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Chapter 1: THE PLANNING ENVIRONMENT 1- 1

Comprehensive Land Use Plan and Zoning Ordinance 2010-2020

Chapter 1 THE PLANNING ENVIRONMENT

This opening chapter touches on the planning environments – the

external (regional & sub-regional) and the internal (Angeles City/ Local). The

aim is to analyze the emerging patterns and urban development snapshots at

the regional level in general, and to explain the urbanization trends at the

local level, that of Angeles City in particular. Such analyses will serve as

inputs in preparing the comprehensive land use plan and the local zoning

ordinance.

1.1 Hierarchy of Urban Centers in Central Luzon

The Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded NEDA planning manual for

LGUs entitled “Guidelines on Provincial/ Local Planning and Expenditure

Management, Volume 2” published in 2007 suggested the following

hierarchy, largely in terms of population, for towns, cities, and urban centers,

as follows:

a) < 100,000 = Small and Medium Town

b) 100,000 – 400,000 = Large Town/City

c) 400,000-1 million = Regional Metropolitan Center

d) > 1 million = Large Metropolitan Center

The hierarchy implies that those on the top, by virtue of their

population, offers more advanced urban services (e.g. banks, cinema,



hospital, shopping center) and thereby acts as central place not only for

trade and commerce but for industrial and manufacturing activities as well.

Shown in Figure 1-1 is a population histogram of cities and towns in

Central Luzon based on the year 2007 census. The histogram depicts three

(3) levels of hierarchy: Large Town/City, Medium Town, and Small Town.

Twenty one (21%) or 27 out of 130 towns and cities in the region are in the

large town/city category. Their combined population of 4.73 million

represents 48 percent of the total regional population.

San Jose Del Monte City (1st) in Bulacan topped the list at 439,090

population. It was immediately followed by Angeles City (2nd), Tarlac City

(3rd), San Fernando City, Pampanga (4th), and Cabanatuan City (5th).

Moreover, most of the towns and cities under this category were from

Bulacan (39%), followed by Pampanga (32%) percent, Tarlac (12%), Nueva

Ecija (10%), Zambales (5%), and Bataan (2%). This trend may have been

triggered by Bulacan’s proximity to Manila which makes it a natural sub-

urban destination in the North. But note that Pampanga has a respectable

share of 32 percent indicative that it is a significant force in accommodating

population in the fringes of Metro Manila.



1.1.1 Scalogram Technique

Another method of analyzing the centrality of the roles and functions of

towns relative to each other is through the use of scalogram technique. In

this method, towns and cities are sorted according to population size, and

opposite their name is a checklist of higher level urban functions. In his

study, Mendoza (2007) considered the following urban central functions:

a) Public Market

b) Jollibee Fast Food

c) McDonald’s Fast Food

d) Medical Center (Government or Private Hospital with advanced

facilities and man-power complement)

e) University (Government or private university with accreditation

from the Commission on Higher Education)

f) Shoemart (SM) Mall

g) Robinson’s Mall

h) Other Malls (e.g. NE Mall, MAKRO, Nepo Mall, Metro Town Mall)

i) Economic Zone (Clark, Subic, Luisita Industrial Park)

j) International Airport

k) 3-star Hotel

l) 5-star Hotel

These proxy indicators cover manufacturing and industrial activities as

well as trade, commerce, and services. We cannot expect a small town with a

population of less than 50,000 people to support a five-star hotel. Moreover,

if an area could sustain either or both Jollibee and McDonald’s, then this is an



indication that the said place has a relatively advanced state of economic

development and thus, performs a central function.

Shown in Table 1-1 (Mendoza, 2007) is a scalogram of functions of

town and cities in Central Luzon having a population of at least 50,000. Iba

and Palayan City, even though they did not make it to the population

threshold level, were included in the scalogram listing since they are the

capital of Zambales and Nueva Ecija, respectively.



It can be observed that Angeles City, while only a distant second to

San Jose Del Monte City as regards population level, has 11 out of 12 proxy

indicators or measures of central functions. Angeles City has: i) three (3)

public markets; several 3-star and 5-star hotels; a number of gigantic

shopping malls ( Shoemart Clark, Robinson’s Angeles, the home grown

Nepomuceno and Jenra Malls); dozens of fast food outlets ( Jollibee,

McDonalds, Pizza Hut, etc.); two large private universities (Holy Angel

University & Angeles University Foundation) with an aggregate student

population ranging from 25,000 to 30,000; a medical center (Angeles

Medical Center) and a number of hospitals and clinics; and an economic

zone. Technically, Mabalacat hosts DMIA. But due to proximity and access,

Angeles City functionally hosts the international airport because the main

roads leading to the airport are situated in the City.

In contrast, San Jose Del Monte City, despite having a massive

population only managed to have a public market. This is way too simple

relative to the complexity of services provided by Angeles City.

Another LGU that parallels the central functions provided by Angeles

City is the City of San Fernando, the capital of the province of Pampanga and

the designated regional administrative capital.

Like Angeles City, it has the major central functions other than airport

and an economic zone. But this may have been compensated by the location

of SM Pampanga, probably the biggest of the SM malls in the country after

the Mall of Asia.



Another important urban center is Tarlac City. It has an economic zone

(Luisita Industrial Park), medical center, university, 3-star hotel, medium

sized malls, fast-foods, among others, but does not have yet SM and

Robinson’s. As of the writing of this document, however, SM mall

construction is on-going.

Olongapo City has been enjoying the complementation provided by the

former US Naval Base now popularly called the Subic Bay Freeport Zone long

before it was converted into civilian use. While significant portion of the

Freeport belongs to Bataan and Zambales, Olongapo City has the location

advantage since it hosts the main gate or entrance of the Freeport.

The Town of Mabalacat, Pampanga hosts majority of the area of Clark

Freeport Zone and the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA). It

has a bus stop complex in Barangay Dau where all buses going North make

a stop before negotiating the final stretch of their respective destinations. It

does not host a university or a medical center but has medium-sized malls

(e.g. Jenra Mall) and the wholesale shop (Makro). Because of its huge

population, it has a significant number of fast-food shops.

The rest of the mid-size towns and capital towns and cities could only

manage 3-4 urban functions included in the scalogram probably because of

the size of the population, purchasing power of the people, and the state

of the local economy.

Based on the scalogram analysis, it can be inferred that most

advanced urban centers in the region were the adjoining areas of Angeles

City, San Fernando City (P.), and Mabalacat, Pampanga which has something



to do with their total population, location advantage, presence of advanced

infrastructure facilities, and hosting of a free port zone and an international

airport.

1.1.2 Inferred Hierarchy of Towns and Cities in Central

Luzon

While the scalogram technique may have some advantages in giving

visualization of the hierarchy of urban centers as opposed to the population

histogram alone, it has some limitations of its own. It could hardly explain

the synergistic effects which may possibly exist between two or more

neighboring areas. The effects of contiguity and agglomeration may be

visualized better on a map containing the subject cities and towns to

determine if the phenomenon of metropolitanization is already taking place or

not. Shown in Figure 1-2 is the inferred hierarchy of urban centers in Central

Luzon illustrating the spatial relationship of the different central places.

These urban centers are categorized as a i) Regional urban center, ii)

Major urban center; and, iii) Service urban center. The hierarchy was

originally proposed by JICA and DTI under the Central Luzon Development

Program (CLDP) published in 1995 which was then correspondingly updated

by NEDA III in the succeeding plan formulations. As contained in the CLDP,

the hierarchical structure of urban centers in Central Luzon was analyzed and

determined based on distribution of population, distribution of manufacturing

and service establishments, existing infrastructure and urban facilities, land

capability, among others.



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The designation of a town or city as a provincial capital is usually

provided by its charter or through legislation or an Act by the Philippine

Congress. On new town, city or province creations, the Local Government

Code (LGC)of 1991, provides that in the selection of areas government

centers and political capitals, the following should be considered: i)

geographical centrality of the area, ii) accessibility, iii) availability of

transportation and communication facilities, iv) development and economic

progress of the area, among others.

It can be observed from the inferred hierarchy that the biggest

agglomeration of population lies exactly along the premises of MacArthur

Highway and the Gapan-San Fernando-Olongapo Road. This covers the cities

of San Fernando and Angeles including the towns of Mabalacat, Magalang,

Porac, Bacolor, Mexico, and Sto. Tomas. In 2007 census, these areas had an

aggregate population of 1,193,124 falling within the population range of a

regional metropolitan area.

1.2 Economic Zones & Major Infrastructure

Facilities in the Region

Shown in Figure 1-3 are the key infrastructure facilities and major

economic zones located in Central Luzon. It can be noted that the major

urban centers are along major national roads and or host a major economic

zone. The province of Bataan has the Bataan Export Processing Zone located

in Mariveles. Tarlac Province has the Luisita Industrial Park Located in Tarlac

City. Zambales has the Subic Bay Freeport located in Olongapo City. Nueva

Ecija has an economic zone located in Palayan City but it has no locator yet.



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For Pampanga, it has the Clark Freeport Zone (CFZ) and the Diosdado

Macapagal International Airport (DMIA). Bulacan has none of the bigger

economic zones but it has several numbers of agri-industrial estates and

huge concentration of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Among other

provinces, Pampanga and Bulacan have the fastest link to Metro Manila

through the MacArthur Highway, North Luzon Expressway, or the soon to be

constructed railway system (North Rail).

It can be argued that the economic zones has limited forward and

backward linkages to the host area since most of the materials needed to

produce the final products, and to package the same are mostly imported.

The only link maybe is employment which may not come from the host area

but elsewhere depending upon the need of the locators and competence of

labor supply. But one thing is for sure, these zones will serve as population

magnets complementing the current population levels of the major urban

centers hosting them.

1.3 Metropolitan Clark Area

Pampanga is said to be at the crossroads of regional development by

virtue of its location advantage. Its major urban areas have rapidly grown

into a metropolitan area or central place serving not only the requirements of

Pampanga but of the region as well. This is the result of a proper mix of

resource endowment, human capital stock, and proper infrastructure support.

For purposes of reiteration, shown in Figure 1-4 is the politico-administrative

map of Pampanga with overlay of key infrastructure facilities in rail, land, and

air transportation. Because of better access and improved economic



opportunities, there is no stopping for the adjoining municipalities and cities

of Mabalacat, Angeles City, and San Fernando City to become a metropolitan

area.

Shown in Figure 1-5 is the schematic diagram of the Metropolitan Clark

Area. The urban core may start from Sto. Tomas all the way to Mabalacat

and to include the adjoining municipalities of Mexico, Bacolor, and Porac. The

urban fringe would be the rest of Pampanga and to include Bamban and

Concepcion, Tarlac. Due to access provided by the established road systems,

the Metro Clark Area could be easily accessed by the neighboring cities of

Gapan, Olongapo, Meycauayan, and Tarlac. It goes without saying that by

virtue of CFZ, DMIA, SCTEx, NLEx, McArthur Highway, GSO Road, North Rail

Source: NEDA III RPFP (2006) DPWH

LISR Study (2000)

Figure 1-4. Politico-administrative map of Pampanga showing the major urban

centers and major transportation infrastructure facilities



and the economic strength of the urban core (Mabalacat, Angeles City, and

San Fernando City) and the urban fringes (Magalang, Arayat, Bacolor,

Guagua, etc), the Metropolitan Clark Area in Pampanga will become the most

bullish growth center in Central Luzon and the strongest urban development

magnet in the country.

1.4 Comparative Land Use Intensity

The general land use trend in Angeles City follows same trend with the

rest of towns or cities in the country as they are transformed from an

agricultural economy to an urban community. The difference perhaps was on

the rate of transformation. As population continuously grows over the finite

land resource, urban areas become more dense. Depending upon the level of

Figure 1-5. The Metropolitan Clark Area, its Urban Core, Urban Fringe, and Sphere of Influence

Source: NEDA III, BCDA, CSFP-SEP



urbanization, some areas are more or less concentrated than the others.

Angeles City is one of the densest cities in Region III. But compared with

some areas in Metro Manila, one would realize that the City is still relatively

less dense or congested.

Shown in Table 1-2 is the comparative gross population density

between Metro Manila as a whole, its key selected cities, including the City of

San Fernando and Angeles City. Gross population density refers to total

population over the total land area (in square-kilometer) of a certain locality.

In 2007, Manila City has an estimated population density of 66,482

persons per square kilometer. In contrast, Angeles City only had 5,059

persons per square kilometer on the same period. If population density is

used as an indicator of congestion, then Manila City is 13.14 times more

congested than Angeles City. Through proper planning and innovative land

use management, Angeles City could avoid the urban congestion and urban

blights being experienced at the moment by the big cities in the country.

City/ Region

Land

Area

(Km2)

Density (No. persons per Km2

1980 1990 2000 2007

Metro Manila 636.0 9,317 12,498 16,497 18,648

Manila 38.3 42,571 41,808 43,681 66,482

Quezon City 166.2 7,015 10,047 12,996 15,605

Navotas 2.6 48,518 72,107 97,692 27,443

San Fernando City (P.) 67.7 1,637 2,330 3,275 3,979

Angeles City 62.17 3,036 3,806 4,246 5,059

Source: Philippine Statistical Yearbook 2000 & 2008

Table 1-2. Comparative Gross Population Density of Key Selected Cities in Metro Manila Including Angeles City

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