Preparing for natural disasters: Your home, your safety

MANILA, Philippines - As the Philippines experiences numerous natural calamities each year – from typhoons, floods, to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions – it is important to know the basics when preparing for natural disasters. Being ready would greatly reduce the risks and harm that a natural calamity might cause. It can save homes and other belongings from damage, and even save lives. 

Italpinas Euroasian Design and Eco-Development Corp., an Italian-Filipino company that designs and develops sustainable properties nationwide, said while these steps are helpful in preventing or minimizing disasters, there are also other factors at play that can further reduce the risks of damage during natural calamities. For instance, the way structures are built and where they are located can have great impact on the safety of their occupants. 

It is important then that property developers and architects should take into consideration the climate and locality of the place when building and designing homes. In essence, structures should be built with the environment in mind.

Buildings should be disaster-resilient and can withstand extreme weather conditions. Through the application of methods and best practices in sustainable development, homes can be more secure and the effects from natural disasters can be mitigated.

Established in 2009, ITPI has been developing properties in key alternative markets with sustainable design features that help lower energy costs for the building. Moreover, its structures are disaster-proof because it takes into consideration the climate and topography of the developments’ sites. Its flagship project, Primavera Residences, for instance, is built at the Pueblo de Oro township of Cagayan de Oro, 110 meters above the flood prone downtown.