Rizal Philippines | February 11, 2014
Happy Feast of the Lourdes!
Now that there are:
1. Revelation on PDAF scams
2 There are enlightened leadership at LGU levels
3. Renewed interest to develop cities
It is time to consider urban renewal and redevelopment. This will:
1. Generate jobs;
2. When the cities are beautiful and more liveable, more investments and more trade comes in generating more revenue for the LGU
3. Banks I think would be more than willing to lend funds (rather than merely take in funds)
4. Construction companies and suppliers would be happy to help, with the business that would be generated.
Who could initiate:
1. The business groups could recommend to the city planner who in turn would commission master plan for redevelopment: by phases.
2. The council could pass resolution to authorize approve the : rezoning, redevelopment, new standards, design themes. etc. traffic rules, ROW, planting strips,
3. Revise RET: tax heavily the old structures, tax lightly structures that are less than 10 years old
4. Relax the rent control law. (Or strictly enforce this so that the lessors would tear down old structures so that they could collect more rent when the building is rebuilt)
Who would help:
1. Banks (would want to generate revenues from idle funds)
2. Local businessmen who want more business
3. Tourist oriented business.
We cant continue to get tourists with fiestas and street dancing, and with shallow strategy. We will ultimately need better infrastructures and systems. We have to remove the broken windows (uncollected garbage, smelly sewers, rats on the streets, street people, ugly stalls, dangling utility wires)
It is your city, our city, Our country.
OUR COUNTRY OUR CITY IS OUR BUSINESS.
