The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Thursday committed to pursue compact, walkable, pedestrian-oriented development projects in mixed-used communities, around train systems and public transport hubs to help break the cycle of car dependency and promote greater use of public transport.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said transit-oriented development infrastructure will help Filipinos break the cycle of car dependency and patronize more public transport to ease traffic in the metropolis and other high-density areas.
“We aim to break Filipinos’ dependence on private cars for mobility,” Bautista said at the Asia Real Estate Forum 2023.
“We are pushing this multi-sectoral approach to urban development through our transport projects,” he added.
According to Bautista, transit-oriented development will also reduce high energy consumption and help in the fight against climate change, creating a ripple effect in other sectors and help Filipinos even at the bottom of the economic ladder.
“We have to subscribe to TOD’s concept of creating walkable communities that reduce the need for driving and high energy consumption. By aligning our projects to the TOD principle, we aspire to make a positive change to the lives of Filipinos through our transport projects,” Bautista explained.
He also called on the private sector to partner with the DOTr and back the financing of such projects.
“These projects require massive funding. We have turned to the private sector for investment collaboration. On many occasions, the keen interest displayed by private investors to our projects manifest their financial viability while remaining primarily public service initiatives,” he said.
