Climate-resilient urban planning – support for city authorities in the Philippines

The project advised the Philippine government on how to promote adaptation to climate change by means of appropriate policy measures, sustainable urban development plans and designs. With the aim of supporting the National Climate Change Action Plan and Nationally Determined Contributions, the institutional capacities on national and sub-national levels were strengthened to steer urban growth and COVID-19 green recovery by applying low emission and resilience principles and practices. The project enhanced urban and settlement planning guidelines through policy advisory and model implementation activities. Five cities were supported to model resilient urban designs, and balance economic and ecological concerns amidst rapid urbanisation. As part of the IKI Corona Response Package two of these cities were assisted in green recovery from COVID-19 impacts. New policies, standards and practices on resilient urban management, including green recovery, have been developed, documented and published.

Project data

Countries: Philippines
IKI funding: 2,687,706.00 €
Duration: 03/2017 till 12/2022
Status: completed
Implementing organisation: UN-HABITAT
Political Partner: Climate Change Commission (CCC) - Philippines

Department of Interior and Local Governments (DILG) - Philippines

League of Cities of the Philippines

National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) - Philippines

Republic of the Philippines, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD)
Online: https://designingresilience.ph/

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State of implementation/results

Project completed.
The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) led the project´s steering committee.
Trainings on instruments for implementing climate resilient urban planning and design as well as workshops on monitoring and evaluation of climate mitigation measures were conducted for national governmental authorities.
The project contributed to the formulation of a policy framework on resilient and green human settlements (designingresilience.ph/…). In an expert group meeting, experts on public health, energy, culture, youth, and persons with disability contributed to improve the formulation.
A mentoring programme on climate policy and urban development projects was successfully completed by the five partner cities (Angeles, Cagayan de Oro, Legazpi, Ormoc and Tagum).
As part of the IKI Green Recovery Support Package, the project integrated activities to support the economy to recover from the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic. Institutional capacities are strengthened at sub-national and national levels.
On the local level, the project conducted green recovery mentoring sessions and planning workshops in the two pilot cities Ormoc and Tagum. A workshop to develop investment and resource mobilization plans was conducted.
On the national level, training workshops on Resilient and Green Recovery and policy development were conducted to strengthen the capacities of DHSUD planners to guide local government units, homeowners associations and developers to planning and designing climate-resilient plans and programs.
A workshop to improve the DHSUD’s Local Shelter Plan Manual supported the shelter and housing plans of local government units. The event jumpstarted an effort to revise the current manual, integrating climate resilience for shelter plans. (designingresilience.ph/…).
A workshop to improve DHSUD’s draft handbook on development controls was conducted where regional officers, technical staff, and the private sector participated. This output served as a reference material for local government units in implementing Zoning Ordinances (designingresilience.ph/…).
The project conducted a training for DHSUD communication focal persons for communicating and advocating climate resilience and green recovery in human settlements planning and urban management.
Together with DHSUD, a training event at the 11th World Urban Forum on “Applying climate data to inform citywide adaptation actions through urban plans and designs” was staged. This allowed the project to share its knowledge on climate and disaster risk assessments for improving urban planning and design to build resilience (designingresilience.ph/…).