I.

Introduction
Housing projects is a publicly funded administered housing development,
usually for low-income families according to American Heritage Dictionary of
the English Language, Fifth Edition. Usually it is designed to provide more
economical residence for people with no permanent address. Authorities deal
with real-estate companies in such manner to provide a good community.
Squatting has been a phenomenon in Metro Manila for more than 50
years now. Since Metro Manila offers business, exports, and livelihood
opportunities, people start to migrate from provinces to National Capital
Region and grew more population. This is one of major problem of the
country, and urges real-estate companies to produce housing projects.
Site planning is the art and science of arranging the structures on the land
and shaping the spaces between, an art of arranging uses of land linked to
architecture, engineering, landscape architecture, and city planning. Site
plans locate objects and activities in space and time. These plans may
concern a small cluster of houses, a single building and its grounds, or
something as extensive as a small community built in a single operation.
-Kevin Lynch, Gary Hack; Site Planning, MIT press, Cambridge 1996
In planning for housing projects, consider that the site must give spatial
expression to the economic, social and cultural aims of the County or even
City Development Strategy. It also grounded or limited to public and political
concurrency. Good site plans has the ability to protect and enhance the
amenities of the area. Since, we are dealing with providing houses for middle
market sector; site plan must offer proper guidance and big scale of chances
to developers, safety and security to the future occupants and reduce effects
of natural disasters.

II.

Housing for
Market Sector

Middle

The latest Family

Income and Expenditure
Survey (FIES) of the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) shared
information about family income, and said to be the middle income class is
said to earn an average of P36,934 per month. In income-based definition
offered by National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), the Pinoy middleincome class families are those with the following characteristics:
a.
b.
c.
d.

owns a house and lot;

housing unit is made of strong roof materials;
owns a refrigerator; and
owns a radio.

Housing for Middle Market sector must provide them not just roof to be
free from sun heat at rain but also safety and security. Considering their
income but not lowering the quality of design ethics. Houses that can cater a
family, give them home.
It is important to consider that we are providing good service to the
people of the community, they MUST NOT think that housing projects is group
of dirty buildings made for homeless people to live in, dangerous, filled with
drug dealers, and such.
III.

Analysis on Proposed Site

A. MACROSITE ANALYSIS
Whats more important before planning designs for a site, is analyzing first
the site itself. Understanding all the features of a site, using and protecting the
best, and minimising the impact of the worst best describes site analysis.
Macro site analysis includes suburb surrounding the area. Also, the context
and movements should be considered.
1. Relation of the Site to the City
Proposed site is a 5Ha lot among the 21.52 km 2 are of Marikina City. The
City is situated along the eastern part of National Capital Region. Site is
located in the central district of the city, which means it is accessible to many

aspects of business. Since Marikina City is known for shoe industry, it is an

advantage of the site for being located in the said area.

Lot cost = PHP9,000 per square meter

Total Lot area = 5.2Ha
Total lot area cost = Approx. PHP450,000,000
Estimated cost of construction: PHP 19,500,014

2. Accessibility to Major roads and Transportation

As said, site is located in central district making the proposed site
accessible to major and minor roads in three sides. It is indeed located along
Sumulong Highway that leads way to Antipolo City and inner Marikina City on
the other hand. In terms of transportation, its just easy as riding any public
utility vehicle (PUV) such as jeepney and tricycles. PUV or even private cars
can easily access thru the site by means of the roads surrounding it.

3. Accessibility to Service Centers

Being in the center of civilization, area is ambient with many service
centers that are listed below:
Public Market,
School
Police station
Fire station, etc.

a. Public Market
Site is 633.88MTS away from Marikina Market Mall. Riding a jeep, tricycle
or bicycle will lead you to the market in 5-10 minutes. Even walking as an
exercise will do, it will just take you 15-20 minutes since Marikina City is
provides path walks for pedestrian.

SITE

b. Hospital
In case of emergencies, youll have to look for a near hospital. Crossing
the Sumulong Highway from the site will bring you to the Hospital. The
Marikina Valley Medical Center is just 76MTS away from the area.

SITE

c. Fire Station
Mr. Webster says, Fire station is a building in which members of a fire
department and the equipment used to put out fires is located. In few words, it
is a building that houses fire equipment and fire-fighters. It is an advantage of
a site that is located near a fire station, just in case a small fire will be
prevented. Fire station is located near the market and is 856MTS from the
site.

SITE

d. Police Station
In preparing or looking for a proper site for a subdivision, youll need to
consider safety and security. But security seems not to be a problem because

the site is just near a police station. Following the road of McDonalds Avenue
will bring you to the nearest Police Station which is situated along with the
citys Hall of Justice. The police station is 672MTS from the site.

SITE

e. School/ College
It is a necessary need for a subdivision or residential area to be located
near a school since education is one of the primary needs of an individual.
Lucky to say, that the area weve chosen is just 1.04KM away from Marikina
Polytechnic College (MPC).

SITE
f.

g. City Hall
Proposed site is 635MTS away from the Marikina City Hall.

h. Sports Center
Sports Center houses facilities which help an individual to activate their
SITE
muscles and boost their strength such as the field oval, swimming pool,
also
mainly open for sports such as basketball, swimming, volleyball and table
tennis. The Marikina Sports Center is 424MTS from the site.

SITE

4. Pollution
Pollution gradually contaminates or disturbs our natural environment. It
can be by noise, air, and water. In the case of our site, it is open to major
roads. Everyday, we estimate that more than a hundred of trucks, FX, taxi,
jeepney, and tricycles cross that road. They are heavy emitters of smoke that
causes air to be polluted which is we all know that is dangerous to human,
even other living organisms health. On the other hand, blowing of horns may
result to noise pollution that can be avoided by providing buffers to the site.

5. General Climatic Condition of the Vicinity

Marikina is said to be prone to many various disasters including the 2009
Typhoon Ondoy and several southwest monsoon flooding. Flash floods and
landslides are frequent in Marikina just when heavy rains strikes. Primarily,
flooding in the city is caused by the increase of water level in major rivers,
followed by overflowing from its riverbanks to low-lying areas throughout the
city. Landslides are another threat, particularly places at the higher ground
and near the boundary of Antipolo. Also, earthquakes are also a threat in
Marikina. West Valley Fault System, known before as Marikina Valley Fault
Line lies at the west of Marikina, the east of the fault line constantly sinking
which the large portion of Marikina is included.
Marikina features a tropical monsoon climate. The temperature range is
very small, rarely going lower than 18 C (64 F) and going higher than 38 C
(100 F). However, humidity levels are usually very high which makes it feel
much warmer in the city mainly because it lies in the valley.