Evaluating the Adequacy of Public Open Space for the Residents of Subdivisions in Cabanatuan City Central Business District
Description
Public Open Spaces (POS) and Urban Green Spaces (UGS) are vital elements of the urban milieu, providing recreational opportunities and enhancing residents’ quality of life. However, in some localities in the Philippines such as the City of Cabanatuan particularly in its inner-city was considered as the urban congested core that caused the city to lack POS and UGS. A mixed methods approach was considered for data collection, including the study of the utilization pattern of residents, and measuring the actual space allocated for POS of each subdivision. According to the results, Cabanatuan City has only 3.6 square meters of POS per person, indicating a shortfall comparable to Manila’s score in GCI. With a growing population and demand for open space, Cabanatuan City would need to provide at least 114.7 hectares of land designated for POS to achieve a good and healthy environment for its residents.
Files
Steps to reproduce
his research was conducted in Cabanatuan City's CBD, Philippines, with 19 identified subdivisions. However, six of these subdivisions were non-operational. The study used both quantitative and qualitative data, including surveys and direct observations, to understand residents' satisfaction, usage patterns, and demographic variations in the subdivisions and Existing City parks. Comparative analysis was employed to identify factors affecting the usage pattern of public open spaces and recommend policies to improve the quality and accessibility. To measure the open space of each subdivision, the researcher formed a team and utilized tools like a Tape measure and laser meter. The researcher also employed GIS-based software, such as Google Maps and QGIS, to verify the on-site measurements. The polygon tool on Google Maps was used to trace the public open space identified during the interviews.