Urbanization is an inevitable trend in developing areas where in-migration by people looking for jobs or the so-called “greener pastures” is high.

Such an inflow of people has its advantages and disadvantages. Among the plus factors are larger markets for goods and services which results in an increase in employment and income.

Among the negative factors are traffic congestion, the proliferation of landless workers who become “squatters”, and an increased demand for government services such as in health, education and garbage collection.

The resulting mix of private and government decisions determines whether life will improve or deteriorate in these urbanizing communities.

In this situation, urban planning becomes critical. It is the kind of planning that extends over the long-term because of the nature of the solutions to the problems of urbanization.

For example, new roads take years from planning to actual construction. This is also the case with health centers and classrooms.

Without a definite plan, these urban areas won’t be able to solve the problems but will compound them and the solutions become very expensive.

An important question therefore is: Is Tacloban City an in-migration or out-migration area? Surprisingly, the 1995-2000 data from the National Statistics Office show that Tacloban City is an out-migration area. Within the period 1995 to 2000 10,046 persons migrated to Tacloban City while 22,581 out-migrated. Therefore, there were 12,535 more persons who out-migrated than those who in-migrated.

Despite this, the city is experiencing the urbanization problems cited above. The problems are not the result in-migration but arise from the number of people who transact business or avail of services in the city but who live elsewhere. In such a situation, the residents of the city have to bear the burden of paying taxes so that the services are available not only to them but to the city’s visitors.

What this means also is that urban problems do not arise simply as a result of what the population living in the area does but is primarily the result of the functions of that area.

Therefore, for as long as Tacloban City serves as the educational, health, trade and government institutional center it will continue to grapple with problems associated with urban growth.

The question that is crucial then is to determine how those who are not living in the city can share in the cost of solving the problems associated with urban growth.