BY GIO TANUDTANUD
AN ENVIRONMENTAL group has launched a study to determine the walkability of the cities of Davao, Digos, and Tagum.
During the Kapihan sa PIA at SM Ecoland, last Feb 12, Jay Rafael Segovia, partnership building officer of IDIS, said they partnered with Ateneo de Davao University and Davao City Planning and Development Office to undertake a new study to enhance pedestrian mobility and ensure a safe, convenient, and enjoyable for citizens in the cities.
The Call for Citizen Scientists Assessment by IDIS will look at situations, conditions, and walkability in the three cities.
Volunteers for this assessment will become citizen scientists and their evaluations of the existing walkability in current urban infrastructures will also help them to develop strategic urban designs and policies.
Justin Joshua Pungyan, IDIS environmental research officer, said the study is necessary considering the rising number of commuters in urban areas, transport accommodations, and car-centric roads that cause high carbon emissions.
“And so we want to assess because this will help us advocate for walking as a form of sustainable transportation,” he said, adding that they also observe how pedestrians walking on roads due to sidewalk obstacles is normalized.
Segovia invited everyone to become a citizen scientist and participate in the assessment to help the future of walkability in Davao. The ongoing assessment welcomes students, professionals, and citizens to evaluate the pedestrian walkability of the city streets and helps create a pedestrian-friendly city.
“In this endeavor, whether you are a student eager to further change, or a professional with a passion for urban planning, or a concerned citizen deeply invested in our city’s future, your involvement matters,” he said.
Volunteers can apply via the link and a QR code to register provided on the official IDIS Facebook page. The online application started last Feb. 9 and the deadline will be on Feb 23. An orientation for the volunteers will be followed on Feb. 26. They will simultaneously assess Davao, Digos, and Tagum from March 1 to 31.
