Market-Oriented Planning for Mass Transit Systems in Metro Manila

Abstract

While conflicts and tensions between the public and the private sector exist, there are significant opportunities for project developers and policymakers to develop innovative ways of providing urban mass transit systems in mega-cities. Based on economic and financial benefits, urban mass transportation systems in mega-cities can be developed based on market-driven supply (MDS) principles, which match urban infrastructure development with the presence of a commercially mature market. Fundamentally different from the traditional approach to urban mass transit systems that are developed through supply-oriented options, this approach recognizes that the presence of an urban population is a major determinant in urban transportation planning. Based on the limited resources of the public sector in managing mega-cities, MDS is the appropriate methodology for fast-tracking the development of urban infrastructure, particularly of urban mass transit systems.