The value of children's access to safe public space: Building urban children's resilience against the shocks and threats of resettlement in manila, philippines

Abstract

Access to safe public space is essential in underprivileged communities because the children that live there are the most dependent on the resources of their immediate environment. Scholars have shown that accessibility improves resident's health, increases community cohesion, and promotes play. Yet, policymakers, planners, and architects struggle to justify access to safe public space in resource-constrained environments such as resettlement programs. Part I compares two in-city and off-city resettlement communities finding that teenagers in off-city resettlement sites face considerable impediments to access. Part II focuses on 16 teenagers' daily experiences in four off-city resettlement communities concluding that many survive deficient environments by substituting virtual spaces or accessing dangerous spaces.