Chapter

1
 Chapter 1
Introduction

I.I. Background of the Study

Urban hub is a mixed- use buildings and development with a simply design

a stand-alone building that does not sustainability utilized resources and spaces but

also provides the city inhabitants to integrate work, home, shopping, transportation

and even green spaces.

Transit Oriented Development is the exciting fast-growing trend in creating

vibrant, livable, sustainable communities. TOD, it's the creation of compact,

walkable, pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use communities. This makes it possible to

live a lower-stress life without complete dependence on a car for mobility and

survival. The public has embraced the concept across the nation as the most

desirable places to live, work, and play.

Cebu is one of the most developed provinces, the second largest

metropolitan area in the Philippines and one of the top five most populous

provinces in the country. Cebu City, as the capital is dubbed as the “Queen City of

the South”. The province is known as the “Lechon Capital of the World.” Cebu

city's proximity to many islands, beaches, hotel and resorts, diving locations and

heritage sites, high domestic and foreign tourist arrivals have fueled the city's

tourism industry. Due to its geographic location, accessibility by air, land and sea

transportation, Cebu City has become the tourist gateway to Central and Southern

Philippines. And because of that, Cebu City be the main center of commerce, trade,

education and industry. In a decade it has transformed into a global hub for business

processing services, tourism, shipping, furniture-making, and heavy industry.

 Many people flock to Cebu from different provinces to work and study because of

the strategic location of Cebu made the province a hub in the country that links to

many parts of the archipelagic Philippines by air and by sea.

Ideally, having a transportation terminal can decrease traffic congestion, in

that idea, the researcher creates this proposal, Urban Hub that aims to prevent the

traffic congestion and also to entertain its users. This proposal may be the catalyst

to prevent the traffic problem in Cebu City, it may be the first of its kind and it will

be use as a future template in transportation industry.

I.II. Statement of the Problem

Cebu City be the main center of commerce, trade, education and industry

in Visayas Region. In a decade it has transformed into a global hub for business

processing services, tourism, shipping, furniture-making, and heavy industry.

However, because of highly urbanized the traffic continually worsening because

of government’s failure to construct more road networks or even widen the

existing roads and the problem about undisciplined drivers and the continue

increasing number of vehicles, based on the records of the Land Transportation

Office (LTO), the total number of registered vehicles nationwide continues to

increase every year, including those in Central Visayas (CenVis), particularly in

Cebu City and in other nearby cities shown in a data that out of the 7,463,393

motor vehicles registered nationwide as of last December 2018, there are 625,318

registered in Cebu and in other parts of the region.

I.II.A. Major Problem

 Lack on providing a high quality and well-planned mass transportation

terminal in the City.
 I.II.B. Minor Problem
 Improper planning of facilities’ orientation and lack to study on how to
enrich the existing plan.

I.III. Research Goals, Objectives and Strategies

I.III.A. Research Goal

The research goal is to discuss the planning and operation of a transit

terminal and the commercial building with a focus on safety and security,

comfort, convenience and visibility. A Transit-Oriented Development, or transit-

oriented design, is a development that will maximizes access to public transport

via a mixed use residential and commercial area. People are encouraged to make

full use of trains, vehicular transportation and walkways, making it possible to

live a higher quality of life.

A long-term plan of transportation terminals and a commercial

establishment needs to be in harmony with the long-term vision of the

community. This study provides an opportunity for the City of Cebu to create a

Plan that incorporates its community vision by recognizing the value of

alternative modes while balancing mobility needs and integrating safety.

I.III.B. Research Objectives

a. The objective behind this project is to understand the importance of a city

center that is commercially cultural and often historical and geographical

heart of the city.

 The project should be smart, sustainable that takes into account

economic, ecological, social and cultural perspectives.
 b. To maintaining and increasing the share of modes of transport that are in

accordance with the principles of sustainable development and public

transport – and at securing basic transport services.

 Public transport will be developed as a system where different modes of

transport complement each other. Transport needs and the supply of

transport services should be compatible, calling particularly for initiative

on the part of public transport operators.

c. Improvements in the accessibility, efficiency, quality and safety of the

project has the biggest role of this proposal.

 These considerations may effect on the ability of the project to be

unique, people will choose a place where they feel safe and secure, it has

no difficulty in accessibility and has a quality of facilities.

I.III.C. Research Strategies

The researcher provides a high-quality mass transportation and well-

planned intermodal transport system and creates a new model of planning

design that will apply the new invented technologies to a transport system and

a commercial facility that will use to show the important role as the business

and administrative center in Cebu.

I.IV. Significance of the Study

The researcher shows the role of identity in architecture and how this

can be applied to transform the public transportation industry as a whole. It will

be the answer for traffic congestion a long-term problem of the city. It will give

the industry of Cebu continually enhance not only by their infrastructure but
 also to their tourism. In architecture, it will be the future template and a guide

in designing and planning this kind of projects. To the future researcher, this

study will help to give information and reference in any projects that are related

to this proposal.

I.V. Scope and Limitation of the Study

I.V.A. Scope of the Study

The researcher focuses on the planning and design of the city’s

transportation terminal. The technological advancement that may apply to the

terminal and a mixed-use commercial building and apply the new invented

method that will prevent the bad traffic condition.

I.V.B. Limitation of the Study

This study provides development planning strategies only relating to

urban planning aspects. The research also looks at environmental policies and

other significant resources to base suggestions for planning guidelines and

strategies.
I.VI. Definition of Terms

Hub- A center of activity or interest; a focal point.

Intermodality- an integrated approach between transport system such as rail

and air services.

- A characteristic of a transport system that allows at least two different

modes to be used in an integrated manner in a door-to-door transport

chain.

Intermodal Transportation- is the use of two or more modes or carrier to

transport goods (freight) from shipper to consignee.

Intermodal Terminals- interface between the different transport modes and

thus are key to access intermodal transport services.

Intercity Terminals- terminal serves, mainly, passengers traveling relatively

long distances between cities or countries.

Innovation Hub- a place which provides facilities to nurture new ideas and

help develop inquisitive perspective.

Transit Centers- are sheltered waiting areas located where several bus routes

and/or metro rail converge.