TAO-Pilipinas

Typhoon Pedring wrecked havoc to our partner communities especially in Navotas. Immediately after the typhoon, TAO-Pilipinas conducted a damage assessment to our partner communities in Navotas. Site visits were done in the communities of  Barangay Tanza and Barangay Tangos. To view a copy of the Post-Pedring Assessment done by TAO-Pilipinas in our partner communities in Navotas, please follow this link.

We are also conducting relief operations to these Navotas communities. In light of this, we are asking for donations that we could give to our partner communities. Monetary donations can be deposited to our bank account with the following bank details:

Monetary donations will be used to buy construction materials for house repairs. You may also donate by giving food packages such as noodles, canned goods, sacks of rice; clean and usable clothes and blankets; old tarpaulins; and usable pots and pans. You can drop off your donations at our office in 27-A Matiyaga St. Barangay Central, Diliman, Quezon City. For further questions on how you can help our partner communities, you can email your inquiries at info@tao-pilipinas.org or tao_phil@yahoo.com

We would also like to extend our gratitude to all those who have already donated and helped in our initial relief efforts. Photos of the relief operation will be posted soon.

*Editor’s Note: a more updated version of the Post-Pedring Assessment is given in the 2nd issue of HSE Update, just follow this link to the HSE Website*

At the start of the new millennium, TAO-Pilipinas ventured into development work armed only with idealism, passion, and commitment to help the poor. A decade later, these qualities still burn but it has been tempered with experience and strengthened with the knowledge of the relevance of its existence in the field of development work and the support of its partners.

Its 10th Anniversary celebration last August 24 included a thanksgiving mass, launching of publications, forum, and the signing of the deed of sale for the Angat Relocation project. His Excellency Most Reverend Broderick S. Pabillo, D.D. Auxiliary Bishop of Manila officiated the thanksgiving mass and Arch. Ning Encarnacion-Tan, TAO Board of Trustee welcomed the guests and partners. Five publications were launched: Gabay sa Pagsasanay sa Community-based Solid Waste Management; Integrating Disaster Risk Management in Site Planning and House Design in Resettlement Projects Manuscript; Polyeto ng Alternatibong Materyales at Teknolohiya Blg. 1-6; TAO Shelter Issue No. 10 Anniversary Issue; and Beyond Shelter: Architecture and Human Dignity where Arch. Arlene Christy Lusterio was a contributor on the chapter on Sustainable Communities: Avoiding Disaster in the Informal City. The forum “Aiming for Sustainable Human Settlements Development in the Time of Climate Change” had as guest speakers TAO Board of Trustees President Laura T. David, Ph.D. who presented Understanding Climate Change and its Impact on Human Settlements Development and TAO Advisory Board member and mentor Fr. Jorge Anzorena who presented Africa highlighting people’s initiatives towards sustainable housing and infrastructure development in several communities. This was followed by a lively discussion in the open forum.

The theme, reflecting the optimism and commitment to service of the organization for the poor culminated with the signing of the deed of sale for the Masagana Resettlement Project in Angat, Bulacan, a bold step for TAO-Pilipinas and its partner people’s organization MASAGANA, towards the realization of the vision of sustainable human settlements development.

The event was held at Torre Venezia Hotel in Timog and attended by around 70 people—representatives from partner NGOs (37), the private sector, academe, and professional groups (14) and TAO Board of Trustees, Advisory Board, and staff.

Below are just some of the photos from the anniversary celebration:

The YP Program is still accepting applicants for the 2011 YP Workshop entitled, Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction in Community Planning and Development. Deadline is extended until September 16, 2011.

The Young Professionals (YP) Workshop on Social Housing is a capability-building activity organized annually by TAO-Pilipinas to orient young design professionals about social housing, with different thematic focus every year. It targets young design professionals/students who are interested in working on issues that affect poor communities, particularly their shelter needs. It aims to develop social commitment and promote YP involvement in participatory processes with poor communities in need of technical professional services. Done in coordination with TAO’s partner NGOs and people’s organizations, the program provides venues for direct community-professional interaction. TAO has organized four cycles of the Young Professionals Workshop in Social Housing with the following themes and immersion areas: participatory community planning (Metro Manila) in 2005; community-based disaster risk management (Infanta, Quezon Province) in 2006; building sustainable communities in resettlement sites (Albay Province) in 2008; and water supply and sanitation (Metro Manila) in 2009.

The application form is available for download at this link. Filled-up application form can be emailed to yp.taopilipinas@gmail.com or fax to 441-0998. To know more about the program of activities for the 2011 YP Workshop, please visit the YP Website.

TAO-Pilipinas, Inc. was able to attend the 1st Philippine Urbanization Forum organized by the Partnership of Philippine Support Service Agencies (PHILSSA) through its representatives Arlene Christy Lusterio, Angelus Maria Sales, and Verna Lucia Sarraga. The event was a two-day program held last May 25 and 26, 2011 at the new GT Toyota Asian Cultural Center in UP Diliman.

The forum’s theme was entitled “Emerging Partnership Models and Innovations for Secure and Sustainable Settlements”. As part of the forum, booths were also set up to showcase the various exhibits and products made by selected PHILSSA members and partner communities. During the first day of the forum, Vice-President Jejomar Binay was invited to give the keynote address for the said event. In his address, he highlighted the public-private partnership model as one of the major housing strategy being utilized by the current government.

The first day of the forum was structured to follow a macro to micro level approach. Partnership models between civil society organizations and national government agencies were the first to be presented followed by those in the local government. The first speakers were Mr. Froilan Kampitan, Assistant General Manager of the National Housing Authority (NHA), and Arch. Sarah Redoblado of ALTERPLAN and PHILSSA. The duo presented and discussed the budget partnership agreement between NHA and PHILSSA. Mr. Kampitan discussed the responsibilities of PHILSSA which includes assessing and evaluating of specific NHA programs. He also enumerated the different principles of constructive engagement that govern the partnership of NHA and PHILSSA. Arch. Redoblado, on the other hand, discussed the reason behind the budget partnership with NHA and the objectives set by PHILSSA. She also recounted the lessons learned by PHILSSA from its budget partnership with NHA.

Left to right: Asst. General Manager Froilan Kampitan, Arch. Sarah Redoblado, and Sec. Corazon “Dinky” Soliman during the open forum

The next set of speakers came from people’s organizations (POs) and a representative from the Dept. of Interior and Local Government (DILG). Together, they discussed the partnership between DILG and POs in working as the Technical Working Group on Evictions/Informal Settlements. But since the DILG representative was late their set was moved in the afternoon and taking their place was Sec. Corazon “Dinky” Solomon of the Dept. of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). She first discussed the vision, mission, and mandate of DSWD and then proceeded in talking about the engagement of DSWD with urban poor sector. The highlight of her discussion was the convergence framework used by her agency to help the urban poor sector. The DSWD Convergence Program was aptly named “tatsulo”. It is a 3-point program targeting different urban poor sectors. Included in this program is the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program which targets the poorest of poor families. She also enumerated the various kinds of engagement being done by her agency such as conduct of anti-corruption campaign, technical trainings of beneficiaries, implementation of feedback and monitoring mechanisms, and projects on anti-poverty.
Continue Reading »

TAO-Pilipinas, Inc. opens the Call for Sponsorship/Donation to all private, business, and commercial institutions that are interested to partner and/or support non-profit initiatives toward sustainable human settlements development as an extension of their drive towards socially responsive corporate practice.

TAO-Pilipinas (Technical Assistance Organization), Inc. is a women-led, non-profit, non-government organization of technical professionals working in the field of architecture, engineering, environmental planning and social development. With a vision of sustainable human settlements development, TAO-Pilipinas, Inc. extends technical assistance to organized poor communities. Through its four programs, TAO extends technical services in physical planning and design, capability-building, research and information dissemination and by networking with other sectors to source manpower, financial and material resources to address human settlements-related needs. For more information about our programs and projects please visit www.tao-pilipinas.org.

As we celebrate our 10th Anniversary this August 20th, TAO plans a series of activities that will sum-up its 10 years in service and partnership with organized poor communities and NGOs in the housing sector. The celebration entitled “Sampung TAO(n) na po kami: Tuloy ang Serbisyo at Saya.”, will kick-off with a Photo Exhibit – a documentation of TAO projects showing high quality, expert-selected photographs of events, people and places; and a Product Exhibit and sale showcasing products (organic vegetables and handicrafts) produced by TAO partner communities and NGOs. The event will culminate with the launching of ten (10) publications authored by the women behind TAO-Pilipinas, Inc. and ten (10) lectures.
Continue Reading »