HAYWIRE CITY PLANNING

HAYWIRE CITY PLANNING

Wilhelmina S. Orozco

As the jeepney I am riding passes in front of the Quezon Institute, I really breathe deeply over and over again. Why because the air is clean there. The QI is filled with trimmed grasses and has lots of trees, enough to blow oxygen to passersby.

(As an aside, Folks, the tricycles are getting noisy again. I think they could read what I am writing, and so they have activated their assets to do something nasty again.)

From where I live, which has a second floor, I could feel the cool air passing by and sometimes coming inside the house. But since the construction of that 7 floor building in front of us, I don’t feel the wind coming in so much anymore, except when there’s a typhoon.

High rise

Actually, several years ago, I already felt the change when a tall building of 6 floors was constructed a little bit at the back of our house. I used to be able to smell sea air, coming from Roxas Boulevard when I would sit by the terrace. But now, I no longer smell that, and it’s too bad. I think that sea air helped me strengthen my lungs and body before.

Then shock of all shocks, I heard a MetroManila mayor talk about how he had changed the rules in the city. He allows the construction of 50 storey buildings instead of 8 storeys only. Since he has very few years to stay on earth, I think he is no longer thinking of any other thing but to look good to everyone, regardless of whether the act is ethical or not.

Actually, last year, I wrote him a letter about the SM high rise building at the Welcome Rotonda, explaining that buildings should not tower over landmarks. Nothing happened. Today, the building is up there. Once I saw a guy looking at something. And when I followed his eyes, he was staring at the building.

Before we used to be able to see the blue sky through the obelisks. But now it is gone. We only see black – the concrete building.

By Aurora Boulevard, a very narrow street now, with only two vehicles able to negotiate each lane, a high rise building is being constructed. And you know what? The street has darkened. Why because the MRT Line 2 passes through there. And so, the street is covered by railway, and the tall building at the right covers the skyline as well.

You will see the same thing at Cubao.

So what happens to the people now? If you have a car, you can always avoid Cubao and all those places with high rise. But if you are pedestrian, you are a captive of the urban blight.

Good God, Folks, high rise buildings are sprouting in MetroManila like mushrooms and the builders and building permit officials are not even thinking of curbing them at all. So now I wonder, what kind of education do building permit officials have? Sure they may be able to insure the safety and stability of buildings but are these the only things that matter? Shouldn’t they think of the environmental soundness of building projects?

At one condominium with five floors, there is not even an elevator when the building code states that it should have.

Unethical permit officer

One time, I went to Quezon City building permits office. While typing my letter complaining about the building that was being built by the firewall of our house, someone sexually harassed me, a guy named William. I was still too naïve then about complaining, or maybe I was afraid for my parent who were very old already then. I was thinking they could be harassed also if I proceeded with my complaint.

The government should really think through the kinds of mindsets of building permit officials. We cannot afford to have pragmatists. They must be given training and retraining on how to build cities, towns and barangays. Buildings should not just rise and rise without any limitations. The people’s ability to breathe oxygen everywhere should be preserved, protected and maintained.

I am also wondering what has happened to our architects. Are they captives of owners who dictate the design or are they able to posit environmentally sound ideas to them?

Hay naku, mga Kababayan, ang bigat ng mga dala-dalahin dito. Pasensiya na kayo kung ako’y nagsesentimiento. Talaga naman, nakakabantad na ang mga pangyayari. We need a strong Department of Environment that will not be afraid to confront what is a wrong urban plan and what should prevail. We need local government officials who care for the people’s health – mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. We need a hotline for immediate assistance should there be violations of environmental rules.

Also, I think we need to have a Philippine design of communities that will enhance the place, considering the character of our land. We live in the tropics and so, our building plans should consider that.

Do we see any changes from hereon? I pray hard and hope so.