ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN 2

GUERRERO, CHEENA REI AR. FRANCIS DIMALANTA

PLATE #2 APRIL 6, 2019

PUP TODA: The Beginning of a Better Urban Planning in the Philippines

I. Introduction
Highlighting the 21st Century, transportation has been an essential way of people
to cope up with the endless changes in society. This has made the lives of people easier.
It has made most of the works and jobs done in a much faster way than it was usually
done. Transportation made the transactions and connections of people possible in this
life. Compared to the past, where feet were mostly used and complex vehicles must be
utilized to go to distant places, this age raised the standards by giving more to the needs
of people. It gave more by paving the way to the Industrial Revolution. For years, tricycle
has played a vital role on transporting people. Not only this, but also for other
commodities. In actual, if there happens to be a plebiscite wherein the Filipino people
will select what are one of the Philippines’s known natural motorized transport vehicle,
one of the main answers of most citizens would be the “vehicle for the masses” or the
tricycle. And when these vehicles are mentioned, the word TODA is often heard. This
association that people could find at their localities or barangays, will ring to their minds
because of its familiarity. Tricycle Operators’ and Drivers’ Association (TODA) is an
association which is regulated under the influence of the Philippine government to be
provided of its rights, welfare and to be encased by its rules and regulations. It was
made as a cooperative for transport for it to become legitimate as a program for said
association. These were set for them to be deserving of the implemented programs and
activities of the government made for underprivileged division of the community. They
are also the ones providing the service that the people need when it comes to tricycle
transport, providing comfort by allotting if not over, the ample amount of effort for the
waiting sheds and providing safety through thinking of the location and necessities
needed by the people.
In front of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines-Sta. Mesa Campus lies
the line of tricycle vehicles that transports students and professors alike from one place
to another. The Hipodromo Tricycle Operators’ and Drivers’ Association (HITODA) has
been the oldest and largest association of tricycle drivers and operators that runs the
Hipodromo-Pureza route. Apparently, being the largest and oldest association is not
enough for them to acquire the privilege of having a fully operational terminal. In point
of fact, this local TODA is currently facing a problem regarding their occupancy. The
Philippine National Railways (PNR) will soon be administering an upcoming development
 project, and they are planning on using the lot that the HITODA is occupying as a site to
deposit the project’s building materials to be used. Therefore, HITODA are now being
forced to relocate their terminal. This is the reason why the TODA is currently placed at
the edge of the road in front of the University. Just recently, the association of tricycle
drivers and operators and the Philippine National Railways had a discussion to allow the
HITODA to rent the lot that they have always been using until recently. Assuming the
approval of this proposal, this lot will be used as the proposed location of the
researcher’s design problem, a fully-operational terminal for the university’s trusted
TODA.
Catering the transport needs of the students and dwellers near the university,
the HITODA calls for the need of a proper, accessible, and fully-operational terminal to
represent the association. A mere space by the edge of the road will not suffice to this.
To provide the passengers the quality service they deserve, the design of the terminal
must also be given importance. In its most common sense, a terminal is a place that
houses the vehicles, in this situation tricycles, that transport passengers from one point
to another. In a tricycle terminal, there is an established process to follow. Passengers
fall in line and wait for their turn to board an awaiting tricycle and be transported to
their desired destination. This course of exchange between passengers and operators
help in the making of the design of the structure. Additionally, terminals do not only
provide for the passenger needs, but for the drivers and operators as well. This being
said, some terminals also provide stalls to cater to the needs of the operators. It is the
researcher’s task to utilize the lot available and provide an operational terminal
together with some other stalls for the convenience of the passengers and operators
alike.

II. Discussion
The transportation system in the Philippines had always been a huge problem in
the country. For years Filipinos have been facing heavy traffic, which unfortunately, has
been part of their lifestyle. The reason behind this is the poor urban planning in the
country. The problem with the country’s urban planning is that it was solely based on
other countries’ plans which were designed exactly to cater automobiles, one of which
the Philippines is not made for. What was supposed to be a well-planned city of efficient
road systems as envisioned in Burnham’s original masterplan of Manila, is now a city
with roads and parkways that are unable to keep up with the rapid increase of number
of vehicles. What the government has failed to notice in designing the urban plan of the
city is the rapid increase of population growth adding to about 60 per hour. Adding the
fact that the population distribution in the Philippines is also in haywire as people are
more congested in the cities than in some parts of the country. As a result, heavy traffic
congestions are happening as people are only limited to commute on roads which are
 not suitable for other modes of transportation such as bicycles. These congestions also
result to small transport vehicles to use the spaces of sidewalks which are supposed to
be used for walking only. As much as these problems are needed to be called for
immediately, as it is a country-wide matter, it would take a long painstaking process.
Therefore, the country must start with smaller problems and those are the walkways
and small transport vehicle terminals.
The problem with the country’s poor urban planning causes small transport
terminals, especially tricycle terminals, to use locations that are not supposed to be
used as terminals. Most TODA terminals use sidewalks as their location of which they
line to, to await passengers. This results to people not being able to use said sidewalk
and are forced to walk on main roads in which they are subject to the danger of passing
vehicles. To lessen such events from happening, this research will incorporate a terminal
with a location that would not intrude in the pathways meant for walking. Currently, the
HITODA is placed on a sidewalk and the researcher plans on relocating this terminal as
well as designing said terminal to be more high-functioning and fully-operational.
In front of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, along the railroad of the
Philippine National Railways, is the proposed location of the HITODA Terminal. With
total land area of 2590 sq. m., it would be fit to enclose enough tricycles that would
transport the users, and also some small stalls for the operator’s and passenger’s easy
access. The most evident strength of constructing the location near both the PNR and
the university is the accessibility to both of them as well as the ferry nearby. Passengers
would not have a hard time walking such small distance from either of the two
establishments. The location also has a well-lit sidewalk, seen as a beneficial aspect for
the researcher to utilize. Well-lit sidewalks also provide the feeling of safety to the
passengers accessing the terminal. However, with such strengths, there are also
weaknesses. One unmistakable weakness of the location is its close proximity to the
open railroad of the PNR. With the number of casualties reported every year regarding
the case of the open railroad, the location could jeopardize the lives of the passengers
and the operators of the terminal, as well. And since the location is close to the railroad,
the second weakness to consider is the noise. Assuming the schedule, every hour would
be the arrival of the trains both northbound and southbound. And as a huge vehicle,
these trains produce high amounts of noise that is a bother to people nearby, what
more to a terminal that is placed exactly adjacent to its railroad. Another weakness is
the fact that the location is used as a dumpsite by the dwellers nearby. Unfortunately,
waste management is an added problem to the site. Improper waste management can
cause pungent odor and something more serious such as health problems as this can
attract flies and rodents that bring unwanted diseases.

III. Recommendation
 With the number of strengths and weaknesses enumerated by the researcher, a
design has been thought out for the proposed TODA Terminal. The researcher decided
to base the concept on the form of an ant trail. The researcher chose an ant trail as its
form concept because of the fact that ants are the symbol strength and uniformity. Ant
trails are fascinating to look at as they bring this feeling of uniformity true to the fact
that they follow their trail no matter what circumstance. This is the image the
researcher wants the terminal to behold. The researcher wants the terminal to have this
both uniform and functioning process of transport. As to the experience, rather than an
open space, the researcher opted the terminal to have a shade both for the tricycle and
for the people. The roof would be of enough width to cover both the vehicles and the
people from the direct rays of the sun and in cases of storms, rainfall as well. Small
benches will also be added to the design as to be used as a waiting area for passengers
whenever they wait for more incoming users to ride the vehicle. The near end of the
structure will have a bigger area to house the other tricycles waiting for their turn and
also for HITODA tricycles that just needs the parking space.
To answer the threats enumerated in the discussion, the researcher thought of
approaches to control these weaknesses. As the proposed location is pinned adjacent to
the open railroad of the PNR, the researcher decided to put enough setback on the lot
to be considered safe. Also, the researcher thought to put railings on the side nearest
the railroad to further emphasize the safety of both the passengers and the operators.
The noise of the surroundings is a problem the researcher had a hard time answering.
The researcher thought that the noise created by the approaching trains and other
vehicles are something that the design has no ability to control. As the location is a place
near such noise-producing elements, the only way the design could answer to this is to
try to reduce such noise. The only solution the researcher thought of is to place the
structure in the lot where the least noise is produced. Therefore, the noise experienced
by the users will be less as well. Same as the noise, waste management is also
something beyond the control of the design. However, the head of the community could
be reached out to take some actions regarding the matter and to give rules and
regulations to somehow control the problem.
Besides the main structure which is the terminal itself, the researcher wanted to
add small establishments to further utilize the lot given. The researcher allotted spaces
to put two small food stalls or any stall of which the user and operators might need.
Adding these will lessen the hassle of the operators as they will have an accessible food
stall nearby. Passengers can go here as well given the circumstance of having to wait for
their turn in loading the tricycles. These are what the researcher have as proposition for
the betterment of the urban planning of the city and the country. These are also the
solutions the researcher has thought out for a better terminal for the university’s
trusted TODA.

IV. Solution
V. Conclusion
The Philippines has always been known as a country with poor urban planning.
As such, the researcher was tasked to propose a contribution to the betterment of such
poor urban plan. Therefore, the researcher decided to start small and solve one of the
most looked upon problems of urban planning, the small-scale vehicles. Tricycles are
one of the examples of these small-scale vehicles. And these tricycles often do not have
proper terminals to line in most of the time relying only on the sidewalks as their
locations. This causes said sidewalks to lose its original purpose, as a path for walking.
With this, the researcher proposed a solution of building a terminal that is located on a
lot that would not disrupt the use of sidewalks and also meant to be fully-operational.
On a lot adjacent to the railroad of the Philippine National Railways, in front of the
Polytechnic University of the Philippines-Mabini Campus, is the proposed location of the
terminal. This lot was utilized of which it contains both the designed terminal and small
establishments as well. However, after much understanding of the design, the
researcher concluded that the location was a bit of a problem as there were multiple
problems that needs to be solved but are beyond the expertise of the designer.
Fortunately, the proposed project is still feasible to be executed.

VI. References
What is Wrong in Urban Planning in Manila? (2014) retrieved from
https://www.zipmatch.com/blog/urban-planning-in-metro-manila/
Kritz, B. 2017. PH Urban Planning 'Obsolete'—Palafox. Retrieved from
https://www.manilatimes.net/ph-urban-planning-obsolete-palafox/326743/