RAFI Holds Disaster-Resilient Infrastructures Forum

To increase public awareness on disaster preparedness, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI)–Eduardo Aboitiz Development Studies Center (EADSC) organized an Understanding Choices Forum entitled “Building Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure” last January 29 at the RAFI-EADSC Plenary Hall.

Participants from the different sectors attended the meeting. The forum discussed how to physically plan disaster-resilient communities. It also presented designs of disaster-resilient infrastructure, and observations from various disaster-affected areas in different countries in terms of designing and actual building of disaster-resilient infrastructure as reference for the Philippines.

Speakers during the forum included Archt. Ma. Lourdes Onozawa of the Sub-committee on Integrated Development & Spatial Planning of the Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board – Research Program and Organization Development (MCDB-RPOD), Archt. Cris Cyril Abbu of CHORA Architects and Associates, and Archt. Hemker Claus of Caritas Germany.

The forum was the first of series of Understanding Choices Forums that EADSC is organizing in 2014 with the theme, “Are We Ready for ‘The New Normal?’”.

Looking at the aftermath and the way we responded to the recent calamities, particularly the earthquake last October 2013 and Super Typhoon Yolanda last November, the forum series intends to to further capacitate the public and key leaders in terms of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction and management.

The Understanding Choices Forum is one of the programs of EADSC under RAFI’s Leadership & Citizenship Focus Area, which aims to build a community that is ready to effect change. The other focus areas of RAFi are Integrated Development, Microfinance & Entrepreneurship, Culture & Heritage and Education.

For more information about the forum, contact Maggie Jacobo at (032) 4187234 local 105, or email magnolia.jacobo@rafi.org.ph