Publication

Adopting The 15-Minute City Approach For Safer And Smarter Cities In The Philippines

As the world grapples with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, urban planners and policymakers are seeking innovative solutions to design cities in a way that prioritizes safety, sustainability, and resilience. The 15-minute city concept revolves around creating cities where residents can access essential goods and services within a 15-minute radius from their homes. This analysis paper aims to explore the applicability of this approach in Philippine cities. 

This paper identifies opportunities to leverage the creation of 15-minute cities through development and policies. With a focus on proximity, diversity, density, and ubiquity, the results of the scoping study helps align and expand future programs, plans, and activities of urban LGUs as well as advocate organizations.

With a particular focus on the "working" social function, making workspaces more accessible and ubiquitous contributes to the reduction of private car use and encourage active mobility. Highlighting the practices of international cities and how they can be localized in the Philippine context, this study recommends various initiatives, from infrastructure to adjustments in existing policies, that would not only benefit the country's post-pandemic recovery but also nurture lasting and sustainable strategies in the transportation sector.