In Philippines' 'city of the future,' smart planning goes green

In 2013, Francis Tolentino, the head of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), sent American best-seller author Dan Brown an outraged open letter.

“We are greatly disappointed by your inaccurate portrayal of our beloved metropolis,” Mr. Tolentino wrote. Mr. Brown’s latest book, “Inferno,” had described the Philippines’ capital as ridden with “six-hour traffic jams” and “suffocating pollution,” no less than “the gates of hell.”

“Truly, our place is an entry to heaven,” Tolentino retorted.  

Many a taxi driver in Manila might disagree. In one of the densest cities in the world, home to more than 13 million, walking can be faster than driving, with traffic jams that cost residents nearly $66 million per day.

When taxi driver Angelo Bertos finds himself stuck in traffic