The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) provides a shared framework of sustainability and is a call to action for all countries to address. One of the goals is SDG 11, entitled “Sustainable Cities and Communities” which emphasizes the creation of inclusive and sustainable urbanization, ensuring universal access to safe, green public spaces, and promoting development planning linkages across government levels and society. Aligned with this is Integrated Urban Development, a conceptual policy that underscores the importance of inclusivity, active participation of stakeholders, and the design of cities and communities for the common good.
In the Philippines, the localization and achievement of these targets involve linking national development plans down to regional, municipal, and barangay levels which is the smallest political administrative unit of the Philippines. However, it can be argued that residential subdivisions within barangays should also contribute to achieving these sustainable goals. These private communities undergo urban space transformation that, if left unmanaged and unplanned by the Homeowners and the Homeowners’ Associations (HOA), could adversely affect the residents’ quality of life.
This research aims to identify concepts of participatory urban planning that can guide residential subdivisions toward becoming an integrated urban development. Using Golden City Subdivision as a case study, this research proposed the 3 C’s of Co-Designing as a method towards this goal. The results showed that the Taytay LGU aims to follow concepts of pedestrianization, urban renewal, and new urbanism to provide a good quality of life for its people. A visual survey of Golden City Drive, the main road of Golden City Subdivision, showed that establishments and structures have encroached on the public space subdivision. The survey questionnaire results revealed that most homeowners appreciate the establishments’ presence but are disappointed with the lack of urban spaces along Golden City Drive. This sentiment was further supported by the outputs during the co-design workshop conducted by the research. These results show that Co-Designing towards becoming an Integrated Urban Development of subdivisions has the potential to improve neighborhoods given the proper resources, time, and effort from the community.

The Philippines is one of the developing countries that promote the use of innovative and sustainable construction technologies to produce mass housing to address housing issues. Although there are a large number of AITECH-accredited technologies, it is necessary to study and eventually adopt construction technologies that are proven to be more effective. One such technology is Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction (PPVC), a type of modular construction considered one of the "game-changing technologies". PPVC is an innovative type of construction whereby 3-dimensional modules are completed in off-site facilities before it is delivered and installed on-site. It is completed with internal finishes and services and is installed in a Lego-like manner. The adoption of PPVC can reduce construction costs, speed up construction, improve workmanship and productivity, improve thermal performance, be environmentally friendly, and contribute to the three pillars of sustainability (environmental, social, and economic). However, a lack of studies have been done on whether this method could be used in the Philippines. The aim of this study is to identify the applicability of PPVC in the Philippines by designing a PPVC of the 5-storey residential building using NHA standard design, cost, time, and thermal performance (OTTV method) comparative analysis and evaluation for AITECH accreditation. The results show that the structure framing of the building is cast in situ columns and beans due to local code requirements. The cost of PPVC construction is 4.23% lower than the conventional. While the construction period is 50% shorter than that of conventional construction. The OTTV results of both methods do not meet the minimum requirements. However, the U-value of wall and roof materials of conventional construction is better. Lastly, the PPVC achieved a total score of 75% equivalent to a 3 years AITECH accreditation. The outputs of this study show that PPVC can be considered a viable option among AITHEC-accredited technologies to augment the housing backlog of the housing industry in the Philippines given that its modular construction is swifter and less costly than conventional construction methods, thus aligning with the Three Pillars of Sustainability. However, improvements in thermal performance and U-values in wall and roof materials when using PPVC in constructing five-storey residential buildings require further study when situated in the Philippine context. This option can definitely appeal to the stakeholders, especially the decision-makers in the industry, as the country struggles to address the housing issues in the Philippines.

The research examines the extent to which park functions are evident in the existing shopping mall roof decks across Metro Manila. This assessment evaluates the feasibility of the nine selected case studies to perform as supplemental urban parks, through the observation of the presence of (1) Recreational Function, (2) Aesthetic Function, (3) Ecological Function, (4) Environmental Function, and (5) Park Protection. Field measurements were obtained to quantify the allotment of green and non-green areas, highlighting the provision of landscaped sections in the shopping mall roof decks. The research identifies and maps out how each case study functions as a park. The study reveals varying degrees of manifestation of each park function across the selected case studies. The research underscores the viability of shopping mall roof decks to contribute to the public’s need for park alternatives in dense urban environments like Metro Manila.

Multi-level housing is being explored extensively in the Philippines due to the demand for increased housing density in highly urbanized areas, where this type of housing is being considered a solution to land scarcity. But the question is, are low-income Filipino families used to living in multi-level housing? Assessment of residential satisfaction has been used as an indicator of the quality of housing and services in neighborhoods across the world (Bangdome-Dery, 2013). There is a distinct lack of research in the Philippines on the subject of multi-level public housing. Philippine housing agencies have been responsible for building multi-level housing, but there is little to no information available on how satisfied residents are with these living conditions. It is necessary to conduct a study to determine the housing needs and preferences of Filipinos to formulate policies and strategies to address how to most effectively meet the country's existing public housing needs. The study employed the socio-technical concept developed by Ning and Chen (2016) to evaluate the satisfaction levels of residents in multi-level housing, offering a comprehensive and integrated perspective on the intricate interaction between social and technical factors in a residential environment. Survey questionnaires and structured interviews were done. The indicators measured respondents' satisfaction with socio-technical aspects of multi-level housing using a Likert scale. Future and current housing projects can improve from the study's findings. It identified issues that needed to be addressed when creating housing project design standards, or management guidelines. These proposals helped build progressive, well-planned communities in the Philippines, encouraging urban rehabilitation and shaping urban living trends.

According to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), a substantial portion of the informal sector in the Philippines comprises women, many of whom work as "tinderas" or vendors in public markets. Despite their significant contributions, these women often find themselves in vulnerable positions with inadequate social protection and unsafe working conditions due to insufficient laws governing the informal sector. They frequently face exploitation and gender-based violence in public spaces, which serve as their workplaces. This situation restricts their mobility, access to essential services, and enjoyment of recreational activities, thereby negatively impacting their health and well-being. This study explores the case of Baguio City, focusing on how the urban design of public markets as gendered spaces affects women's mobility and its potential contributions to urban design practices. The research aims to aid in formulating gender-sensitive design guidelines to enhance women's experiences in public spaces.
A mixed-method approach, including focus group discussions, interviews, document analysis, and surveys, is employed to understand the relationship between women’s mobility and Gendered Space Theory. Participants include women actively engaged in the market, selected through purposive sampling to ensure representation of various roles. This research methodology offers a valuable contribution to understanding gendered experiences in public markets by studying the interplay between urban design and women's mobility.