Sustainable urban prototypes and informal settlements

In Metro Manila, the pressure for rapid urbanization has led to an explosion of two opposite, yet related phenomena: the development of intensive clusters of high-rise buildings and the formation of dispersed patterns of informal settlements. In the near future, the Pasig River Rehabilitation Program will lead to dramatic shifts in the city’s fabric, including the relocation of large sectors occupied by informal communities. Under this program, BaSECo compound – was selected as a priority area for substantial urban renewal. As a result, the local community was living under the threat of eviction for many years. Although this government-led initiative aimed to resettle the residents on-site instead of relocating them outside the city, the need to establish an integrated approach to implement long- and short-term strategies for the community is still pressing.