TAO-Pilipinas

TAO-Pilipinas, Inc. is looking for a Project Assistant for its Post Ketsana Rehabilitation Infrastructure Project. The main tasks will involve design, development and construction supervision of small infrastructures specifically evacuation center, foot bridge and handrail. Applicants can be recent graduates preferably of architecture or with knowledge in design and construction of institutional buildings and small community infrastructures. The following experiences are preferred:

• Experience and knowledge of the institutions and processes of the NGO system in the Philippines;
• Experience in participatory planning and design; and construction supervision desirable.
• Experience in direct community interaction related to human settlements and environment issues and disaster risk reduction is an advantage.

All interested applicants should read carefully the terms of reference for this job position before applying. The TOR is available at this link.  Applications may be sent through email or fax. Include the Vacancy Announcement Number HS/E-001-2011 in the subject heading.

Applicants must submit the following documents:

1. Application Letter
2. Curriculum Vitae
3. Two (2) recommendation letters from former employers or professors.
4. Include preferred salary.

Applications will be acknowledged where an e-mail address has been provided. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgment within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received.

All short listed candidates will be notified on or before August 5, 2011.

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.
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PRIVILEGE SPEECH OF IFUGAO REP. TEDDY BRAWNER BAGUILAT
House of Representatives
06 June 2010

I would like to address you today on the various violations to the civil and political and collective rights my fellow indigenous peoples in the country brought to the attention of my committee. Majority of the said cases that we investigated involves irregularities in the implementation of the FPIC requirement of many mining applications and the adverse impacts of mining to indigenous communities.

Through our strong struggle to defend our lands, we have survived the colonial rule of the Spaniards and the Japanese. But our communities have continuously been subjected to development aggression and oppressive policies that left us disenfranchised and dispossessed of our lands to which our life is rooted in. This is evidenced by the fact that indigenous communities are essentially still at the fringes of society economically, socially and politically.

In the history of our country, congress has only recently acknowledged and recognized indigenous peoples rights with the passage of RA 8371 the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997. The government also voted in favor of the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in September 2007. But even with the IPRA and the UNDRIP, our survival as indigenous peoples is all the more threatened and violated at present because of the relentless pursuit of corporations and the government for access and control over our lands, territories and resources.

At present, the government’s policy on mineral resources and its program on mining in particular is one of the biggest threats to peace and development in indigenous peoples territories. The government’s obsession for “mining at all costs” stems from the perpetuation of PGMA Executive Order 270-A issued on January 2004 which provided for guiding principles for the revitalization of the mining industry. This EO has led government agencies to violate the indigenous peoples right to Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) recognized in the IPRA but undermined by none other than the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) with their issuance and implementation of the 2006 NCIP Guidelines on Free, Prior and Informed Consent which has been criticized by indigenous peoples leaders and their support groups as more favorable to mining corporations and violative of the right to self determination of indigenous peoples. 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.
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TAO-Pilipinas is looking for volunteers, preferably a group of civil engineering or architecture students who represent a university-based student organization, to work with us on the Shelter Improvement Schemes for a community in Tangos, Navotas. The project is one of the ACCA-funded small upgrading projects that TAO facilitates. What will be done by the YP Volunteer Group includes ocular assessment of houses identified for repair, interview with household members, and development of schemes for house repair with cost estimates. If your group is interested to work on this project, please email Arch. Ge Matabang .