Informality within Metro Manila’s barangays often carries the stigma of deficiency — crowded alleys, makeshift housing, insecure tenure — but a closer examination reveals rich potential for community-driven renewal.

Informal settlements emerge as densely populated neighborhoods with limited infrastructure and inadequate access to public services. Yet, by adopting a phased, holistic strategy — grounded in participatory planning, incremental upgrades, and technological integration — these areas can evolve into resilient, 15-minute communities where daily needs lie within a short walk or bike ride.

The foundational phase hinges on land use and tenure security. Engaging residents in participatory mapping exercises captures lived experiences of space — identifying where water points, sanitation blocks, or daycare corners are most needed.

Rapid data collection supports the negotiation of interim occupancy agreements, offering residents legal breathing room until formal processes conclude.

Medium-term site-and-service schemes then extend basic infrastructure — roads, drainage, lighting — allowing incremental home upgrades without fear of eviction. Ultimately, large-scale redevelopment guided by climate-resilient zoning and community land trusts can deliver net-zero housing clusters that preserve affordability and heritage even amid urban renewal.

Economic vitality must accompany physical improvements. For many households, securing a decent livelihood is as urgent as stable shelter. In the short term, micro-finance programs for sari-sari store operators and street vendors formalize small enterprises, while skills training — offered through partnerships with TESDA or NGOs — opens pathways into carpentry, sewing, or food preparation.

Over the medium horizon, shared workspaces, business incubators, and strengthened supply chains link urban farms and artisans to broader markets.

Long-term, these neighborhoods can blossom into mixed-use economic clusters, hosting light manufacturing, digital services, and eco-tourism ventures that integrate former informal settlements into the metropolitan economy.

Social and community infrastructure underpins both safety and cohesion. Immediate interventions — communal water points, shared sanitation blocks, regular waste collection — address pressing health needs. Satellite clinics and formal classrooms within walking distance ensure basic services are no longer a luxury. Over time, mid-level hospitals, full-spectrum educational facilities, and universal social coverage strengthen human capital and foster a sense of collective belonging.

Digital integration emerges as a transformative layer. Public Wi-Fi hotspots, community technology centers, and e-government kiosks bridge the information divide, granting residents access to telehealth, e-learning, and online marketplaces. Such connectivity supports remote work and digital entrepreneurship, turning barangays into innovation nodes rather than backwaters.

This perspective reframes informality not as a problem to eradicate but as an asset to cultivate. Barangay-led partnerships with local governments and NGOs can translate policy blueprints into tangible, context-sensitive actions.

Incremental gains in tenure security, infrastructure, livelihoods, social services, and digital access will accumulate into vibrant, equitable communities — proving that when informality is approached as opportunity, the promise of a 15-minute city can be realized in every barangay.

My research entitled “Assessing the Viability of the 15-Minute City Model in Metro Manila” can be downloaded here: https://idr.lse.ac.uk/articles/110/files/684fb02a1d13b.pdf