8/2/2017 An Overview of Spatial Policy in the Philippines

Country Profile
The Republic of the Philippines is an archipelagic Table 1 Philippine Fast facts
nation made up of more than 7,000 islands stretching
Country name Republic of the Philippines
1,851 km from north to south. About 1,000 of its islands
are inhabited, and less than one-half of these islands Surface area 299,404 km (made up of 7,109 islands)
are larger than 2.5 km; it is approximately 800 km from Population About 109.8 million (2016)
mainland Asia and is located between Taiwan and
Population density 337/km
Borneo (Geography of the Philippines 2016). The 11
largest of its islands, which include Luzon, Mindanao, Percentage of
44.4% (2015)
Mindoro, Samar, Leyte, and Cebu, make up 96% of the urban population
country's surface area. USD 168.5 billion (2009)
The Philippines is one of the most urbanized USD 199.6 billion (2010)
developing countries in Asia with about half of the USD 224.1 billion (2011)
population currently living in urban areas, a figure that GDP USD 250.1 billion (2012)
USD 272.0 billion (2013)
began as early as 1990.
USD 284.8 billion (2014)
There is a large disparity between the rich and the USD 292.0 billion (2015)
poor, thereby making poverty reduction one of the most
pressing tasks that the country faces. Three (3) quarters USD 1,851 (2009), USD 2,155 (2010)
USD 2,364 (2011), USD 2,591 (2012)
of the poor live in rural areas, while only 10-percent of GDP per capita
USD 2,770 (2013), USD 2,844 (2014)
rich Filipinos hold 76-percent of the country's wealth (De USD 2,858 (2015)
Vera 2014). Situated in this predominantly Roman
Percentage of agriculture: 29%
Catholic country (accounting for 93% of the population),
employment by industry: 16%
the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in
industry services: 55% (2015 est.)
southern Philippines particularly suffers marked
underdevelopment (Figure 1). 1.1% (2009), 7.6% (2010), 3.6% (2011)
Economic growth
6.8% (2012), 7.2% (2013), 6.1% (2014)
rate
5.8% (2015)

(Information Updated: March 2017)

Figure 1 The Philippines and its 17 regions

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Local Government System Figure 2 Political/administrative system

The local government administrative system in the Philippines is three-
tiered, consisting of: 1) provinces and highly urbanized cities, 2) cities as
component cities and municipalities, and 3) barangays as the smallest
administrative unit (Figure 2).
A notable feature of local governance in the Philippines arose from the
Marcos dictatorship (i.e. highly centralized governance) and culminated in
the EDSA People Power revolution of 1986; that of administrative
devolution and autonomy favoring local government units or LGUs
(Philippine Constitution 1987). Granting more power, authority,
responsibility and resources by the national government to its local Sources: Report on the 2008 National Spatial Policy Seminar,
counterparts, the former seeks engagement of the latter to have more MLIT National and Regional Planning Bureau, 2009

freedom in carrying-out programs suitable for their areas and to be more

self-reliant and active partners in development (Dorotan, n.d.). This governance strategy is enacted through Republic Act 7160, a
national law otherwise known as the Philippine Local Government Code of 1991.

Planning System Figure 3 Planning system

The planning system as it relates from national to regional levels entail
spatial planning and socioeconomic development planning. There are
plans under both of these frameworks that are implemented at the regional
level, a region in this case being a division created out in order to bunch
multiple provinces together for nominal administrative purposes.
In the local level (i.e. provincial, particularly city/municipal level), spatial
and socio-economic planning variants (Figure 3) are manifested in the
Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) and Comprehensive Development
Plan (CDP); with the former (i.e. CLUP) seeking to manage territory and
the latter seeking to promote the improved general welfare of inhabitants

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(Philippine Local Govt Code 1991). Sources: Report on the 2008 National Spatial Policy Seminar,
MLIT National and Regional Planning Bureau, 2009

Major Authorities Relating to Spatial Policy

The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) is the primary government agency in charge with the formulation of national
and regional planning policy in the Philippines. However, in recognition of the primacy of Metro Manila as a special development and
administrative region (IRR-MMDA 1996), alongside the strong local autonomy entrusted to the 17 local government units or LGUs
comprising it (Philippine Local Govt Code 1991), the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) was designated to be in-
charge of directing the capital region's development that not only integrates NEDA national policy but also reconciles the various local
considerations championed by each of the cities and municipality comprising Metro Manila.

Table 2 Major authorities relating to spatial policy

Program name or
Organizations Webpage
administrative field

Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan National Economic and Development Authority http://www.neda.gov.ph/

National Framework for Physical Planning National Economic and Development Authority http://www.neda.gov.ph/

Physical Framework Plan for Metropolitan Manila Metropolitan Manila Development Authority http://www.mmda.gov.ph/

Socioeconomic Planning at the National and Regional Levels

A Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) remains in force for six years, corresponding to the term of office of
the country's president (however, the recent plan is a five-year plan, Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016, starting from the
second year of the presidency). It is a national program that outlines the policies the president wishes to institute during his or
her term. MTPDPs corresponding to presidential terms came into being in 1986; replacing the four-year and five-year plans that
had continued since the 1970s. The next MTPDP is expected after the presidential elections scheduled in the month of May in
2016.
MTPDPs lay out major policy initiatives, socioeconomic strategies, and major national programs. Regional development plans,
meanwhile, stipulate strategies, programs and projects that facilitate the goals of the national plans.
The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), charged with drafting the MTPDPs, coordinates with related
agencies in formulating the plan. The final product is subject to the approval by a NEDA committee made up of government
cabinet members (the Cabinet Committee) and chaired by the president.
The NEDA's drafts for the national development plan and its policies serve as the basis for drafting, reviewing, and deliberating
the regional development plans. Regional Development Council (RDC) organized in each region is the counterpart of the NEDA
regional office established in each region (except for NCR, as well as ARMM) in deciding how plans should be implemented at
the regional and local levels. Each RDC is made up of regional/local representatives, representatives from government arms in
the region, and members of the private sector.

Physical Planning at the National and Regional Levels

Rooted in the notion that spatial planning should be done from a long-term perspective, the 30-year National Physical
Framework Plan, 1993-2022 (NPFP) was formulated. The current plan was renamed the National Framework for Physical
Planning, 2001-2030 (NFPP). Quoting Villarete in his article entitled Physical Framework Planning:

The NPFP was formulated as an integrated national land use policy agenda that would guide the allocation,
utilization, development and management of the country's physical resources. It was approved in 1992 and had a
planning horizon of 1993-2022. In 1997, however, it was replaced by the National Framework for Physical Planning
2001-2030, with a vision of national development anchored on sustainable development and growth with social equity.
Again, the key word in all these plans is physical as against economic; with physical planning having a longer
planning horizon (30-50 years) than the usual 5 years for economic plans.
The other key term is framework, which suggest a generalized concept rather than a detailed blueprint for
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development. It is a physical plan upon which the shorter (and more detailed) medium-term socio-economic plans
are based. The physical framework also suggests connectivity, and that's why systems of urban settlements and
transportation networks are more often than not included here rather than in the economic plans. Rightly so because
the development of transport networks and other infrastructure also requires longer periods not available in medium-
term plans (Villarete 2014).

The NFPP lays out policies and initiatives related to the distribution, utilization, management, and development of land and
material resources. The ultimate purpose of the plan is to raise land productivity, protect and ensure the sustainability of
resources, facilitate the coherent development of housing, and build an infrastructure that helps promote or assist in
development. Similar to NPFP, NFPP was established through the office of NEDA by NLUC (National Land Use Committees),
which consists of related ministries and is in close connection with NEDA. Today NLUC is positioned as one of the subordinate
committee of NEDA committee (its position was changed by Executive Order No.770 in 2008.)
There was a reason behind the name change from NPFP to NFPP. The previous plan restricted the actions of the lower-tiered
administrative authorities. The new framework, in contrast, is designed to relieve such restrictions and give local authorities more
say in policy decisions (i.e. consistent with local autonomy policy enshrined in the constitution).
In a development that paralleled the creation of the NFPP, at the regional level, Regional Physical Framework Plans (RPFPs)
came to be drafted. Just as with the NFPP, the RPFPs presented local authorities with choices and directions for policy. The
national and regional NEDA offices direct the creation of RPFPs (except for NCR and ARMM), while each RPFP is approved by
the concerned Regional Development Council (this also excludes NCR and ARMM, and also CAR). Except for two regions (NCR
and CAR), target year of current RPFPs of all the regions including ARMM is 2030. Although there are reports that the current
NFPP is planned for review just 15-years after its beginning year, as of this writing (2016) the current NFPP 2001-2030 is still the
current national physical framework plan espoused by the Philippine national government.

Metropolitan and Regional Planning Figure 4 Zoning map of Metro Manila

The national capital region of Metropolitan Manila (NCR or Metro Manila) is the
only urban area in the Philippines of which its geographical area and
administrative power is legally defined by a 1995 law creating the Metro Manila
Development Authority or MMDA (RA 7924 1995); though there are cases
outside NCR where a big city and its surrounding local government units name
themselves as a metropolitan area as well (e.g., Metro Cebu, Metro Davao)*.
However, the administration of these metropolitan areas is based in voluntary
agreement among concerned LGUs, with a legal basis solely embedded in the
1987 Constitution and the Local Government Code of 1991.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) as a government
agency came into being in 1995, issuing its first spatial planning document
entitled Physical Development Framework Plan for Metropolitan Manila, 1996-
2016 (PDFPFMM). The plan was amended in 1999, but its name and planning
period remained as it was in 1996.
Almost 2 decades later, the MMDA realized that there is a need to revise the
plan in view of significant changes in the economic, social, and environmental
conditions in the metropolis (Llorito, Hermoso, and Al-Arief 2012). In response to
this, the Metro Manila Green Print 2030 was launched in March 2012, aiming to
transform the capital region into a highly competitive Southeast Asian
metropolis, raising the standard of living for its residents by providing a Source: Physical Framework Plan
for Metropolitan Manila 1996-2016,
framework for integrated management of complex issues within Metro Manila, MMDA, 1999
including coordination among the National Capital Region's 17 local government
units (Lapena 2012). Currently, the aspired spatial development factors (e.g. development opportunities and challenges, as well
as resulting spatial planning concepts) for the region have been identified and released through the Metro Manila Green print
2030: Building a Vision report (Zhang et al. 2014). The production of its more detailed and binding regional development maps -
due for release in 2016 - is ongoing.
In the course of developing the Metro Manila Green Print 2030, MMDA plays the role of a NEDA regional office, as is the case
with other regions; with metropolitan plans established through the approval of the Metro Manila Council (MMC), which
corresponds to the Regional Development Councils (RDCs) of other regions. MMC is the policymaking organization of MMDA

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that consists of all the cities' and municipalities' mayors in NCR and was given the status as a RDC by an executive order in
2002.

* The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) like Metro Manila - also has the distinction of having its geographical area and
administrative power to be legally defined by law (Republic Act 9054). However, the ARMM is composed mainly of rural areas namely the provinces
of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi; only the cities of Marawi and Lamitan are of urban character (ARMM History, n.d.).

The Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016 (PDP) sets out an Industrial Cluster Strategy to promote creation of industrial
clusters (geographical accumulation of specific industry) reflecting industrial activity and infrastructural character of respective
domestic area that will contribute to the creation of regional wealth through export (Figure 5).
In this strategy of developing industrial clusters, the government intends to promote fostering of inter-business cooperation
between small and medium tiny companies to strengthen network toward collaboration; based on the understanding that the past
development policy had led the country to fall into the path of a trickle-down jobless growth (words from the Preface of PDP.
Trickle-down is an economic thought that expresses vitalization of economic activities of large enterprises and wealthy class will
make a stream of wealth pouring down onto low-income class that will finally bring benefit to the whole nation).
Beyond industrial clustering, newly emerged challenges and threats to national and regional development (such as
transport/traffic management in Metro Manila and surrounding provinces; effect of climate change manifested through super
typhoons such as Yolanda / Haiyan battering the Eastern Visayas region) have led to the creation of complementary policy and
plan directions by the Philippine government so as to better address these planning concerns.
An example of which is that of National Economic Development Authority or NEDA's (with the assistance of JICA) release of a
Roadmap for Transport Infrastructure Development for Metro Manila and its Surrounding Areas; a plan that contains improved
urban mobility policy directions for the capital region and its surrounding environs. Moreover, it was found to be in consonance
with the previously discussed efforts to create a Metro Manila Greenprint 2030 as espoused by the Metropolitan Manila
Development Authority (MMDA). Another example is the creation of the Regional Development Plan for Eastern Visayas 2014-
2016 region and Yolanda Reconstruction Plan; in response to the effect of typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan that hit Eastern Visayas in
November 2013.

Figure 5 Industry cluster strategy, 2011-16

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Source: Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016, NEDA, 2011

Information Update:
March 11, 2016
Contributor:
Mark Anthony Mateo Morales, Dr. Eng.
Director, Training and Extension Services Division, Assistant Professor
School of Urban & Regional Planning, University of the Philippines

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