naga’s rich cultural history,
impressive local governance models
and processes, beautiful natural
landscape and engaged public
citizenry;
3. To provide strategies and
recommendations that are
environmentally, socially and
economically sustainable - that
minimize displacement, encourage
equitable and fair development and
are respectful of environmental
health;
4. To provide recommendations which
are situated in context and are
socially, fiscally and politically
viable;
5. To explore new forms of
partnerships to ensure ongoing
mechanisms for investment and
development, social integration,
community stewardship and civic
participation in decision-making;
6. To institutionalize a framework that
encourages aesthetics,
functionality, accessibility, and
investment in the public realm.
1.5 Methods of Data Collections and
Analysis
The recommendations presented in this
report are premised in information
gathered over three-weeks of meetings
with key stakeholders involved with
tourism and investment. Participants
included: The Metro Naga Investment
and Promotions Department, members
of Naga's Investment Board, the local
Metro Naga Business Chamber, Planning
department staff, local developers and
business community members at large.
An inventory of key informants of this
report are included in Appendix 1 and
a list of interview questions which
guided interviews and focus groups are
included in Appendix 2. In addition to
key stakeholder informants, lectures,
site visits and academic literature
review informed our research. Key
lectures included: Mayor Jessie
Robredo, Vice Mayor Gabriel Bordado,
Planning, Naga's Livelihood and
Employment Programs, Investment and
Promotion, and Tourism. Site visits
included: a tour of the downtown, tour
of Camarines Sur Barangay, Anteneo's
Animation Studio, and major regional
tourist destinations.
That said, the methods used in
obtaining data for this report are
diverse and pragmatic. Primary
interviewing, small focus groups and
background research (literature
reviews, Naga City-specific information
and case-study examples) were used in
the data collecting process.
• Information: Given the time frame
of this project, the depth and
breadth of background research was
sensitive to time-pressures and
limited resources.
Every effort has been made to plan for
the challenges identified here. By
thinking pragmatically in regards to
research, the potential consequences
of these challenges, have to a large
extent, been avoided.

1.6 Overall Constraints and Challenges:

The architects of this report are aware
of several key constraints and
challenges relating to this project.
Though every effort was made to
mitigate the effects of possible
constraints, the following key
challenges should be noted in premising
the recommendations of this report:
• Context: The authors of this report
were relatively unfamiliar with the
context of Naga City before arrival.
Though background research was
done prior to our arrival and
context-specific research was of
paramount importance upon arrival,
the challenge of remaining Naga
context specific remains real;
• Culture: The authors of this report
were not very familiar with Filipino
or Naguenos culture before arrival.
Though cultural immersion has been
a valuable way to gain an
understanding of local culture, the
report remains sensitive to possible
cultural differences;
• Language: Language is an important
mechanism for understanding
context and information. At certain
times during this project, the
language barrier the research team
faced proved challenging;
2.0: REVITALIZATION OF CBD I
THROUGH URBAN DESIGN PRINCIPLES
AND PLACE-MAKING INITIATIVES
2.1 Background
Maintaining the vitality of Central
Business I is a concern for many Naga
City residents, business owners, market
vendors and local government officials.
A major shopping center is being
developed across the Bicol River and
there is fear that a second business
district will draw shoppers and visitors
away from CBD I. It is vital that the
CBD I have a thought-out and
financially viable strategy for
maintaining the business activity
already in place in the area as well as
promoting further investment and
development. A physical revitalization
and rehabilitation of CBD I is required
to ensure the area is as comfortable
and accessible to the types of visitors
and investors likely to take their
business outside of CBD I as well as to
attract an entirely new visitor from
Naga City and abroad. Revitalization is
important for the health and happiness
and enjoyment of Naga City residents
and the economic health of the entire
city.
This issue has already been laid out in
the City's Executive Agenda of 2007. A
number of great ideas have been
brought forth in our meetings with our
meetings with local developers, Naga
City Planning staff and representatives
of the local business chamber of
commerce. Ideas have included making
use of the Penafrancia festival as a
character-shaping design element for
the city. Other ideas include
encouraging mixed-use development
and late-night entertainment venues to
keep people downtown at all hours.
What most people seem to agree on is
the need for some revitalization efforts
and general beautification schemes and
a call for a general re-visioning and
character building plan for the CBD I.
As it stands, it appears the Naga City
Planning Department has little approval
over the form and design of
development projects. The
development approval process seems to
be based largely on enforcement of
national regulations regarding
environmental impact, agricultural
land, etc. than on the approval of
design, form and connectivity to
surrounding buildings and public open
space. There seems to be a lack of
guidelines and ordinances addressing
the design of the public realm –
sidewalk design, street-scaping, façade
improvement and general vision for
CBD I. There also appears to be a lack
of collaboration between public and
private stakeholders – specifically, the
planning department and the local
Metro Naga City Business Council. The
following recommendations work to
address these key challenges.
2.2 Recommendations
There are a number of avenues the
local government and stakeholders
could adopt to see the physical
revitalization of the CBD I. The most
successful strategies for a revitalization
of a central business district or
downtown project generally involve the
institutionalization and implementation
of strong urban design guidelines and
place-making initiatives in the City’s
Planning Department. Thoughtful urban
design can help city planners and city
staff revitalize, re-imagine and
reinvigorate entire districts. Through
urban design and place-making
initiatives, CBD 1 can maintain its role
as the heart of Naga City where
business, shopping, leisure and
entertainment combine to become a
true destination not only for the
residents of Naga but for visitors from
near and afar.
There seems to be a lack of interest by
many local developers to undertake
projects in the CBD I. Studies show that
cities with a strong urban design vision,
enabling guidelines and bylaws for their
public realm combined with adequate
public support and funding lead to an
increase in private investment in the
city. A well designed public realm
where people can live, work and play in
a comfortable, aesthetically pleasing
and interesting environment is a draw
to investors and developers looking to
relocate or undertake projects in the
city. Additionally, private developers
often see less risk working in a city that
has strong design guidelines. On the
whole, communities with a well-
designed public realm are found to
generally perform better economically
over the long-term (Schommer, 2005).
What does Urban Design and Place-
making Involve?
The Architects Handbook of
Professional Practice defines urban
design as providing “form and
definition to the full spectrum of forces
- cultural, ecological, political, social,
and aesthetic - that shape the built
environment and the public realm”
(Dixon, 2005). These factors are further
integrated into plans, design guidelines
and regulations that then determine
the look and form of everything from
sidewalks and neighborhoods to entire
regions. These plans and guidelines can
include parameters on street and
sidewalk design, plazas and open
spaces, building height, massing,
materials, architectural character, and
connectivity that shape how planners
envision neighborhood change, how
architects design a building and the
space around it and how developers
propose projects (Dixon, 2005).
Place-making initiatives are generally
regarded as a subset of good urban
design principles and city revitalization
schemes. Place-making involves
designing neighborhoods and urban
spaces that are interesting and inviting
but also contribute a sense of identity,
pride and uniqueness to a city. This
often includes character building,
cultural and historic preservation and
branding. If done properly, the result
can include both increased investment
and interest in particular areas but also
a stronger sense of community and
civic identity among residents.
According to research conducted by the
World Bank, “the sense of place and
the feeling of roots are major
components in building social cohesion,
or social capital. The concept of roots
introduces the physical dimension of
the location, the buildings and the
space that have special significance to
people and that help define identity
and sense of belonging” (Serageldin, et
al. 2000).
An important component of place-
making involves a certain degree of
historic preservation and cultural
heritage. Preserving cultural heritage
districts creates a strong sense of place
and is known to help regenerate the
“self-esteem and self-identities of
disempowered peoples and revive
moribund economies. Cultural heritage
preservation and poverty reduction are
closely intertwined” (Serageldin, et al.
2000). According to a housing policy
debate in the city of Toronto in
Canada, “In an era of homogenized
retail businesses, malls, and office
parks, older downtowns, with their
compact assemblage of functions and
their often unique merchandise and
services, are yet another
differentiating natural asset that can
be capitalized on by communities trying
to bolster their economies” (Canada’s
Historic Places Initiative 2007).
Process:
In many cities, design is relegated to
the private sector only. Developers and
their architects design individual
buildings with little concern for the
public spaces between buildings or in
creating a vision for the city as a
whole. Urban design should be a
community initiative – envisioned by
the public and implemented by a strong
and devoted city planning staff and an
engaged and willing private sector.
Design and character guidelines should
be included in Official Community Plans
to ensure a level of compliance – both
for public and private projects. (See
Appendix 3) The development approval
process in Naga should include a design
review board composed of City
Planning staff and design professionals
that monitor the project from the
initial idea stage to final permitting.
Creating a strong and beautiful public
realm in CBD I needs to be part of the
collective civic mind of both Naga
City’s residents and local government.
Visioning
A community-driven visioning process
must take place in order to promote
the longevity of Naga’s CBD I and to
encourage an ‘urban design’ culture
among city staff, private investors and
the public at large. This is perhaps the
single most important aspect of a
successful design project and will
undoubtedly fit in easily with Naga
City’s passion for local governance and
the participatory engagement of its
residents. The visioning-process should
outline the optimal and ideal vision for
the city while still respecting cultural
identity, history, natural landscape and
existing built form.
2.3 Case-Study: Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee in the US provides
a good example of a strong community
vision plan that has resulted in the
revitalization of an ailing city center as
well as a more inclusive and
participatory public-private
relationship. The concept for the Plan
of Nashville is a “community-based
vision plan” which was developed over
the course of 2003 in community
centers and public-gathering places
throughout Nashville. It involved the
participation of 800 Nashville citizens
who raised questions and concerns and
discussed issues relating to their sense
of community, civic identity and
quality of life within the city. It
involved a meaningful collaboration
between residents and local business
associations assisted by visionary city
planners, design professionals,
investment and promotion officials and
local historians and other neighborhood
groups and NGO’s. The result was not a
comprehensive master plan for the
community but a truly creative and
exciting vision for the optimal ideal
look and feel for the city center. The
Nashville planning staff designed the
vision plan to be daring and imaginative
and explore a number of possibilities
and opportunities for the physical
design and layout of the area on long-
term basis. The vision plan laid out 10
principles (see Appendix 4) intended to
guide public policy with specific pieces
integrated into design guidelines and
by-laws to shape future development
projects and improvement initiatives in
the city. Research by design
professionals, planners and historians
on Nashville’s history, culture and prior
planning led to a better understanding
of why the city looks and works the way
it does today.
1. Citizens identified current concerns
and priorities in the neighborhoods, in
the city and in the region.
2. The community’s aspirations and
ambitions for the city directed the
development of the principles and goals
of the Plan.
3. A team of design professionals – most
particularly of the Nashville Civic
Design Center – assisted by writers and
editors, formulated the Plan of
Nashville as the embodiment and
amplification of the three prior stages
(Kreyling, 2005).
Naga City could also utilize design
charrettes as a visioning process. These
interactive design meetings involving
members of the public, key
stakeholders and city
planning/engineering staff in
collaboration with design professionals
trained in urban design, architecture,
engineering, landscape architecture,
etc. to come up with physical designs
and layouts for specific areas or large
scale development projects. Generally,
members of the public envision what
they would like to see in their
neighborhoods (for example: the design
for a plaza or public park) and the
designers create diagrams and drawings
on the spot to help in the visioning
process. Members of the public are also
encouraged to pick up a pen and paper
- drawing expertise is not necessarily a
requirement. Generally, the diagrams
and drawings are simple and crude
sketches but effective in
communicating the envisioned
concepts. The concept sketches are
then taken back to the planning office
to be interpreted and written into
policy guidelines and by-laws.
In Naga, example participants for a
visioning workshop regarding CBD I
revitalization may include: local
residents and business owners, the
Metro Naga Business Chamber, market
vendors and jeepney/trike drivers, etc.
along with the City Planning Staff, the
Engineering Department, the Tourism
and Investment Department, Naga
City’s Public Safety Office, NGO’s and
City departments relating to poverty
issues and housing concerns, etc. The
local Council of Architects in Naga, as
well as engineers and planners could
aid in the drawing and diagramming.
Ideally, a person knowledgeable of
urban design practices should facilitate
the process.
2.4 Recommendations: Urban Design
and Place-making Strategies for CBD I
Revitalizations
Naga City's problem is not unique by
any means. As cities grow and expand
horizontally, planners all over the
world struggle with maintaining their
central business districts. However,
CBD I in Naga I has a number of
extremely important assets as well as a
few constraints that are integral to the
revitalization question. Most
importantly, CBD I is still very alive and
active. Any changes to the existing
environment should strive to maintain
much of this vitality while also seeking
ways to encourage new interest in the
area.
Of the existing urban design literature,
two 'Best Practices' have been chosen
that would be quite suitable for Naga
City: New Urbanism Design Principles
and Place-Making Initiatives. The
following section is a list of
recommendations and strategies for
Naga City’s CBD I based on principles
and guidelines from these two “best
practice” models.
New Urbanism Design Principles
New Urbanism is an urban design model
that bases its theories and guiding
principles on the design and layout of
traditional cities and towns in the
world that continue to support a strong
sense of community and distinct
cultural identities. Although New
Urbanism is largely concerned with
growth management strategies for city
planning, some of the principles also
demonstrate how the specific design of
the public realm (streets, squares and
building frontages) can encourage a
strong public life and a vibrant thriving
economy (Crowhurst, et al. 2006). Naga
City’s CBD I, although seemingly
chaotic at times, actually embodies a
number of New Urbanist principles
already that, with some work, can be
greatly capitalized on. For instance:
Existing Urban Design Assets in Naga
City’s CBD I:
Narrow Streets: The meandering,
narrow style street is actually one of
CBD I’s greatest assets. North American
Planners are constantly trying to
achieve this effect in new
developments with often little success.
Maintaining a narrow street width is
extremely important for slowing traffic
and making a safer environment for
pedestrians and cyclists as well as cars.
Less street pavement also means a
livelier street “edge” and an easier
access from one side of the street to
the other, thus encouraging shoppers
and visitors to meander back and forth.
CBD I should not be treated as a
through-fare but as a comfortable and
inviting environment for residents,
shoppers and visitors to explore and
spend time. The 'traditional' narrow
street should not be more than 28’-30’
wide (Duany, et al. 2000).
Street Connectivity: There is also a
high degree of street connectivity
within the CBD I. Networks of highly
connected roads and paths which
provide multiple routes between
destinations increase accessibility and
provide opportunities for activity on
both major and minor streets. High-
street connectivity is an attribute of
many successful European cities (Swift,
n.d).
Compact Urban Fabric: CBD I has a
truly urban and vibrant network of
buildings and streets. A compact built
environment is one where buildings are
connected to one another along the
street, accommodating a mix of uses.
The contiguous buildings “create a
continuous wall along the street façade
and enclose public space” thus
contributing to a lively and engaging
“streetscape” (Crowhurst, et al. 2006).
This sense of enclosure is very
important. New Urbanist designers
recommend that buildings in higher
density urban areas front the street
and not be setback from the sidewalk.
Long stretches of blank walls should be
restricted and windows and door
openings encouraged (Duany, et al.
2000). Naga City’s CBD I has a very
successful and compact urban fabric
already that should be maintained as
part of the revitalization efforts.
(The compact urban fabric of CBD I)
Lively and engaging public plazas,
squares and marketplaces:
Successful, traditional city centers all
share one important attribute: a
discernible Activity Center (Crowhurst,
2006). CBD I should consider its plazas
and public marketplaces as significant
assets.
Plazas: The plazas are all in highly
trafficked and extremely visible
locations in CBD I. They already contain
some landscaping, tall trees and
beautiful, culturally valuable
monuments. Plaza Rizal and Quezon
together are large enough to hold
public events, festivals and concerts.
Marketplace: The public marketplace,
although in need of rehabilitation, is
also a positive feature of CBD I. The
space it occupies is substantial and
could be greatly capitalized on to
provide not only a venue for trading
goods but also as an attraction for out
of town visitors looking for an
alternative to the typical, suburban
style mall.
Churches: The beautiful San Francisco
Church fronting the Quince Martires
Plaza and the Naga Cathedral are both
major activity centers in the CBD I that
can be utilized further in rehabilitation
and urban design visioning for the city.
However, there are a number of New
Urbanist principles that Naga City could
implement or improve upon in a
revitalization of CDB I:
Sidewalk Rehabilitation: Sidewalk
rehabilitation and design could be the
single most important urban design
strategy for the rehabilitation of CBD I.
Pedestrians should feel comfortable
strolling, playing, shopping,
sightseeing, eating and visiting on the
network of sidewalks downtown.
Sidewalks should be continuous, as
wide as possible and provided on both
sides of the street. Ideally, they should
be constructed of a solid, stable
material like cement. Higher quality
paving like brick and granite could be
used around the plazas or major
activity centers in CBD I to contribute
to a sense of place. Sidewalks could be
expanded in width on most streets in
CBD I without impacting traffic.
Planters or street trees could line the
street edge to provide a protective
barrier between pedestrians and
passing traffic (Niagara, n.d.).
Pedestrian Crosswalks: Crosswalks
should be provided at every single
intersection. At major intersections,
particularly around the three plazas,
crosswalks should be raised slightly
with clearly demarcated paving and
surface markers. Raised crosswalks
make the pedestrian more visible while
also slowing traffic. Clear signage or
even flashing lights should be provided
at major intersections and the
pedestrian should have total priority at
all crosswalks.
(Raised cross-walks)
Street Trees: Trees provide shade and
comfort to pedestrians and enhance
the visual and environmental quality of
the street. If possible, they should be
spaced consistently at 6-9m intervals.
Native species should be used to
promote longevity (Niagara, n.d.).
Street Furnishings: All street
furnishings should be developed within
an overall thematic concept and
presents a unified streetscape vision.
Where possible provide benches and
way-finding signage (such as street
signs or destination directional
signage). Garbage cans should be
placed at every major intersection.
Here is a good opportunity to utilize
local artisans and furniture makers to
construct locally made, truly
“Nagaueno” style benches, garbage
cans and signs.
Street Lighting: Lighting should be
radiate downwards lighting up the
sidewalk at a pedestrian scale generally
around 4-5m high and with a character
that corresponds to the street
furnishings (Niagara, n.d).
Mixed-Use Shop/Houses: The
“shop/house” is the primary building
block of many older, traditional cities
all over the world. In the “shop/house”
the lower floor is generally a shop,
restaurant or workshop with residential
units on the upper floors. It is felt that
the close proximity of “living, working,
socializing, of the private and the
public realms, are what makes the
public realm so hospitable, and the
private dwelling so convenient”. Not
only does the mixed use model more
environmentally sustainable by allowing
for a car-free lifestyle, it also
encourages daytime usage of the public
realm by businesses and nighttime
usage by residents – thus maintaining
vitality in the area at all hours. The
building type should include various
housing types that can accommodate a
mixture of income levels (Crowhurst
and Lennard, n.d.). See the following
section on vernacular architecture for
potential design ideas.
Place-Making
The following strategies could be
implemented in CBD I to create a sense
of place within the area:
Establish a vernacular architecture for
CBD I: One strategy for place-making
and revitalization efforts for
downtowns could include coming up
with a vernacular architecture for the
area. A vernacular architecture is
something that is unique to Naga City
and the Philippines and is culturally
significant to the area and to the
people. Part of the visioning process
could include strategies for what this
vernacular is and how it could be
implemented into design guidelines for
new developments and beautification
projects. There are a number of
buildings in the area that can serve as
inspiration. For instance, the
traditional Filipino house, bahay na
bato1 still exists in parts of the city and
could easily be redeveloped and re-
imagined to support a larger variety of
uses including the previously mentioned
shop/house mixed use
model.
(Preserved heritage buildings, a possible component
of successful place making)
Heritage Preservation: Heritage
buildings are extremely important for
revitalization purposes. An inventory of
older, historically and culturally
significant buildings should be made.
Where possible, these buildings should
be preserved and/or rehabilitated to
become focal points and destinations
for locals and visitors alike. The
beautiful churches and plazas in CBD I
could become a starting point for
heritage preservation. Even the
narrow, meandering street design and
connectivity in CBD I can be considered
a heritage feature to be preserved
(Serageldon 2000).
1
The bahay na bato is typically characterized as a
raised or two-story structure with the lower floor made of
stone or masonry and the upper floors wood. The main living
area is on the upper level with large windows on each side to
take advantage of cooling breezes. “The window sashes
commonly have capiz shell panes and can be opened wide
or closed for privacy or in stormy weather. Vents above the
windows, protected by the roof eaves, let air in even when
it's rainy. Small shuttered windows below the large windows,
called ventanillas, are screened with balusters or grillwork
and can be left opened when the large windows are closed
such as at night” (Architecture in the Philippines, Winand
Klassen, 1986).
(Naga's Plaza's: A true benefit of the City)
Façade Improvement: Façade
improvement would highly benefit
revitalization of CBD I. It will involve
both public and private initiative and
investment and should be a priority for
revitalization efforts. Improvement
should include awnings, window
treatments, lighting and a general
cohesive style for specific areas that
should correspond to the larger vision
for CBD I. Encourage businesses to
make window displays and in-store
merchandising displays more enticing.
Public Market as Destination: The Naga
City Public Market, at one time the
largest public market in Southeast Asia,
can once again become a true
destination for locals and for tourists
from around the region, country and
world. The Naga City Public Market is in
a prime location downtown. It is close
to the plazas and other shopping areas
and near to the riverfront, which has a
huge redevelopment potential. The
market could be improved upon by
opening up the structure and
reorganizing the stalls in a more logical
manner (perhaps separating the
vendors into a “fish market” area, a
home-wares and fashion “boutique”
and a vegetable and fruit “market”
with clear way-finding signage and
more permanent booth structures).
CBD I as Entertainment and Cultural and community cohesiveness. Branding
District: CBD I is already a center of can be used on way-finding signs on
entertainment and culture for Naga lamp posts or street signs as well as on
City. The plazas are extremely popular marketing materials. Again, part of the
for programming efforts from youth visioning process may include coming
engagement activities to political up with potential place names and
rallies. Strategies for maximizing the neighborhood identities for specific
potential for entertainment venues in areas in CBD I.
CBD I include encouraging clubs and
restaurants, theaters and cinemas that The following section will highlight
keep people downtown later into the some more procedural strategies for
evening. funding mechanisms and public-private
partnerships for the implementation of
Marketing: A huge part of revitalization these revitalization projects.
and place-making is simply in how well
an area is marketed and promoted.
This requires letting residents,
investors and visitors know what the
CBD I has to offer. This can include
organizing festivals and events and also
signs, leaflets and posters that
encapsulate the community vision for
the district (Serageldon 2000). The
Penafrancia festival is a major draw for
visitors and could potentially become a
huge design feature of the CBD I.

(Flags: A successful mechanism for re-branding)

Branding: Marketing can also include a

degree of neighborhood “branding”
Branding is a useful marketing tool that
can aid in creating a sense of identity
3.0: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
& INVESTMENT PROMOTION
3.1 Background
Naga's economic growth and successful
governance practices have been
attracting a range of new investments
to the City. Although new investment
is encouraged as it brings in additional
revenue and markets to the city, these
investments can have adverse effects
on local existing businesses and the
community members who depend on
them. After consulting with
government staff and private
stakeholders, it has become clear that
significant public or private financing
to make improvements in the public
realm to improve the local business
environment is difficult to sustain.
Therefore, the section of this report
works to examine business
improvement and promotion models
that are sensitive to the local context
of Naga that would continue to build
upon the successes and assets of the
community.
3.2 Enhancing Public Spaces and
Community Inclusively Through
Collaborative Development Project
Partnerships
New development benefits the business
owners and investors but can also
benefit the greater public community.
In balancing business interests and the
public interest, City officials are often
placed in a position of mediation
between encouraging investment and
protecting the public interest. Both
private and public sectors have
distinctive, but potentially
complementary, parts to play.
Businesses main goals are to maximize
profits and to seek opportunity for
market penetration. Public sectors
interests are rooted in the wider
community good. Working in
partnership often delivers better
outputs to all effected stakeholders.
Private-public-community partnerships
are common in Naga to work towards
win-win solutions. Building upon the
success of Naga's business promotion
and investment strategies and
partnership governance model, new
negotiation mechanisms, targeted site
policies and public involvement tools
can be implemented to enhance the
quality of buildings, urban spaces,
community neighborhoods and local
livelihoods. The collaborative
development project partnership
approach is flexible and negotiable.
The approach tries to maximize returns
for the investor and the City. It also
presents a direct opportunity for
community members to participate in
place making and ensuring that the
new development not only brings in
investment, but also meets their
community's needs.
3.3 Case Study: Oakridge Centre Mall,
Vancouver, B.C. Canada
(www.vancouver.ca/oakridge)
 (Oakridge Center Mall, Vancouver Canada)
Oarkridge Centre Mall is a medium-
scale commercial retail mall located
within a residential community. The
owners of the mall approached the City
of Vancouver to seek opportunities to
redevelop and have requested a
planning program to re-examine the
potential of the site. The City agreed
to explore options to maximize the
potential of the site in consideration of
a future rezoning if the developers
agreed to work towards meeting the
City's planning objectives. The City's
planning include: to achieve a vital
neighborhood centre, balance
neighborhood and district serving
commercial activities, ensure a •
diversity of livelihood options,
integrate possible community facilities
and integrate building design to
enhance the surrounding character of
the neighborhood.
At the conception of the project and
throughout the project development,
the community is involved in shaping
site concepts ideas. The community
collaborative consultation process gives
a change for open dialogue to discuss
ideas and opportunities between the
community, the developer and their
technical consultants and the City. The
developers use the community's
suggestions in designing the site.
Community input was encouraged
several ways:
• Community meetings: Community
meetings are usually small and
targeted to specific community
members. They are hosted in the
community and are facilitated by
City staff and developer;
• Community Open Houses:
Community Open Houses are used
for general public consultation and
engagement. They are held in the
community where the project will
be developed. The Community Open
House is sponsored by the developer
but coordinated by the City. The
community is encouraged to raise
issues and ideas for the proposed
development. Information about
the development plans is shared
with the community. Usually visuals
such as models, drawings and other
graphic materials are used to
illustrate development plans and
ideas for the site. Community input
is gathered through surveys and
questionnaires and discussions with
staff;
Follow up Workshops: Follow up
workshops are more in depth
sessions to mediate conflicts or
outstanding differences between
the developer and the community.
Both staff and developer facilitate
the workshop.
The outcome of the collaborative
process resulted in a development that
addressed the majority of stakeholder
concerns. The inclusive planning and
collective place-making resulted in the
developer maximizing the site's
potential. The City and community
were able to come together to meet
their Vision objectives.
The Developer
• The developer was allowed to
rezone to a greater capacity than
the initial zoning laws allowed;
• Development allowed a range of
diversity of mixes on site to ensure
an expanded market niche;
• Better urban design quality was
encouraged to enhance project
marketability
• The process created support for the
project vs. opposition
The City
• Increased business means an
increased tax base
• Improved building design and public
spaces
• Enhanced public facilities and
amenities spaces such as park/open
space, daycare, seniors centre and
library
• A new road to access the site
• Ensured that the development
benefits all community members
The Community
• Opportunities for the urban poor to
enhance their livelihoods though
integration of local retail
• Ensured a diversity of shops and
services to meet the entire
community's needs
• Ensured that large-scale
development "fits" into their
community and that the
development contributes to
improving the overall quality of life
for the surrounding community.
3.4 Recommendations
Through our consultation with key
stakeholders, large-scale commercial
and high-end residential neighborhood
developments are key investment
drivers in Naga. The local zoning
ordinances dictate the potential uses
for designated land areas. The zoning
provides a mechanism to organize land
use, but it does not offer the potential
to maximize the development potential
in regards to best use or density.
The Collaborative Development Project
Partnerships concept could be used in
significant commercial projects like the
development of SM Mall, high-end
residential neighborhood projects or
resort development and other large-
scale developments. Site-specific
development could be fit and be linked
to the targeted vision of a specific area
as well the overall vision of the greater
community.
(The westdale Business Improvement Area: An
example of community identity)
3.5 The Business Improvement Areas
(BIA) Model:
The Business Improvement Area (BIA)
model is an economically and socially
sustainable mechanism to improve and
enhance local business districts. A BIA
model is a formalized mechanism for
local businesses and property owners to
come together to promote and improve
the commercial vitality of their
communal business area. An organized,
local area business community can
often work more effectively to create
positive change and increase support
for business development than
individual businesses or large scale
citywide business associations. A BIA is
not intended to replace existing
business associations or tourism
councils, but to complement their role
in a designated targeted area. Often
these agencies will work together to
combine ideas, realize opportunities
and establish creative partnerships.
A BIA plays an important role in
coordinating targeted business and
tourism development, area promotion,
business retention and investment.
Additionally, BIA’s can encourage
public infrastructure improvements and
coordinate additional sanitation and
local public enhancement projects for
their areas. A BIA model allows local
business to come together to plan
proactive measures to address
challenges and issues facing the area as
well as to seek and coordinate
opportunities. When properly
implemented, a BIA model empowers
local property owners and businesses to
independently improve the quality of
their business areas. (Briffault, R.
1999)
The BIA model has the following key
objectives:
• To create and work towards a
shared community vision for the
area;
• To facilitate revitalization and
promote economic development in a
targeted district;
• To target and coordinate
beautification efforts to enhance
the local area identity and
character;
• To coordinate and promote local
services and to attract customers to
the targeted area;
• To develop and implement
strategies to compete with larger or
stronger markets outside the BIA
area;
• To ensure opportunities for
information sharing and networking;
and
• To build ongoing partnerships and
strengthen the capacity of the local
business community.
All businesses within a BIA may benefit
from the improved local atmosphere
and ambiance that a successful BIA
organization can help to create. BIA
initiated improvements and activities
can sustain and improve local
commercial vitality. This vitality
strengthens existing businesses and
attracts new customer markets or
brings customers back to a revitalized
area. This in turn, can lead to an
increased demand for retail, service
and office space. The City also benefits
as public spaces are improved and
revitalized. The City, as a whole, is
more marketable for new investment
and tourism opportunities. A successful
business area can also generate more
business transactions, which in turn
lead to an increase in business sales tax
revenues. For residents, an attractive
local business area strengthens their
sense of community identity and civic
pride.
A BIA can be implemented on any
geographic scale from a few street
blocks to entire commercial districts.
Each BIA is a separate non-profit
organization that has its own Vision
mandate and budget. BIA models work
by responding to and reflecting the
needs of individual business areas. The
boundaries of a BIA are negotiated
between property owners,
stakeholders, business owners and
building tenants.
Stakeholders comprised of business
owners, property owners and tenants
work to form a volunteer board, which
manages and organizes the BIA. If the
BIA agrees, a permanent staff position
can be hired to help coordinate the BIA
administration and activities. This staff
person can be either part-time or full-
time depending on the type of projects
the BIA wishes to undertake. A
designated City staff person is the
primary BIA resource and provides
information and advice on the BIA
program and formation process. The
designated staff person plays an
ongoing role as liaison between the BIA
and City Departments such as planning,
business promotion, livelihood
programs and engineering. The staff
person is also facilitating the annual
funding process and monitoring annual
BIA budget spending and fiscal
accountability. BIA community
members join the City in determining
budgeting, development priorities and
project design and implementation
within their defined area. Every year at
the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of
the BIA, the Board proposes a business
promotion plan and a budget that the
BIA community members must approve.
A BIA is an incorporated non-profit
organization. The non-profit status
allows the BIA the flexibility and local
autonomy to secure funds and to
administer these funds based on a
collective decision making process. In
addition, the non-profit administration
structure will guide the annual
operations agenda, promote inclusive
public participation and ensure
financial transparency.
The BIA model is supported through
local legislation. (see the Case Study:
BIA Program, Vancouver, Canada web
site for an example of BIA jurisdiction
by-laws) The City needs to establish
local jurisdiction to enable its Council
the authority to create a BIA entity and
to collect and allocate public money
for BIA administration, planning and
implementation activities. A BIA budget
contribution can be calculated in
various ways depending on the local
municipal context and tax structure.
The BIA budget can be determined by
calculating building square footage,
assessing land value or sales tax
revenue. The funding mechanism a
special levy tax that is specific for the
targeted business improvement area.
Different BIAs in the same city can have
different levy tax rates depending on
their BIA budget, number of property
owners in the designated area and the
priority items to be addressed in the
BIA budget. The City collects the levy
tax and redistributes them to the local
BIA. Each BIA is then responsible for
the financial management and
implementation of the funds. The
special collective levy does not impact
the existing municipal tax base but is a
new funding mechanism for enhancing
the public realm and the local
investment environment. The BIA can
consistently enact programs and
activities without relying on scarce
public funding.
3.6 Case Study: BIA Program,
Vancouver, Canada
(http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/citypl
ans/bia/index.htm)
The BIA Program in Vancouver, Canada
provides an example of how BIA funding
can work. The local government
collects a special property tax in the
designated BIA area. Funding is
collected and allocated on an annual
basis, which normally coincides with
the collection of property taxes. The
BIA annual budget is negotiated within
the BIA board and voted on by the BIA
constituents. Each property owner’s
share of the annual BIA budget is
proportionate to their share of the
total taxable value within the BIA
boundaries. In other words, if a
property owner holds one percent of
the total taxable assessed property
value in the defined BIA area, their
share will be one percent of the BIA
budget. Proportionate levying is a fair
way for everyone to contribute to the
BIA budget.
In the Vancouver BIA projects include:
Public projects: artistic decorative
banners, or beautification projects;
Public events: night market events,
holiday celebrations, street parties;
Promotional tourist activities; web
design, tourist package promotion, and
sponsored walking tours.
willing and able to undertake the
necessary input data collection and to
locate and contact every business in
the proposed BIA boundaries. BIA
funding mechanisms also have their
limitations. Assessments for BIAs are
based on a set formula. This formula is
not only community and context
specific, but is sensitive to a number of
factors. Furthermore, funding can vary
substantially with changes in property
values, fluctuations in business
revenues, or alterations in total square
footage for example. Furthermore,
BIAs are subject to community politics,
special interest groups and self-
motivation. Mechanisms which work to
monitor the BIA should be implemented
to ensure that the BIA model can
properly work to resolve some of these
potential challenges.

The BIA has to spend the collected Naga City is well suited to adapt a BIA
funds on public oriented projects or model in several different regions. The
events for the designated area. BIA development of a Naga City Riverwalk
funds should not be used to enhance provides a case study utilizing the BIA
individual business operations or model discussed within this report.
building infrastructure. However, a BIA
could seek matching private funding
partners if they wish to pursue "quasi –
semi" public/private type of projects
like façade improvements, storefront
window upgrades or awning projects.
The BIA can also seek additional
government funding or international
funding partnerships for large-scale
economic or community development
projects. BIAs are one of the most
valuable and effective finance tools
available to the small business
community.

There are several key challenges

related to the implementation of a
successful and sustainable BIA. The
outreach process requires a group

4.0: THE NAGA CITY RIVERWALK
CONCEPT: A RECOMMENDATON FOR
THE INTEGRATING OF A BIA MODEL IN
4.0 NAGA CITY RIVERWALK
4.1 Background:
The Naga River is a defining
characteristic of Naga City and an
important link between communities on
either side of the geographical divide.
If the river could be developed to
become a significant attraction, it
would be able to connect businesses on
either side of the river and improve the
overall business community. The Naga
City Riverwalk concept is a business
and public infrastructure partnership
strategy. It could be potentially
modeled after the successful San
Antonio Riverwalk in Texas, USA.2
4.2 Case Study: The San Antonio
Riverwalk, USA
(The San Antonio Riverwalk, USA)
2
Note: Through the late 1800s and early 1900s,
San Antonio's growing population and expanding boundaries
were the cause, to a large degree, of problems brought
about by flooding. In fact, if steps to control the flooding had
not been taken in the 1920s, later commercial development
along the river would not have been possible. In Texas,
water has been a lifeline for many generations for centuries
past. The San Antonio River is a source of a South Texas
Treasure, The San Antonio River Walk.
The San Antonio Riverwalk serves as
the main artery for the San Antonio
city-center. It is surrounded on all sides
by bustling commercial activity and
residential areas. Overall, the San
Antonio model exemplifies how a
centrally located river can serve both
as the vital link between multiple
business centers and as a viable tourist
destination and cultural heritage site.
Originally used as a transportation
artery, the river has significant
historical value, which is being
marketed today. Although the river is
no longer used as a principle mode of
transportation, today it plays a vital
role in serving the community’s need
for a link between commercial
districts. Furthermore, the river walk
has provided San Antonio with a
distinct pillar in community identity.
Appendix 6 contains a detailed San
Antonio Riverwalk map.
There are many parallels between the
riverwalk in San Antonio and the Naga
River. The current state of the Naga
River is very much like the state of the
San Antonio River before it was turned
into one of the city’s most valuable
assets. The both are vital to the city
center and serve as the crucial
connecting point for both the citizens
and the commercial surroundings. The
key is to tap into these hidden assets
and transform the river into a vibrant
center of activity while utilizing
sustainable business models to promote
private/public partnerships.
4.3 Recommendations:
The goal of a Naga City Riverwalk is to
revitalize and improve the
competitiveness of CBD I with the
impending construction of CBD II. The
key strategy for the revitalization of
the Naga specific Riverwalk could
potentially be the utilization of the BIA
model. In utilizing the BIA model, our
group has identified and outlined an
example of a possible Naga-specific
process for applying the BIA model.
Riverside Road, bordering CBD I and the
City Market, could potentially be the
first section of the Naga River to begin
the long-term plan to revitalize the
river and improve commercial
opportunities from Magsaysay Avenue
to Biak-Na-Bato Street. Utilizing the
BIA model would work to create funds
and promote active business
community participation for the
common good of the city.
Furthermore, but utilizing a BIA model
to develop a riverfront walkway the
city government would be able to
strengthen its relationships with
businesses in the area. The private
businesses will be given the
responsibility to decide on necessary
and desired improvements to the area
and the City Government will utilize its
strength in implementation to ensure
that the project will be carried out and
progress will be made.
The possible riverside development
could be realized through the
utilization of a process similar to the
following:
1. An organizing committee needs to
be developed which includes
stakeholders from all sectors to build a
group, which can legitimately make
decisions, which take into account the
diverse needs of the community at
large. This group must maintain the
support of the community so that it can
act as a liaison between decision-
makers and the community;
2. A public consultation series should
be utilized to help envision the
development of a riverwalk. This
should include the following key goals:
• to establish a potential BIA and
riverfront walkway boundaries;
• to orchestrate the necessary
ordinances to allow such a BIA
association to form;
• to develop goals for style, character
and place-making;
• to create the necessary guidelines
for the BIA that would be
acceptable by all parties under its
jurisdiction.
3. The organizing committee with the
support of the property owners and
businesses in the BIA boundary would
need to be incorporated as non-profit
society.
4. The BIA budget would be proposed,
reviewed and approved by members in
the BIA boundary in coordination with
the City Government and other
regulatory stakeholders;
5. Once the BIA has established its
projects for the year, it would be
necessary to formulate future work
plans to ensure long-term goals for
river revitalization.
To begin improving the physical and
built aspects of the plan, an overall
vision should be created for the
riverwalk. Building upon the assets of
local history and culture could be the
basis for beginning the revitalization
process. Place and identity creation as
well as restoration of older, culturally
significant artifacts along the riverwalk
might strengthen, represent, and
highlight the Nagueno identity. The
City would need to retain experts in
this area to realize the full potential of
identity creation and future
marketability of the area. Potential
character-building options might entail
some aspects of the Penafrancia Fluvial
Procession, whereby identifying
markers and story plaques related to
this event might serve to add
significantly to the identity of the river
itself. Building upon the city’s
reputation as the center of Bicol could
also be advantageous to promoting the
river as the centerpiece of all this
activity, which will ultimately serve to
attract people from the region and
abroad.3
The river can be broken down into
various sections for targeted
improvements. Sections of the walkway
can be revitalized incrementally over
time to address limited funding
considerations. Targeted clean-up
measures would be necessary to begin
changing the existing landscape. As
records indicate much has already been
done to raise the environmental
standards of the Naga River water
quality. It is essential that the city
continue to support the Lady’s in Green
Group and the Naga River Council in
programs such as Salvar Salog (Clean up
the River), Bantay Salog (Guard the
River), and Buhay Salog (Revive the
River).
In addition to improving the water
quality, beautification techniques could
also be implemented such as tree
planting, building walkways and seating
facilities as well as façade restoration.
Specific concerns, like façade repair
might enter into a Public/Private
Partnership though a BIA model with
3 overhead canopy or element along the façade that gives the
Note: Department of Urban Studies and Planning
of Massachusetts Institute of Technology list many different
ways of revitalizing the urban environment from design to
other aesthetic issues within the city itself.
the city whereby local businesses
match funds to strengthen both CBD I
riverwalk and the city’s beautification
efforts.4
Naga City is currently lacking nighttime
attractions in the downtown area.
Beyond the public plaza’s, there are
few outdoor attractions available in the
evening that promote commercial
activity and leisurely activities. As it
was brought to our attention during a
stakeholder interview that the Makati
riverfront area in Manila used to be
virtually a dead town after 5 p.m. After
substantial planning and investment,
Makati nightlife become invigorated
and has become an enormous source of
bustling economic activity. Essentially,
the
The Naga Riverwalk could become a
destination for after-hours recreation
and shopping. It is essential that the
atmosphere cater to a family-oriented
safe nighttime atmosphere. Proper
lighting, much like the lighting that
now exists for Riverside Road, should
line both sides of the Riverwalk.
Surrounding structures close to the
river will also need to undergo certain
design modifications to encourage
4
Note: Façade Enhancement PPP format – City of
Tracy, The DUDP also set forth design guidelines to assist
merchants and the City in considering façade renovations
and signage improvements that are intended to enhance
downtown. The guidelines identify the key elements in a
downtown façade that enhance the pedestrian scale of a
building. These include the base, body and cap used in
proper proportions. In addition, the spacing of vertical
elements (i.e. columns, windows, etc.) should be spaced to
create a rhythm and pattern that the pedestrian orients to as
he/she moves along the sidewalk. A final and important
component in the façade guidelines is the issue of an
pedestrian a sense of enclosure making it a more
comfortable pedestrian space. Signage design guidelines
address the placement, size and character (i.e. consistent
with building character) of signage for downtown businesses.
vitality at all hours. For example,
multi-storied buildings would need to
accommodate a number of different
uses. During the day, the mid-level
floors could serve as office space, the
lower levels could accommodate retail,
restaurants, cafes and nightlife venues,
and the upper floors could potentially
become residential condominiums for
those seeking to live in a more central
location.
A potential model for this type of
Public-Private Partnership development
might be Naga City’s own Quezon Plaza
model whereby developers built the
plaza in exchange for guaranteed
leasing of the surrounding business area
(see BOT Endnote). It might also be
advisable that the entire area, undergo
re-zoning and re-engineering in order
to get the most effective and
productive use of space.5
While promoting the project to
relevant stakeholders, it would be
advantageous to create a website,
utilizing Naga City’s existing ICT
infrastructure. This could serve as a
public forum announcing any
information about the association and
the events on the river. Advertising
space could then be sold on the
website and around the river’s venues
to further promote fund raising in the
BIA area (see San Antonio Riverwalk
website). Naga City may also consider
developing a Naga-signature gift shops
that might homemade arts and crafts
5
Note: The Quezon Plaza Model was initiated by
the Naga City Government and demonstrates the BOT (Build
Operate Transfer). The private operator designs, finances
and builds infrastructure. While formal ownership of the
assets is assigned to the government, the private sector
operates the project long enough to service any debt
incurred and to earn a suitable return based on the
assessments of Gruber (2003).
particular to the Bicol region. It might
also be advisable to create an outlet
and venue to display Ateneo de Naga
University’s Animation projects or
showcase other community art and
culture projects.
Finally, all of the efforts might be
anchored by creating an onsite river
tourism office to promote the
Riverwalk endeavor as a whole. This
office could potentially be staffed by
members of the Riverwalk BIA, local
groups like Lady’s in Green Group and
be used to simply engaged, local
citizens interested in the conservation
and promotion of Naga City.
Furthermore, this recommendation may
serve as a location for the Naga City
Visitors Office, as discussed in the
tourism section of this report.
4.4 Possible Constraints and Solutions
According to stakeholders, many
citizens have predetermined
understandings of the river as little
more than a division.is important that
Naga City residents see the river as an
asset. To challenge negative
understandings of the river, river clean-
up programs, as well as other
environmentally conscious educational
programs whereby students might
participate actively in environmentally
responsible ways could work to change
peoples understanding of the value of
the Naga River.
A major concern in Naga is how to cope
with natural disasters. This challenge
is relevant to a possible riverfront
walkway development. Typhoons and
flooding that occur every year during
the rainy season often interrupt
construction efforts and could greatly
hinder revitalization projects in CBD I
and along the riverfront. It is suggested
that certain measures are taken to
insure the area is able to remain
economically viable during the typhoon
season and that surrounding structures
are built strong enough to likely resist
significant damage due to possible
disasters.6
Population displacement is a key
challenge associated with a riverwalk
development. Would the City have a
viable way to acquire the necessary
land required to develop a riverwalk?
Ideas for handling this situation would
entail creating affordable housing on
the riverside that incorporates the
individuals and their families into the
business model for CBD I. In addition,
the business sector could endorse a
corporate social mandate to support
micro-scale enterprises that embrace
small-scale businesses rather than
displace urban poor homes and
livelihood enterprises. (As a result of
our interviews and research we were
informed of national legislation that
has been provided for such situations -
such as that 20% of the workforce must
be local residents and that the
displaced residents will be resettled
with basic amenities.
what investors in the area can afford,
could city incentives be put in place
(such as tax incentives) to bring
investment to the riverfront? Or, the
city could implement measure to
control inflated pricing in the area, to
lower real estate and investment costs?
The recommendations addressed within
this section have worked to identity
how place-making could work as logical
way to revitalize CBD 1. Connected to
this theme is the concept of identity on
a citywide and regional scale which is
not only important for CBD 1 but for
Naga more generally, specifically in
regards to tourism. A key area of
opportunity identified by key
stakeholders engaged during the
research for this report surrounds
tourism.

Another, more general challenge to the

development of a Naga Riverwalk is the
price of real estate in the CBD I area.
If the cost of land or rent is beyond

6
Note: EPA (US) Environmental education (EE)
increases public awareness and knowledge of environmental
issues and challenges. Through EE, people gain an
understanding of how their individual actions affect the
environment, acquire skills that they can use to weigh
various sides of issues, and become better equipped to
make informed decisions. EE also gives people a deeper
understanding of the environment, inspiring them to take
personal responsibility for its preservation and restoration.
http://www.epa.gov/enviroed/index.html

5.0: TOURISM DEVELOPMENT
5.1 Background
This section of the report will look at
strategies for Naga City to explore in
regards to tourism and promotion on a
larger scope. It is connected
intrinsically to the above discussion of
place-making given the City’s desire to
improve Naga’s identity and to increase
Naga's tourism marketability.
Specifically, this section seeks to
demonstrate how Naga City can explore
the niche of cultural tourism in
charting tourism related goals over the
next few years and in the attainment of
Naga’s “Maiming Lugar” vision. There
is a good niche opportunity for Naga
City to consider; Naga could become a
premier cultural destination while
expanding health and wellness as key
assets of the city. These two pillars
are not mutually exclusive as cultural
dynamism can be interwoven within the
realm of health and wellness. In the
final set of recommendations, general
recommendations are made which
would work to improve current
strategies within Naga.
After meeting with key strategists,
stakeholders and officials (both civil
servants and private actors) involved in
tourism and investment promotion and
planning in Naga City, it became clear
that the development of health and
wellness based tourism within central
Naga and the 1026-hectare East
Highland Tourism Zone is an important
priority for both the city and region at-
large. Stakeholders asked us to make
recommendations for small-scale
tourism development strategies, which
included health and wellness
initiatives.
Before it is possible to engage this
discussion, it is necessary to outline the
meaning of health and wellness from a
tourism perspective. Currently health
and wellness in the region is defined by
concepts of retreat and relaxation,
which include amenities like ‘spas’,
‘retirement resorts’ and the local ‘hot-
springs’. If health and wellness goals
could be re-envisioned to better
encapsulate all of the region’s assets,
it would be better situated to welcome
diverse forms of cultural and eco
tourism. Cultural tourism could be
adapted as a form of tourism
investment that would work to diversify
Naga City’s current tourism related
goals.
Cultural Tourism
Cultural tourism can be defined as the
process of discovering a mosaic of
places, traditions, experiences,
celebrations that portray a community,
its people and the diversity of its
character. Naga City is well suited to
focus on cultural-tourism as a key point
for expanded tourism while maintaining
interest in health and wellness. Not
only does cultural tourism generally
require little infrastructural
investment, it also fits nicely with the
Maogmang Lugar vision.
The discovery and enjoyment of local
culture coupled with the experience of
a community in a culturally genuine
way is a growing trend within the
tourism industry according to the
United Nations and this form of tourism
is set to expand in the decades to come
as travelers search for more
independent and authentic
experiences. While cultural tourism can
have significant effects on community,
it can be developed and harnessed in
such a way that minimizes negative
effects, while at the same time working
to authentically represent cultural
landscapes. To premise this discussion
it is important to note that there is
currently a shift from the mass
marketing of travel vacations to a more
customized and tailored travel
“experience” that takes into account
individual consumer tastes and
interests. Today’s traveler is
increasingly searching for more
personally rewarding and unique
experiences. Furthermore, a growing
number of tourists are becoming
special interest travelers, interested in
unique aspects of place, such as
culture, history or food.
The Gitxsan Nation in Canada and the
‘Meet the People’ initiative in Peru are
excellent case studies demonstrating
how cultural tourism can have positive
developmental and economic effects on
local communities. The two examples
serve as points of reference for various
ways cultural tourism has been
developed in different regions and
within different scopes.
5.2 Case Studies: The Gitxsan Nation,
Canada and ‘Meet The People’,
Peru
In Canada, the Lax’Siik Clan of the
Gitxsan Nation had successfully
developed a form of cultural tourism
over the last 10 years in the First
Nation's village of itangatt, part of the
Gitwangak Reserve near Prince Rupert
in British Columbia. Rather than
traveling to the area to view certain
big-ticket features such as museums or
beaches, travelers have the
opportunity to experience rich cultural
beauty, wildlife and be immersed in
Gitxsan culture through greetings,
feasts, storytelling and song, fruit
picking and arts and crafts
demonstrations/lessons. Hikes through
the forest and taking part in culturally
specific experiences such as sweat
lodges or participating in the cooking of
meals situate the culture as the
destination.
(Lax’Siik Cultural activities, with onlookers)
The Aboriginal Tourism British
Columbia Organization provides an
overview of the development of a
strong and sustainable aboriginal
cultural tourism industry on its
website, noting the benefits of the
plan. In the last five years since the
implementation of a cultural tourism
development plan, tourism to
aboriginal communities increased by 10
percent per year. Furthermore, key
community members note the industry
is helping to “strengthen and preserve
the cultural identity of the Aboriginal
people and communities throughout
B.C., while creating new employment
and economic development
opportunities
(www.atbc.bc.ca/blueprint).
The Aboriginal Tourism Association of
BC document ‘Blueprint Strategy:
Market Literature Review Final Report’
outline how the industry has been
developed over the last ten years with
significant community dialogue and
input. The study notes that 86% of outlines the present state of tourism
aboriginal community member’s development in Peru as well as key
respondents felt that the majority of areas for growth and change
the local community supports and recognizing some of the negative
approves the interpretation of the effects that large-scale tourism has had
culture and local community in the on the biodiversity and culture on Peru.
context of cultural tourism To curb this degradation, Peru’s ‘meet
(www.aboriginal the people’ tours provide an example
tourism.ca/downloads). The benefits worth observing within the national
of cultural tourism within the context.
community have been diverse. Not only
have unemployment rates dropped but
cultural heritage and culturally
important buildings have been
preserved through income raised via
tourism initiatives.

(Cultural activities include sheep shearing and

knitting, 'Meet the People Tours', Peru)

The European Union has collaborated

(Visitors have the opportunity to stay in traditional
housing, Gitxan nation)
Meet the People: Peru
In contrast to the small scale of
aboriginal cultural tourism in British
Columbia, Peru’s efforts to integrate
diversity within its tourism industry
provides a macro example of how
cultural tourism is working. Though
tourism has brought substantial
investment to Peru, it has had negative
effects on local populations and the
environment. The National best-
practice document “Integrating
Biodiversity into the Tourism Sector”
with the Peruvian Government to
develop a scheme for alternative
tourism. This program has had diverse
effects on local communities and has
worked to challenge traditional forms
of tourism in the last five years. Called
the “Integrated Support Program for
the Development of Tourism in Peru”,
the project grew out of discussions with
local public and private bodies as well
as rural community associations. The
result was the development of tourist
packages marketed in Europe, which
highlight active involvement in local
Peruvian communities as the main
draw. Marketed as tourism with
cultural identity, the brochures
highlight how tourists have the
opportunity to benefit local economies
while simultaneously learning to weave
tapestry with ancient yarn, for example
(Leticia 2005). The tours have
positively affected local communities
by providing jobs, income and
educational opportunities to hosts,
while at the same time providing the
tourist with a more sincere and ethical
travel experience.
Challenges
Cultural exchange can be a difficult
negotiation between communities and
the tourists they serve. Butler and
Hinch (2004) argue that a visitor’s
experience of culture, when done in a
genuine way, improves their
awareness, understanding and
appreciation for people’s situations and
cultures, creating mutual benefits for
both tourists and communities. The
success of the exchange, they argue, is
impacted by the following key themes:
a) The authenticity and accuracy of the
information being shared;
b) The host’s objective in developing
and delivering a message;
c) Visitors expectations in the cultural
exchange based on prior level of
cultural awareness and understanding;
d) The host’s perception of what the
visitor’s expectations are and the
ability to meet that need without
compromising integrity;
e) The connection (the host’s success in
reaching the visitor).
Specific protocols and regulations in
coordination with a blueprint for
cultural tourism can act as a safeguard
to protect culture. Educational
programs can be developed to raise the
capacity of communities to safeguard
their own culture, ensuring that culture
is not appropriated for tourism
purposes. Appendix 7 contains an
example of possible protocols that
could be put in place to protect against
cultural degradation. Furthermore,
Appendix 8 notes the
recommendations made in the
Convention Concerning the Protection
of the World Cultural and Natural
Heritage that serves as a primary
document outline potential safeguards
and mechanisms to protect local
culture and cultural-sovereignty.
There are also significant impacts,
which, without consideration, can lead
to negative affects on community. The
Europa Nostra Council for Tourism
‘Position Paper on the Encouragement
of Cultural Tourism and the Mitigation
of its Effects’ highlight some of the
negative effects of this form of tourism
and possible ways that they might be
mitigated.7 Similarly, Priscilla
Boniface’s Managing Quality Cultural
Tourism outlines similar mechanisms,
which can be used to ensure that
cultural tourism within a specific
context is beneficial (Europa Nostra
Council 2006). These concerns can be
synthesized into the following key
areas:
1. The degradation of cultural heritage
and the natural environment can
occur when the volume of tourists
exceeds the cultural, social and
environmental sustainable limits.
Such degradation can be avoided by
taking steps to maintain a healthy
volume of tourists such as regulating
the number of visitors permitted
within a specific establishment on a
daily basis.
2. The dichotomy between satisfying
the pressures for economic growth
through tourism and the cultures
7
 that lie at its heart can often be
jeopardized. Finding a balance
between encouraging expansion and
safeguarding culture within
optimum sustainable limits is key.
3. Local populations can lose
ownership over their communities
as tourism distorts customs and
practices. By providing education,
ongoing dialogue and capacity
building initiatives to communities
involved in cultural tourism, many
of the negative effects of foreigners
on the local population can be
mitigated.
5.3 Recommendations
After meeting with key informants and
researching into best practices
elsewhere, the following guidelines
inform the recommendations of this
report:
• Require little immediate costly
infrastructure or substantial
construction;
• Include health and wellness
possibilities (please see discussion
surrounding ‘health and wellness’ as
a label);
• Include community priorities and
benefit such communities through
employment and economic gains;
• Take into account the natural assets
surrounding Naga and the East
Highland Tourism zone.
To this end, the key recommendation
made within this section of the paper is
the development of cultural tourism
within the East Highland Tourism Zone
as well as general recommendations
that address tourism marketing and
accessibility issues more generally. The
recommendations are as follows:
1. Naga City should consider revising
and re-branding its ‘health and
wellness’ definition to include
outdoor activities and diverse forms
of cultural tourism so that the City
is not hindering tourism
development that does not fit
squarely within health and wellness
as the term is interpreted;
2. Naga City should consider the
development of consortia initiatives
with other municipalities or package
tours to improve the marketing of
the region surrounding Naga which
is a key asset that Naga could
market (For example, could the
world class wakeboarding facility be
marketed in a more logical way to
enhance the health and wellness
vision that Naga City currently has);
3. Naga City should consider fostering
and supporting small-scale eco and
cultural oriented resorts or bed and
breakfast type accommodations
whereby the tourist could not only
rest and relax, but also engage in
Naguenos culture and community in
the East Highland Region.8 The use
of small independent bed and
breakfast type establishments would
be a logical type of accommodation
in Naga because they could work to
bring people closer to culture as
well as promote small business
ownership and improve local
livelihood opportunities. In
addition, the small-scale
developments would have less of an
8
NOTE: Bed and Breakfast establishments can be
defined as small resorts where Guests are accommodated at
night in private bedrooms and breakfast is served in the
morning - either in the bedroom or, more commonly, in a
dining room or the host's kitchen. B&Bs may be operated
either as a primary occupation or as a secondary source of
income. Staff often consists of the house's owners and
members of their family who live there. Guests are usually
expected to pay for their stay upon arrival and leave before
noon (or earlier) on the day of departure. A big advantage of
this type of hosted accommodation is the local knowledge of
the host(s).
environmental impact.

a. These resorts would integrate

culture into the visitors
experience by immersion.
Cooking classes, education nature
expeditions, religious or other
cultural tours or lessons could be
integrated into these
establishments to shift the focus
to cultural-tourism;
b. Bed and breakfast type
establishments could integrate
specific health and wellness
initiatives, day or weekend spa
retreats and these establishments
should become a key focus in the (Ranging from simple to elaborate, bed and
breakfasts give visitors the opportunity to meet and
area; engage with local people: Above, Charming Bed &
c. That Government consider Breakfast, New Zealand; below, Mom's House Bed
providing incentives to businesses and Breakfast, Peru)
which consider moving or
developing new health and
wellness spas from the City to the
East Highland Zone; Similarly,
these incentives could be
available to small entrepreneurs
considering bed and breakfast or
small resort schemes which would
work to create community-
economic development
strategies;
d. Tourism in the East Highland
Zone should not be in
coordination with tourism in
Naga, and a common vision
should be developed which Some key challenges have been
encourages tourists to explore observed regarding access to and
both regions in exploring the rich marketing of many tourist attractions
cultural capacity that Naga here in Naga. The recommendations,
offers. which follow, could be implemented
with little cost and would likely provide
immediate benefits. Though they are
not specifically relevant to cultural
tourism or the health and wellness
developments, they would be useful in
both streamlining and marketing
current and future tourism related
initiatives:
1. Naga’s tourism web page: Many key
sites are not on the City’s tourism
website resulting in some of Naga’s
assets not being marketed. This
website should be improved to
include links to more diverse
attractions including Malabsay Falls,
the CW Park, resorts in the area and
tourist attractions in surrounding
areas which could be day-trips from
Naga City (such as Donsol). Many of
the links from the main tourism
page do not connect to
corresponding information.
2. If the Government intends to target
health and wellness, this should be
mentioned on the main tourist page
so that visitors have a greater sense
of what is available in Naga prior to
making the decision to travel to
Naga.
3. The ‘experience Naga’ banner on
the top of the page is an effective
and useful slogan, which mediates a
productive ‘angle’ for marketing
tourism in Naga. This slogan should
be expanded and used on other
promotional materials.
4. The Visitor Center: Thought should
be given to moving and expanding
the Naga City Visitor Center from its
current location at City Hall. If the
center was moved to CBD I, it would
benefit from pedestrian traffic and
be closer to tourist accommodations
and attractions. The center should
continue to include detailed
information on tourism in and
around Naga.
5. Organized Transportation: Many
tourist sites are located in the areas
surrounding Naga City. It is
currently difficult to get to
locations such as Malabsay Falls
without local knowledge. Detailed
information on how to get to these
sites should be made available. The
City may also consider
implementing a program for
implementing organized
transportation with regular services
to surrounding tourist attractions.
6. Revisited Promotional Resources:
The promotional brochures and
pamphlets that are distributed
abroad should be revisited. They
currently do not utilize many of the
key assets that Naga and the
surrounding region possesses.
7. Education: The city could engage
with educational institutions to
improve tourism related courses and
activities. Such development would
work to train professionals for the
industry and would also assist the
City with educating the public about
tourism and tourism-related goals.
(Malabsay Falls)
Naga City is well suited to improve its
marketability as a cultural destination.
With substantial assets, solid
infrastructure and an innovative and
practical City Government, Naga City
should look forward to what lies ahead.
6.0 CONCLUSIONS
Naga City has come a long way since
being created by the 16th century Royal
City Spanish decree. It has successfully
established itself as a heart of
education, religion and business in the
Bicol region. While the 40 national and
international awards that Naga has
received for its best practices in
governance are impressive, it has been
our opportunity to observe and engage
with City Hall that has given us
valuable in-site into the inspiring
innovation that is happening here in
Naga City.
In this conclusive section of the report,
the authors strive to comment on some
of the general lessons learned from
Naga City from our position as students
concerned with city planning,
development and community capacity
building both generally and from
investment/tourism perspectives. The
opportunity to observe and engage with
city planning and local government
initiatives over the past three weeks
has been productive and educational.
Three areas are central to the lessons
we have learned in Naga: A progressive
perspective; participation; and
partnership (as identified in the Naga
City Visioning Process:
www.naga.gov.ph).
A progressive perspective
As a City Government, Naga is
concerned with innovation and
improving what is already good. From
interviews, lectures and observations,
it seems clear that Naga does not give
up and refuses to accept the status
quo. Even in areas where programs,
standards and infrastructure have been
improved, Naga remains committed to
finding even better ways of
development, process and innovation.
The City Government envisions the city
as a work in progress. In terms of
investment and tourism, the City is
continuously seeking new opportunities
to diversify investment and tourism,
focusing broadly and working with a
variety of partners. Seeing planning as
work in progress is a mentality that
can be exported and utilized in our
own lives as we strive to improve,
build up and make better our own
communities (local, national and
international).
Participation
The Naga City Government has done a
remarkable job of engaging citizens to
become involved in all levels of City
Government. By encouraging
participation, citizens take ownership
and pride in their community and
become more likely to dedicate time,
resources and energy to improving their
city. The attitude that most neguenos
have for their city is clear: Pride and an
intrinsic sense of ownership are evident
across the city.
More importantly, the government has
harnessed and capitalized on the
attitudes here in Naga, engaging
citizens though effective participatory
mechanisms, especially in regards to
investment promotion and tourism. The
investment board membership, for the City has done a good job of
example, is comprised of a diverse attracting investment and tourism, and
group of people from a variety of integrating diverse growth strategies in
different commercial and civic areas. the past 20 years. Business growth has
The realization of effective been healthy across the city with
partnerships has been realized through diverse commercial activity benefiting
practical and creative participation both public and private sectors.
mechanisms that work to create win- Partnerships and mechanisms for
win relationships between the City participation are strong and the
Government and the people of Naga. government actively seeks improved
ways of doing business in Naga City.
Partnership The recommendations made within this
Government’s efforts to treat report are designed to complement
constituents as partners and existing practices, programs, strategies
beneficiaries are clear. Partnership and resources.
between institutions and organized
groups via participatory mechanisms More generally, it is inspiring to see
has given people a meaningful and what has been done in Naga City.
legitimated voice in City Government, Goals have been realized, lives have
creating a renewed sense of faith in been improved and community capacity
local politics. The Government is has become stronger. This has
particularly accessible and transparent, happened with limited resources
giving people the feeling that their available and with little external
voices (and commitment) matter. In funding. Naga City has come to
developing new investment and represent a case study for what is
development strategies and possible.
partnerships such as the SM Mall, the
Government is committed to public This report ends with a sincere thank-
participation and engagement in you. As students, we would like to
decision-making. By instilling thank the City Government of Naga
partnership as central to the City, specifically the City Planning
relationship between City Government Department, the Tourism and
and citizens, capital is built in which Investment Boards; and the people of
both the government and citizens can Naga City who have opened their home
come to expect specific standards and their hearts to us over the past
which improve the City and its month. Your efforts have given us an
collective identity. invaluable opportunity and experience
that will serve us well in the future.
When we envision the shape of Naga’s Thank-you.
economy in 1987, it is easy to see how
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8.0 LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix 1: Inventory of Interviewees and Key Informants

Appendix 2: List of Interview Questions

Appendix 3: Example Design and Character Guidelines from City of Vancouver

Planning Department Website

Appendix 4: City of Nashville’s Vision Plan

Appendix 5: An example of the City of Vancouver's BIA jurisdiction by-laws

Appendix 6: San Antonio riverwalk map

Appendix 7: Laoation Conservation Best Practice Protocols and the Government

of Peru Best Practices Protocol

Appendix 8: The Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultures

Appendix 1: Inventory of Interviewees and Key Informants

Aman, Emeterio. Engineer, Enjoy Realty Devt Corporation/President of Metro Naga

chamber

Angeles, Leonora. Professor, School of Community and Regional Planning

Barcillano, Malu. Director, The Center for Local Governance, Ateneo University

Cuano, Ronnel. Engineer, Concepcion, Grande Devt Corp.

Mendoza, Frank. Naga City Administrator

Oliver, Reuel. Naga City Investment and Promotion Department

Perez, Joe. Naga City Tourism Department

Prilles, Willie. Naga City Planning Department

Rey, Teresita Santiago. Naga Investment Board

Robredo, Jesse. Naga City Mayor

Appendix 2: List of Interview Questions
How is Naga a friendly environment for investment?

Why did you decide to invest in Naga?

Is building form and street character important to your development?

Do you provide any amenities to the local community?

In regards to providing amenities for the surrounding Barangay or larger community?

In larger public-private partnership, the developer may build a new road for the City
in return to ensure access to their new development?.

Are there opportunities for the urban poor to also benefit from the new opportunities
your development brings to the community?

Have some progressive developers have built in ideas about corporate responsibility?

In regards to commercial development, what do you see as some potential ideas to

improve the down town area?

Are there any efforts to coordinate tourist promotion packages for both local and
international guests?

Is there an opportunity to mobile community volunteers or youth members to aid in

City sponsored beautification programs/events?

Is there an opportunity to coordinate some informal or formal customer service

training workshops or conferences for tourist business in the service industry?

In building upon the "wholesome" tourist industry, has there been any thoughts given
to capitalize on local arts and culture?

Is there any central place to share arts and cultural events?

Are there any possible partnerships with agencies or schools?

How do you envision the connection between tourism and health and wellness?

How do you with together with the Investment Board and Tourism Board?

What resources are available for tourism promotion and development?

Are there are safeguards in place to help protect the city against some of the
negative effects of tourism?
Appendix 3: Example Design and Character Guidelines from City of Vancouver
Planning Department Website

1.1 Existing Character

This is the older financial district, its commercial prestige now usurped by new areas.
Here buildings of an earlier monumental character serve the business world during
office hours only. The area focuses on Hastings and Pender between Burrard and
Seymour. This district also serves as a transition zone in terms of height, use, style
and age between the lower rise older Hastings/Pender shopping area and the new
high-rise Golden Triangle with its heavy emphasis on office uses. However, the links
to the Waterfront are tenuous or non-existent because of existinging compatibility of
uses and the physical separation caused by the rail lines and the abrupt change in
elevation.

1.2 Assigned Role

The existing character should be strengthened and any new development should
harmonize interms of use and scale with the existing environment. As the Waterfront
is redeveloped, links between it and the Financial District should be created so that it
becomes a transition zone between other character areas and the Waterfront.

1.3 Recommendations
1.3.1 Activities
(a) While office uses will predominate in this area innovative combination of uses
should be encouraged in new and converted buildings wherever possible;
(b) Where “some ground floor retail” is required, pedestrian interest should be
provided through the provision of retail and similar uses. Building frontages that do
not include retail or similar uses should maintain pedestrian interest through
attractive and highly visible building entrances, windows, displays, public art,
landscaping where appropriate, and other amenities.

1.3.2 Circulation and Amenity

(a) Pedestrian routes down streets and where possible through blocks should link this
area to the Waterfront as it develops. These routes should be extended to contiguous
character areas;
(b) Public open spaces associated with new developments should be oriented towards
the harbour.

1.3.3 Physical Environment

(a) Structures of architectural or historic significance should be preserved and
refurbished;
(b) New structures should respect the scale and architectural rhythms of existing
buildings;
(c) Generally facades should be full frontage particularly on Hastings Street; however,
the configuration could be a tower on a podium, the latter being full frontage; and
(d) Development proposals should coordinate their lighting, furniture and landscaping.
2 Existing Character Area B - Hastings/Pender Shopping District
2.1 Description
This older general and specialty retail district is situated along Hastings, between
Seymour and Carrall. It is the major east/west transportation corridor to Downtown,
saturated by traffic at peak hours. It has intense daytime retail activity with even
longer periods of pedestrian and local community activity in the Skid Road section. It
is an area of historical and unique character containing interesting building facades,
and contains the only major green public park in Downtown.

2.2 Assigned Role

The area should continue as a shopping and mixed-use district. This role should be
reinforced by alleviating the traffic problem, preserving the existing character,
refurbishing the existing physical environment, protecting the local community, and
strengthening its links to other areas.

2.3 Recommendations
2.3.1 Activities
(a) Retail continuity along Hastings should be preserved, retaining the small-scale
aspect of theoutlets wherever possible;
(b) Where “some ground floor retail” is required, pedestrian interest should be
provided through the provision of retail and similar uses. Building frontages that do
not include retail or similar uses should maintain pedestrian interest through
attractive and highly visible building entrances, windows, displays, public art,
landscaping where appropriate, and other amenities;
(c) Office uses in existing buildings on the upper levels are encouraged particularly
where it involves the renovation of interesting or unique structures. This applies only
to those structures that at present do not contain residential uses;
(d) Existing residential and hotel buildings should be preserved. Conversions of any
building or parts of buildings into residential uses are encouraged wherever possible.

2.3.2 Circulation and Amenity

(a) At present Hastings Street is a major pedestrian and transit route. The role of
Hastings Street as a major pedestrian route and activity area should be maintained
and strengthened;
(b) Carrall Street should be emphasized as a major pedestrian route between Burrard
Inlet andFalse Creek;
(c) Community facilities should be provided along pedestrian routes;
(d) Consideration should be given to the eventual enlargement of Victory Square to
include a portion of Hamilton Street;
(e) Cordova and Pender Streets should remain primarily vehicular routes except in
Chinatown.

2.3.3 Physical Environment

(a) New structures should respect the scale and architectural rhythms of existing
buildings;
(b) Structures of architectural interest or significance should be restored and
renovated;
(c) Development proposals should coordinate their lighting, furniture, and
landscaping.

3 Existing Character Area C - Gastown

3.1 Description
A popular, medium-density, historic area containing a heavy concentration of mixed
retail, restaurant and entertainment uses with some office activity in the upper floors
all of which are presently experiencing fairly rapid growth. Commercial uses which
are highly specialized co-exist with an indigenous low income residential population
as well as considerable amounts of warehousing or light industrial activity.

3.2 Assigned Role

As well as maintaining its role as a predominantly retail/entertainment activity area
Gastown should strengthen its residential component in order to supply housing and
strengthen its sense of community. As harbour development occurs, Gastown should
cease to be only a destination point for visitors and become also an access and
support area to the Waterfront linking it to Chinatown and False Creek.

3.3 Recommendations
3.3.1 Activities
(a) Residential uses above street level, should be encouraged throughout the area;
(b) Retail and entertainment uses at or near street level and mixed office/residential
uses aboveshould be encouraged to expand westward with a view to establishing
stronger links with the downtown core and the waterfront interchange.

3.3.2 Circulation and Amenity

(a) Heavy pedestrian emphasis should be encouraged on Water, Carrall and Powell
and other streets in order to strengthen links between Gastown, the Waterfront,
Chinatown, False Creek, and the Educational/Cultural Area;
(b) Lands abutting the lanes, particularly south of Water Street between Carrall and
Cambie Streets, should be developed with open spaces and retail uses. Mid-block
courtyards and links should be established so as to connect these routes to Water and
Cordova Streets;
(c) New developments or renovated structures along the north side of Water and
Alexander Streets should, where possible, provide direct access to the Waterfront
area or at least to open spaces that allow views of the Waterfront.
3.3.3 Physical Environment
(a) New structures should respect the scale and bulk of existing buildings;
(b) Continuous street facades, architectural rhythms, details and colour that presently
exist in th area should be preserved. The varied setbacks of the alleyways should be
used to create interesting pedestrian spaces;
(c) Demolition of existing buildings should be subject to review of the Heritage Board;
(d) Coordination of signage as well as installation of street planting, furniture, period
lighting, and historic sidewalk and street treatment should be continued.
4 Existing Character Area D - Chinatown
4.1 Description
Chinatown is an ethnic community centre fulfilling the daily and cultural needs of the
Chinese population and providing varied and unique pedestrian experiences to others
as well. Retail activity shifts from the Chinese oriented outlets such as grocery and
meat stores on Pender east of Main to the tourist oriented import/export stores, curio
shops and restaurants west of Main. The architecture is unique to the area, especially
the recessed balcony facades, colours and signage.

4.2 Assigned Role

This physical and cultural environment should be strengthened and allowed to grow
beyond its present boundaries.

4.3 Recommendation
4.3.1 Activities
(a) Uses similar to the present ones at and above grade should be extended:
• to Hastings between Carrall and Gore Streets;
• to Keefer between Main and Gore Streets;
• along Main between Hastings and Union Streets; and
• south towards False Creek roughly following a corridor between Columbia and
Carrall
Streets.
(b) Residential uses should be encouraged in the upper levels of buildings and in any
nearby redevelopment schemes on False Creek lands.

4.3.2 Circulation and Amenity

(a) Problems of traffic in this area are presently under review, however they are
identifiable and some tentative answers are being investigated:
(i) Vehicular traffic along Pender through Chinatown is heavy and conflicts with the
pedestrian activities and uses bordering it. A limited vehicular or transit pedestrian
route along Pender between Carrall and Gore streets is a possible solution to this
conflict and is under investigation;
(ii) A Chinese Cultural Centre, presently under study, would provide public and social
amenities as well as open spaces, links to False Creek, residential uses and a southern
focus for Carrall Street. However, part of the proposed site is bisected by the
Pender/Keefer Division, and methods of dealing with this problem are under
investigation;
(b) Through block pedestrian connections, particularly from Pender to Hastings
Street, should be encouraged. Development adjacent to lanes should provide amenity
features.

3.3 Physical Environment

(a) New or renovated structures should respect the character and scale of existing
buildings;
(b) The narrow frontages, continuous and unique street facades and fenestrations as
well as the various setbacks of alleyways, and the potential open space they define,
should be preserved;
(c) Special care should be taken in preserving or opening views down streets
particularly along Carrall both ways towards the water, and west along Pender to the
Sun Tower;
(d) Street planting, seating, lighting standards and general design of streets should
conform to the unique character of the area.
Appendix 4: City of Nashville’s Vision Plan

The Ten Principles During the visioning process, consensus emerged regarding ten
principles to guide public policy, development practice, urban planning and design:

1. Respect Nashville’s natural and built environment.

Goals:
• The preservation and enhancement of the landscape’s natural features;
• Environmentally sensitive building practices;
• A responsible approach to historic preservation.

2. Treat the Cumberland River as central to Nashville’s identity--an asset to be

treasured and enjoyed.
Goals:
• Protection of riverbanks, waterways, and wetlands;
• Environmentally sensitive uses of the river and riparian areas, balancing habitat,
• recreation, transportation, and water supply issues;
• Amenities and public access along the riverfront;
• A variety and multiplicity of connections across the river;
• Strong connections between neighborhoods and the river.

3. Reestablish the streets as the principal public space of community and

connectivity.
Goals:
• Physical connections among the neighborhoods and down-town by means of a
rational network of streets and avenues;
• Design standards for streets that ensure a high level of qual-ity--physical and
aesthetic--for the pedestrian.

4. Develop a convenient and efficient transportation infra-structure.

Goals:
• The road and street system reconfigured to distinguish be-tween the mobility needs
of
• high speed through traffic and the access needs of local traf-fic;
• A system that balances the needs of pedestrians, bicycles, mass transit and
automobiles--including car storage;
• An interconnected network of mass transit opportunities that fully integrate a 24-
hour life style.

5. Provide for a comprehensive, interconnected greenway and park system.

Goals:
• Greenways and parks linking public spaces, streets, neigh-borhoods and the
Cumberland River;
• Parks for all neighborhoods equipped for a variety of recrea-tional, generational and
cultural activities.
6. Develop an economically viable downtown district as the heart of the region.
Goals:
• More--and more diversified--residential opportunities in downtown;
• Public investment leveraged with private development;
• A variety of uses that support workers, residents, and visitors; i.e., schools, retail,
after-hours and weekend activities;
• A downtown that is “Nashville” and not an average or generic place.

7. Raise the quality of the public realm with civic structures and spaces.
Goals:
• Civic buildings and spaces that reinforce a sense of civic pride;
• Locations that are significant sites in complementary rela-tionships;
• Connections to the city network by means of vistas, streets, and greenways;
• Civic buildings and spaces that set high standards for the design of the city at large.

8. Integrate public art into the design of the city, its build-ings, public works and
parks.

9. Strengthen the unique identity of neighborhoods.

Goals:
• Strong neighborhood centers and boundaries;
• A mixture of land uses and residential diversity within each neighborhood;
• Cohesive organization for each neighborhood, with a hierar-chy of streets as well as
a range of parks;
• Appropriate private development directed by public policies that reinforce each
neighborhood's natural features, cultural history and built heritage and support
commercial needs;
• Continued community involvement through strong neighbor-hood organizations.

10. Infuse visual order into the city by strengthening sight-lines to and from civic
landmarks and natural features.
Goals:
• View corridors to and from significant landmarks, especially the State Capitol.
• View corridors and vistas of all types, from small and inti-mate to sweeping and
grand.

From The Plan of Nashville: Avenues to a Great City.

Vanderbilt University Press (Nashville) 2005.
Appendix 5: San Antonio Riverwalk Map

Appendix 7: Laoation Conservation Best Practice Protocols and the Government of

Peru Best Practices Protocol
The Laoation and Peruvian Governments have done an effective job of recently
developing and implementing sets of protocols regarding cultural and eco tourism
which both governments hope will work to decelerate the effects that tourism has
had over the last decareds.
The Laoation set of best practices include:
o Awareness of the importance of the ethnic groups and biological diversity.
o Promote responsible business practices, which cooperate closely with local
authorities and people to support poverty alleviation and deliver conservation
benefits.
 o Provide a source of income to conserve, sustain and manage the Lao protected
area network and cultural heritage sites.
o Emphasize the need for tourism zoning and management plans for sites that
will be developed as ecotourism-destinations.
o Use environmental and social base-line data, as well as long term monitoring
programs, to assess and minimize negative impacts.
o Ensure that tourism does not exceed the social and economic limits as
determined by various stakeholders
o Promote local styles of architecture that are developed in harmony with Lao
culture and environment, that use local materials, minimize energy
consumption and decrease environmental & cultural impacts.
Guidelines for Best Practices: Cultural Tourism in Peru
o Evaluation of the regulatory, economic and voluntary structure to
achieve sustainable tourism
o Evaluation of the social, economic, cultural and environmental
Consequences of tourism operation
o Training, education and public awareness
o Planning for sustainable development of tourism
o Means for an exchange of information, knowledge and technology that
are related with sustainable tourism among developed and developing
countries
o To facilitate the participation of all sectors of society
o Design of new tourist products centred on sustainability
o Measurement of progress required to reach sustainable development
o Institution building as regards creating associations for sustainable
development.
Appendix 8: The Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and
Natural Heritage

THE GENERAL CONFERENCE of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization meeting in Paris from 17 October to 21 November 1972, at its seventeenth
session,

Noting that the cultural heritage and the natural heritage are increasingly threatened with
destruction not only by the traditional causes of decay, but also by changing social and
economic conditions which aggravate the situation with even more formidable phenomena of
damage or destruction,

Considering that deterioration or disappearance of any item of the cultural or natural

heritage constitutes a harmful impoverishment of the heritage of all the nations of the world,

Considering that protection of this heritage at the national level often remains incomplete
because of the scale of the resources which it requires and of the insufficient economic,
scientific, and technological resources of the country where the property to be protected is
situated,

Recalling that the Constitution of the Organization provides that it will maintain, increase,
and diffuse knowledge, by assuring the conservation and protection of the world's heritage,
and recommending to the nations concerned the necessary international conventions,

Considering that the existing international conventions, recommendations and resolutions

concerning cultural and natural property demonstrate the importance, for all the peoples of
the world, of safeguarding this unique and irreplaceable property, to whatever people it may
belong,

Considering that parts of the cultural or natural heritage are of outstanding interest and
therefore need to be preserved as part of the world heritage of mankind as a whole,

Considering that, in view of the magnitude and gravity of the new dangers threatening them,
it is incumbent on the international community as a whole to participate in the protection of
the cultural and natural heritage of outstanding universal value, by the granting of collective
assistance which, although not taking the place of action by the State concerned, will serve
as an efficient complement thereto,

Considering that it is essential for this purpose to adopt new provisions in the form of a
convention establishing an effective system of collective protection of the cultural and
natural heritage of outstanding universal value, organized on a permanent basis and in
accordance with modern scientific methods,

Having decided, at its sixteenth session, that this question should be made the subject of an
international convention,
Adopts this sixteenth day of November 1972 this Convention.

I. DEFINITION OF THE CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE

Article 1
For the purposes of this Convention, the following shall be considered as "cultural heritage":

monuments: architectural works, works of monumental sculpture and painting, elements or

structures of an archaeological nature, inscriptions, cave dwellings and combinations of
features, which are of outstanding universal value from the point of view of history, art or
science;

groups of buildings: groups of separate or connected buildings which, because of their

architecture, their homogeneity or their place in the landscape, are of outstanding universal
value from the point of view of history, art or science;

sites: works of man or the combined works of nature and man, and areas including
archaeological sites which are of outstanding universal value from the historical, aesthetic,
ethnological or anthropological point of view.

Article 2
For the purposes of this Convention, the following shall be considered as "natural heritage":

natural features consisting of physical and biological formations or groups of such formations,
which are of outstanding universal value from the aesthetic or scientific point of view;

geological and physiographical formations and precisely delineated areas which constitute the
habitat of threatened species of animals and plants of outstanding universal value from the
point of view of science or conservation;

natural sites or precisely delineated natural areas of outstanding universal value from the
point of view of science, conservation or natural beauty.

Article 3
It is for each State Party to this Convention to identify and delineate the different properties
situated on its territory mentioned in Articles 1 and 2 above.

II. NATIONAL PROTECTION AND INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION OF THE CULTURAL AND NATURAL
HERITAGE

Article 4
Each State Party to this Convention recognizes that the duty of ensuring the identification,
protection, conservation, presentation and transmission to future generations of the cultural
 and natural heritage referred to in Articles 1 and 2 and situated on its territory, belongs
primarily to that State. It will do all it can to this end, to the utmost of its own resources and,
where appropriate, with any international assistance and co-operation, in particular,
financial, artistic, scientific and technical, which it may be able to obtain.

Article 5
To ensure that effective and active measures are taken for the protection, conservation and
presentation of the cultural and natural heritage situated on its territory, each State Party to
this Convention shall endeavor, in so far as possible, and as appropriate for each country:

to adopt a general policy which aims to give the cultural and natural heritage a function in
the life of the community and to integrate the protection of that heritage into comprehensive
planning programmes;
to set up within its territories, where such services do not exist, one or more services for the
protection, conservation and presentation of the cultural and natural heritage with an
appropriate staff and possessing the means to discharge their functions;
to develop scientific and technical studies and research and to work out such operating
methods as will make the State capable of counteracting the dangers that threaten its
cultural or natural heritage;
to take the appropriate legal, scientific, technical, administrative and financial measures
necessary for the identification, protection, conservation, presentation and rehabilitation of
this heritage; and
to foster the establishment or development of national or regional centres for training in the
protection, conservation and presentation of the cultural and natural heritage and to
encourage scientific research in this field.
Article 6
1. Whilst fully respecting the sovereignty of the States on whose territory the cultural and
natural heritage mentioned in Articles 1 and 2 is situated, and without prejudice to
property right provided by national legislation, the States Parties to this Convention
recognize that such heritage constitutes a world heritage for whose protection it is the
duty of the international community as a whole to co-operate.
2. The States Parties undertake, in accordance with the provisions of this Convention, to give
their help in the identification, protection, conservation and presentation of the cultural
and natural heritage referred to in paragraphs 2 and 4 of Article 11 if the States on whose
territory it is situated so request.
3. Each State Party to this Convention undertakes not to take any deliberate measures which
might damage directly or indirectly the cultural and natural heritage referred to in
Articles 1 and 2 situated on the territory of other States Parties to this Convention.
Article 7
For the purpose of this Convention, international protection of the world cultural and natural
heritage shall be understood to mean the establishment of a system of international co-
operation and assistance designed to support States Parties to the Convention in their efforts
to conserve and identify that heritage.
 III. INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE WORLD CULTURAL AND
NATURALHERITAGE

Article 8
An Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of the Cultural and Natural Heritage of
Outstanding Universal Value, called "the World Heritage Committee", is hereby established
within the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It shall be
composed of 15 States Parties to the Convention, elected by States Parties to the Convention
meeting in general assembly during the ordinary session of the General Conference of the
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The number of States
members of the Committee shall be increased to 21 as from the date of the ordinary session
of the General Conference following the entry into force of this Convention for at least 40
States.
Election of members of the Committee shall ensure an equitable representation of the
different regions and cultures of the world.
A representative of the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration
of Cultural Property (ICCROM), a representative of the International Council of Monuments
and Sites (ICOMOS) and a representative of the International Union for Conservation of
Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), to whom may be added, at the request of States
Parties to the Convention meeting in general assembly during the ordinary sessions of the
General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization,
representatives of other intergovernmental or non-governmental organizations, with similar
objectives, may attend the meetings of the Committee in an advisory capacity.
Article 9
1.The term of office of States members of the World Heritage Committee shall extend from the
end of the ordinary session of the General Conference during which they are elected until the
end of its third subsequent ordinary session.
2.The term of office of one-third of the members designated at the time of the first election
shall, however, cease at the end of the first ordinary session of the General Conference
following that at which they were elected; and the term of office of a further third of the
members designated at the same time shall cease at the end of the second ordinary session of
the General Conference following that at which they were elected. The names of these
members shall be chosen by lot by the President of the General Conference of the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization after the first election.
3.States members of the Committee shall choose as their representatives persons qualified in
the field of the cultural or natural heritage.
Article 10
1.The World Heritage Committee shall adopt its Rules of Procedure.
2.The Committee may at any time invite public or private organizations or individuals to
participate in its meetings for consultation on particular problems.
3.The Committee may create such consultative bodies as it deems necessary for the
performance of its functions.
Article 11
1.Every State Party to this Convention shall, in so far as possible, submit to the World Heritage
Committee an inventory of property forming part of the cultural and natural heritage,
situated in its territory and suitable for inclusion in the list provided for in paragraph 2 of this
 Article. This inventory, which shall not be considered exhaustive, shall include documentation
about the location of the property in question and its significance.
2.On the basis of the inventories submitted by States in accordance with paragraph 1, the
Committee shall establish, keep up to date and publish, under the title of "World Heritage
List," a list of properties forming part of the cultural heritage and natural heritage, as
defined in Articles 1 and 2 of this Convention, which it considers as having outstanding
universal value in terms of such criteria as it shall have established. An updated list shall be
distributed at least every two years.
3.The inclusion of a property in the World Heritage List requires the consent of the State
concerned. The inclusion of a property situated in a territory, sovereignty or jurisdiction over
which is claimed by more than one State shall in no way prejudice the rights of the parties to
the dispute.
4.The Committee shall establish, keep up to date and publish, whenever circumstances shall so
require, under the title of "List of World Heritage in Danger", a list of the property
appearing in the World Heritage List for the conservation of which major operations are
necessary and for which assistance has been requested under this Convention. This list shall
contain an estimate of the cost of such operations. The list may include only such property
forming part of the cultural and natural heritage as is threatened by serious and specific
dangers, such as the threat of disappearance caused by accelerated deterioration, large-
scale public or private projects or rapid urban or tourist development projects; destruction
caused by changes in the use or ownership of the land; major alterations due to unknown
causes; abandonment for any reason whatsoever; the outbreak or the threat of an armed
conflict; calamities and cataclysms; serious fires, earthquakes, landslides; volcanic eruptions;
changes in water level, floods and tidal waves. The Committee may at any time, in case of
urgent need, make a new entry in the List of World Heritage in Danger and publicize such
entry immediately.
5.The Committee shall define the criteria on the basis of which a property belonging to the
cultural or natural heritage may be included in either of the lists mentioned in paragraphs 2
and 4 of this article.
6.Before refusing a request for inclusion in one of the two lists mentioned in paragraphs 2 and 4
of this article, the Committee shall consult the State Party in whose territory the cultural or
natural property in question is situated.
7.The Committee shall, with the agreement of the States concerned, co-ordinate and
encourage the studies and research needed for the drawing up of the lists referred to in
paragraphs 2 and 4 of this article.
Article 12
The fact that a property belonging to the cultural or natural heritage has not been included in
either of the two lists mentioned in paragraphs 2 and 4 of Article 11 shall in no way be
construed to mean that it does not have an outstanding universal value for purposes other
than those resulting from inclusion in these lists.

Article 13
1.The World Heritage Committee shall receive and study requests for international assistance
formulated by States Parties to this Convention with respect to property forming part of the
cultural or natural heritage, situated in their territories, and included or potentially suitable
for inclusion in the lists mentioned referred to in paragraphs 2 and 4 of Article 11. The
purpose of such requests may be to secure the protection, conservation, presentation or
 rehabilitation of such property.
2.Requests for international assistance under paragraph 1 of this article may also be concerned
with identification of cultural or natural property defined in Articles 1 and 2, when
preliminary investigations have shown that further inquiries would be justified.
3.The Committee shall decide on the action to be taken with regard to these requests,
determine where appropriate, the nature and extent of its assistance, and authorize the
conclusion, on its behalf, of the necessary arrangements with the government concerned.
4.The Committee shall determine an order of priorities for its operations. It shall in so doing
bear in mind the respective importance for the world cultural and natural heritage of the
property requiring protection, the need to give international assistance to the property most
representative of a natural environment or of the genius and the history of the peoples of the
world, the urgency of the work to be done, the resources available to the States on whose
territory the threatened property is situated and in particular the extent to which they are
able to safeguard such property by their own means.
5.The Committee shall draw up, keep up to date and publicize a list of property for which
international assistance has been granted.
6.The Committee shall decide on the use of the resources of the Fund established under Article
15 of this Convention. It shall seek ways of increasing these resources and shall take all useful
steps to this end.
7.The Committee shall co-operate with international and national governmental and non-
governmental organizations having objectives similar to those of this Convention. For the
implementation of its programmes and projects, the Committee may call on such
organizations, particularly the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and
Restoration of cultural Property (the Rome Centre), the International Council of Monuments
and Sites (ICOMOS) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural
Resources (IUCN), as well as on public and private bodies and individuals.
8.Decisions of the Committee shall be taken by a majority of two-thirds of its members present
and voting. A majority of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.
Article 14
1.The World Heritage Committee shall be assisted by a Secretariat appointed by the Director-
General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
2.The Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization,
utilizing to the fullest extent possible the services of the International Centre for the Study of
the Preservation and the Restoration of Cultural Property (the Rome Centre), the
International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and the International Union for
Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) in their respective areas of competence
and capability, shall prepare the Committee's documentation and the agenda of its meetings
and shall have the responsibility for the implementation of its decisions.
IV. FUND FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE WORLD CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE

Article 15
1.A Fund for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage of Outstanding Universal
Value, called "the World Heritage Fund", is hereby established.
2.The Fund shall constitute a trust fund, in conformity with the provisions of the Financial
Regulations of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
3.The resources of the Fund shall consist of:
1.compulsory and voluntary contributions made by States Parties to this Convention,
2.Contributions, gifts or bequests which may be made by:
1.other States;
2.the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
3.Cultural Organization, other organizations of the United Nations system, particularly the
United Nations Development Programme or other intergovernmental organizations;
4.public or private bodies or individuals;
3.any interest due on the resources of the Fund;
4.funds raised by collections and receipts from events organized for the benefit of the fund;
and
5.all other resources authorized by the Fund's regulations, as drawn up by the World Heritage
Committee.
4.Contributions to the Fund and other forms of assistance made available to the Committee
may be used only for such purposes as the Committee shall define. The Committee may
accept contributions to be used only for a certain programme or project, provided that the
Committee shall have decided on the implementation of such programme or project. No
political conditions may be attached to contributions made to the Fund.
Article 16
1.Without prejudice to any supplementary voluntarycontribution, the States Parties to this
Convention undertake to pay regularly, every two years, to the World Heritage Fund,
contributions, the amount of which, in the form of a uniform percentage applicable to all
States, shall be determined by the General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention,
meeting during the sessions of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization. This decision of the General Assembly requires the
majority of the States Parties present and voting, which have not made the declaration
referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article. In no case shall the compulsory contribution of
States Parties to the Convention exceed 1% of the contribution to the regular budget of the
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
2.However, each State referred to in Article 31 or in Article 32 of this Convention may
declare, at the time of the deposit of its instrument of ratification, acceptance or accession,
that it shall not be bound by the provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article.
3.A State Party to the Convention which has made the declaration referred to in paragraph 2 of
this Article may at any time withdraw the said declaration by notifying the Director-General
of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. However, the
withdrawal of the declaration shall not take effect in regard to the compulsory contribution
due by the State until the date of the subsequent General Assembly of States parties to the
Convention.
4.In order that the Committee may be able to plan its operations effectively, the contributions
of States Parties to this Convention which have made the declaration referred to in paragraph
2 of this Article, shall be paid on a regular basis, at least every two years, and should not be
less than the contributions which they should have paid if they had been bound by the
provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article.
5.Any State Party to the Convention which is in arrears with the payment of its compulsory or
voluntary contribution for the current year and the calendar year immediately preceding it
shall not be eligible as a Member of the World Heritage Committee, although this provision
shall not apply to the first election.
The terms of office of any such State which is already a member of the Committee shall
terminate at the time of the elections provided for in Article 8, paragraph 1 of this
Convention.
 Article 17
The States Parties to this Convention shall consider or encourage the establishment of
national public and private foundations or associations whose purpose is to invite donations
for the protection of the cultural and natural heritage as defined in Articles 1 and 2 of this
Convention.

Article 18
The States Parties to this Convention shall give their assistance to international fund-raising
campaigns organized for the World Heritage Fund under the auspices of the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. They shall facilitate collections made by
the bodies mentioned in paragraph 3 of Article 15 for this purpose.

V. CONDITIONS AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE

Article 19
Any State Party to this Convention may request international assistance for property forming
part of the cultural or natural heritage of outstanding universal value situated within its
territory. It shall submit with its request such information and documentation provided for in
Article 21 as it has in its possession and as will enable the Committee to come to a decision.

Article 20
Subject to the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 13, sub-paragraph (c) of Article 22 and
Article 23, international assistance provided for by this Convention may be granted only to
property forming part of the cultural and natural heritage which the World Heritage
Committee has decided, or may decide, to enter in one of the lists mentioned in paragraphs 2
and 4 of Article 11.

Article 21
1.The World Heritage Committee shall define the procedure by which requests to it for
international assistance shall be considered and shall specify the content of the request,
which should define the operation contemplated, the work that is necessary, the expected
cost thereof, the degree of urgency and the reasons why the resources of the State requesting
assistance do not allow it to meet all the expenses. Such requests must be supported by
experts' reports whenever possible.
2.Requests based upon disasters or natural calamities should, by reasons of the urgent work
which they may involve, be given immediate, priority consideration by the Committee, which
should have a reserve fund at its disposal against such contingencies.
3.Before coming to a decision, the Committee shall carry out such studies and consultations as
it deems necessary.
Article 22
Assistance granted by the World Heritage Committee may take the following forms:
1.studies concerning the artistic, scientific and technical problems raised by the protection,
conservation, presentation and rehabilitation of the cultural and natural heritage, as defined
in paragraphs 2 and 4 of Article 11 of this Convention;
2.provisions of experts, technicians and skilled labour to ensure that the approved work is
correctly carried out;
3.training of staff and specialists at all levels in the field of identification, protection,
conservation, presentation and rehabilitation of the cultural and natural heritage;
4.supply of equipment which the State concerned does not possess or is not in a position to
acquire;
5.low-interest or interest-free loans which might be repayable on a long-term basis;
6.the granting, in exceptional cases and for special reasons, of non-repayable subsidies.
Article 23
The World Heritage Committee may also provide international assistance to national or
regional centres for the training of staff and specialists at all levels in the field of
identification, protection, conservation, presentation and rehabilitation of the cultural and
natural heritage.

Article 24
International assistance on a large scale shall be preceded by detailed scientific, economic
and technical studies. These studies shall draw upon the most advanced techniques for the
protection, conservation, presentation and rehabilitation of the natural and cultural heritage
and shall be consistent with the objectives of this Convention. The studies shall also seek
means of making rational use of the resources available in the State concerned.

Article 25
As a general rule, only part of the cost of work necessary shall be borne by the international
community. The contribution of the State benefiting from international assistance shall
constitute a substantial share of the resources devoted to each programme or project, unless
its resources do not permit this.

Article 26
The World Heritage Committee and the recipient State shall define in the agreement they
conclude the conditions in which a programme or project for which international assistance
under the terms of this Convention is provided, shall be carried out. It shall be the
responsibility of the State receiving such international assistance to continue to protect,
conserve and present the property so safeguarded, in observance of the conditions laid down
by the agreement.

VI. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES

Article 27
1.The States Parties to this Convention shall endeavor by all appropriate means, and in
 particular by educational and information programmes, to strengthen appreciation and
respect by their peoples of the cultural and natural heritage defined in Articles 1 and 2 of
the Convention.
2.They shall undertake to keep the public broadly informed of the dangers threatening this
heritage and of the activities carried on in pursuance of this Convention.
Article 28
States Parties to this Convention which receive international assistance under the Convention
shall take appropriate measures to make known the importance of the property for which
assistance has been received and the role played by such assistance.

VII. REPORTS

Article 29
1.The States Parties to this Convention shall, in the reports which they submit to the General
Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on dates
and in a manner to be determined by it, give information on the legislative and administrative
provisions which they have adopted and other action which they have taken for the
application of this Convention, together with details of the experience acquired in this field.
2.These reports shall be brought to the attention of the World Heritage Committee.
3.The Committee shall submit a report on its activities at each of the ordinary sessions of the
General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
VIII. FINAL CLAUSES

Article 30
This Convention is drawn up in Arabic, English,French, Russian and Spanish, the five texts
being equally authoritative.

Article 31
1.This Convention shall be subject to ratification or acceptance by States members of the
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in accordance with their
respective constitutional procedures.
2.The instruments of ratification or acceptance shall be deposited with the Director-General of
the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
Article 32
1.This Convention shall be open to accession by all States not members of the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization which are invited by the General Conference
of the Organization to accede to it.
2.Accession shall be effected by the deposit of an instrument of accession with the Director-
General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
Article 33
This Convention shall enter into force three months after the date of the deposit of the
twentieth instrument of ratification, acceptance or accession, but only with respect to those
States which have deposited their respective instruments of ratification, acceptance or
 accession on or before that date. It shall enter into force with respect to any other State
three months after the deposit of its instrument of ratification, acceptance or accession.

Article 34
The following provisions shall apply to those States Parties to this Convention which have a
federal or non-unitary constitutional system:

1.with regard to the provisions of this Convention, the implementation of which comes under
the legal jurisdiction of the federal or central legislative power, the obligations of the federal
or central government shall be the same as for those States parties which are not federal
States;
2.with regard to the provisions of this Convention, the implementation of which comes under
the legal jurisdiction of individual constituent States, countries, provinces or cantons that are
not obliged by the constitutional system of the federation to take legislative measures, the
federal government shall inform the competent authorities of such States, countries,
provinces or cantons of the said provisions, with its recommendation for their adoption.
Article 35
1.Each State Party to this Convention may denounce the Convention.
2.The denunciation shall be notified by an instrument in writing, deposited with the Director-
General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
3.The denunciation shall take effect twelve months after the receipt of the instrument of
denunciation. It shall not affect the financial obligations of the denouncing State until the
date on which the withdrawal takes effect.
Article 36
The Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
shall inform the States members of the Organization, the States not members of the
Organization which are referred to in Article 32, as well as the United Nations, of the deposit
of all the instruments of ratification, acceptance, or accession provided for in Articles 31
and 32, and of the denunciations provided for in Article 35.

Article 37
1.This Convention may be revised by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization. Any such revision shall, however, bind only the States
which shall become Parties to the revising convention.
2.If the General Conference should adopt a new convention revising this Convention in whole or
in part, then, unless the new convention otherwise provides, this Convention shall cease to be
open to ratification, acceptance or accession, as from the date on which the new revising
convention enters into force.
Article 38
In conformity with Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations, this Convention shall
be registered with the Secretariat of the United Nations at the request of the Director-
General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Done in Paris, this twenty-third day of November 1972, in two authentic copies bearing
the signature of the President of the seventeenth session of the General Conference and
of the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization, which shall be deposited in the archives of the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization, and certified true copies of which shall be delivered
to all the States referred to in Articles 31 and 32 as well as to the United Nations.