by Ma. Teresa Montemayor/Philippine News Agency
MANILA — The urban poor and victims of natural and man-made calamities can now face life’s challenges and be prepared for future disasters with the basic disaster risk reduction and management skills they have learned from the Moving Urban Poor Communities Towards Resilience, or Move Up Project.
In an open forum in Manila on Thursday, Move Up Project consortium manager, Chrisnobe Cruz, said the project began in 2016 and its first phase focused on the identification of disaster-prone urban areas and creation of sustainable livelihood in the cities of Malabon, Quezon, and Valenzuela. Its second phase focused on the replication of such activities in the cities of Caloocan and Navotas.
“It aims to help 20 barangays, five cities and 45,000 individuals as the beneficiaries. It wants to empower communities and create a sustainable environment that will support these empowered communities,” he added.
Funded by the European Union Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, it aims to empower and assist communities to become more resilient against both natural and man-made calamities, such as earthquakes, typhoons, and fire.
It includes three interventions — design and employment of alternative temporary shelters (ATS), provision of mechanisms and strategies for resilient and sustainable livelihood, and institutionalization of resilience initiatives through evidence-based advocacy.
Cruz explained that the ATS is the provision of adequate, dignified and safe space in the aftermath of major disasters, especially for the urban poor, and it ensures that the affected communities will survive moving forward.
Rodel Lobo, barangay captain of Tatalon in Quezon City, who also attended the forum, said he never thought that the ATS system will not work in his area because it looks like an ideal setup.
“But last year, our district was badly hit by a typhoon and we were able to use a model of the ATS that can house six to eight members of families each. Now, our vision is to have evacuation centers with ATS models,” he said, adding that the modern shelter design provides the evacuees privacy as they stay in the evacuation centers during calamities.
Cruz said the project is implemented in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development – National Capital Region, United Architects of the Philippines – Emergency Architects (UAP-EA), Alyansa ng Mamamayang Taga-Malabon, and Pambansang Kalipunan ng mga Manggagawang Pangmasa ng Pilipinas.
Meanwhile, UAP-EA head architect, Jose Miranda, said collaboration among the national government, local governments, and the private sector is important in providing progressive solutions to problems caused by natural and man-made disasters.
“We need to have shelters, which are readily available within the 24 hours when the calamity happens. There should be a system and the local government units (LGUs) must be prepared. Our group presents progressive designs, emergency shelter, which could last for months or up to two years and we look forward that LGUs will adopt them,” he said.
Apart from the ATS, Cruz said Move Up Project members and volunteers train calamity victims and the urban poor to set up and maintain livelihood sources that could support their families during disasters through the projects.
He said a few of these activities include dishwashing liquid formulation, bag weaving, and creation of homemade food products.
“They are also taught different alternative livelihood options. Financial literacy sessions are conducted to increase the awareness of beneficiaries in running their livelihood projects and saving money,” he added.
