Aftermath of Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana): Exploring Ecotown as a Strategy for

Enhancing Climate Resilience of Metro Manila, Philippines

Victoria Espaldon, Lope Santos III, Alexis Lapiz, Elmer Mercado, Steve Godilano, Allan dela Cruz, Florencia Pulhin, Nic Briones, Emmanuel Lleva,

and Rey Alo

Outline of Presentation• Introduction• Socioeconomic Impacts • Responses to Climate Extremes• Story of Ecotown in Upper Marikina River Basin

Protected Landscape– Components, Process, and People Participation– Selected Results of Vulnerability Assessment– Prioritization of CCA options

• Road Map to Climate Resilience

Image source: http://philippinebelt.comcategory/business-investment

Profile of Typhoon Ondoy

Date: 25-27 September 2009Highest wind speed: 167 km/hTotal fatality: Total 740Damage in Pesos: 11 B

Some Socioeconomic Impacts(IPC 2011, Comiso et al 2014, PIDS 2012)

• Livelihoods and socioeconomic• Social relations and cohesion• Displacement and resettlement• Health impacts

Livelihoods and socioeconomic • Reduction in

income due to loss of assets and capital caused by disaster, resorted to less capital intensive, less stable and less profitable occupations

(Institute of Philippine Culture, 2011)

• Decline of profit among small business

• Overseas income, where available, infuse lost assets and capitals

• Food or cash for work • Conditional cash

transfer• Credit or grants

(IPC, 2011)

Women, youth and children

Housing and relocation

Bayan ni JuanSouthville

Waters from the degraded watersheds of Metro Manila

Some Responses to Typhoon Ondoy

• Insurance sector (Risk Transfer)• Increased public funds allocation to education

and health Services• Enhanced infrastructure design standards• Climate sensitive and responsive governance

(Approval of the Climate Change Act of 2009, DRRM, NCCAP)

ECOTOWN AS A STRATEGY TOWARDS RESILIENCE OF METRO MANILA, PHILIPPINES

The aftermath of Typhoon Ondoy:

What is an ecotown?

A planning unit composed of municipalities or a group of municipalities located within and in the boundaries of critical key biodiversity areas (forest, coastal/marine and fishery, or watersheds), highly vulnerableto climate change risks due to its

geographic location, population and poverty situation (NCCAP, 2014).

Major Findings• The Upper Marikina River Basin Protected

Landscape or UMRBPL experienced rapid transformation from forest cover to built up areas; and open and grasslands from 2004-2012.

• 73% of the area is vulnerable to landslide, erosion and drought (19%) and some areas to both flooding and landslide.

• Population growth is high (2.2%) being close to Metro Manila, and at BAU annual growth rate, population can increase up to 4million by 2050.

• Differential poverty incidence across 5 municipalities, but generally high, hence exposure and sensitivity is very high.

Criteria for Prioritization• Urgency • No regrets option• Efficiency• Equity and social

acceptability• Sustainability

• Replicability and scalability

• Environmental impacts• Timing• Level of implementation• Bottom up vs top down

A list of adaptation and mitigation measures were generated from different consultations and later prioritized.

Investments for prioritized projects were finalized.

Summary of Process1. Conduct of integrated vulnerability assessment;2. Identification of specific vulnerabilities by specific geographic area;3. Identification of key climate change adaptation measures based on

experts opinion, local government officials and key community leaders;

4. Identification and prioritization of key criteria for selection of priority measures;

5. Ranking of priority activities by local experts, key informants and members of local communities using multiple criteria; and

6. Development of project profiles and Cost Benefit Analysis.

Reforestation and rehabilitation of the watershed, growing of suitable species for agro-forestry, cultivation of plant varieties, and forest protectionEnforcement of environmental laws and regulations, covering forest protection, land use conversion, clean air, clean water and ecological solid waste managementBuilding the capacity of LGUs and communities

Strengthening information and knowledge management system

Climate proofing of physical infrastructure

Strengthening disaster preparedness of LGUs and communities

Mainstreaming gender concerns and establish additional health facilities

Rationalizing human settlements management

Ensuring energy sufficiency and efficiency to lessen GHG emission

Implementing integrated waste management

Sustainable Livelihood and Economic Development

Clean energy sources

Revived forest and efficient environmental management

Regulated built-up areas

ClimateResilience and Green Growth in UMRBPL

Mainstreaming of CCA/DRRM in CLUP ,Local Development Plan and AIP

Enhancement of UMRBPL PA Management Plan

Updating of Provincial Physical Development and Framework Plan

Multi-stakeholders Participation through PAMB

Strategic Development Frameworktowards Climate Resilience and Green Growth

CONCLUSION• The road towards climate resiliency for Metro Manila can

be achieved under 5 conditions: using watershed as basisfor overall planning, site specific vulnerabilities can bedetermined; rational population management in place,measures are prioritized to address vulnerabilities by localcommunities with local government units well informed byscience and finally integrated into local policies, CLUPsand Annual Investment Plan.

• The participatory process is tedious but it can be worthlocal, national and international Investments. This story,however, is unfolding and needing community basedmonitoring of results of identified programs of action toensure meeting the set goals.

Selected References• Institute of Philippine Culture. 2011. The Social Impacts of

Tropical Storm Ondoy and Typhoon Pepeng. Ateneo de Maniala University. 80 p.

• Israel, Danilo C. and R.M. Briones. 2012. Impacts of Natural Disaster on Agriculture, Food Security and Environment in the Philippines. Philippine Institute for Development Studies. 44 p.

• CCC, ADB, SEARCA and Ergons. 2015. Developing Ecotownas a Strategy for Climate Change Adaptation and Green Growth in the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape. Technical Report.