Preface

Rapid urban growth, when unmanaged, strains the capacity of local and national governments to provide even the most basic of services such as health, food, shelter, productive employment, and education.

The challenge then is for the national government and most especially the local governments to develop effective policies, programs, and strategies that will help them get the most out of urbanization; to manage urbanization to ensure development.

Efforts at solving urban development problems must be guided by the fact that such problems are inextricably affected by the population and development link, and therefore policy and institutional interventions that address both population and development concerns holistically are required.

The State of the Philippine Population Report 2004 entitled “Urbis 5: Making Cities Work” seeks to explain this relationship and recommends responsive policy interventions that, if implemented, would contribute to good governance and the improved quality of life of Filipinos.

Maraming salamat po!

Tomas M. Osias
Executive Director
Commission on Population