Active design

One of the growing concerns about global health is inactivity, which is said to have replaced smoking as the world’s top vice. Exacerbated by the pandemic, the vast majority now spend most of their days seated, leaving themselves open to a variety of diseases in the long-term. In the Philippines, even the Games and Amusements Board acknowledges how e-sports and chess, which do not require physical movement, exploded during the lockdowns.

But large, dense, car-filled places also carry other problems. Traffic, carbon emissions, garbage, sewer congestion, flooding, pedestrian deaths and other by-products of urban sprawl become serious issues. In Manhattan, the average car moves at only 7.6 kilometers per hour, just a little faster than the average pedestrian. Yet, in 2021, 124 pedestrians and 34 cyclists were killed by cars in New York City alone, a new record. Many American cities dedicate up to a fourth of their land area for cars in terms of streets and parking. Reallocating some central roads to people instead will keep traffic and its attendant other problems out of city centers.

Amsterdam and Copenhagen set the standard, allowing only pedestrians, bicycles and public transportation in its busiest areas. This encourages more physical activity and socialization. Singapore has a bunch of regulations limiting car ownership, forcing its denizens to bank on its impeccable mass transit system. The trend is catching on. A developer in Arizona is building a prototype car-free community, a first in the US. Ride-sharing services and a train are all on the outer edges, just a few blocks’ walk away. In other countries, the pandemic propelled a boom in cycling. During President Gloria Arroyo’s administration, the first attempt at bicycle lanes in Metro Manila was executed. Unfortunately, it ate up a portion of city streets that were barely wide enough to begin with. New York City, meanwhile, is building 250 miles (402 kilometers) of protected (fenced) bike lanes to encourage alternatives to cars.

In the Philippines, the concept of townships has also taken root, wherein developers create small, self-sufficient, pedestrian-friendly communities, generally built near or around a mall. This is a step in the right direction. However, more and more people have also been buying cars in the country, roughly 300,000 added to Metro Manila each year since 2013. Younger adults all over the world have expressed dissatisfaction with the way things are, and seek more walkable places for more physical activity, less stress and less confinement. In north America, the number of first-time driver’s license applications has been declining for the last few years. So we are at a crossroads, figuratively speaking.

In a culture where long walking is only done in malls while breathing recycled air, having walkable cities will boost our physical activity and overall health. Under certain conditions, it even spurs economic growth, and people do not need to drive through traffic or seek out parking to access commercial establishments. The benefits to longevity and productivity are likewise well-documented. We will also greatly reduce the burden on the healthcare system, saving billions of pesos. If we shift the design of our urban areas away from cars and towards people, we will have a healthier, stronger nation.