’15-minute city’ to rise in Pasay

For the modern urban dweller, 15 minutes is a lot of time. 

A lot of productive things can be done: completing a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout or a 1.5-kilometer run, clearing your emails, meditating, catching up on the news, or preparing a quick smoothie.

But for the Metro Manila commuter, 15 minutes is barely enough to get from point A to point B. During rush hour, it is most likely that within this time, you still haven’t moved an inch.

Ever heard of the 15-minute city? It’s a modern urban planning concept that puts people and the planet first. The term was coined by Paris-based urbanist and Sorbonne University professor Carlos Moreno and it envisions ideal neighborhoods or cities where work, food, housing, education, and cultural activities are all within a 15-minute walk or bike ride. 

The Pasay 360 Project is one such city concept that aims to create an innovative tropical 15-minute city for over 300,000 residents. 

Situated at the edge of a densely packed and overpopulated metropolis perpetually in a traffic gridlock, Pasay City will provide respite to its residents and visitors with sustainable, inclusive, safe, and healthy living where all their needs are easily within reach. 

The project is envisioned to have eco-friendly and safe transportation systems, including various public transport options and improved infrastructure for walking and biking. There will be parking lots withwith electric vehicle charging, dedicated bike lanes, convenient public transport hubs, and clear pedestrian walkways.

This assures lower transportation costs, less carbon emissions, and most importantly, healthier and happier people. No more long and tiring queues at the EDSA bus carousel or sitting hours on end in the middle of EDSA traffic. 

After careful planning and design over several years, the project has finally received the green light from the government. Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda emphasized the potential for the Pasay-led project to generate billions in real estate assets for the government.

Revenues from the project will generate a massive multiplier effect on our gross domestic product (GDP) and an estimated 300,000 new jobs from 2027 to 2040. By 2035, it is projected to employ 4% of the National Capital Region’s (NCR) total work force.