Assuring recovery in the new year

The year 2013 was one of disasters with the Visayas taking the brunt. The twin terrors of the temblor and typhoon Yolanda wrought unfathomable loss of life, heritage structures, and damage to the economy.

Filipinos are resilient. This is a given, but in the face of the scale and scope of devastation, it is unrealistic to expect quick recovery. The initial rescue and relief have almost run their course, although many areas have yet to get enough attention. In this coming new year, the aspects of recovery and reconstruction will weigh heavy on assuring the Visayas that it will recover and be rebuilt sustainably.

I recently visited Iloilo and Bohol, just two of the hard-hit provinces. The aerial images accompanying this piece were taken with drones, a technology that appears to be a useful tool in disasters like these. There were a number of outfits that flew reconnaissance drones in the Visayas.

The damage and trauma is really hard to describe unless you visit. But such situations can be turned into opportunities. The opportunity for hard-hit cities, towns and provinces is to rebuild and re-plan with sustainability and resilience built into new infrastructure, landscape development, and building architecture.

Back in Manila, I sat in a number of discussions with professionals and their organizations in the fields of architecture, landscape architecture and planning. Members of the groups in the areas affected had already taken things into their own hands, but more focused help is needed in terms of physical re-planning and redesign.

The opportunities to contribute professionally for re-planning and rebuilding have been difficult because of the numerous civic groups and layers of bureaucracy. Some of the professional organizations themselves have appeared to have difficulty in organizing their members for this long-haul effort. It may be a lack of capacity, financial resources, internal politics or the onset of the holidays. This has led to more creative alliances to address the desire of those eager to be of service.

One of these alliances sent me their call to arms via email. I quote liberally from their letter:

“Barely had Yolanda blown through the Visayas… when environmental planners and other like-minded professionals… gathered in cyberspace to find ways to channel expertise and experience towards the task of rebuilding. Realizing the serious planning implications of the devastation and casting aside professional concerns and business interests, we offered to help the best way we can – our professional service.  As volunteers, we sought for a channel through which they can effectively contribute.

“Not finding a means through our some of own professional associations, we banded together to form a volunteer alliance called Alliance for Safe and Sustainable Reconstruction (ASSURE), a non-profit, non-stock corporation. It is born out of the realization that professional assistance is most urgent.

“The alliance is comprised of environmental planners, architects, landscape architects, engineers and related professionals, most of us have extensive experience working with international development organizations such as the UN, World Bank and Asian Development Bank; USAID; AusAID, GIZ (GTZ); JICA among others; national government agencies; local government units; and the private sector including private consulting firms. Many have been directly involved with disaster risk mitigation and climate adaptation work, with some involved in post- Sendong and post-Pablo rehabilitation work.

“Less than two weeks after Yolanda, two of our volunteers were assigned to help in the worst hit areas of Tacloban and Guiuan in conjunction with UN Habitat’s.relief and rehabilitation work in the two areas.

“We volunteers have also chosen Dr. Nathaniel von Einsiedel to serve as convenor and coordinator for the alliance. He served as regional director for Asia-Pacific of the United Nations Urban Management Program, where he supervised technical assistance and capacity building activities in developing Asian countries.

“ASSURE’s primary purpose is two fold: first, to more systematically promote the adoption of the principles and practice of sustainable environmental planning in the preparation and implementation of post-disaster recovery plans; and second, to make available technical assistance in the form of professional services to the government, development partners, aid agencies, and/or private sector groups in carrying out post-disaster reconstruction and rehabilitation work.

“Anticipating that the reconstruction and recovery activities in the affected communities will take several years, ASSURE has adopted related activities of research, competency building on disaster risk mitigation and post-disaster recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction, assistance to local governments in preparation of economic recovery and development plans and formulation of investment promotions programs, provision of financial advisory services for accessing capital markets and other sources of financing disaster risk mitigation and post-disaster recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction, and establishment and operation of information technology systems and information services to support the efforts above.

“Based on these purposes, ASSURE’s services comprise of the following:

• Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) covering infrastructure, social services, local economy, and land and housing.

• City / Municipality Reconstruction and Recovery Plan identifying recovery and reconstruction programs, projects and activities for the immediate-, short-, and medium to long-term. It normally includes spatial and physical planning, to determining which areas are suitable for rebuilding.

• Housing Repair / Reconstruction Assessment and Implementation Strategies. This includes assessment of on-going housing reconstruction activities, assessing the suitability of sites for repair or reconstruction, and preparing strategies for housing activities and broader community.

• New Housing / Relocation Site Assessment and Implementation Strategies. This involves the identification and assessment of potential relocation sites and housing needs, and preparing strategies and guidelines for new housing sites.

• Barangay / Community-Level Assessment and Planning. This involves working directly with barangays or communities to address specific reconstruction and recovery needs and facilitating community design charettes (workshops).

“As an Alliance of professionals… ASSURE also seeks to partner with like-minded organizations, business corporations, international development agencies and NGO’s both local and international.”

Aside from ASSURE, the Philippine Association of Landscape Architects (PALA) officers have informed me of their support for initiatives for soft approaches to risk mitigation via interventions like mangroves and the use of parks for emergency refuge. The Heritage Conservation Society (HCS) is also actively supporting initiatives to address the loss of heritage structures like the churches in Bohol and Cebu.

One thing is for sure, It will take a concerted effort of many groups to see though the next stage for rebuilding the region. I personally sense a lack of organization, collaboration or communication between many groups who express the willingness to contribute. I do hope, with the holiday season behind us, that we all buckle down to work.

Time is not on our side. We must remember that the next typhoon season is just six months away and earthquakes can strike without notice. We should all adopt a sense of urgency and the common sense to set aside intramural squabbles, politics or personal agendas. If we do not, then all we will assure ourselves is nothing but more woe in 2014.

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Feedback is welcome. Please e-mail the writer at paulo.alcazaren@gmail.com