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CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 About this Guide 5 1.2 Previous Initiatives 6 1.3 The Benefits of Public Open Space 16 2 THE CONTEXT FOR PUBLIC OPEN SPACE 19 2.1 What is Public Open Space? 20 2.2 What are the different settings where Open Space is necessary? 22 2.3 What are the different types of open space? 26 2.4 Where can Public Open Space be implemented? 34 3 POLICY & GOVERNANCE 41 3.1 Introduction 43 3.2 The Role of Government 44 3.3 The Existing Planning System 46 3.4 Recommended Improvements 48 4 PUBLIC OPEN SPACE PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS 55 4.1 Principles of Open Space Planning 58 4.2 Key Considerations 59 4.3 Open Space Gap Analysis 66 4.4 Develop Strategic Priorities and Actions 67 ANNEX 69 Case Studies 70 The Open Space Index 84 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT MANAGEMENT TEAM CONTRIBUTORS ASSURE INC. Philippine Association of Nathaniel von Einsiedel Landscape Architects (PALA) Paulo Alcazaren TECHNICAL SUPPORT Beth Espino Rosalyn Marcelo-Veneracion Nappy Navarra Ma. Criscia Alonte Vic Dul-loog Berlin Gaile Gascon Roselaine Camille Tamina Philippine Institute of Princess Flores Environmental Planners (PIEP) Andres Muego LAYOUT & GRAPHICS Anna Maria Gonzales Donna Grace Londonio Armando Alli John Russel Galvez Conchita Ragragio Romeo Valdez Delia Josef Bryan Walden Guanlao Emmanuel Astillero Jhomar Arañas Gabriel Lopez Grace Sapuay Julia Nebrija Mary Jean Caleda Mia Quimpo Pechie Gonzales INTRODUCTION The provision of public open space is an essential com- ponent of community life. Public open space supports a broad spectrum of activities and interaction between people and nature, and sustains critical environmental functions for the health of communities. Along with other community services and infrastructure, public open spaces are important public assets that contrib- ute to livable, safe and sustainable communities. However, the Philippines is severely deficient in the supply of public parks and open spaces which has not been given by government the kind of attention that it deserves. While there are laws relating to parks and public open space, these are limited in requiring the provision of additional ones to increase the existing supply. Meanwhile, our unprecedented urban popula- tion growth and changing demographics are increasing the need for public open space to support a wide range of activities. Concurrently, our urban landscape is rap- idly changing in keeping up with this growth while the potentials for providing for public open space before all lands are built up are not being pursued. Increasing densities, continuing urban population growth, climate change, and resource depletion are adding further im- 1 portance on the provision of public open space. 1 Take the case of Metro Manila, which is one of the most dense and rapidly growing cities in the world. Because of the lack of planning, regulations and resources, Metro Manila is becom- ing increasingly congested and disconnected with nature. People are left with very little amount of open space. In fact, Metro Manila falls well below international standards. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a mini- mum of 9 square meter of green open space per person.1 Ac- cording to the Green City Index, Metro Manila currently has 5 square meters per person.2 To reach the WHO standard, Metro Manila will need to add 52 square kilometers of green open space, roughly the size of Manila and Makati combined. This lack of open space is now felt in the country’s other cit- ies. In the past 50 years, the Philippines’, urban population grew over 50 million people. By 2050, approximately 65 per- cent of the country’s total population will be urban. In the face of this, the amount of open space is not increasing commen- surately. In fact, the remaining ones are even being built upon in the name of progress. Metro Manila Skyline 2 The idea of providing adequate of public open space is not new in the Philippines. For example, in 1969, the Philippine In- stitute of Architects (PIA), under the leadership of its Presi- dent, Architect/ Environmental Planner Manuel T. Mañosa Jr., submitted to the Philippine Senate a recommendation on parks and open spaces for Metro Manila. They focused on the then controversial cutting up and development of the Quezon Memorial quadrangle (that 400-hectare parcel of land defined by East, West, North and Timog Avenues). That large space was supposed to be Metro Manila’s Central Park to replace the loss of open space in central Manila. The group’s 32-page report outlined the history and current status of open space in the metro area and stressed that “For reasons of safety, convenience and general well-being of the citizens of Metro Manila, the development of parks and open spaces has to be undertaken immediately.” Unfortunately, no action was taken on the group’s recommendations. At that time, the proportion of open space to every 1,000 population in Metro Manila was 0.9. With the metro area’s population now, the amount of open space to 1,000 population has fallen by 75% or 0.2. 3 There have been recent activities, however, that suggest change for the better. Most significant among these was the Conference of Public Space and the New Urban Agenda last February 2015, where 37 Philippine towns and cities together with 8 national agencies signed a Declaration on the Philip- pine Network for Public Spare. This Declaration specifically mentions: “We urge cities to improve public space in long – term development plans and the development of city – wide strategies and action plans. As a founda- tion for these strategies, we need to establish guides and sets of standards for planning design and management of public spaces in our cities,”3 Another important initiative is that of the National Academy of Science and Technology of the Philippines (NAST – PH), which proposes the formation of a National Commission for the Pre- vention and control of Non – Communicable Diseases. The proposed Commission will analyze current laws, policies and programs which may negatively impact the health of the pub- lic, and create strategies that will promote a healthy lifestyle, and recommend new policies if necessary. These will include policies on the provision of adequate open spaces to encour- age greater physical activity. According to NAST – PH, more parks, sidewalks and bike lanes are better than fun runs.4 The success of open space provision is strongly influenced by sound strategic planning, good urban planning and design elements, and a good understanding of recreation and trends in community participation and public-private partnerships. It is in this context that this guide has been prepared. 4 1.1 ABOUT THIS GUIDE This guide is proposed to assist local communities, local government units (LGUs), real estate developers, and planners in both the private and public sectors in the planning, design and development of sustainable public open spaces that meet the leisure, recreation and sport needs of Philippine towns and cities. The guide: focuses on the planning and provision of land that is publicly owned and/or man- 1 aged for use by the community; recognizes the social, environmental, cultural, and economic contribution of open 2 space as an essential component of liveable towns and cities; provides practical planning tools and implementation strategies adapted from 3 “best practices” in a wide range of countries, as well as from relevant local tradi- tions; encourages collaboration across a wide range of fields of expertise including but 4 not limited to open space planning, land management, recreation planning, land use and environmental planning, sports management, heritage conservation, communi- ty health and wellbeing, natural resources management, and landscape design; and Discusses issues and challenges that will likely need to be addressed in the plan- 5 ning, design, development and management of public open space. It is envisaged that this guide will catalyze an evolving resource that has the capacity to strengthen the ability of the open space community-of-practice to respond to emerging chal- lenges and improve the planning, design and provision of public open space in the Philippines. 5 1.2 PREVIOUS INITIATIVES The need to provide Public Parks and Open Spaces is not new to the Philippines. There have been numerous ef- forts to create an effective system of parks in our country, which were driven by different needs, but failed be- cause of various reasons. SPANISH ERA During the Spanish Colonial Era, particularly because these were used as cover by the in Spain and in greater part of Europe, there British when they assaulted Intramuros, the have been calls for better open spaces to Spaniards were prompted to raze the whole correct the ills and congestion brought about area to the ground, thus forming the open by Industrial Revolution, which plagued the spaces we now know as Rizal Park or Luneta. urban populace. Spain responded to these This was soon utilized by the people for social calls and initiated similar actions in the Phil- gatherings, mimicking those in Europe. This ippines, only with a different purpose. An ex- made Rizal Park and Jardin Botanico the first ample of this is Jardin Botanico, a five hectare de facto parks of the city. Further improve- garden where plants were tested propaga- ments for these parks have been pursued, tion. It also served as a park enjoyed by the like the fire trees in Padre Burgos Avenue. locals, Spanish and Filipinos alike. Other open Unfortunately, with the onset of Philippine spaces have also thrived because of the Revolution and the Spanish – American War, clamor of people for open spaces, such as development of open spaces ended and the Bagumbayan. It was formerly occupied by Luneta was turned into an infamous execu- residential, religious and civic structures but tion ground.

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