Palafox Associates has launched “Philippines 2050: A First-World Country, a First-World Economy.” The architectural firm celebrated its 35th anniversary at the Rockwell Club, while promoting its campaign for the Philippines to be one of the leading economies by the year 2050.

Spearheaded by one of the country’s most respected and multi-awarded urban planners, Architect Felino “Jun” Palafox Jr., the advocacy aims to move the country forward—one smart city at a time.

This not only means better infrastructure, but also better and more efficient transportation systems that will especially cater to the most populous areas of the country.

The plan to build “sustainable, smart, and resilient cities” is the main thrust of the company’s advocacy as it marks 35 years of planning and developing some of the most impressive and efficient structures and townships in over 40 countries all over the world.

What the city of Dubai is today is one of the milestones achieved by the firm’s founder in the late 1970s. The barren desert land was “a hundred years behind the Philippines,” Palafox recalls, but is now one of the most beautiful cities in the world. “They are now probably 100 years ahead of us.”

The Goldman Sachs Group, as well as HSBC, projects that the Philippines will place 16th in the world’s top economies. The architectural firm has formed collaborations at both local and national levels, as well as with private stakeholders in order to move the vision along.

Transport system development has been placed at the forefront of the plan for the country, to go hand-in-hand with land expansion and progress.

Oftentimes in the past, the concept of integrating proper transportation system and efficient mobility into the master infrastructure plan is overlooked. Palafox describes forming “seamless connectivity from north to south, and east to west, across modes of transport.”

Giving other mobility options such as world-class ferry, bus, and railway systems is an essential part of the master plan in order to provide convenience and better accessibility for commuters to get from point A to point B.

These various options for travel will correspondingly alleviate congestion in populous cities. Provisional stops for uniquely Filipino modes of transport (such as jeepneys and pedicabs) are also included in the thrust for building efficient urban spaces.