Space Technology and Geographic Information Systems Applications in adb projects

37
Metro Manila Services for the Urban Poor
Project Title
Metro Manila Services for the Urban Poor
Project Number
TA 4616-PHI
Country
Philippines
Department/Division
Southeast Asia Department/Human and Social Development Division
Executing Agency
Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council
Sector/Subsector 
Water supply and other municipal infrastructure and services/Urban sector development
Amount Approved
$700,000
Approval/Completion
19 July 2005/30 June 2010
Source
http://www.adb.org/projects/38398-012/main
GIS Application
Urban poverty analysis, inventory of government-owned lands
GIS Data 
Aerial photography
GIS Cost
Not available
Users
Philippine Land and Asset Management System
GIS = geographic information systems. 
Context
This technical assistance project aims to assist the government in its asset reform agenda, and in 
implementation of a phased, metropolitan-wide, 15-year strategy for slum eradication and urban 
upgrading in Metro Manila. It will initiate a process for formulating local government unit–level integrated 
urban development interventions in support of the strategy, including support for the transfer of national 
government lands to local governments, and will prepare an investment project for high priority sites 
within Metro Manila. 
Contribution of Geographic Information Systems 
A comprehensive map-based data build-up on the current state of physical resource uses of the entire 
Metro Manila coverage area was conducted. Rapid land assessment techniques, through the use of 
advanced technology-led approaches, such as the combination of remote sensing and GIS, were 
employed to acquire new and periodically updated physical data on the national capital region and its 
peripheries. Research on the inventory of government-owned lands was completed and mapped on 
the GIS platform. GIS-based urban poverty analysis techniques were facilitated to monitor growth, 
expansion, and movement of informal settlement communities. 
Results
Map data for 2005 from the Urban Asset Reform Project Management Office under the Office of the 
President show the magnitude of depressed settlements in Metro Manila. The Urban Asset Reform 
Project Management Office also reported that informal settlers occupy almost 3% or 1,835.12 hectares 
of the total land area of Metro Manila. This means that there is an informal settlement community in 
every 3 hectares of land in the national capital region. These statistics demonstrated how poorly utilized 
government lands are, and underscore the urgency of introducing reforms in the Philippine Land and 
Asset Management System that will advocate the adoption of innovative and definitive practices, 
especially in Metro Manila.