Reader's Response Draft 1

In the article "Explosive growth in Asian cities: Bright ideas to Seize the Urban Moment", Khanna (2015) believes that Asian cities are becoming the global benchmark for citification. The writer posits that 36 capitals have over 10 million citizens. Out of those, 20 capitals belong in Asia. Khanna states that compared to Europe and America, Asia has more than twice the amount of people immigrating into the cities from its rural area. He argues that Southeast Asian metropolises are spearheading with "flexible governments, resourceful citizens and local infrastructure innovation. “.The statements presented by Khanna in the article do show rapid growth in Southeast Asia compared to the rest of the world however, he did not give concrete examples of how Southeast Asian countries are coping despite its innovative ideas. With this unforeseen population growth, it is the countries outmost important in providing essential necessities like housing, water and efficient transport to its large population.

The author stated in Manila, housing is a grave issue for its growing population. He did not reiterate on how Manila is tackling this with a suitable innovative idea. The Philippine government has created a $1.2 billion USD mandate to clean up its polluted waterways in Manila Bay, this will shift 104,000 families from the city’s many water towns surrounding Manila Bay's water ways. The government plans to relocate these estimated 500,000 citizens into new structure developments in Manila. Under the mandate, the government plans to create new medium-rise buildings which are able to accommodate 900 families in them. (Kate Hodal, 2013) The Philippine Government has provided an idea and this in turn has tackled two of its countries basic necessities, Housing & water, to support its ever increasing population and provide more water sources.

Another Southeast Asian country, Singapore with its forecasted white paper policy which would boost its already densely populated population up by another 30% has provided key planning ideas to adjust to its increased growth. It plans on increasing rail network from 180km to 360km twice its current length by 2030. This will allow more households to be able to access the train services just a walkable distance from their homes (Ministry of Trade and Industry Singapore, 2013). From this, we can clearly see how a country such as Singapore supports its growing population with a thorough idea and tackles one of the key main necessities, Transport. Instead of a mobile app whereby the author provides as a form of innovative idea to tackle Singapore’s transport demands with no coherent outcome. This source has showed that the Singapore government has indirectly promoted its train public transport to its citizens by making the train services easily accessible to commuters. Hence making public transport the better alternative to commute around Singapore.

To wrap it up, the innovative ideas provided by the author has its substance but unfortunately there are no direct outcomes from its implementation. It does not show how it makes Southeast Asian countries an exemplary example of how they tackle their sudden urban immigration growth especially when it does not cover direct essential necessities to support a large city population or even a basic city population. Though, the author is precise in implying that Southeast Asian countries are experiencing a larger urban migration compared to the rest of the world.

(531 Words)

References
 

https://www.mti.gov.sg/MTIInsights/Documents/FAQs%20for%20White%20Paper.pdf

https://nextcity.org/features/view/slum-lab-manilas-quest-to-build-a-better-informal-settlement