Quezon City eyes ‘15-minute city’ strategy in barangays

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City government is exploring the possibility of implementing the so-called “15-minute city” strategy as part of its efforts to establish a livable, green and sustainable community for residents.

The concept, introduced by French urban planning expert and university professor Carlos Moreno, is a model that ensures all essential services are accessible to residents within a short walk or bike ride from their houses.

These include healthcare, job opportunities, parks and open spaces and education.

“When we went to Paris for the Plastic Treaty Forum, we were amazed by their 15-minute city sites as all the basic services for the people are within their reach,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said in a statement.

“We want to replicate this setup here in Quezon City to make urban development people-centered and to further improve the quality of life of every QCitizen,” she added.

According to the city government, the “15-minute city” concept decentralizes the traditional city life services by bringing them down to communities.

This, in turn, boosts the local economy, cuts down car emissions, promotes urban biodiversity and inclusivity and provides people with easy access to healthy food options and quality green spaces.

The city gathered a pool of researchers from concerned local offices to study the model, and started mapping barangays through a centralized Geographic Information System to determine the basic services that are most needed in each community.

After the study, the local government will also engage with residents to collect data and identify the needs of their community, said Andrea Villaroman, head of the city’s Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Department.