Chapter II
Population and Land Use

        2.2.4  The Urban Farm

2.2.4.1  History of Urban Growth

What is now known as Zamboanga used to be called “Samboangan”, the center of barter trade among the natives, the Chinese and the Malays in the 13^th and 14^th centuries. Even earlier than that period, Samboangan, as a coastal settlement was a flourishing fishing village with barter trade activities as evidenced by substantial archeological finds that date back to the Yuan and Ming dynasties.

In 1593, the Spaniards established a Catholic Mission in what is now known as Recodo. Gradually, the Spanish presence in the area grew, and the cornerstone of a military post was laid on 23 June 1635. This was to be known as Fort Pilar and the town was renamed “Zamboanga”.

With the security and stability that Fort Pilar provided, Zamboanga expanded, attracting the immigration of more Spaniards and various ethnic groups from Luzon, the Visayas and other parts of Mindanao. As further expansion was experienced, growth went into the direction of northwest. A gridiron pattern was adopted during this era and the settlement then was compact with the various government and social institutions, together with residences of prominent families, located close to each other.

Further growth and expansion after the Americans took over control of Zamboanga was experienced. Land uses changed as institutions and major residence s moved away from the urban core, to be replaced by commercial and business establishments. The core that eventually developed into the central business district (CBD) became busier in character, but the roads remained narrow as a consequence of lack of planning. However, this lack of planning has its positive consequence in that within the CBD’s peripheral areas, mixed uses have emerge. Thus, the CBD does not turn into a virtual ghost town after working hours.

With unplanned expansion, new highways or avenues were constructed to open up new areas for development as well as to link growth nodes that have emerged. This eventually saw the departure from the gridiron pattern and the arbitrary emergence of interior roads within the areas bounded by the new highways. This interior roads were oftentimes unconnected and skewed in relation to one another. This same lack of planning has likewise resulted into mixed uses outside the CBD. While mixed use developments are desirable for compatible uses, Zamboanga suffers from incompatible combination of uses especially where residence end up being close to nightspots manufacturing establishments that emit polluted air and untreated wastes. And this is the picture of urban development in Zamboanga City today.

2.2.4.2  Landmarks

Basilan Strait with J-form coastal line and the mountain ranges in the inland core north of the city proper are the major natural features of Zamboanga City. The rivers and the creeks together with the swamps, the marine ponds, the wet lands and the flat lands serve as the minor natural landmarks.

The major man-made land marks are: Fort Pilar, the Central Business District’s core, where the Plaza, the City Hall and tall walk-up structures are located; the Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral; the Climaco Freedom Park; the Zamboanga (Sea) Port; the Zamboanga International Airport; and the defunct Regional Autonomous Government Center.

The Minor man-made landmarks in the city proper include; Lantaka Hotel, the Government center, the JE Sports Complex; the Baliwasan Barter Trade Center; Orchid Garden Hotel; Sta. Cruz Public Market and the Chinese and Catholic cemeteries; the Canelar Barter Trade Center; Ateneo de Zamboanga; the Zamboanga Medical Center, RT Lim (formerly Cawa-Cawa) Boulevard; the Sunken Garden; Plaza Pershing; Plaza Rizal; the Pasonanca Boy Scout Jamboree Site and Treehouse; and via Dolorosa at Ecumenical Hill (Pulong Bato).

In the urbanizing and rural barangays of the City Proper, the public markets usually serve as the major landmarks together with the places of worship, if any:

2.2.4.3   Nodes

The major nodes of the city include Central Business District, the Zamboanga (Sea) Port, the Zamboanga International Airport, Sta. Cruz Public Market, and two Barter Trade Centers in Baliwasan and Canelar. These are all within the City Proper. However, the Eco-zone, Recodo and Sangali also serve as major nodes for the city as a whole.

The minor nodes include the Fort Pilar,area; the intersections of Alvarez and Veterans Avenues; Gov. Camins Ave. and M.D. Jaldon Road; Mayor Climaco and Mayor ledesma Roads; Buenavista and Jaldon Roads; and Camins-Chico and San Jose Road.

Outside of the city proper, the intersections of major roads usually define the major nodes of the barangats. Image-wise, these are minor nodes as far as the whole city is concerned.

2.2.4.4 Paths of Movement

The major paths of movement include; the national highway connecting Zamboanga City with Labuan and Pagadian, the Mayor Gregorio Ledesma Road, M.D. Jaldon Road, Veterans Avenue, R>T>Lim Boulevard; Sta. Catalilna Talon-Talon Road, Don. Alfaro Road, Gov. Camins Road and the Sta. Maria-Gov. Ramos Roads.

The minor paths of movement would include the gridiron roads of the CBD and those interconnecting the major paths.

Outside of the city proper, the national highway serves as the major path from where minor paths branch out to provide access to the rest of the rural areas.

2.2.4.5   Edges

Basilan Strait serves as the edge of the city proper in the southwest, the Marine Pond in the southeast, the rolling terrans in Tubungan in the east, the hills and the mountains in the northeast, north and northwest as well as the Zamboanga International Airport in the west. The national highway to Labuan, however, provides a corridor of ribbon-type development to the west beyond the airport.

2.2.4.6   Districts

Within the City Proper, the major districts are the: the CBD (including the Zamboanga Port Area); the area around the Zamboanga International Airport and Baliwasan Barter Trade Center, and the Sta. Cruz Public Market. Image-wise the minor ones include: the Canelar Barter Trade Center; the area around Ateneo de Zamboanga; the Sports Complex; WMSU area; the Pasonanca Park, the Regional Autonomous Government Center, and the clusters of residential areas (Urban Barangays) all over the City Proper.

Outside the City Proper, the rural barangays in the east are perceived as one district and those in the west as another. The clusters of islands are also perceived as a separate entity.

2.2.4.7   Urban Issues and Concerns

As the Center of City, Provincial and Regional Functions

There is a need to plan for the city hall, the provincial educational, health, sports, cultural and government agencies, and the regional business, commercial, industrial and tourism facilities.

Land Use Plan and Zoning Ordinance

The lack of an alternative land use plan and zoning ordinance call for a thorough study of the needs of the citizens and their leaders. The expanding urban sprawl is not only encroaching on land that can be put to better use, but is also causing difficulties in the movement o people, goods and services. There is, therefore, a need to rationalize land uses strengthening the mixing of compatible land uses for a better quality of life and a more efficient management of the city.

Road Networks

The existing road network is inefficient for the requirements of the city. The roads in the CBD are narrow, and the main thoroughfares linking the different districts of the City P{roper have limited interconnection thereby causing congestion in major intersections which are very few in relation to the requirements for efficient movement patterns. Furthermore, minor roads are fragmented since they do not connect to one another, terminating in dead ends. The need is for a more efficient road system that would: ease traffic congestion in the city proper, link the unconnected minor and interior roads as well as connect the urbanized part of the city to the rest of the urbanizing areas.

The lack of parking spaces and good sidewalks aggravates traffic congestion, thereby rendering pedestrian experience in the city very dehumanizing. The city can consider completely pedestrianizing certain roads in the CBD, and improving pedestrian paths including the adding of landscaped sidewalks along waterways.

Poverty and Squatting

The ugliness in Zamboanga City is rooted on a lot of improvisations resorted to due to lack of funds for better construction. Lack of funds for housing has resulted into the emergence of squatter colonies and blighted areas. Ugly facades, fences, firewalls and sidewalks together with squatting contribute to the unsightly developments in the urban area. However, ugliness can be minimized through creative efforts in the design and construction of structures as well as the enforcement of guidelines that would require low-cost cleaning and greening of the environment.

Pollution

Air, water, land and noise pollution are fast becoming major problems for the inhabitants of the city. The need to address these problems is being voiced out more and more adamantly by city residents.

Drainage and Sewerage

The need for more efficient drainage and sewerage systems has bee voiced out by the citizens of Zamboanga City.

Zamboanga International Airport and the Zamboanga (Sea) Port

There is a need to relocate the International Airport, which, due to its closeness to the CBD, is limiting the height of new buildings being constructed in prime areas of the City Proper. It is also hindering expansion, and is fast becoming the geographical center of the city proper, which is expanding in the direction of the airport. The existing seaport needs to be rehabilitated soon; there is also a clamor to construct bigger and more technically up-to-date ports in the west closer to the proposed Eco-zone and in the east adjacent to the Sangali Fishing Port.

Park System and Waterfront Development

Zamboanga as creating a system of parks can enhance an eco-cultural tourism destination linked by pedestrian-friendly landscape roads and waterways. Since water abounds in Zamboanga City waterfront developments could make the city not only a better place for its residents but also attractive to local and foreign tourist as well.

     2.2.5    Hierarchy  of Barangay Settlements

The analysis of scalogram field data was based on the results of the Barangay Land use Survey conducted by the survey teams coming from the barangays of the City from October to November 1997. the City Planning and Development Office conducted this survey. The Scalogram (see Figure II-3, following page) is presented in such a way that the services and facilities are ranked from the most present or widely spread to at least, and from the most served barangays to the least.

2.2.5.1   Inventory of Service and Facilities

Of the one hundred eight (108) listed services and facilities existing in each barangay, Tetuan has the most number of these at sixty five (65), followed by Baliwasan at sixty (60), while Panubigan and the island barangay of Limaong has none of these at all. Of the 98 barangays, only five (5) barangays have fifty and more of these services and facilities to include Zone IV (53) and San Jose Cawa-Cawa and Sta. Maria at fifty-(50) each. If we categorize the availability of these services and facilities from the most served to the least and into the following level: 50 and >, 40-49, 30-39, 20-29, 10-19 and <10, after the first level, the next one has only ten (10) barangays, followed by seventeen (17) barangays for 30-39 level, 25 barangays each for the next two levels and sixteen (16) barangays for the last. Or, of the 108 listed services and facilities, only 32. 65% or 32 barangays enjoy the presence of at least thirty and more while 67.35% or 66 barangays have less than thirty (300 present in their community.

Furthermore, majority of these services and facilities are concentrated within the urban and north-western barangays which only few rural barangays are priviledged to have the presence of more than thirty (30) services and facilities. Theses, however, may be accounted to their being identified as growth point areas like Manicahan, Boalan, Recodo, Cawit, Culianan and Bolong or due to their proximity to the urban areas like Manicahan, Boalan, Recodo, Cawit, Culianan and Bolong.

On the other hand, most of the rural and all island barangays are the least serve with sixteen (16) barangays having less than ten (10) services and facilities available and eight (8) of which are island barangays. A few of the urban barangays, like Mariki, mampang, Cabatangan, Arena Blanco, Sta. Barbara, Rio Hondo, Campo Islam and Sta. Catalina have lesser number of these facilities than other urban barangays. However, because of their proximity and easy access to these services and facilities, their absence will not be very critical. The hitch actually for these barangays is that they fall within the category of depressed barangays.

As regard to the kinds of services and facilities available in each barangay, the sari-sari store, which is very typical in every Filipino community, is found in almost every barangay and is ranked first among them. The barangay hall, which is also, a symbol of barangay governance ranks second and is present in at least eighty-six (86) barangays. Of the twelve (12) barangays, which do not have this facility, four (4) are island barangays, three (3) are found in rural areas and five (5) are actually urban barangays.

Figure II-3 Scalogram

Figure II-3 (cont’d) Scalogram

The reason why some of these urban barangays could not put up their own barangay hall is that, there is no more vacant space or that the space available is already too expensive for the barangay. The social sector services and facilities like the health centers, pre-schools and day care centers also rank within the top ten services totaling a number of 83, 80 and 72 respectively.

These listed services and facilities may also be segregated into at least four different sectors. Most of these, however, fall within the Economic Sector totaling sixty one (61), the Social Sector follows with at least twenty two (22) while the Institutional and Physical infrastructure Sectors have fourteen (14) and eleven (11) respectively.

For the Physical Infrastructure   Sector, deep well are most widely spread among barangays totaling fifty-six (56) followed by the telephone services.

2.2.5.2    Most Available Services

Of the one hundred eight (108) listed services and facilities, however, only seven (7) or 6.48% of these kinds are available in more than seventy barangays. These are sari-sari stores, barangay halls, health centers, pre-schools, church/chapels, basketball court and day care centers. On the other hand, around thirty five percent (35)%) of thirty-eight (38) kind of these services and facilities are spread in even less than ten (10) barangays. Most of these 38 facilities, however, are basically needed for the urban functions like banks, hotels and motels, and shopping malls and others.

With regard to the various activities or needs that are most common among barangays, like their marketing, education and hospital care needs. A lot of the barangays do this either within the barangay (WB), their neighboring barangays (NB) and the city proper (CP). For their weekly and monthly marketing, many barangay residents still do this in the city proper. For the education of their children, because of the existence of at least 26-barangay high schools, high school education is already widely dispersed. However, vocational and college education are still concentrated in the city proper. The same is also true in the case of hospital care. See Table II-27.

Table II-27.    Destination for Selected Functions
 

Access to the City Proper, on the other hand, is not really very difficult. Fifty-eight (58) out of eighty- (80) barangays, which answered the portion of this questionnaire, have many daily PUV trips to the city proper while the twenty-two (22) barangays have at least one (1) to five (5) trips daily. (Table II-28)

Table II-28.   Approximate No. Of Daily PUV Trips to the City Proper
 

Travel time to city hall, likewise, is moderately short for majority of the barangays. At least twenty-three (23) barangays reach the city proper in less than 30 minutes to 1 hour to reach the town. Twenty-two (22) barangays also travel from more than an hour to two hours to reach town while only nine (9) barangays have travel time exceeding two hours. See tables II-29 and 30.

Table II-29.   Approximate Travel Time to the City Proper/City Hall