A PROPOSED TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT

A PROPOSED TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENTA Study on Economic Development Through Urban Mobility

ABSTRACT

In strictly economic terms, development has traditionally meant achieving sustained rates of growth of income per capita to enable a nation to expand its output at a rate faster than the growth rate of its population. This study in its essence includes multidimensional services that aims to promote change in which the entire social system is tuned in to the basic needs of human necessities, moving them away from which is widely perceived as unsatisfactory towards a situation or condition in life regarded as materially and spiritually better. The study on Economic Development will play a vital role on the process of the redevelopment of decayed parts of the city in which the new development will promote a transit oriented planning that answers Davao Citys future problem; which is traffic congestion and poverty is likely in the future due to the fast-rising of the citys population and economic growth.There are three basic indicators of development: health measured by life expectancy and mortality, real income per capita adjusted for purchasing power, and educational attainments as measured by literacy and schooling. In an architectural perspective, health is sustained by giving the user/s a means of shelter, protection and the necessary human needs while real income and education is gained when residents gain an easy access to opportunities. These three basic indicators of economic development would serve as the basis of the architectural design of a Transit-Oriented Development. A Transit-Oriented Development would provide a low-cost housing for each household who have low income at the same time the housing development would be adjacent to a commercial complex so that it could accommodate the needs of the users. The housing development and commercial complex would then be oriented to a central Bus Rapid Transit Station so as to have the community easy access to metropolitan areas of Davao City, therefore minimizing the use of cars, promoting walkability, reducing pollution, provide opportunities for jobs and reduce traffic congestion on the main roads of Davao City. The Transit Oriented development would serve as the redevelopment of specific areas of a city that are poorly developed and decayed so as to have a well-organized neighbourhood. This proposal will promote change on Davao City by setting up an image that the city is sustainable and traffic organized compared to other cities of the Philippines.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY1.1IntroductionThroughout the course of human existence, humans sought to live in a place where it could give them the necessary means to live. It is common knowledge that humans want survival because the brain, which is a part of the human body, instinctively wants to keep them alive (Medina, 2015). Therefore whether the environment seemed feasible or unfeasible to live in, they still continue to adapt and evolve to the environment on the continuing years of life. Humans have taught themselves how to make their own shelters to protect them from harm.From natural to man-made shelters, humans have discovered different ways and approaches on how to shape their own dwelling. These ways not only defines the dwelling place but it also defines the user/s that live in that dwelling. The self-definition that is made by the user through that dwelling place would be strengthened by the community and the environment that occupy nearby it because they inhabit the mutual relationship that they have with each other which would make them part of a single social system (Beck, 2011). Because humans evolve as a result of their desire for survival, their mutual relationships also evolve in which it made them interdependent. This means that trading and exchange of goods between two or more individuals has become an essential part of their lifestyle. According to OSullivan (2009), Cities exist because human technology has created systems of production and exchange that seem to defy the natural order(p. 3). This would mean that cities are created and formed from a small social system to a large scale one that would incorporate the needs, connections, and the relationships of people. As cities develop and grow through trading and commerce, the quality demands of the people in terms of societal, system, and community needs also increases. As a result, the gap between people who has a great deal of money and resources and people who have limited ones increases because the ones who have a limited access of resources cannot cope up with the quality demands of other people.In economic terms, one would say that the connection between economic and noneconomic factors which includes life, work, religion, social class, authority and culture would make up a single social system. Naturally, the factors that make up the social system in a specific region would be different from another region of the world because lifestyles and cultures are different (Todaro & Smith, 2011). One of the main reasons of the differences on the economic factors of every social system is the difference in the quality demands of the people. People with low income tend to move farther away from the central urban areas because they only have limited access to resources within the city (Kite, 2013). As a result, people in the rural areas create another social system that has different demands compared to the central urban region. This could create multiple problems like traffic congestions, environmental problems, poverty, urban sprawl and etc. Thus, the need for the study on economic development, which deals with allocating the needs of the individual as well as the entire social system (Todaro & Smith, 2011), is essential in coping up Davao Citys fast rising of population and economic growth.1.2Statement of the ProblemRecent studies shows that economic development is directly proportional to the population growth of the Philippines due to the countrys high fertility rate. This means that the promotion on the production of output of the country faster than the growth rate of the population will also inevitably contribute faster population growth. Due to the high fertility rate of the Philippines, the country may face unrestrained population expansion in the long run (Furuoka, 2010). A country facing unrestrained population expansion would increase the rate of poverty in the future. Statistics has shown that Philippines poverty reduction rate is not fast enough to alleviate the number poor people compared to other neighbouring countries. Its also shown that Philippines was the only country that didnt decrease the number of people among the Southeast Asian Nations since the year 1990 (Anonymous, 2009). Poverty could lead to countless unfavourable effects that could alleviate the economic growth and development of the Philippines. Hence, the study only primarily aims on reducing poverty by creating an environment where it is sustainable and comfortable live in by providing the needs of the low-income people in order to reduce the appearances of slum population in the Philippines. Statistics has shown that 2% of the urban slum population in 1990 has increased up to 7% in the year 2006 in the Philippines. It has a faster slum population growth with an annual rate of 3.5% than the urban population growth rate of 2.3%. Slums are considered to be unsanitazed and have environmental issues on a specific area. Studies have shown that people gets a major stress on slums due to an unsustainable environment (Ballesteros, 2010). Moreover, if population in a country continues to grow, the difference between demand and supply will continue to increase and will result in raising the prices of a number of commodities. This would mean that people will pay excessive amounts of money just to survive and support their family. Therefore a solution to the problem of the countrys economic development is vital and essential to the welfare of the country.According to the Philippines News Agency (2014), Davao region remains as Mindanao's top economy in 2013 in terms of Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) (p. 1). Due to Davao also being known now as the 4th worlds safest city, it has been heard and is now famous towards the people worldwide (Casas, 2013). Therefore, it will ultimately represent Philippines and Mindanao worldwide and will contribute and improve to the statistics and economy of the country. With Davao as one of the developing cities in the Philippines, it has been expanding outwards from the central urban areas. It has been projected that Davao will experience poverty and traffic congestions due to rising economic growth and overpopulation with the city having an annual population growth of 2.7% and vehicle volume growth rate at 7.1% (Salanza, 2014). Therefore it is imperative to provide a solution to accommodate the needs of the people is needed in the future to decrease slum appearances. This is then coupled by an urban transportation friendly street that will alleviate traffic congestion and will provide the low-income people for opportunities for job application. The chosen street shall serve as its anchor point in Davao City that will make people especially tourists to remember it as the street that contributed to the economic welfare of the city at the same time representing the image of Davao City in the Philippines.1.3Research Framework1.3.1 Theoretical Framework

Table 1.1 Theoretical Framework of the studyIndependent VariablesIntervening VariablesDependent Variables

Housing and Commercial Complex Average annual Income of a low class individual or household Basic needs of a particular individual or household Environmental Concerns on the site and its surroundings Culture and Behaviour of low class individual or household Affordable low-cost housing development

Bus Rapid Transit Stations and Road Right of Way Networks Population Density of a Specific Area Traffic Flow of Public and Private Transport Climate Changes Sustainable Pedestrian Friendly Street BRT passageways

1.3.2 Conceptual FrameworkA Transit-Oriented Development(TOD) is composed of a mixed-use commercial and residential development designed to be oriented to a public transit station so as to maximize access to the central urban areas of the city, therefore encouraging transit transportation and minimizing the use of private motor vehicles that could produce pollution in the city (Amin, et al., 2013). To make the proposal feasible, knowing the considerations on what will affect the design of the TOD is necessary.Since the design for low-cost housing is for the people of low-class with low-income, several factors must be known in order for it to meet the demands of the user. First, In order to know what materials in designing for a low-cost housing, a data on the annual average of income of low-income users is necessary in order for them to afford it. The quality of materials should be sufficient to protect the users from externalities. Second, a knowledge on the cultural and behavioural aspects is needed in order to plan for the interior space of the housing. Lastly, the site should be studied and surveyed carefully so as to maximize ventilation and cooling strategies and prevent flooding in the area.The design and location of the Bus Rapid Transit Stations and stops is largely dependent on the area and environment surrounding it. An important factor to take in to consideration is the traffic flow of public and private transports. Because knowing the traffic flow will help reduce traffic congestion. Bus Stops within areas with high population density should be designed more likely to be wide and long enough so as to shelter large amounts of people. Lastly, climate change should also be taken in to consideration so as to know what materials to apply in designing the stations and bus stops. 1.4Goals and ObjectivesThe study on economic development primarily seeks on sustaining the income on each individual so as to achieve faster production rate of output than the growth rate of the population (Todaro & Smith, 2011). Since there are many ways on alleviating the poor, this dissertation will primarily aim on reducing slum population rate of Davao City in the future so as to have a healthy, clean and sustainable environment at the same time giving the opportunity for people who have low-income to maximize access to the central urban areas of Davao City, giving them job opportunities so as to increase the rate of income per capita. The roads that will be covered by the Bus Rapid Transit(BRT) will be redesigned so as to serve as an anchor point in Davao City in which it will make people especially tourists to distinguish and be recognized easily from other streets. Therefore the study on economic development will be incorporated in the design on the Transit-Oriented Development because a TOD contains low-cost housing and commercial areas that will provide the needs of the poor, transit stations and BRT system that will maximize access to different parts of the city while encouraging on limiting the use of private motor cars and promoting the transit transportation system. In the end, the project should be expected that it will in return, boost the income of Davao City through the payments made by the people on the BRT system.1.5AssumptionsAn actual real project for the proposal of the TOD on the study on economic development would require multiple people to make the project feasible. Because this is a dissertation, assumptions must be made in order to make the thesis feasible. These assumptions are: The City Government of Davao and its constituents approves on the improvement of the image of Davao City towards maintaining sustainable urban transportation; The materials that will be used in this design shall be available inside Davao Region; The Department of Transportation and Communication shall approve of changing the routes of Public Transportation vehicles(PUJs, rickshaws and etc.) and Private Transportation vehicles(Private Cars, Trucks and taxis); The people of Davao City shall agree on changing the traffic flow of transportation, which includes jeep taxis(PUJ) and private motorized transportation, and transportation of goods; Other projects that contribute to the economic development and growth of Davao City is assumed that in the future, they will not be implemented. Thus calculations regarding on the projection of economic development and growth will remain constant; Calamities such as storms, earthquakes, typhoons and the like in the future are assumed that they will not intervene in Davao City. Though heavy rainfall and high temperature climates will still be considered in the development for urban sustainability in the future. Thus calculations regarding on the projection of economic development and growth will remain constant. 1.6HypothesisThe study on economic development and sustainable urban mobility shall increase the overall income of low-class people so as to increase economic output of the city, therefore reducing poverty, slum population rate, traffic congestions and providing the basic needs of the people.1.7Scope and LimitationsThe study on economic development and sustainable urban mobility that is incorporated in the design of a Transit-Oriented Development provides a broad topic that will alleviate poverty in a city. This study will limit itself on to specific areas of the topic because there are other variables in the study that are inevitably uncontrollable. These scope and limitations are: Market-based computations will only focus on the investment on the project in return so as to know how much will it have an impact to the economic growth of the city. The study itself will thoroughly discuss on how externalities become a disadvantage for the low-income individuals and households. Therefore government related influences are not discussed in this study because these influences cannot be changed or controlled. Other topics such as agriculture and rural development are also not included. Standard designs for Transit-Oriented Development would normally be placed in multiple areas of the city, connecting it through transit passageways and reducing traffic therein. This study will limit itself on concentrating only one road that is prone to traffic congestions and one site that will serve as likelihood for urban development. The number of Jeep Taxis(PUJ) that will drive along the road will then be strictly limited and will only allow the private cars and taxis to drive along with it. Transit transportation is widely known as high capacity public transport systems that are either metro, light rail, or bus rapid transit (Amin, et al., 2013). This study will only apply on bus rapid transit systems because it is more economical and affordable compared to other transit systems. Cost difference on each transportation is further discussed in Chapter 2.1.7Significance of the StudyIn the context of reality, externalities such as technology, demography, nature, and industry exists to the point that it doesnt give room for economic development to achieve setting and absolute certainty. As a result countries in a global economy challenge themselves to create their economic futures. These externalities still continue in slowly maltreating the world and give rise to increased poverty and decline development and growth (Blakely & Leigh, 2010). Even though there are many projects on economic development that failed due to many disputes regarding its effectiveness, many communities are still striving hard on creating job opportunities that benefit for the poor (Yin, 2012). If the encouragement on economic development will come to a halt, major problems would rise like uncontrollable city expansions, global warming by the result in traffic pollutions, social inequality that will result in wars and disputes, low economic output of a city and etc.There are many evidence that shows that Davao City is currently facing economic development problems that will result in multiple effects in the future. One reports shows that Davao has an increase in demand for housing units due to rise in population (Demand, 2014). Another would be of that the Trade and Industry Regional Director presented her plans for cutting poverty rate in Davao City. The director said that if the private sector and the government work together, the plan will be achieved in improving the eight industry areas of the region (Francisco, 2006). Statistics also show according to the comprehensive land use plan that was brought by the city government of Davao (Land Use, n.d.), that population in 1970, which was 392,473 persons, increased more than thrice the population in 2010 which reached 1,449,296 persons. Projected population in the year 2024 would be 2,018,141 persons. This evidences would mean that economic development issues exist in Davao City and thus need to something aware of. The study will then serve as foundation as the basis of providing the basic needs of the people while promoting sustainable urban transportation that enhances the image of Davao City.1.9Definition of Terms

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE1.1 Image of the City

1.2 Economic Development1.3 Urban Mobility1.4 Transit-Oriented Development4

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