Palafox: Smarter urban planning needed for PHL to go first-world

THE PHILIPPINES needs to address inefficient land use, improve urban planning, and establish “smart” cities in the countryside to achieve first-world status by 2050, according to veteran architect and urban planner Felino A. Palafox, Jr.

- Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

“Looking at Metro Manila, [I noticed] that there are so many wrong land uses in the wrong places, and at the wrong time,” said Mr. Palafox, founder of architecture and urban planning firm Palafox Associates, during the company’s 36^th anniversary event on Tuesday.

“Planning is about balance — a balance between jobs and housing, and between land use and transportation,” he said.

Mr. Palafox cited Goldman Sachs, which earlier projected that the Philippines will become the world’s 16^th largest economy by 2050.

This also aligns with Palafox Associates’ “Philippines 2050: A First-World Country, A First-World Economy” campaign, which envisions the Philippines as a first-world nation by 2050.