NEWS AND BLOGS


Meet Alexander and Anders – two interns from Denmark

From February to April we (Alexander and Anders) have been in an internship with ALTERPLAN. We originate from the Danish study Emergency and Risk Management, and is currently on the 4th semester.

We have been assessing the challenges of mitigating or avoiding the hazards that is related to Mount Mayon. We have been doing this by continuous and mutual communication with the stakeholders. This led to a presentation for APSEMO (Albay Public Safety and Emergency Office) to take the necessary steps to completely avoid these hazards.

With our internship we hope that we have contributed with knowledge and other perspectives to ALTERPLAN, among hoping that we have been contributing in making the areas at risk, one step further to a secure and safe environment.

We have also been in close contact with the locals, both on our jobs but also in our free time. This together with our other work has been a very interesting and educational element of our time in the Philippines. It’s a wholesome experience where we got to meet a completely new culture and very nice people, which is not only inspiring, but also deeply relevant for the further personal education. We therefore recommend other interns to get this kind of internship too.

For inquiries please contact us through mail:

Alexander Strømberg
10646664@kp.dk
Anders Larsen
10348475@kp.dk

3 more at-risk Iligan barangays to launch risk-sensitive shelter planning

The City Council of Iligan unanimously voted for a Resolution approving a partnership with ALTERPLAN, DIB, and ICESDev to conduct barangay-level disaster risk-sensitive shelter planning (BDRSSP). The Resolution was signed in March 2020, but activities were put on hold and reworked due to the ongoing health protocols.

Having been redesigned to become blended online-classroom activities, the planning seminars and workshops will start in January 2021, and is targeted for completion in six months. The planning area for this partnership will be the barangays of Tomas Cabili, Ubaldo Laya and Mahayahay. In 2017, ALTERPLAN, DIB and ICESDev concluded an assistance that helped the barangays of Hinaplanon, San Roque and Santiago prepare their own BDRSSPs.

LINK to DRSSP video

Tomas Cabili, Ubaldo Laya and Mahayahay were selected for the planning exercise for their higher exposure to flood hazards, impending displacement of residents due to development of government infrastructure, and the presence of households of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the Marawi siege and from Typhoon Sendong (2011) and other disasters.

Four interrelated types of risks will be discussed in BDRSSP – those brought about by natural hazards, human-induced hazards, climate change, and infectious and contagious diseases.

Mactan Island Multi-purpose Co-operative starts construction on housing project

Mactan Co-op is developing a four-storey condominium building on its property in Barangay Cogon, Lapu-lapu City. Construction started in September 2020. The condominium is designed to house 24 residential units of varying sizes, which will be made available to co-op members for sale or rental.

ALTERPLAN assisted Mactan Co-op with developing financial studies and applications, and coordinating architectural, engineering and construction services, and will go on to assist with securing license to sell, condominium titles, and long-term financing for individual buyers.

Mactan Co-op was founded in 2002 and is based in Lapu-lapu City.

Balete, Batangas residents partner with FAITH Colleges to become first-time homeowners

Seventy-five families residing within the Batangas Greenvale development, who have met certain qualifications, reached an agreement with First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities (FAITH) Colleges for the grant of uniform sizes of homelots. The families had been residing in the area for more than 30 years, most of them as tenants, and had built their own dwelling structures.

FAITH Colleges honored and expanded on the wishes of the Malabanan family, the original landowner, to donate land to their tenants. FAITH committed to on-site development of the community of tenants and other settlers within a 3-hectare area earmarked for affordable housing. The subdivision plan and the Deed of Restrictions are currently being finalized in consultation with the community members. ALTERPLAN Executive Director Sarah Redoblado provided strategic advice and coordination for the preparation of both.

The organization of community members called Samahan ng mga Naninirahan sa Graceville (SNG) has been applied for registration under the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development. The preparation of Constitution and By-laws, as well as the conduct of capacity-building activities for HOA members and officers were facilitated by the Muntinlupa Development Foundation (MDF).

BALIK-PROBINSYA AND URBAN DECONGESTION: Are we learning the wrong lessons from the pandemic?

'The literature on what a post-lockdown world would look like is growing. Balik-Probinsya need not be our dystopian contribution.'

Partnership projects with DIB

Since 2007, DIB has collaborated with Philippine organizations on projects aimed at making communities more resilient to the frequent natural disasters that hit the Philippines.

Premiere of "The Voice of the Displaced"

DIB's new documentary, The Voice of the Displaced, is ready for premiere. The film follows Filipino Johary and his newfound identity as an activist.

Free guest teacher visits

In weeks 9 to 13, DIB offers ten free guest teacher visits in the primary school's oldest classes with film screenings and teaching presentations on creating change projects based on the UN's World Goals.