NATIONAL URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING FRAMEWORK

ANCHORS
a. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The 17 SDGs set the course for the global effort to end all forms of poverty y(SDG 1), fight inequalities (SDG
10), and tackle climate change (SDG 13), while ensuring that no one is left behind. Specifically, SDG 11 aims
to “make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.” Within this goal are
targets that constitute the built environment agenda, and ensure that issues are addressed through the
spatial lens.

b. New Urban Agenda

Address urban poverty and social exclusion, enhance and extend human rights perspectives in their
application to cities and human settlements, and embrace a shift in the predominant urban pattern to
minimize socio-spatial injustices and enhance equity, socio-spatial inclusion, political participation, and a
decent life for all inhabitants.

c. AmBisyon Natin 2040

Represents the long-term vision and aspirations of the Filipino people for themselves and for the country .
It describes the kind of life that people want to live and how the country will be by 2040. The long-term vision
serves as an anchor for development planning for the next 25 years. Part of this is the Philippine
Development Plan (PDP) 2017–2022

THE NEW NUDHF

Philippine New Urban Agenda

BETTER, GREENER, SMARTER URBAN SYSTEMS IN A MORE INCLUSIVE
PHILIPPINES
Vision
 An inclusive Philippines is equitable, participatory, and provides universal access to political, economic, and basic
social services.
 It safeguards children, women, elderly people, and persons with disability.
 It equalizes access to livelihood opportunities and social protection programmers.
 Enables informal settler families to transform in the metropolises, living their lives with more security, pride, and
dignity.
 It also recognizes the importance of rural–urban linkages and integration.

PRINCIPLES
1. Urbanization as catalyst for inclusive growth
• Urbanization must drive and influence the creation of and transformation towards culturally, socially,
economically, and politically inclusive development.
• Citizenship and equal rights for all inhabitants whether permanent or transient, with added focus on
the right to housing and urban services; this includes women, those living in poverty or situations of
environmental risk, informal economy workers, ethnic and religious groups, LGBT persons, differently
abled persons, children, youth, elderly, migrants, and refugees.

2. Climate change resilience as a base for spatial structuring and sectoral development
 • Resilience as the ability of a locality and its citizens to withstand impacts and shocks, and to rebuild,
reorganize, or transform itself when necessary
• Resilience as the foundation in planning and decision-making for spaces (neighborhoods, settlements,
development areas, cities, municipalities, provinces, regions) and for addressing sectoral and/ or cross-
sectoral challenges (environment, social, economic, infrastructure, institutional, including cultural
practices or expression)

3. Spatially and thematically integrated settlements within coherent and efficient urban systems and forms
across scales
• Urban design that aids in the integration and efficient function of urban elements and ensures social
and economic inclusion
• Efficient urban planning and design should be considered across scales from the smallest to the largest
unit or element
• Physically, spatially, functionally connected and accessible systems.
• Urban systems that are capable of producing desired results without wasting time or energy. This
includes biophysical, social, economic, infrastructure, political, and legislative organization

4. Urban areas as accessible platforms for social and economic opportunity, cultural expression, and
innovation
• Spaces for all inhabitants, with mechanisms that promote and facilitate activity and interaction
• Spaces that allow for shelter, decent work and secure livelihoods, formal and informal economic
activities
• Spaces that promote identity and pride of place and support tangible and intangible cultural assets and
creative practices and expressions
• Spaces that support and facilitate new technologies, organization models, and social, economic, and
physical facilities

5. People’s participation and empowerment as foundations of urban governance, facilitating sustainable

resource use, planning, management, and finance
• Equal and substantive participation of all stakeholders in the critique, implementation, and monitoring
of urban development policies, legislation, and actions
• Involvement of marginalized sectors in decision-making for programmes that affect their quality of life,
enabling socially responsible private sector participation and responsibility
• Support for the development of human capacity, promote integrated governance and capacity building
for government staff, and promote deliberative urban processes
• Embedded participatory and sustainable urban development processes, structures, and mechanisms.

6. Sustainable urban environment

• Protects ecosystems and urban biodiversity
• Promotes efficient, affordable, and clean energy
• Promotes sustainable use of air, water, land, and resources in urban development
• Promotes responsible production and consumption

These key framework principles are interpreted and expressed in more specific terms as thematic strategies. Together,
they are intended to realize the vision for sustainable urban development in the Philippines.

STRATEGIES

1. Population
 a. Enforce a sound population management policy that focuses on the well-being of the family, especially
women and youth. The Philippines will benefit from the full implementation of the Responsible Parenthood
and Reproductive Health Law, which assists couples in achieving their fertility goals through safe, legal, and
affordable means consistent with their customs and religious beliefs. The Philippine government should
adopt population strategies that advocate the advantages of a small family size, prevention of early
marriages, and proper timing and spacing of childbirths as part of responsible parenthood.
b. Transform youth bulge into a demographic dividend or window of opportunity. There are more than 30
million Filipinos aged 10–24 years old. Comprising almost a third of the Philippine population, this young age
group’s potential must be developed. A greater proportion of the gross domestic product (GDP) should be
invested in education, including formal education and vocational technical training, so that the youth will be
prepared to enter the workforce as employable and globally competitive.
c. Offer and implement better incentives for more efficient urban densities. Increasing densities in urban areas is
essential to accommodate projected population increases, address urban sprawl, and sustain economic
growth. Apart from zoning regulations, context-based development guidelines are an effective tool to
encourage efficient densities, especially in prime urban areas, and regulate the nature, intensity, and
direction of development.
d. Support vulnerable sectors and minimize displacement. Urbanization should provide all members of
Philippine society opportunities for development. A culturally sensitive social mix in urban areas, especially
one that supports vulnerable sectors such as women, youth, indigenous peoples, persons with disability, the
poor, and migrants, will contribute to inclusive growth.
e. Support policy on prioritizing onsite and in-city resettlement with off-site resettlement as a last option as a
spatial planning tool and a risk reduction approach. Where resettlement of households is unavoidable, such
as informal setter families located in danger areas or unsuitable sites, government must ensure that the
resettlement site has access to livelihood or income opportunities, and that the resettlement site is complete
with basic utilities such as power and water supply. Encroachment along roadways should be prevented to
control urban sprawl. Cities should consider resettlement sites in planning their expansion areas or growth
nodes.
f. Prioritize allocation of land for utilities and critical infrastructure in an archipelagic setting. National and local
governments should be more proactive in identifying, acquiring, safeguarding, and developing land for
critical infrastructure such as mass transport, roads and bridges, ports, airports, water distribution, power,
and communications. Moreover, infrastructure planning should consider both land and water uses, and aim
to increase connectivity between islands. Doing so would improve access to services, support inclusive
mobility, and encourage sustainable urban development in more areas in the country.
g. Develop the urban development database. Strategies and policies dealing with urban development and
housing need to be based on evidence. Planning and managing cities and urban areas require the use of
updated, valid, and reliable data including maps and spatial information.

2. Urban Planning and Design

a. Fully operationalize ridge-to-reef and/or integrated ecosystems planning. The “ridge to-reef or integrated
ecosystems planning framework” was adopted by the HLURB for the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP)
Guidebooks 2013–2014, which utilizes system-based tools such as the ecological transect and other tools.
The NUDHF prioritizes the identification and protection of open
spaces as a first step in designing urban areas, with built-up spaces
planned around and in consideration of this network. LGUs must
establish the primacy and connectivity of public spaces, and provide
resources for their development.
b. Strengthen the mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) planning and climate
change adaptation/ mitigation (CCAM) planning with spatial and sectoral development planning. The
mainstreaming of DRRM and CCAM in the CLUP and Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) need to be
ensured. Areas for improvement, harmonization, and rationalization, where possible, must also be identified.
This includes streamlining and harmonizing processes on CCAM DRR and capacity building for planning offices,
professionalization, and ethical accountability in the planning process and documentation.

c. Design barangays and neighborhoods in terms of human scale and walkability. The NUDHF proposes a return
to human-scaled proportions and to design barangays in terms of human scale and walkability, with the
necessary infrastructure and services within walking distance of residents. This may be incorporated in the local
development planning process following the CLUP Guidebook, specifically under the Special Studies on Urban
Design and Development.

d. Promote adequate networks of public open spaces. The NUDHF prioritizes the identification and protection of
open spaces as a first step in designing urban areas, with built-up spaces planned around and in consideration of
this network. LGUs must establish the primacy and connectivity of public spaces, and provide resources for their
development. This also includes locating and establishing public buildings in strategic areas, and designing public
spaces in a way that supports disaster risk reduction and climate change action (e.g., escape routes and
evacuation plans).

e. Consider the water cycle in urban planning and design. The water cycle should be considered as a key element
at all levels of planning and design. Plans must support watershed improvement. Subsequently, they must
include, where possible, the development of alternative water sources other than groundwater. In line with this,
the collection of rainwater and the recycling of domestic water for domestic use must be considered. Cities and
municipalities must ensure adequate water domestic supply without encroaching on the recharge areas of
adjacent areas. Land developments must be reviewed to ensure adequate water supply both for the
development and adjacent communities.

f. Promote compact development. Compact development entails the promotion of efficient densities at all scales
of urban planning, which maintains the balance between urban demand and available resources. Areas with
efficient densities tend to cut back the cost of public services such as police and emergency response,
infrastructure maintenance, school transport, water, and sewage. This will promote the holistic management of
the urban area and reduce urban sprawl.

g. Promote mixed use. Following the principle of spatial and sectoral integration within coherent and efficient
urban systems, local government and development partners are urged to plan areas for mixed uses and minimize
highly specialized land zoning where possible. Mixing land uses allows for the integration of complementing
activities, and also supports compact development. Land use specialization to limit single function blocks or
neighborhoods is discouraged.

h. Promote social mix. Urban design at the local level should maximize the use of spaces to promote social
equality and spatial justice. Urban spaces, including buildings and residential areas, should espouse social
integration and diversity of social as well as income groups. Diversity and social inclusion should be encouraged
consciously by local authorities and planners especially in designing public spaces, including streets, markets,
schools and universities, parks and plazas, beaches and waterfront zones.

i. Integrate mobility and transport planning in land use planning. The NUDHF advocates the shift from car-
oriented to people-oriented mobility. A new hierarchy of transportation and mobility is introduced, prioritizing
 pedestrians first, then non-motorized vehicles such as bicycles, followed by public transport, commercial
vehicles, taxis, and single occupancy vehicles.

j. Optimize use of existing spaces and structures in the built-up area through adaptive reuse, urban
redevelopment, and urban infill. To ensure the preservation of these heritage areas, the NUDHF adopts the more
sustainable policy of adaptive reuse for existing structures, urban infill, or the use of vacant lands or
underutilized property for urban revitalization rather than city extension or land reclamation.

k. Control urban sprawl by promoting planned urban expansion. Compact, mixed-use development can be
complemented and made more effective by promoting planned urban expansion. Anticipating urban growth,
setting boundaries to existing areas, and providing for rational expansion in selected areas will control urban
sprawl and manage urban resources better. It will also aid in food security, maintenance of protected areas, and
the integration and linkage cities and municipalities in a coherent manner.

L. Extend capacity development programs and projects to integrate the reduction of GHG emissions at the local
planning level: CLUP, CDP, and LCCAP. Urban planning and design must integrate low emission development
principles and strategies. Building national and local planners' capacity to understand GHG mitigation options
along with the adaptation elements of urban plans and designs is now more essential to ensure that people will
indeed live in economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable communities.

3. Housing
a. Develop inclusive, integrated housing. Housing development should be culturally sensitive and must adhere to
appropriate standards and design. It should pay special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations,
including indigenous peoples (IPs), persons with disabilities (PWDs), the elderly, informal settler families (ISFs),
internally displaced populations from disaster-stricken or internal-conflict areas, women, and children. Mixed
income housing is encouraged to promote inclusive communities.

b. Operationalize the National Informal Settlements Upgrading Strategy. The NUDHF recognizes the value of
providing security of tenure for urban settlers, both formal and informal. As policy reforms move toward
improving land management and land valuation, rights-based instruments (RBIs) or other forms of secure tenure
instruments— such as usufruct, other lease variants, and right to occupy or build—are now recognized as secure
tenure instruments and collateral substitutes. RBIs offer a less costly approach to providing secure tenure to
segments of society unable to secure freehold titles, particularly the urban poor

c. Improve affordability of housing programs and projects. Government must seek to improve, enhance, expand,
and sustain financing programs for government housing projects, especially those that focus on community-
based housing and self-help such as the Community Mortgage Program. More importantly, improving
affordability through housing finance must be coupled with initiatives to increase families’ capacity to pay. This
means fully integrating sustainable livelihood and employment into the housing process, and looking at
economic development as a function of shelter delivery. Operationally, this translates to the implementation of
an integrated housing strategy requiring the collaboration of shelter, economic, and social welfare agencies
beyond their current or traditional mandates.

d. Promote resilient housing. The framework promotes the development of climate resilient, affordable housing.
This can be achieved through the adoption of appropriate housing standards or building codes, technologies, and
innovations, incorporating conditions for resilience and resource efficiency. These new standards and
technologies must be in accordance with the thrust toward affordability and social equity. For instance,
retrofitting of existing housing structures based on climate change vulnerability and disaster risk can be explored,
addressing the conditions of resilience, affordability, and rights-based housing.
e. Enforce the balanced housing provision of the UDHA. Rep. Act No. 10884, which amends the UDHA, requires
owners and developers of proposed subdivision and condominium projects to develop an area for socialized
housing equivalent to at least 15% of the total subdivision area or total subdivision project cost and at least 5%
of the condominium area or project cost. Significant in this amendment is the inclusion of vertical housing
developments in socialized housing compliance. It must be noted that these are minimum requirements, and
developers may opt to increase the percentages.

f. Update appropriate housing unit size requirements based on local context. Local governments and developers
are encouraged to further assess the needs of end users with regard to their space requirements, without
income discrimination and considering various factors such as location, culture, economic linkages, and
livelihood opportunities, among others. People-centered planning processes can address this gap, and allow
stakeholders to determine appropriate unit sizes.

g. Make land available and accessible for housing. There are several ways to increase the supply and reduce the
cost of urban land, thereby addressing physical and artificial shortage of land for development: • Unlocking
unused or underused government-owned land
• Land pooling/readjustment
• Land banking
• Land cost adjustment for affordable housing
• Reducing land speculation through fiscal measures
• Making land information accessible to the land market

h. Promote local shelter planning to encourage broad-based participation and ensure implementation of housing
and land strategies. Citizen participation and localized capacity serve as foundations for effective and efficient
shelter provision. Empowering communities also increases accountability and transparency in the
implementation and monitoring of housing strategies. Local shelter planning enables LGUs to determine housing
needs, conduct inventory of resources, identify priority housing programs and projects, and initiate needed
partnerships for housing projects.

4. Urban Infrastructure and Basic Services

Water and Sanitation
a. Streamline policies and improve the regulatory framework to ensure sustainable water
security in urban areas. Water and sanitation infrastructure must be harmonized with
legislation, policies, and organizational development plans. Simplifying the regulatory
framework from the approval of water and sanitation plans to maintenance will enable
proponents to protect, explore, develop, and expand water and sanitation services for the
larger urban system. Implement programs and initiatives on watershed protection.
b. Promote and support innovative water and sanitation technologies. Cost-efficient,
alternative technologies in water and sanitation, including water recycling should be
supported. This entails investment in research, prototyping and fully developing
technologies, especially localized solutions.
c. Support financing for climate and disaster resilient water and sanitation infrastructure.
Mobilizing resources, including those from the private sector, would allow government f
flexibility in developing and implementing high capital outlay infrastructure projects.
Replicating and improving on the successes of privately managed water utilities will further
strengthen resilience of urban water infrastructure.
d. Strengthen local government capacity on water and sanitation governance. Capacity building
programs should be in place for national, regional, and local water and sanitation personnel
 in critical areas like coordination with national government agencies (NGAs) and other
government entities, planning, project development, decision-making, budgeting, and
private sector engagement.

Public Health
Mainstreaming of health impact assessments (HIAs). Energy infrastructure projects should mainstream HIAs to
supplement environmental impact assessments. This provides additional information for resilience-building, including
climate change vulnerability and disaster risk assessments, renewable energy programming, and planning and urban
design in consideration of public health targets.

Energy (Sustainable/Renewable)
a. Streamline procedures for the development of renewable energy projects, to improve ease of doing business.
This would entail reducing requirements and processing times, revisiting investment and business
application procedures, and making adjustments to ease start-up and operations cost, thereby boosting the
number of domestic and foreign investments in the sector.
b. Increase energy sourcing from low carbon and other clean energy technologies. Government must adopt
measures that promote better energy mix, thereby increasing energy sourcing from low-carbon and other
clean energy technologies. Identifying and mapping renewable energy resources becomes a key technical
concern for LGUs. With technical support, local governments can pursue proper identification of land use
and other requirements for renewable energy investments.
c. Promote energy efficiency. LGUs can also adopt measures that promote more efficient energy consumption,
for instance in work areas, public buildings, and settlement sites. Energy efficiency should be considered in
settlements planning, building design and construction, and transportation.
d. Explore and implement technology research and funding mechanisms that support small-scale renewable
energy projects. It is necessary to develop appropriate technology and financing in support of renewable
energy for use of micro- and small and medium-sized enterprises, cooperatives, as well as housing and
settlements development. This will help reduce the demand for fossil fuel and empower communities to
produce, supply, and manage renewable energy. Encourage development of alternative domestic power
sources to augment existing supply sourced from the grid.

Drainage
a. Comprehensive mapping of natural waterways, drainage and sewerage systems, including waterways that
have been built over. Mapping natural waterways would assist planners in identifying blue and green spaces
for land use planning, and urban renewal and systems upgrading programs.
b. Improve public investment in infrastructure for drainage networks, sewerage systems, and water treatment
plants, taking into consideration sound analysis on population growth and infrastructure demand, climate
change, and disaster risk. Ensure sustainable financial investment by designing and implementing long-term
drainage infrastructure projects.
c. Ensure use of local climate change projections and disaster risks in designing drainage networks and related
infrastructure.
Waste Management
a. Encourage community-based waste management programs. As successful waste management is about
influencing human behavior to respect rules and to protect the environment and the community’s welfare,
local governments will benefit most from community-based solid waste management programs in
accordance with applicable legislation and policies. This could also involve providing incentives to community
stakeholders in using material recovery facilities, or limiting garbage volume at source. This is possible
through advocacy and education. Cities should also explore and develop composting and vermiculture as
waste byproducts, which can be used for urban agriculture.
 b. Adopt modern technology and systems in monitoring solid waste management programs. Government must
welcome the use of better technology to make waste management more efficient, for instance in monitoring
of waste disposal activity, scheduling, and volume tracking. Cities are also encouraged to invest in alternative
green filtration systems, natural filters to cleanse waterways, which can be part of the spatial strategy and
urban design, as in the case of endemic grass-wetland species used for grey wastewater treatment systems
in riverfront development. This also complements resilience measures and raises public appreciation for
better and more appropriate infrastructure systems.
c. Develop inter-LGU coordinated waste management plans for efficient regional mobilization of resources.
Metropolitanization and similar aggrupation can act as catalysts in maximizing resources for public
infrastructure and services, particularly in urban waste management. Coordinated site planning for sanitary
landfills is cost-efficient and effective given land constraints in urban areas.

Information and Communications Technology

a. Open up Investments in ICT. The NUDHF recommends a review of competition laws to open up investments
in the telecommunications sector and allow more service providers. This will address constraints arising from
the current duopoly set-up, which has hindered the entry of alternative service providers.
b. Establish a national broadband network infrastructure. A national broadband network infrastructure will
enhance public access to state services and global information that is free and open. It will help provide
access to areas that have not yet been penetrated. Internet access will no longer be a luxury for the few, but
a basic right of citizens. It will also encourage greater community participation through communication and
connectivity.
c. Ensure access to government-owned data, including geospatial data, in order to improve planning and
ensure transparency and accountability in government services.

Efficient urban transportation infrastructure in support of enhanced mobility

To ensure efficiency, sustainability, and resilience of urban transportation infrastructure, the NUDHF urges government
to:
a. Improve the linkage between land use and transportation systems
b. Maintain a balance between transportation-related energy use and clean air
c. Encourage alternative modes of transportation that enhance energy efficiency while providing high levels of
mobility and safety