Moving toward the 15-minute city

THE worsening traffic congestion in Metro Manila is presenting a growing dilemma for a segment of urban workers, especially those employed in the central business districts of Makati and Bonifacio Global City.

According to recent data from the TomTom traffic index, a Filipino commuter spends on average 25 minutes and 30 seconds to traverse a 10-kilometer route, similar to the distance from Cubao to Makati. Commuters lost up to 117 hours per year due to congestion in 2023, equivalent to four days and 21 hours — which is 12 hours and 51 minutes more than the average time lost in 2022.

Jogee Arellano, CEO of MyTown, a network of 14 dorms strategically located near Taguig’s Bonifacio Global City (BGC) and the Makati Central Business District, says that the movement toward the 15-minute city comes from the workforce’s growing desire of a live-where-you-work setup.

“The cost of commuting to work has become quite expensive. … The economic loss is not only felt in the pocket but on your well-being as well. … In this scenario, living near your workplace truly becomes a viable option,” he says.

MyTown, a part of SM’s property portfolio, is an example of the urban development concept of the 15-minute city in practice, where everything the resident needs to live comfortably in a city should be reachable within 15 minutes, ideally by walking.

Arellano says that MyTown residents can reach their offices, the nearby malls, and leisure and entertainment establishments within a quarter of an hour.

The movement toward creating the 15-minute city complements well with SM’s push to build the “Integrated Lifestyle City,” as seen in developments like the Mall of Asia complex and SM Clark, where condominiums, office buildings, MICE facilities and a school (National University) are built around SM malls that function as the modern community center.

In a recent MyTown survey of its residents’ transportation and commuting arrangements, almost half of the respondents said that their preferred mode of mobility was walking. Other segments took motorcycle ride hailing apps, public transport, e-scooters and bicycles.

Asked about their commute time, 36 percent said that it took them 10-15 minutes to get to work or school, and 19 percent said it took them 15-20 minutes. About 17 percent of respondents said that it took them less than 10 minutes to commute.