We’ve all been through Metro Manila’s notorious traffic jam. Just a few minutes of non-stop rain would be enough to cripple the streets of Metro Manila. On some nights, the heavy volume of cars present in EDSA would seem to look like a giant parking lot with no single slot available. These situations however happen so often that they have become a normal part of every commuter’s and driver’s life. But how do we solve the issue of traffic congestion in Manila? Fewer cars? Bigger roads? Better infrastructure? A new set of traffic rules? While all these would help alleviate the problem, having a long-term solution of decongesting Metro Manila could be a more sustainable solution.
The proposal to move-out from Metro Manila has long been existing in the country’s history. Many lawmakers and higher officials have called for the movement of government agencies to transfer to the provinces. In other countries like Malaysia, they have adopted an administrative capital in Putrajaya to decongest the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. Putrajaya stands as an alternate capital with national agencies built around the area. It is designed to be a “green city” featuring more eco-friendly spaces and establishments.
The decongestion of the National Capital Region will also help empower other regions in the country as businesses and employment opportunities will emerge. It will also be a huge advantage in times of a major calamity because disaster response will be more accessible to the provinces due to proximity. Case in point the Super Typhoon Yolanda when it hit Tacloban, Leyte, and other parts of the country back in 2013. Mobility became an issue because all government agencies are centralized in Metro Manila.
With the ongoing pandemic, the issue of decongesting Metro Manila resurfaces again due to the rapid spread of the virus. The high-density population of the region makes it highly susceptible to the spread of an infectious disease. Vaccines are also being transported to other regions outside Metro Manila.
In the list below, we list down five reasons why a well-planned decongestion plan can be the long-term solution to Metro Manila’s volume problem.
Top 5 reasons to Decongest Metro Manila
Overpopulation in Metro Manila
In the latest population count of the Philippine Statistics Authority, Metro Manila is home to 13, 484, 462 people in 2021, making it one of the world’s most densely populated areas.
According to House Committee on Housing and Urban Development Chairman Francisco Benitez of Negros Occidental in an article from Business Mirror, around 600,000 of the 1.5 million informal settler families in the country are found living in the National Capital Region.
Despite the government’s efforts to relocate them in the provinces, some still return to Metro Manila due to the lack of livelihood sources in the area. Because of this, there are ongoing proposals to provide incentives and more livelihood sources to those relocating. There is also a call to make housing projects more affordable to provide shelter to people.
Traffic Congestion in Metro Manila
Metro Manila’s traffic congestion can be attributed to a lot of factors. One of them is that the roads are not designed to fit the present volume of cars in the streets. Did you know that EDSA, Manila’s main highway, actually operates more than its actual capacity? EDSA, which stretches from Caloocan to Taft, has not been extended since the ’60s, according to an article from Manila Bulletin. It was intended to accommodate a maximum capacity of 288,000 vehicles a day. However, during peak days it reaches up to 402,000 vehicles. This only means that EDSA is exceeding its capacity by about 39%, the article says.
The government’s “Build, build, build” projects aims to create infrastructure projects that will help decongest the roads of Metro Manila. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has been working on an EDSA Decongestion Plan that is expected to finish by 2022. According to DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, travel time from NLEX to SLEX can be as fast as 20 to 30 minutes. Under the program, 14 roads and expressways, and 11 bridges were built, including the Skyway Stage 3 that runs from Makati to Balintawak, Quezon City. The project will decongest EDSA and other major roads in the region by as much as 55,000 vehicles a day.
Aside from building infrastructures and bridges, the government also encourages alternative and more active modes of transportation like biking. Bike lanes are being incorporated in more streets to protect bikers from other vehicles.
Natural Disasters
With Metro Manila sitting above a fault line, disaster preparedness must be an integral part of every city’s plan. Whether it is an earthquake, flash flood, or any calamity, having a well-planned response action should be in place. Recent natural catastrophes like Typhoon Yolanda and the Bohol earthquake also prove that disaster response teams should not only be centralized in Manila to facilitate faster mobility to the provinces.
The country has long been vulnerable to these types of natural disaster according to Planet website. It is quite unfortunate that people should remain resilient with this type of location around the planet as it sets the Philippines as a whole completely affected with natural disasters.
Other Booming Cities Aside from Metro Manila
Metro Manila is the country’s center of commerce and trade. Investors choose to open a business in Manila because of the city’s established economy. People from different provinces flock to the capital city in search of jobs and opportunities. While this is true, there are other business districts as well that shine outside the National Capital Region. Metro Cebu and Davao have established business centers because of their robust and highly competitive economy.
Economic growth in these regions is poised to increase especially with the administration’s drive to develop the Vis-Min regions. Business hubs are currently present in the two areas, particularly in the BPO-IT industry and tourism. Other industries such as agriculture, food, and service are also continuously growing.
Poor Sanitation and Healthcare
Metro Manila’s highly-density population makes it easy for infectious diseases to spread easily. In the case of COVID 19, the surge of the virus became more potent in cities that are highly populated per square kilometer. Safety protocols like social distancing are hardly followed in these areas due to the limited space. The distribution of government assistance also poses a challenge because of this.
With these five reasons, decongesting Metro Manila will greatly benefit not only those in the region but the whole country in general. Empowering other cities or regions will help them achieve their true potential. During the pandemic, opportunities started to shift when people came back to the provinces and discovered the bliss of living in the countryside.
Plan to Move out of Metro Manila
One good option out of Metro Manila in the province of Batangas. Located right in the heart of the CALABARZON Region, Batangas is classified as a first-class province because of its rapid economic growth through the years. The growth potential of the province is promising with the many business activities held in recent years.
Batangas play a major role in the economic growth of the whole CALABARZON region. It’s also close to Metro Manila making travel time, not a huge concern, especially with the new infrastructure projects in the South. You can reach the province in about 1 to 3 hours of travel time.
The city is an ideal place for future investments due to the emergence of many industries like tourism, business, agriculture, and fisheries. Investors are currently looking at the province as the next big thing in the South. Many multinational companies are operating, thus offering employment opportunities to the community. There’s also the presence of industrial companies and businesses like BPOs (Business Processing Outsourcing) and IT-related firms.
The province has a vibrant real estate market due to the growing demand in the area. Tourism is also booming. Batangas is a favorite tourist destination for its beautiful beach resorts, historical landmarks, churches, and the famous Taal Volcano. Many are also interested in the products of the Batangas like pineapples, bananas, and coffee. Livestock and cattle raising is also a well-established industry in the province.
Discovering Lipa City
One of the cities in Batangas is recognized as the third best place to live in the Philippines because of its thriving local economy. Lipa City is recognized as one of the fast-emerging key cities south of Metro Manila. It is hailed as one of the Top 10 cyber growth corridors in the Philippines because of the rising Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) firms in the city. Lipa City is among the Next Wave Cities identified by the Commission of Information and Communication technology.
Also called the “Little Rome of the Philippines,” Lipa is home to many Catholic Churches in the area. The city is considered as the third highest place in Luzon next to Baguio and Tagaytay. Not only does it give a cool climate all year round, but it also serves as a breaker or a shield in times of a typhoon and the eruption of Taal Volcano. The city is also famous for its world-class Kapeng Barako, making it a leading coffee grower and supplier to local and global markets.
When it comes to tourism, Lipa has a good mix of historical sites, religious or pilgrimage locations, as well as lifestyle and recreational places. Some of the more popular tourist sites in Lipa are the churches of San Sebastian Cathedral and Our Lady of Mount Carmel; the historical sites of Casa de Segunda and Museo de Lipa; farms like the Milea Bee Farm, Hardin ng Presa, Old Grove Farmstead, and the Farm at San Benito, an eco-luxury holistic medical wellness resort.
If you’re searching for your next property investment, Lipa offers an ideal place for living, working, and investing. It is a good place to settle because of its location. It also holds great potential because of the city’s vibrant industries, particularly the Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO) companies, call centers, and other IT-related firms.
In terms of real estate investment, the presence of many commercial and industrial establishments accounts for the high market value of the place, which is set to increase in the coming years.
Move to the South at Camella Manors Lipa
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Camella Manors Lipa is one of the pioneering vertical developments in Lipa City. It is Camella’s latest offering in Batangas. Camella Manors is Vista Land’s newest mid-rise condominium brand located in the regions and nearby provinces of Metro Manila. It promotes all-in lifestyle needs and resort-themed amenities that will cater to young professionals, starting families, investors, and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
Camella Manors Lipa is strategically located in Tibig, a quiet and exclusive site in Lipa that is conveniently close to Lipa’s City center. From Metro Manila, the condo is about 80 kilometers away from Manila or just a few hours’ drives.
This affordable mid-rise condo in Lipa has the most expansive amenity area among all Camella Manors projects nationwide. It features a badminton court, function hall, jogging path, paring space, swimming pool area, clubhouse, fitness gym, play park, and a play court.
Condo Living Perks at Camella Manors Lipa
Living in Camella Manors Lipa offers perks like 24/7 Security, verdant landscapes, accessibility to all sectors of the society, nearby tourist Spots, pet-friendly community, resort vibe community, and smart condo living.
It is also conveniently located in a prime location close to many essential establishments like shopping malls and retail centers (Robinsons Place Lipa, Big ben Complex, SM City Lipa, The Outlets Lipa), leisure and entertainment (El Grande Hotel and Resort, Anfa Royale Hotel, Cintai Corito’s Graden, The Farm at San Benito, Laiya beaches), schools and universities (De La Salle Lipa, Canossa Academy, AMA Computer College Lipa, University of Batangas- Lipa, Batangas State University-Lipa), medical centers and hospitals (Mary Mediatrix Medical Center, Lipa Medix Medical Center, San Antonio Medical Center, NL Villa Memorial Medical Center), churches (Redemptorist Lipa, Cathedral of San Sebastian, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church), and major infrastructures (Ayala Highway, President Jose P. Laurel Highway, STAR Tollway, South Luzon Expressway).
Preselling of units is ongoing. To find out more about Camella Manors Lipa, visit our social media channels or you may also visit www.camellamanors.com. Interested buyers may also reserve a unit online thru our easy-to-use online payment facilities.
