Sustainable Philippine Cities and Habitat for the New Millennium

Abstract

More than a challenge, the overcrowding of cities, especially in developing countries, is an opportunity to pursue alternative growth corridors that include the interest of the poor. Current solutions to making urban cities more sustainable and resilient to climate change effects tend to disadvantage those who are already marginalized. A systems viewpoint shows that a means to decongest highly dense cities is to create new towns and cities as separate economic units. Instead of encouraging urban sprawl where rural areas still connect to urban centers, thus increasing daytime congestion, a new town evens out population and allows residents to be gainfully employed in areas where they live. This article explores the creation of new towns as a poverty mitigation approach to urban development as applied to an undeveloped property in Quezon province, located in the Philippines.