URBAN PLANNERS, EDUCATORS and businessmen envision this part of Manila as “Asia’s answer to the academic boroughs of Paris, Hamburg and New York.”
Sadly, the Central University Belt or U-Belt — where some of the country’s better known colleges and universities can be found — has deteriorated over the years.
It has, in fact, been described by urban development researchers as “dirty, dangerous and disorganized.” They also noted that “esteros and canals have been converted into septic tanks; traffic in the area is considered among the worst in the National Capital Region. The area has also become notorious for its high crime rate.”
The situation prompted various sectors, like the Central U-Belt Stakeholders’ Group which includes longtime residents and city government officials, to come up with a plan they called “Recasting Heritage in Urban Renewal” that would help restore the U-Belt to its former glory.
The urban renewal scheme, drawn up by planners from the University of the East and Far Eastern University, started eight years ago, according to Dr. Zenaida Manalo of the University of the Philippines School of Urban and Regional Planning (UP-SURP).