Disaster Risk Reduction of Highly Vulnerable Urban Areas through Urban Re-Development Case Study of Barangay Rizal, Makati, Philippines

The United Nations General Secretary Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction (GAR/DRR) (UNISDR 2009) lists urban risk as one of the key threat to the safety of humanity. It particularly emphasizes the challenge of reducing the impact of disasters on the poor. Yet, the vulnerability of the urban poor is escalating due to pressure from urbanization, the competition for scarce resources, and weaknesses in governance structures. In most cases, vulnerability reduction action resolves to displacing communities from high risk areas. However, these approaches are not always viable. What then are the solutions for reducing the vulnerability of highly-vulnerable poor communities short of the undesirable option of displacing its population elsewhere? This project attempts to find an approach through Risk-Sensitive Urban Redevelopment. This approach combines in a single solution the reduction of risk and the improvements of emergency management capacity, with the improvement of the socio-economic and the living conditions of the residents.

Risk-sensitive urban redevelopment requires a different planning approach that is little known and largely untested elsewhere by planners. The Risk Sensitive Urban Redevelopmen Plan of Barangay Rizal demonstrates how a long-term plan can be developed to guide future development within the ultimate goal of reducing exposure to hazards. The plan was developed using a participatory approach by an integrated team consisting of technical experts, barangay leaders, representatives of the community, and Makati city officials.