[ manilastandardtoday.com ] January 15-16, 2011
CONSTRUCTION of a disaster-resistant eco-village in Quezon City designed by a group of international architects is on its way to provide climate change-proof housing for informal settlers of Metro Manila.
Yolanda Reyes, chairman of the United Architects of the Philippines Foundation and former dean of the University of Sto. Tomas’ Architecture Department, said architects Alan Cruz of San Miguel Properties, Eleena Jamil of Malaysia, Albert Dubler of France.
Luis Enrique Cardiel of Mexico, William Higgins of the United States of America and Ian Atfield of New Zealand have found a solution to develop homes, schools and buildings that can stand threats of disasters, such as flood, caused by climate change.
She said Quezon City is the pilot area of the project to benefit informal settlers.
“This is the first affordable and climate change resilience housing community to be built this year at the cost of P400,000 per unit,” she told the Manila Standard.
She said the private partnership via the Design Against the Elements project is part of their effort to help the government address squatting.
“Quezon City is the first locality to offer land,” she said, “San Miguel Properties will fund the construction of four-story, medium-rise buildings and the manpower.”
The group welcomes the cooperation of other stakeholders, such as the Gawad Kalinga Foundation and Habitat for Humanity, she noted.
Iliac Diaz of My Shelter Foundation said the first green, affordable and disaster-proof homes have been selected from 119 architectural designs from over 30 countries, including the Philippines.
“The goal is to plan for homes and communities that can withstand the rigors of the country’s typhoons and floods, made worse by the increasingly alarming effects of climate change,” he said. Rio N. Araja
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