Pinoys who have experienced traveling overseas could only wish that cities in the Philippines are as livable as those they had visited in Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand, according to a soon-to-be-published Asian Institute of Management (AIM) paper.
AIM Rizalino S. Navarro Policy Center for Competitiveness research manager Christopher Ed C. Caboverde told a forum on Tuesday, Oct. 22, that for the Filipinos they interviewed, an "ideal" city to live in the greater Manila area must be safe and secure, beautiful and green, provides equal access to economic opportunities, has convenient and reliable transport systems, as well as boasts of clean urban environments.
These aspirations among Filipino urban dwellers stress the dire situations where they live and work, which mostly lack these basic conveniences.
Caboverde noted that with millions of Filipinos living in Philippine cities, urban areas are beset by overcrowding, air and water pollution, the spread of communicable diseases, and limited access to education, health and transportation infrastructure.
Based on focus group discussions conducted last March in Metro Manila as well as neighboring provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal, Caboverde said that primarily, residents look for secure and safe cities which provide the confidence and freedom for individuals and family members alike to enjoy urban living.
As some respondents had personally experienced being victimized by various crimes, personal and family safety is of the utmost importance. At the minimum, they aspire to be able to walk safely at night with their families and friends, Caboverde said.
Also, urban dwellers are looking for green and beautiful cities that promote personal health and well-being in open spaces, Caboverde added, citing that relaxing sights and landscapes augur well for those looking to de-stress from work.
Unfortunately, at present, many Filipinos live in dirty cities, and high pollution levels do not help, he noted.
Filipinos also look forward to easier and equal access to more jobs and sufficient wages amid a high cost of living in the country, Caboverde said, with Bangkok in Thailand cited by some respondents as a city that is "economically progressive" for the economic opportunities it provides.
City dwellers likewise want convenient and reliable transportation systems that foster everyday mobility as well as access to essential goods and services, Caboverde said.
While Filipinos don't have a specifically preferred public transport mode, they envy the integrated systems in Japanese and South Korean cities where there is freedom to choose what system to use, there are on-time trip schedules and seamless transfers, and where residents can also just walk around if they like to, Caboverde noted.
He said traffic congestion is a "major source of stress" among Filipinos living in local cities.
Another consideration for urban dwellers is a clean environment with reliable waste manageable systems.
However, Caboverde said it would help if individuals were disciplined to keep their environments clean, citing a respondent's comment that while Pasig City, for instance, has a regular garbage collection system, some of its residents still don't adhere to proper waste disposal.
The AIM paper titled "What makes a city livable? The experiences of people living in Greater Manila Area" is currently being finalized and will be published this coming December, Caboverde said.