REVISITING MANILA’S COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT PLANS IN PREPARATION FOR CLIMATE CHANGE AND A MORE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GROWTH PATTERN ABSTRACT: The problem of climate-induced natural disasters in Metro Manila has been evident in recent years with such damage to the ecological environment, public infrastructure, private properties, loss of lives, negative impact on economic growth and development, with Manila being the most vulnerable and at risk.  Other issues related to planning such as gentrification, destruction of historic structures, informal settlements and reclamation continue to pose major challenges to Manila. The "climate/disaster proofing” planning processes as approach to land use planning can mitigate its negative impacts.  International best practices related to this method and other planning models such as sustainable design, transit-oriented development can also be applied. The proposed policy recommendations through proper zoning, identification of protected areas and conservation easements, revitalization of historic districts, and identification of priority programs/projects can serve as inputs to Manila's Comprehensive Land Use Plan and Zoning Ordinance towards a more disaster-resilient and sustainable city development. Click here for Presentation Slides Arch./EnP Sylvia D. ClementeUniversity of Santo [email protected]  

Conceptions of Environment & Coexistence according to the Spanish philosopher Leonardo Polo: Implications for Sustainability Education [caption id="attachment_592" align="alignnone" width="300"] Click image to enlarge[/caption]  ABSTRACT The functional integrity of the ecology requires balance between the demands of economic development and the preservation of the ecology and balance in satisfying the needs of current versus future generations: work, collaborative sharing and the care of the earth are at the heart of what it is to be human and are constitutive of the order of divine creation (Barrera, 2010). Ethics of care and concern for specific aspects of the common good seem crucial in any environment, as do personal values, character, and leadership. The ethical influences of human institutions have quite immediate and individual impacts (Racelis, 2014b). We observe that the human person is a being of opportunities, of choices or alternatives, a family and social being, a being who invents, a being capable of unrestricted growth in time. Man’s social being belongs to his manifestative relationship with the world, also referred to as intersubjectivity. Given that the human essence has been created to grow, each person is responsible for rectifying all intersubjective relationships that can inhibit such growth, and nourish those which enable such development (Racelis, 2014a). The Spanish philosopher Leonardo Polo had proposed four “anthropological transcendentals”, namely: (1) Personal Co-existence, (2) Personal Freedom, (3) Personal Intellection, and (4) Personal Love (Sellés, 2013). Co-existence is not mere living with, dwelling in or coinciding with, but rather it refers to the personal being’s being personally open in his intimacy. Polo (1997) says: “Loyalty and justice are conditions for the coexistence of free systems. But there is more: truthfulness, friendship, the most important of the virtues according to Aristotle. Polo (1991) likewise emphasizes that the human being, no matter what his journeys and difficulties, can always grow; he grows to the measure that his acts are good. Hence, the importance of the moral virtues. Since vigorous and deliberate reforms are needed to sustain broad-based long-term prosperity and sustainability, this paper shall draw implications of Polo’s conceptions of co-existence, freedom, culture and environment for the research and study of paths to long-term prosperity and sustainability education. Click here for Presentation Slides Dr. Aliza Racelis (University of the Philippines)[email protected] 

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1. Event: 19th Sustainable Shared Growth Seminar 2. Host: Sekiguchi Global Research Association (SGRA) 3. Co-Host: School of Urban and Regional Planning, University of the Philippines 4. Co-Organizers: College of Architecture University of the Philippines, School of Economics University of Asia and the Pacific 5. Date: February 10, 2015 6. Venue: School of Urban and Regional Planning, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City 7. Theme: The Urban-Rural Gap and Sustainable Shared Growth 8. Brief Description: The Philippines is in dire need of achieving shared growth, whereby there is a good balance between efficiency and equity. With the onset of significant changes in the climate, the environment has also become an important factor. There is, therefore, the urgent need for inter-disciplinary, inter-sectoral, and inter-national discussions and actions that would contribute to sustainable shared growth. One major facet of sustainable shared growth is the urban-rural gap, which is manifested in part by the net flow of resources to the city to the detriment of the countryside. While it is in the interest of efficiency that urban development is promoted, this should not overly sacrifice the other goals of equity and environment. This discussion need not be limited to the level of urban-rural but could also be extended to any level where there the centralization vs. decentralization issue becomes relevant to the KKK discussions. [Note: KKK stands for Kahusayan (Efficiency), Katarungan (Equity), and Kalikasan (Environment)] In this sense, urban could be taken as the core, and rural as the periphery. 9. Program: 0800-0830: Registration 0830-0900: Philippine and Japan Flag Ceremony, and Opening Talk by Dr. Max Maquito (SGRA / Temple University Japan Campus) 0900-1015: "Agricultural Development" managed by Dr. Jane Toribio, Department of Agrarian Reform 1015-1045: Coffee Break 1045-1200: "Agri-Industry Linkages" managed by Prof. Jovi Dacanay, School of Economics, University of Asia and the Pacific 1200-1300: Lunch 1300-1415: "Renewable Energy" managed by En.P. Grace Sapuay, Solid Waste Management Association of the Philippines 1415-1530: "Planning and Design Initiatives in Disaster-Stricken Areas, Part 1", by Arch. Stephanie Gilles, College of Architecture, University of the Philippines 1530-1600: Merienda 1600-1715: "Planning and Design Initiatives in Disaster-Stricken Areas, Part 2", by Arch. Mike Tomeldan, College of Architecture, University of the Philippines 1715-1730: Closing Remarks SGRA19Poster6