by Irish John Avis and Aira Joy C. Delos Angeles
On July 12, 2026, the UP Resilience Institute (UPRI), through the RURBANISE Project, conducted the RURBANISE Innovation Workshop with the SMART Tower Homeowners Association (HOA) in Muntinlupa City, in collaboration with the Technical Assistance Movement for People and Environment, Inc. (TAMPEI), the Homeless People’s Federation Philippines, Inc. (HPFPI), and LinkBuild, Inc. The activity was joined by Architect and EnP Louie Posadas, Executive Director of TAMPEI; Ms. Ma. Theresa L. Carampatana, Community Organizer and National President of HPFPI; Architect and EnP Maria Lourdes “May” Domingo-Price, Executive Director of LinkBuild, Inc. and Vice President of TAMPEI; and Architect and EnP Villa Mae Libutaque-Ebreo, Project Development and Coordination Manager of LinkBuild, Inc., together with members of the SMART Tower Homeowners Association (HOA). The collaborative activity focused on supporting the community’s relocation planning through practical relocation strategies, hazard-informed decision-making, and sustainable community development.
Sharing Practical Insights on Relocation Planning
Representatives from TAMPEI, HPFPI, and LinkBuild shared practical insights on the different considerations involved in land acquisition and relocation planning. The discussion highlighted the importance of adopting a realistic and comprehensive approach that considers social, political, economic, and logistical factors when identifying a relocation site. The session also emphasized that while the relocation process may present various challenges, it is attainable through proper preparation, collaboration, and collective efforts among community members and stakeholders. Participants were encouraged to work together in navigating the different stages of relocation and to identify practical approaches that respond to the community’s needs and circumstances.
The workshop likewise covered key preparations for relocation, including the processing of registration documents, sustaining the community’s savings program, and identifying strategies to support the community’s basic needs throughout the relocation process.
Guiding Hazard-Informed Relocation Decisions
Meanwhile, Mr. Irish Avis, UPRI-RURBANISE Project Coordinator, delivered the session, “Moving to a Safer Home: A Guide to Relocation Sites,” which emphasized the importance of hazard-informed decision-making in identifying suitable relocation areas. The presentation discussed natural hazard-related considerations, including earth-, wind-, fire-, and water-related hazards, while highlighting the need to balance land affordability with safety. It also clarified the distinction between market value and zonal value, emphasizing that market value is not equivalent to zonal value and that land price should not be the sole consideration when selecting a relocation site. Instead, the session underscored that safety and resilience are fundamental to achieving sustainable relocation outcomes.
Concluding the Innovation Workshop Series
The SMART Tower HOA workshop concluded the RURBANISE Innovation Workshop series, marking SMART Tower HOA as the seventh and final homeowners’ association (HOA) to participate in the initiative. Previous workshops were conducted with communities in Kidapawan City, Davao City, Mandaue City, Labo, Camarines Norte, Iloilo City, and Valenzuela City, further expanding the initiative’s reach in strengthening community-based resilience across urban and peri-urban communities in the Philippines.
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About the RURBANISE Project
The RURBANISE Project is a multi-sectoral research initiative supported by the Climate Adaptation and Resilience (CLARE) Programme—a partnership between the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
RURBANISE brings together six consortium partners, each contributing distinct expertise toward a shared advocacy: strengthening effective responses for climate adaptation and resilience that acknowledge and build upon the lived experiences and capacities of residents of informal settlements in the Philippines amid rapid urbanization and intensifying climate risks.
Consortium Partners
Lead Organization: Technical Assistance Movement for People and Environment, Inc. (TAMPEI)
International Academic Partner: University of Sheffield Urban Institute
Community-Led Housing: Homeless People’s Federation Philippines, Inc. (HPFPI) through Philippine Action for Community-led Shelter Initiatives, Inc. (PACSII)
Environmental Research: Institute of Environmental Science for Social Change (ESSC)
Strategic Planning and Resilience: University of the Philippines Resilience Institute (UPRI) through University of the Philippines Public Administration Foundation, Inc. (UPPAF), and the School of Urban and Regional Planning (SURP) through Planning and Development Research Foundation, Inc. (PLANADES)
Through this collaborative framework, RURBANISE advances participatory research, environmental science, strategic planning, and community-led innovation—ensuring that resilience-building efforts remain inclusive, evidence-based, and grounded in local realities.
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Related Articles on the RURBANISE WP4 Innovation Workshop:
- RURBANISE Innovation Workshop Launches in HOA 1 Resettlement, Kidapawan City
- Mapping a Safer Future Across Generations in Nalumville, Davao City
- Bridging Local Expertise and Technical Innovation to Strengthen Multi-Hazard Preparedness and Community-Based Early Warning Systems in Mandaue City, Cebu
- Transforming Community Knowledge into Action Through Participatory Mapping and Weather Sensor Development in CASIDHAI Community, Labo, Camarines Norte
- Building Community-Based Climate and Disaster Resilience Through Participatory Mapping and Weather Sensor Activities in the KABALAKA HOA Community, Iloilo City
- ULHOA in Valenzuela City Translates Community Priorities into Climate and Disaster Resilience Strategies through the RURBANISE Innovation Workshop