SPACES & MOBILITY

Enhancing Urban Greenery, Open Spaces and

Mobility for the New Normal

EnP. Lemuel Lloyd I. Manalo

Environmental Research Specialist, IDIS
 IDIS | WHO WE ARE

IDIS is an environmental non-government

organization registered with the Securities
and Exchanges Commission (SEC) since
1999

• Policy Advocacy and Lobby

• Networking & Coalition Building
• Education & Information
• Media Advocacy & Public Awareness
• Research & Publication
 Enhancing Urban Greenery, Spaces
& Mobility for the New Normal

• Research 1: Geo-Mapping Urban Greenery & Developing

Plans for Parks & Open Spaces in Davao City (2019)
• Research 2: Assessing Bicycle Mobility in Davao
City amidst Health Emergency Crisis (2020)
Opening Case Study: New York City
• Yellow fever and cholera
to polio and the Spanish
flu, the very shape of the
city has long been
dictated by its response to
epidemics.

• Overpopulation,
congestion, lack of open
spaces, poor water &
sanitation were the main
issues for rapid contagion

• Epidemics helped shape city housing policy, vertical and tenement housing
started to address problems on population density and land resources. After
epidemic times, sub-urban, subdivisions, apartments, single-detached
housing took place.
 INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
Developing cities are threatened by urban
sprawl and poor environmental planning brought
about urban and infrastructure development.
Urban Sprawl mainly refers to the unrestricted
growth in many urban areas of housing,
commercial development, and roads over large
expanses of land.
Common Issues
► Pollution
► Car-Dependent Society About 45%
► Health Problems of Filipinos
► Urban Heat Island Effect
live in
► Increased Cost of Living
► Decrease of greenery urban areas
and permeable surfaces today
(World Bank, 2017)
► High-risk of Contagion
Manila, Philippines
SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT GOAL
(SDG) 11

By 2030, provide universal access to safe,

inclusive and accessible, green and public
spaces, in particular for women and children,
older persons and persons with disabilities

Target 11.7: Provide access to safe and inclusive

green and public spaces

“Average share of built-up area of cities that is open

for public use for all, by sex, age and disabilities”

“Proportion of persons victim of physical or sexual

harassment, by sex, age ,disability status and place
of occurrences in the 12-months”
San Diego, USA
International Standards for
Urban Green Space

Standard 1: Green space proportionate to the number of

city inhabitants. To target 9 sq.m per person or 1 hectare
for 1,000 persons

Standard 2: Green space as percentage in urbanized

land area. Singapore and Cities in China allocate 18% of
urbanized areas to green spaces

Standard 3: Green space as accessible space to all

► By 2030, have accessible public parks or recreational open

spaces within half a kilometer of every resident.

► By 2030, meet WHO’s minimum requirement (9sqm/person)

► By 2030, achieve a tree canopy of at least 25% of the

urbanized land area
Tree-Row Areas in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
International Standards for Urban Green Space
Only 0.5 per
person of open
spaces is required in
the HLURB-CLUP
guidelines

Green space per person Green space per capita/individual

Green Space & Physical Distancing Standards
from the World Health Organization (WHO)

9 sq.m
4 sq.m

1m

2m 2m

1 meter (4 sq.m) Physical Distancing

9 sq.m Green space per person
from person to person
TYPES OF GREEN & OPEN SPACES
Places that are publicly owned or of public use, accessible and enjoyable by all for free and without a profit
motive. On a broader sense, can include open environments such as streets, plazas, squares, gardens,
beaches, salvage zones, easements for water bodies and public utilities, NIPAS, disaster danger zones, etc.

Conservation Public Active Open Utilities & Coastal Areas

& Heritage Parklands & Spaces Services & Beaches
Areas Gardens
From Public Parks, Open and Green Spaces: A Planning Development Guide
BENEFITS OF PUBLIC GREEN & SAFE SPACES
• Protects local biodiversity and
heritage value
• Reduces air and noise pollution
• Provides shade and cooling
• and chronic diseases
Reduces traffic
• Contributes to floodwater mitigation
• Urban ecosystem services
• Tourism and attraction
• Boosts commercial demand & amenities
• Supports local entrepreneurs
• Creates employment
• Improves property and land values
• Improves livability to all citizens
• Connects and builds strong communities
• Reduces crime rates
• Increased citizen safety & comfort
• Provides alternative evacuation areas
Community • Access to exercises and physical
activities
• Prevent mental disorders, anxieties
• Minimizes stress and depression
Environment Health • Increases good air-quality for
respiration
• Provides spaces for required distances
• Inspires citizens to do excellent work
• Offers silent areas for thinking, studying reflecting
Economy Inspiration
Our Study Scope

The scope focused on the Major Urban

Districts of Davao City identified in the
Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance of Davao
City, The researchers selected the following
urban districts with high built-up rates.
1. Poblacion
2. Agdao
3. Buhangin
4. Talomo
5. Toril
6. Mintal-Tugbok
7. Calinan
8. Bunawan
Types of Urban Green Zones Surveyed

20 10 5 8 5
Forests Wetlands Coastal Lands Grasslands Waterway
Easements

Total
(Shape Sites)

8 2 38 82
Open/Active Old Urban
Spaces Landmarks Streetscapes
 Decreasing
Blue Spaces
Wetlands in
urban areas
Through Bing
Satellite survey,
researchers also
found (2) large
wetlands in major
urban districts in
Davao City which
now have been
developed for
commercial-
residential purposes
by comparing 2015
and 2018 using
historical satellite
imagery.

Buhangin District, Davao City

Green Space & Population Assessment
2015
1,502,154 total population in the 8
districts as of 2015 census of PSA.
14,270,800 sqm. / 1,502,154 persons
= 9.5 sqm. /person
Are we able to achieve international
standards for all total green zones in
the City center? Yes.
2019
1,645,195 total population of the 8
districts as of 2019 projected population
growth (doubling time method)
14,270,800 sqm. / 1,645,195 persons
= 8.67 sqm. /person
Will we still be able to achieve
international standards for all total
green zones in the City center? No.
 HOW CAN WE ATTAIN SUFFICIENT URBAN GREENERY?

Executive

• Integrate highly recommended green zones in the Comprehensive

Land Use Plan and Zoning Ordinance.

• Explore negotiations with private owners who are willing to sell their
private lands to secure more urban nature reserves and/or provide
incentives to those who are willing to lease their lands as privately-
owned publicly open spaces (POPOS).

• Mainstream Adopt-a-Park and Adopt-a-Street Island program for

reforestation, greening and beautification of identified green spaces
with poor to moderate vegetative cover to be led by CENRO in
partnership with the BLGUs and private sector.

• Appropriate annual budget for parks development in the recommended

green zones.
 Royal Pines-Alexian Brothers, Wetland Area

HOW CAN WE ATTAIN SUFFICIENT

URBAN GREENERY?

Legislative

● Pass an ordinance to protect remaining urban

wetlands and urban forests and green spaces
that serve as habitat for endemic wildlife,
essential in sustainable urban drainage systems
(SUDS), mitigating urban heat island effect (UHI)
and carbon sequestration.

● Pass a policy to protect public streetscapes such

as street islands, rotundas, planting strips which
serve as an important urban green spaces to
protect from demolition or damage from
infrastructure projects.
 SM Lanang Fountain
Court, Davao City

There are
over 550
POPOS built
in Manhattan,
New York City

POPS at 590 Madison Avenue, New York, USA

Privately Owned-Public Open Spaces (POPOS) ►Plazas

A type of public space that is owned privately, legally required ►Arcades
to be open to the public under a city's zoning ordinance or ►Pocket parks
through voluntary provision. Many cities worldwide, including ►Atriums
Auckland, New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, Seoul and ►Sitting areas
Toronto, have privately owned public spaces.
►Outdoor Market
 Enhancing Urban Greenery, Spaces
& Mobility for the New Normal

• Research 1: Geo-Mapping Urban Greenery & Developing

Plans for Parks & Open Spaces in Davao City (2019)
• Research 2: Assessing Bicycle Mobility in Davao
City amidst Health Emergency Crisis (2020)
 Case Study: Bicycles
vs. Influenza

• In 1918, an influenza pandemic

infected 500 million, 27% of the
earth’s population.

• Considered to have been one of

the deadliest pandemics in
human history.

• Many towns and countries

promoted to use bicycles to get
around town, fast and safely
without much contagion
Nurse from Christchurch,
New Zealand
Using a bicycle to commute means you can avoid crowded buses and other means of public transportation,
where a virus like COVID-19 can spread from human to human with absolute ease. It also means you are not
standing in line to take a jeepney, bus, MRT or PUV. Practices less contact with other human beings,
realistically reduces risk for contagion.

PROBLEM
● Long overdue, sudden
implementation and review of the
Bicycle Ordinance
The COVID-19 Pandemic Health Emergency Protocols
reduced availability & passenger capacities of Public
Transportation resulting to difficulty for many citizens who
opt to use bicycle as an effective, immediate & safe
transportation alternative.

● Overlapping rules and requirements

of existing local policies

● Lack of bicycle safety support

facilities such as bicycle lanes &
parking areas

● On-the-ground traffic and road

issues, obstacles and risks
METHODOLOGIES OF THE STUDY

City-Wide Online Survey Roadway Audit Count Survey

An open city-wide survey Geo-tagging and identifying roadway Counting bicycle traffic
questionnaire for bicycle users obstacles and barriers through actual bike population through a 2-Way
released through online ride survey, collected geo-data were Invisible Screenline method
platforms and social media analyzed in Geographic Information System using CounterPoint App
Results & The leading reasons why the respondents use bicycles are for
recreational, sports, and work-related. They claimed, however,
Maps that the common reasons for NOT using bicycles are the lack of
bike lanes and concerns on irresponsible driving.

Source: Online City-Wide Survey

Source: Online City-Wide Survey
Bicycle Travel Movement Analysis

● Majority of origins
and destinations of
cyclists are within
the downtown area
of the city (Talomo,
Poblacion, and
Agdao), with
exception of
Calinan.

● Usual origins are

residential areas
and usual
destinations are
workplaces.
Bicycle Road Usage Frequency

Talomo Area Poblacion-Agdao Area Buhangin-Bunawan Area

Bicycle Traffic Flow Count

McArthur Highway
1 bicycle / 30 seconds
Late Afternoon Rush Hour

Quimpo Boulevard
1 bicycle / 30 seconds
Morning Rush Hour

Utrecht Central Station bicycle parking in Netherlands

records 2 bicycles/second during a morning rush hour
Roadway Accidence & Obstacles

80 obstacles geo-tagged

Drainage Holes Utility Posts

Loading/Unloading
Parked Vehicles
Vehicles
Drainage Holes & Utility Posts Vehicular Obstacles
Permanent Non-Permanent
Road-right-of-way Mixed-obstacles Unpaved Road Advertisement
issues Shoulders Signboards
 Drainage Holes at
Torres Ave., Davao City
RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Bicycle Lane Network Expansion

2. Barrier-Free Bicycle Lanes
3. Bicycle Lane Signage & Width
4. Well-lighted Bicycle Lanes
5. Bicycle By-Pass Path
6. Bicycle Yield Areas in Intersections
7. Public Bicycle Repair Station
8. Bicycle Racks
9. Urban Streetscapes & Greenery
10. Bicycle Circuit/Network Plan

Bicycle By-Pass Path, Abreeza

RECOMMENDATIONS

High Priority Bus System & Davao Transport Project

Shifting to mass public transit system will increase safety for bicyclists;

1. Bicycle Parking Racks/Areas at Terminals

2. Bicycle carriers and racks installed at each Bus unit
3. By-pass paths at bus stations or loading/unloading areas
4. Safe bicycle and pedestrian access networks to every terminal
and bus stations
5. Implementation of identified Transit-Oriented Zones
6. Public Bicycle Sharing/Rent Systems (e.g Obike, Kuala Lumpur)

Obike Station, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS

● Mobility-Oriented City - Encourage cycling,

walking and Light Mobility Vehicles (LMV’s) as a
primary mode of transportation.

● Gender Equality in Mobility - Bicycle mobility

comfort and safety should benefit all genders.

● Corporate Bicycle Programs - Providing

facilities and programs for bicycle-using
employees, group rides, parking racks, dressing
rooms, renting systems, health & wellness and
etc.

Photo © Shem Torre Longakit

Other Planning Strategies

Tactical Urbanism Roads, “Stroads” & Streets Outdoor & Street Retails
● Urban planning and designing strategies promoting efficient usage of
public spaces, securing physical distancing and ventilation.
● Urban planning strategies that promote decongestion,
accesibility, time-travel and efficient systems

Urban Decentralization 15-Minute Cities

Smart City Systems Urban to Rural Health Improvement

 Kalaw Myoma Market, Myanmar

“Even by the time we will

move out from the COVID-19
Pandemic phase, spaces &
mobility will always be
needed by the people in
anyhow, in anyway for all
times”
SPACES & MOBILITY
Enhancing Urban Greenery, Open Spaces and
Mobility for the New Normal

EnP. Lemuel Lloyd I. Manalo

Environmental Research Specialist, IDIS