TAO-Pilipinas and COPE Foundation Held YP Workshop in Albay, Bicol
Together with COPE Foundation in Bicol, TAO-Pilipinas conducted the Young Professionals Workshop on Social Housing in Legaspi City last January 21-25, 2008 with the theme, “Building Sustainable Communities in the Resettlement Sites of Albay, Bicol.” About 25 participants joined the five-day workshop whose main objective is to bring together technical professionals, affected communities in Albay, the government and NGOs in one forum to discuss resettlement planning and design issues and needs. It also aimed to revive the Bicol Young Professionals as a volunteer technical assistance group for poor communities.
Workshop participants included graduates and students from Bicol University Department of Architecture and Aquinas University Polytechnic Institute. They were joined by representatives from Bicol Urban Poor Coordinating Council (BUPCC) and community associations in the COPE-sponsored housing areas in Anislag Phase 2 and Taysan resettlement sites.
Workshop Program
Like in previous YP workshops, the program was divided into two levels (theoretical and practicum) which allowed the participants to learn from academic and technical experts and gain practical knowledge from community people. Lecture topics were grouped into four sessions: (1) the role of YPs in human settlements development; (2) disasters and sustainable development; (3) resettlement sites in Albay province; and (4) planning for sustainable communities. A field visit to PHIVOLCS’ Mayon Volcano Observatory in Lignon Hill was also made.
Professor Ernesto Serote of UP-School of Urban and Regional Planning, Tanya Guarano of Institute on Church and Social Issues (ICSI), and Eddie Balunso of Bicol University were lecturers during the training sessions held at the DENR Regional Center. Presentations were also made by local officials in Albay like Cedric Daep of the Public Safety and Emergency Management Office, Ed Laguerta of PHIVOLCS, Albert Perfecto of NHA Region 5, and Yolanda Guanzon of PSWDO.
Community Immersion
COPE and the community associations in Anislag Phase 2 Resettlement Site in Daraga and Taysan Resettlement Site in Legaspi facilitated the participants’ 2-day immersion in the resettlement areas. Together with community leaders and residents, the workshop participants conducted resource and hazards mapping activities, focus group discussions and action planning for community improvement. After the community consultations, the YP groups prepared technical recommendations on community space planning and home design improvements. These immersion outputs were also presented before a plenary at the last day of the workshop.
Plenary Presentations
The issues raised in the community consultations underscored the struggles that relocated families have to contend with living in resettlement sites — the lack of site development, basic utilities and community facilities and limited livelihood opportunities for economic sustainability. These physical and economic needs were tackled by the participants during the workshop’s plenary presentations as they proposed actions that would address some of the immediate problems in the community. Mac Pavia of Albay Provincial Planning and Development Office and Dean Virgilio Perdigon of Aquinas served as panel reactors.
Individual reflection sharing by the workshop participants summed up their learnings and impacts of the 5-day activity. Each of the immersion groups also completed a mural painting to illustrate their workshop experience. The YP workshop ended with suggestions for echoing the activities with more young professional-participants and in communities not only in Albay but in other Bicol provinces as well. It was also resolved that the outputs of the workshop serve as an initial technical needs assessment for the Bicol Young Professionals group to formulate its follow-up activities
(This year’s YP Workshop was conducted with funding support from SELAVIP, Misereor, PHILSSA, Christian Aid and partly sponsored by Holcim Philippines, Compucare, Contrade and Tradelifters. The YP Workshop in Bicol documentation will be made available in www.ypws.tao-pilipinas.org.)
