TAO-Pilipinasyoungprofessionalsprogram ee--nneewwsslleetttteerr MARCH – APRIL 2012 Residents cross the newly‐retrofitted wooden bridge at Isla Pulo, Tanza . Through community self‐help and fund support for construction materials, the bridge was In this issue: repaired and made more disaster resilient. Photo by Verna Sarraga (more photos on Bridge retrofitting at Pulo page 2) Livelihood development training Lund students on field study PMPI general assembly at Baguio www.ypws.tao‐pilipinas.org TAO Projects: Bridge retrofitting completed Masagana Resettlement us.” come to to especially the poor, the people, ask Project CA Post-Ketsana Rehab in Pulo, Tanza Program Community planning at Bgy. Doña Imelda, QC FOLLOWING A SERIES OF DRR WORKSHOP AND ACTION PLANNING CONDUCTED last YP Reading List: November and December, SAMASAISIP (Samahan ng mga Maralita sa Isla D. Owen’s Green Metropolis Sitio Pulo) completed in January the self‐help retrofitting of the wooden O. Pamuk’s Istanbul bridge in their community. The bridge retrofitting, along with earth dike repairs, came about as proposed structural measures for disaster risk Announcements: reduction (DRR) during the community consultations. The dike and bridge 2011 YP Workshop Report New provide access for the island‐community and a critical emergency evacua‐ interns TAO-Shelter Call for than rather to the people go us to for is time “It Articles on Resettlement Pls. turn to page 2. TAO sponsors livelihood development training for partner POs TAO-PILIPINAS LAUNCHED ITS LIVELIHOOD DEVELOPMENT TRAINING PROGRAM ON January 28, 2012 with an initial hands-on training on liquid soap “The real authority of a judge making held at the TAO office. The program seeks to provide TAO’s is moral, and the source of that partner people’s organizations (POs) with practical skills and authority is the character of the judge. opportunities for livelihood development. Among those who attended the training were representatives from Masagana of Navotas ‐ Retired Supreme Court Justice Vicente V. TAO‐YPP E‐newsletter Neighborhood Association, Samahan ng Maliliit na Mangangalakal ng Mendoza as quoted in the book Shadow” Marchof Doubt‐April by Marites2012 Vitug/ Pls. turn to page 3. 1 Bridge Retrofitting... (From page 1) tion route especially during typhoons and storm surges. The retrofitting of community infrastructures in Isla Pulo is part of pilot demonstration activities (PDA) implemented by TAO‐Pilipinas for the project “Building Disaster Resilient Communities in Flood‐prone Areas” Engr. Harold Aquino facilitates on December 17, funded by Asian Development Bank (ADB). The project includes the conduct 2011 the community assessment of the bridge and of community‐based DRR trainings and formulation and implementation of dike and action plan for their repair and retrofitting. community disaster preparedness and mitigation/adaptation plan. DRR trainings for SAMASAISIP were conducted on November 25‐26, 2011 and community consultation workshops were held on December 17, 2011 where structural and non‐structural DRR measures were outlined. Prior to the actual retrofitting, structural engineering consultant Engr. Harold Aquino from the UP College of Engineering assessed the existing wooden bridge and provided recommendations for retrofitting. He also supervised the hands‐on training on retrofitting on January 20‐21, 2012. ADB representatives conduct site visit at Pulo on The community mobilized a group of volunteers to provide the labor force January 20, 2012 for the retrofitting. Structural supports (wooden posts with concrete foundation and wooden beam joists) were added to strengthen the existing bridge. Additional wood planks and handrails were also placed to make the bridge safer to cross. The repair and retrofitting of small community infrastructures in Isla Pulo is planned to be completed by July 2012. (Ge Matabang) (More information about the project may be viewed at http://beta.adb.org/site/ngos/activities/ngo-build-disaster-resilient-community.) SAMASAISIP volunteers provide manpower support for the bridge retrofitting A series of photos showing the bridge before retrofitting (photos above) and after retrofitting (photos below) TAO‐YPP E‐newsletter March‐April 2012 / 2 TAO sponsors livelihood... (From page 1) R.Domingo, Samahan para sa were grouped and given the Angkop na Pabahay ng San Pablo ingredients and tools to apply the Apostol (SAPSPA), and St. Hannibal soap-making procedure and Empowerment Center (SHEC). make sample products. Trainers from SIGE (Simulaing After the training, TAO Gabay sa Entrepinay) Foundation, discussed with the participants Inc., led by Marilou Casten and the procurement of raw Carmen Gonzaga, served as resource materials/product ingredients, persons for the hands-on training. pricing, packaging, quality control They demonstrated the standard and marketing. They explored the procedures for making three product next steps for the POs to possibly lines: liquid hand soap, dishwashing become suppliers of liquid soap liquid, and fabric softener. Following products for commercial use. (Ge the demonstration, the participants Matabang) Photos at right: (above)trainers from Barangay Holy Spirit demonstrate proper mixture of ingredients to make dishwashing liquid; (below) trainers supervise the hands-on activity Lund University Students on Field Study in Metro Manila FROM FEBRUARY 13 UNTIL MARCH 4, housing project in Mandaluyong City Baseco and the NHA housing project 2012, ten architecture students from for low‐ to middle‐income Filipino in Smokey Mountain and conducted Lund University in Sweden went on a families. This has been the fourth interviews with residents to learn field study of various areas in Metro year that TAO‐Pilipinas facilitated about the culture and way of life of Manila and its nearby provinces the field study program for Lund the people. They visited private (Laguna and Cavite) as part of the University’s Urban Shelter Course. housing developments such as Avida course program “Architecture in Estates by Ayala Land and San Benissa Extreme Environments – Urban The students were a diverse batch by PHINMA Properties. Aside from Shelter”. The students visited housing coming from different countries such interviewing local residents, the projects for low, middle, and high‐ as France, Switzerland, Sweden, architecture students also interviewed income families, museums, and Spain, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Pls. turn to page 4. government agencies involved in USA, and Canada. They went to GK housing such as the National Housing Authority. The study tour was facilitated by TAO‐Pilipinas, Inc. through its Research and Publications program in coordination with the Urban Shelter Course Coordinator, Mr. Johnny Åstrand from the Housing Development and Management of Lund University. The students’ 3‐ week field study in Metro Manila was part of their research activities to complete their design exercise/assignment for the course, a Visiting architecture students with course coordinator Johnny Astrand and Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte at the Quezon City Hall. TAO‐YPP E‐newsletter March‐April 2012 / 3 PMPI holds 4th General regional clusters all over the The General Assembly Assembly in Baguio Philippines met together to proper defined the very discuss issues affecting the being of the Partnership majority of society. with the approval of its organizational manual, The four-day event was development agenda, fully loaded with development frameworks discussions on relevant and resolutions. Of the ten topics including Peace in resolutions presented, Mindanao, Climate Change three priority resolutions and Sendong Experience in on Climate Change, Peace CDO and Iligan, Organic and Sustainable Agriculture Act, Pnoy Agriculture were Engagement of the Urban approved, which defines The welcome presentation during PMPI’s 4th Gen. Assembly Poor, and Entrepreneurship PMPI’s priority issues in in the Fair of Ideas. The Fair addition to Anti-Mining THE PHILIPPINE MISEREOR PARTNERSHIP INC. HELD ITS of Products and Exhibits Campaign for the next General Assembly in the City of Pines with the showcased local produce three years. Letters of theme “Harnessing faith, culture and integrity of from the different regions in support to regional issues creation towards a renewed peace and development the country and local efforts in Aurora (APECO), Leyte paradigm”. On February 27 up to March 1, two and achievements in (Eco-tourism), and Davao hundred eighty-four (284) organizations from 15 development. Pls. turn to page 5. Lund University Students... (From page 3) technical professionals and visited housing design assignment. One of the the offices of the United Architects of groups employed a landscape-based the Philippines, Palafox Associates, concept and a more organic approach to and TAO-Pilipinas, Inc. to get a their design, while another took on a glimpse of what kind of work city building/master planning architects in the Philippines do. They perspective to their proposal. Another also visited Casa Manila, San group conceptualized various design Agustin Museum, and the options for multi-family dwellings. The Malacañang Palace Museum to have design schemes were critiqued by a more information about the history of panel composed of representatives from the Philippines. the government housing sector and the academe. The students will be After a field visit to the actual site finalizing the schemes when they go of their design assignment, the back to Sweden to complete the Urban architecture