Voting 243-3-0 (yes-no-abstain), the lower chamber has overwhelmingly passed on third and final reading the bill providing for the development of sustainable cities and communities throughout the Philippines.
Approved on third and final reading during plenary session Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 15 was House Bill (HB) No.6715, or the proposed Sustainable Cities and Communities Act.
Deputy Speaker and Antipolo City 1st district Rep. Roberto Puno, who presided over Wednesday's session, announced the passage of HB No.6715, which was a consolidation of three measures separately filed by Reps. Jose Francisco Benitez of Negros Occidental, Christian Tell Yap of Tarlac, and Ivan Howard Guintu of PINUNO Party-list.
It was endorsed by the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development, which Benitez chairs.
“House Bill No. 6715 aims to create neighborhoods that can provide decent living conditions to our people, especially the poor, including comfortable shelter and recreation facilities, basic services and employment opportunities,” House Speaker Martin Romualdez said.
Romualdez, Leyte’s 1st district representative, said people from rural communities migrate to cities and other urban areas in a bid to find jobs and earn money for their families. “We can prevent such migration if we could build sustainable urban areas, towns and communities and balance national development,” he said.
The proposed law would cover all cities and towns, with a majority of barangays classified by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) as urban areas.
They are mandated to align their plans, programs and activities toward the full implementation of the measure and to be guided by Ambisyon 2040, which embodies the country’s long-term development plan.
Among the guiding principles to be followed as per the measure are:
- Inclusive urban circular economy, which creates decent jobs with fair wages; supports entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation; ensures safe and non- discriminatory working environments; and promotes resource-efficient industries and consumption;
- Spatial justice which promotes multiple use of land to prevent forced evictions, displacement, marginalization, and gentrification; and ensures that urban development provides vulnerable and marginalized sectors the access to safe, adequate and affordable housing under different tenurial arrangements, giving priority to on-site resettlement, as well as universal healthcare, accessible education, adequate infrastructures, sustainable livelihoods, food security and nutrition; and safe and inclusive public spaces that foster social cohesion;
- Urban renewal which includes slum upgrading to improve housing, infrastructures and services; urban greening, including the promotion of urban agriculture for food security and communal wellness; and the development of inclusive, safe, accessible and enjoyable open spaces and parks;
- Urban mobility and connectivity which provides for inclusive, safe, accessible, affordable, efficient and sustainable public transportation through the development of adequate transportation infrastructures, utilities and intermodal transportation systems, including non-motorized modes of transportation to strengthen global and urban-rural linkages and management; and
- Digital connectivity through the establishment and maintenance of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and fast, secure, stable, and affordable internet connectivity to strengthen global and urban-rural linkages.