Case Study of Barangay Del Rosario that is suitable for a Socialized Planned Unit

Development for Informal Settlers affected by the Clark - Malolos Railway Project
for San Fernando City, Pampanga

CATHERINE JOY D. CAINGAT

JOHN BRYAN A. ESPIRITU
FERDINAND Q. SAGCAL

Department of Architecture, Don Honorio Ventura State University

Ar. Marc Emil V. Miranda, uap

October 2022
 CASE STUDY
Introduction

Informal settlements have always been a nationwide issue among different cities and
municipalities in the Philippines. As the population grows, not all people can afford such
houses and the demand for affordable housing increases. However, cities also become
densely populated in addition of informal settlers from a factor like employment or job
opportunities, but behind that poses a threat on environmental, health and their legal safety.

Cities like San Fernando in the province of Pampanga also face this kind of matter in
which the city government in this community is increasing its efforts to relocate an
unspecified number of informal settlers, including 1,200 families from 14 barangays affected
by the North-South Commuter Railway Extension NSCR-EX project. However, proposed
relocation sites are not yet verified. The presented land uses of San Fernando City up to the
year 2021 are designed to accomplish the land use objectives outlined in their previous
ordinance and continue supporting the city's long-term development perspective of being a
"Habitat for Human Excellence." It is a land use combination that meets the priorities of
long-term urban development without jeopardizing food growth and economic productivity.

The site located at Brgy. Del Rosario in San Fernando, Pampanga is clear and is
competent for the development that can cater establishments and buildings like affordable
vertical residential projects and other facilities to aid informal settlement that the city and the
community lack. There are still a lot of flaws together with improper site planning resulting
to crowded look of the community. The barangay is surrounded with different facilities that
can offer various services that are present in the vicinity. It is an ideal site for it is a part of
the San Fernando, Pampanga and it is accessible for the citizens without the needing to
relocate to further neighboring cities and municipalities.
Location: Barangay Del Rosario, San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines.
Climate: Tropical climate with both sunny season and rainy season but not including
extreme weather conditions.
Topography: Flat land form with negligible slope suitable for any type of commercial,
residential, industrial and agricultural development.
Vegetation: Sparse vegetation that needs properly planned landscape.

Background of the Location:

Del Rosario is a barangay in the city of San Fernando located at Pampanga province.
Barangay Del Rosario is located on the island of Luzon at about 15.0685, 120.6391 (15° 4'
North, 120° 38' East). Elevation at these coordinate values is projected to be 38.9 meters or
127.6 feet above mean sea level. The said barangay is one of the fast rising barangay in San
Fernando City which showcases different establishments together with its other adjacent
barangays. According to the 2020 Census, its population was 8,105, accounting for 2.29% of
San Fernando's total population.
Demographoic profiles of barangays in San Fernando City, Pampanga via PhilAtlas.

Demographics

Brgy. Del Rosario's household population was 6,638 people fragmented into 1,558
households, with an average of 4.26 people per household as of year 2015 Census.
 Based on the 2015 Census, the
largest age group population in Del
Rosario is 20 to 24, with 798 people,
while the age groups with the lowest
population are 75 to 79 and 80 and over,
with 52 people each.

When all age groups are

combined, those aged 14 and under
make up 26.14% of the young
dependent population, which includes
infants, babies, children, and young
adolescents and teenagers sum into
1,800 individuals. Those age ranging
from 15 to 64, approximately the
economically productive population and
actual or prospective members of the
labor force, account for 69.46% (4,782
individuals) of the total. Subsequently,
the old dependent population, which
includes elderly people aged 65 and
over, accounts for 4.40% (303
individuals) of the total population.

According to the calculated Age

Dependency Ratios, there are 38
children reliant for every 100 working-
age people in Brgy. Del Rosario. There
are 6 elderly people for every 100
working people. Summing it up, there
are 44 dependents, both young and old,
for every 100 working people. The
median age of 26 indicates that 50% of
Brgy. Del Rosario's population is under
the age of 26 and the other 50% is over
the age of 26.

Data on population and households are from the Philippine Statistics Authority via PhilAtlas.
 Regarding the barangay’s historical population, Barangay Del Rosario's population
grew by 6,411 people over the course of 30 years, from 1,694 in 1990 to 8,105 in 2020. The
most recent census results in 2020 show a positive rate of growth of 3.49%, or a raise of
1,220 people, from the population of 6,885 in 2015.

Data on population and households are from the Philippine Statistics Authority via PhilAtlas.
Facilities:

There are no facilities yet established on the proposed site located in Brgy. Del
Rosario. However, in the whole barangay, there are established barangay hall and facilities
for educational purposes like elementary schools and a day-care center. There is an available
public covered court in which the citizens can use for sports events and programs held there
locally. There is also an established church for the barangay for congregation needs of the
citizens. Other necessary facilities for the needs of the people like telecommunication
providers, electricity providers, water supply providers and stores are present in the barangay
and are accessible for the citizens. Since various services and buildings are present in the
barangay, there are also buildings nearby that are used for manufacturing products in which
commercial establishments can also boost employment of the people. However, even the
barangay may have the necessities for a community to thrive; the establishments differ in
distances from one another. Citizens may have to travel in order to reach their destination and
do their target tasks, prices on public transportation fare may vary based on their distance
travelled.

Findings:

Barangay Del Rosario, San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines poses positive aspects
for being a good place for a community to thrive. There are different establishments and
services that are present for the needs of the people. It shows different opportunities for target
households especially when it comes to employment and their safety within the City of San
Fernando.

 Brgy. Del Rosario was named as one of the year’s model barangays during year 2017
in City of San Fernando’s Ecological Solid Waste Management Awarding. The
barangay showed best practices on their waste segregation and the way they
maintained cleanliness in their respective areas. Since one of the negative effects of
informal settlement is environmental degradation due too inadequate sanitation, the
barangay already have parameters on proper waste disposal that can be taught to all of
 its local citizens to prolong cleanliness in the barangay and avoid depletion of its
natural surroundings.

 Since Brgy. Del Rosario is a part connected to the Sindalan-Calulut Growth Corridor
of San Fernando City; it showcases assertive commercial and residential construction,
as well as extensive agricultural and agri-industrial related activities. Informal settlers
in San Fernando, Pampanga that will be affected by the Clark-Malolos Railway
Project comes from different barangays of the city. There is a big possibility that
several households that belong to the informal settling group have works around the
area of Brgy. Del Rosario and Sindalan-Calulut Growth Corridor. This will be a big
help for them as they reside near their work or for others to have new
job opportunities in the area.

 Trading and commercial establishments, as well as institutional facilities, supplement

the corridor's agricultural potential. Agricultural lands in the area are also to be used
for high-value crop production in conjunction with the city's food resiliency push.

Projections from informal settlements with providing a solution to aid the problems
that deals impact to its surrounding and for those households who belong to the group by
assessing a site fitted for their thriving can open new opportunities for them. However,
factors like transportation fares would still affect their daily living as prices differ then.
Although the Brgy. Del Rosario is one of the barangays under San Fernando City, those who
work near their informal settlement would feel the effect of a bit increased transportation
fares. Also, those who belong to the group of marginalized may not be able to cope up even
different job opportunities are present in the barangay, they might as well need the support of
the local government for subsidies and assistance for this matter.

Project Objectives:

Vertical planned communities are more than just a fad; they represent a return to what
many consider to be the best aspect of community design (Kettler, 2005). Vertically built
environment conserves space, allowing for more green areas and public areas. As vertical
housing poses a better aspect of a community, its objectives follows:

 To provide planned unit development with vertically built residential buildings as

relocation for informal settlers that will be affected by the Clark - Malolos Railway
Project.
  To help create a long-term aid to the city in dealing with informal settlement by use of
planned unit development that would be affordable in their part.

 To build a planned unit development that will benefit the municipality and its citizens,
opening them new opportunities for their livelihood and legal safety as part of the
community.

Discussion and Conclusion

Barangay Del Rosario, San Fernando, Pampanga have no major problem when it
comes to its sanitation for both the health safety of its citizens and environmental
preservation of its surroundings. The practice of the barangay when it comes to their waste
management must be continued and can adapt other methods in waste management alike in
order to prolong environmental and health safety of the whole community.

The barangay may improve their offices like having their barangay hall to be bigger in
order to accommodate more queries and other matters or concerns of their citizens. This will
give the community a moral boost as their local offices are improving as well. This would
indicate good governance in which a community with presentable and maintained local
government offices would persuade people and attract embarking a healthy community with a
just authority.

Nodes that lay within the barangay consist of major road networks like the McArthur
Highway that leads to the San Fernando City proper together with neighbouring barangays
and leads to Bulacan and Manila. Also, it is the major access going to Angeles City,
Pampanga and other nearby places included like Clark Pampanga. There are also road
networks that lead to Mega Dike, having access going to other neighbouring municipalities of
Pampanga like Bacolor, Guagua, Sta. Rita and Porac. However, going to further
municipalities differs in public transportation fares and other routes may not have available
public transportation.

Facilities in the Barangay must be updated and maintained in order to prolong good
service for the citizens. Public facilities that cater the needs of the residents, especially on
healthcare and education facilities must be maintained well for their optimum functionality
and further enhancements needed for the benefit of the residents. This matter may affect
allocation of funds and proper planning of the local government for their specific projects on
improving the community.
Recommendations

Utilization of the site is recommended in order to make improvements in the

Barangay Del Rosario, San Fernando, Pampanga. The use of the site for added residential
facilities that will suffice the missing needs of San Fernando City on relocating informal
settlers that will be affected by the Clark- Malolos Railway Project. This will surely help the
citizens’ wellness and individual growth as members of its community.

Housing projects is a key point also on easing the city’s problem on informal
settlement. The demand of housing will surely increase in line also with population growth in
the city. Based on Philippine housing industry, every family has the rights to live with dignity
in the comfort of one’s own home regardless of economic status. The Philippine housing
sector has enormous demand for living spaces especially those of low- cost housing. Housing
projects or production from year 2010 to 2011 starting from high-end to low cost housing
came high. From year 2000 to 2011, low-cost housing cornered close to 70% of total housing
production.

Upon applying a housing project in support with the government sector in assisting
localities, problems like informal settlement with unavoidable effects of population growth
will have a long term solution together with proper utilization of sites that are ideal for
development that will help the barangays and the whole city. This will play a vital role for the
improvement of the community and will open a lot of opportunities for the whole residents
on the barangay. With proper governance and support from the national and local
government, such project can be successful to if not solve, is to aid the like problems that are
prevalent in the country.

The proponents aim to provide facilities in the site that would make it sustain the
thriving community by basic needs of each household like food and other consumables. In
line to this, the team’s target is to include a public market within the site that would support
the households on their needs for sustenance. The team also aims to provide a primary health
care clinic that the barangay lacks which will cater the wellness of the households. Lastly, the
team aims to include a tricycle terminal that will serve as mode of transportation for the
households residing in the planned unit development. All of this facility inclusion will serve
the relocated households as well as the local neighbors for the benefit of the whole
community.
Zoning

City of San Fernando, Pampanga

COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN AND ZONING ORDINANCE FOR CY 2012-
2021

Figure 1. COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN 2012-2021of City of San Fernando,

Pampanga
Google Maps and Earth Images

Figure 2. Aerial view of the Site Area

Figure 3. Current State of the site

Figure 4. Current State of the site

Figure 5. Current State of the sit

Related Studies/ Case Studies

Effects of informal settlement on the surrounding environment at Majengo Slums,

Narok County

Citizens living in informal settlements face service delivery difficulties, owing

primarily to the illegal occupation of land, which has a negative effect on the environment. A
lack of basic services and needs leads to informal settlements having an impact on the
environment. These impacts include inadequate sanitation, which leads occupants to
pollution, the use of coal and biomass fuel for lighting, causing air pollution which in turn
contributing to the emission of greenhouse gases (Napier, 2017). Waste removal is an issue
with which informal settlers struggle. Inadequate waste removal causes land pollution and
emerging and re-emerging infectious disease hazards (Napier, 2017).

People are migrating to cities from rural areas in search of better opportunities to
sustain their livelihoods due to poverty, a lack of basic services, and a lack of job
opportunities. This means undesirable urbanisation, which is driven less by productivity
expansion and more by rural-urban migration of the poor and jobless (Sexwale, 2013). This
leads to individuals trying to settle informally and negatively impacting the environment that
informal settlers occupy by walking on grass because there are no defined foot paths. This
leads to soil erosion and environmental degradation. Second, people do their laundry in rivers
and contaminate rivers by throwing their waste in and around such sources of water. Because
informal settlers are not certified and do not pay for management of waste, land pollution is
the end result (Herero, 2018).

Several researchers have been concerned about the debate on informal settlements,
particularly issues concerning the adequate provision of public facilities in informal
settlements (United Nations-Habitat, 2016). Researchers have connected the problems of
informal settlements to inadequate public infrastructure provision, such as water supply and
sewage systems, in their findings (Srivves, 2010 ; World Bank, 2010). These research gaps
and existing issues affected the researcher to examine the impact of informal settlement on
the surrounding environment in Majengo Slums Narok County.

Low-Income Housing in Santa Rosa, Philippines

Santa Rosa City is located in the province of Laguna, Philippines. It is primarily a

suburban residential community of Metro Manila in the western section of Laguna de Bay. It
is 38 kilometers south of Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport, which is connected by
the South Luzon Expressway.

The city has requested that the GIZ Urban Nexus Project conduct a study on the
design of a low-income housing project to house government employees and informal
settlers. Their goal is to create an architectural design of multi-residential apartment buildings
in reference to an existing site under the authority of the City of Santa Rosa, with an
emphasis on finding suitable environmental and economic measures. The Low-Income
Housing Complex is located in Santa Rosa City's Barangay Labas, near the Rizal Boulevard
train station and it is currently accessible from the south via Masiit Road, which can
accommodate all common vehicle types. According to a geo-hazard assessment, the proposed
site is in a low to medium risk zone for earthquakes and flooding. Given its distance from
active earthquake-generating structures, the site could be considered suitable for
development.

The proposed location for the low-cost housing development has a total area of
22,147 square meters. It anticipates land use conversion of its former agricultural land to
residential use as part of the area's continuous urban growth.

The city's current goal is to provide enough affordable housing options for citizens
with lower incomes, especially given the number of low-income government employees in
Santa Rosa who are currently in need of proper housing. Furthermore, the city is concerned
about many informal settlers who locate their tenements along riverbanks and unoccupied
land stretches. Not only are the locations of their illicit settlements considered high risk areas
that are susceptible to flooding, but they also face greater water pollution from solid and
liquid sewage wastes from the settlers and communities nearby.
 The city is considering supporting the construction of multi-story apartment-style
residences for informal settlers and government employees in such a way that it fits the
beneficiaries' financial capacities while adhering to the National Housing Authority's
standards. As the study is conducted, the expected output of their collaborative study is
leading to the development of an architectural design solution that will gradually improve the
addressed environmental and economic design measures by establishing:

 Future owners will benefit from well-designed and reasonably priced housing
units.

 Solution for sustainable building construction that takes into account material
use as well as appropriate construction methodology.

 An environmentally responsible design solution that takes into account the

site's climatic conditions.

 Outdoor environment that is both pleasant and functional.

The city adheres given the cost of low to medium rise residential buildings and the current
planning stage, low construction costs can be achieved by following common design and
planning fundamentals such as:

 Simple orthogonal floor plan design and layout that are simple to build.

 Common building systems and technology are used, resulting in significant

cost savings.

 When cost savings are realistic, integrate and use of advanced technology.

 Lessened usable space ratios and both vertical and horizontal circulation
spaces

 Public commodity areas are shared and used for multiple purposes.

 Use of common construction techniques that can be completed by low skilled

workers

 Use readily available common finishing’s including such simple ceramic tiles
or vinyl flooring, common paint, and so on.
FINAL REPORT

SITE LAYOUT

Figure 16: Scheme A - Masterplan

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FINAL REPORT

SITE LAYOUT

Figure 24: Scheme B - Masterplan

Unexpected Co., Ltd. Page 28 of 64

FINAL REPORT

APPENDIX
DRAWING DOCUMENTS PRE-DESIGN

Unexpected Co., Ltd. Page 40 of 64

FINAL REPORT

Unexpected Co., Ltd. Page 41 of 64

References:

Del Rosario, D. (2021, November 26). Pampanga capital ready to relocate informal settlers.
Philippine News Agency. Retrieved October 22, 2022, from
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1161050

(2017). Del Rosario, Maimpis Named CSF's Best Barangays On ESWM. City of San
Fernando Pampanga, Philippines. Retrieved October 18, 2022, from
https://cityofsanfernando.gov.ph/forfernandinos/newsinfo/375

(n.d.). City Profile. City of San Fernando Pampanga, Philippines. Retrieved October 18,
2022, from https://cityofsanfernando.gov.ph/forvisitors/cityprofile

(2020). Del Rosario, City of San Fernando, Province of Pampanga. PhilAtlas. Retrieved
October 15, 2022, from https://www.philatlas.com/luzon/r03/pampanga/san-fernando/del-
rosario.html#sources

Del Rosario, M. D. (2018). Pampanga capital ready to relocate informal settlers. Philippine
News Agency. Retrieved October 15, 2022, from https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1161050

(n.d.). COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN AND ZONING ORDINANCE FOR CY 2012-
2021. City Planning CSFP. Retrieved October 15, 2022, from
https://cityplanningcsfp.webs.com/clupzo20122021.html

PALAFOX, JR., FUAP, A. F. A. (2019). Vertical urbanism in the Philippines. UNITED

ARCHITECTS OF THE PHILIPPINES. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from
https://www.united-architects.org/news/vertical-urbanism-in-the-philippines-502

Low-Income Housing in Santa Rosa, Philippines. (2017, April). Retrieved October 22, 2022,
from
https://www.unescap.org/sites/default/files/Report_PH_SantaRosa_LowIncomeHouse_2017.
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(n.d.). google earth.

https://earth.google.com/web/@15.06945558,120.64251699,31.38744278a,2786.82281462d,
35y,-11.28119689h,0.13395922t,0r
(n.d.). google earth.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Del+Rosario,+San+Fernando,+Pampanga/@15.067663
2,120.6311917,3438m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x3396f6b70e894c0b:0xab82f99169
3f3e27!8m2!3d15.0686019!4d120.6401231