When I initiated my consultancy report Future Proofing Metro Manila, I wanted to transform our metropolis into a place where everyday life feels simpler, healthier, and more fulfilling. Residents lose up to 117 hours yearly to rush-hour traffic, only 29% feel satisfied with healthcare, and the pollution index stands at 89.9—urgent indicators that we need more than superficial fixes. These realities led me to explore the 15-minute city concept, situating vital services—groceries, clinics, schools—within walking or biking distance. Over time, my findings informed a flagship urban transformation initiative, Reimagine Manila, extending this vision of accessible, people-centred design across the entire metropolis.
To ground my recommendations in lived realities, I began by conducting a series of focus group discussions with a diverse set of stakeholders—single mothers, persons with disabilities, elders, people living in informal settlements, millennials, Gen Z, students, teachers, parents, legislators, city mayors, cyclists, environmentalists, and architects. These conversations gave me a broad and textured understanding into what it truly means to build a liveable city across different lived realities, helping me understand varying needs, priorities, and aspirations. We explored what makes a place liveable from multiple vantage points—land use and zoning, transport and mobility, local economic development, social and community infrastructure; and digital connectivity—and how these needs shift depending on one’s context. Complementing this, I conducted a five-part quantitative survey across Metro Manila—translated into Tagalog to ensure inclusivity—which explored demographics, current patterns of accessibility and mobility, key challenges and preferences, and perceptions of the 15-minute city, including its appeal, anticipated benefits and challenges, as well as open-ended feedback on how to improve accessibility and mobility across communities.
My research examined the 15-minute city model across three urban typologies—informal settlements, inner-city districts, and outer suburbs—guided by UN-Habitat definitions for population density and floor area ratio. Short-term (0–2 years) strategies include participatory land-use planning, car-free pilots, and flexible zoning, progressing to medium-term (3–7 years) interventions like in-situ upgrading, enhanced public transit, and transit-oriented development. Over the long term (8+ years), these evolve into climate-adaptive communities with inclusive zoning and sustainable building standards.
Ultimately, I see Future Proofing Metro Manila as more than a policy framework—it is a call to reimagine how our metropolis serves its people. The MSc Cities program challenged me to view Metro Manila not just through the lens of infrastructure or governance, but through the everyday experiences of those navigating its streets, systems, and silences. It pushed me to go beyond my comfort zone and imagine a city where no one is left behind—a city that listens and responds. Now, I pass by a train station and wonder if elders and persons with disabilities can move through it with dignity. I think about how the lack of daycare centres keeps young mothers from participating fully in the workforce. Our urban design choices, often invisible, too frequently reinforce inequity—forcing women to choose between care and career, ambition and responsibility. But cities can do better. We can design a Metro Manila where women don’t have to choose, where people of all ages and abilities can thrive, and where urban life is not a daily struggle, but a shared promise.
Anna Mae Lamentillo is is a writer, founder, and One Young World Ambassador. Her tenure included significant roles in the Philippines' Build Build Build Program and as Undersecretary for the Department of Information and Communications Technology. She left her government role to further her education at the London School of Economics and subsequently founded Build Initiative.
Inspired by Anna Mae's project?
The Executive MSc in Cities is an 18-month programme for urban professionals in the public, private and third sectors who want to understand and deliver change in cities. Enrolment for the 2025/26 academic year is still open and you can book a consultation call with a member of the Academic Team now.