The 15-minute city model revisited

iHAD written earlier about the 15-minute city model and how we, especially in Metro Manila, will need to look at this given the pandemic we are now in. For those who did not get to read my previous article, the 15-minute city simply refers to re-designing quickly our cities into pockets of self-sustaining communities wherein mostly everything you will need—your grocery, school, the open space and parks, and hopefully your employment—is within 15 minutes of either walking or biking from your residence. This ensures not just lesser congestion and pollution, but as i have mentioned in my previous article, will lead to a better level of survivability during lockdowns, which, from the looks of it, we will see again in the future.

One good thing about the 15-minute city model is it will only require our local governments to implement it. No need for much national intervention. In fact, as seen in its successes overseas, local executives such as Anne Hidalgo of Paris and Shaun Donovan of New York were at the forefront of effectively transforming their cities using this model. For Metro Manila, the need to pursue this can also be done through our mayors. And given the coming elections next year, this will be a good cornerstone of their local governance.

How then can our Metro Manila cities move to redesign and accelerate their move to build pocket, selfsustaining mini-cities in their megacities? It will not take up much since our political geosystem incorporates us already into barangays, which, for all intents and purposes, are the 15-minute cities in other countries. But to further develop our barangays into this, our city mayors can embark on these suggestions:

1. Convert open spaces or underutilized areas to community areas—immediately

of course are government-owned properties, both national and local but even private spaces unused by their owners. Maybe as an incentive, pass a resolution to reduce real-estate taxes for such converted privately-owned spaces.

2. Build a census of professions among your constituents,

The 15-minute city model, indeed, needs to be revisited. The logic for people to stay in their communities is more apparent in this pandemic. Even recent events such as the sprouting of community pantries are aligned in this direction. One contributor to this pandemic is people movement.

and then build a data of information available to the local residents—the

key to the 15-minute city model would be for your needs to be transacted nearest to your homes. Hence, it would help if communities would have their ready list of your needed plumber, electrician, etc. This will even help strengthen livelihood and employment campaigns during these dire times.

3. Promote local businesses by giving them the incentive to stay and grow—in the same manner, incentives in the form of faster processing and lower fees of business permits can provide reason for small businesses to stay and grow in a locality, which in turn will lessen people movement outside their communities.

4. Redesign your transport routes—although

route approvals of public transport still remain with the national government, LGUS can intervene for better re-communing, through their zoning ordinances that can have an impact when national agencies decide on their routes. In its simplest form, 15-minute cities should, as much as possible, not be made to be traverse main corridors linking cities that will disrupt the community. They should, however, have ready access to such main corridors.

5. Strengthen local administrative and other services—

Health and other services should be made accessible in communities. Local enforcement and police presence need to be in place. Moreover, private utilities such as telecoms, water and electricity need to be supported for their continuing community presence. Have that local cellular tower approved faster. Help electric and water utilities companies in their collections with local residents. Such utility infrastructure is needed for people to stay in their communities.

The 15-minute city model, indeed, needs to be revisited. The logic for people to stay in their communities is more apparent in this pandemic. Even recent events such as the sprouting of community pantries are aligned in this direction. One contributor to this pandemic is people movement. Fifteen-minute cities will definitely lessen this. It will therefore provide wider latitude of protection to our communities while making our city life more sustainable in the long term.

Thomas “Tim” Orbos is currently a transport policy advisor for an international organization and worked in government on transport and urban development matters. He is an alumnus of Georgetown University and the MIT Sloan School of Management. He can be reached via e-mail—tmo45@