About a hundred stakeholders from different sectors participated in the Validation Workshop of the Makati Risk-Sensitive Urban Redevelopment Planning last 24 July 2009 at the Barangay Hall of Bel-Air in Makati City. Majority represented grassroots organizations in Barangay Rizal which include tricycle drivers/operators associations, church groups, senior citizens, youth groups, and women’s groups. They were joined by zone leaders, barangay and city officials, and EMI Project Implementation Team members (PIT).

The Validation Workshop began with a role playing exercise which sought to infuse a better understanding of earthquake risk that local communities are faced with. The story plot was based on Earthquake Scenario No. 8 (magnitude 7.2) of the Metro Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study (MMEIRS). Ms. Lynn Melosantos of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) facilitated a small group workshop followed by a plenary reporting and discussions. Local stakeholders reported on key specific actions that they would undertake during and after the earthquake. They also highlighted the need for long-term risk reduction measures which were later on confirmed by members of the EMI PIT as they reported on the findings of the physical risk assessment, risk perception survey, and vulnerability and capacity assessment study.

Through a small group exercise, the participants determined the weights to be assigned to specific validation criteria.  

The Validation Workshop culminated with the awarding of certificates to the EMI staff and consultant led by Chairman Hilario Lorico and Brgy. Coun. Myrna Ambos of Brgy Rizal.

EMI presented the preliminary results of its site analysis to local stakeholders at a validation workshop held in Makati City Hall on May 19, 2009.  The findings were based on a series of surveys that EMI has conducted from January to May 2009, covering the first half of the FFO project’s 2nd Phase.

EMI reported that majority of the surveyed structures in Bgy. Rizal (86% of 1,150 buildings) did not have plan and building irregularities or other forms of structural distress such as soft/weak storey, out of plane offsets, possible pounding effect, etc.  A transportation network study also noted the community’s lack of sidewalk space, well-paved albeit narrow surfaces, inadequate road signage, presence of stalled and parked vehicles, and lack of guidance for traffic circulation and management, resulting in serious traffic congestion at key entry and exit points especially during peak hours.

Moreover, the vulnerability and capacity assessment survey revealed that only 15.72% of the 2,500 households live below the poverty line. This, in spite of the community’s high unemployment rate at 56.1%.  The survey also identified 38 persons with disabilities and 247 individuals suffering from severe illnesses who may need special attention in the event of a disaster.
Many of the respondents (43%) believed that fire is the biggest risk that they face, followed by earthquake (20%), and floods (18%). In terms of earthquake impact, 30% claimed to have no idea while 33% expected injuries; 14%, house damage; and 10%, death.  

[For more details about the findings, please get in touch with Dr. Marqueza Reyes, Project Task Leader]

More than 60 participants from Barangay Rizal, Makati City Government, PHIVOLCS and EMI attended the validation workshop.
EMI is currently wrapping up its analysis of the survey results, which will be used for the visioning and goal-setting exercise planned in June. The Makati Redevelopment Planning project is scheduled to be completed by the end of December 2009.