This practicum is an exploration of the meaning of resiliency within the discourse of the Landscape Architecture discipline. Its significance to ecological thinking and its conjunction to engineering solutions are examined for developing of an integrated approach towards flood mitigation strategies. Although not the only hazard experienced in the Philippines, floods are the most pervasive. The severity of this natural event and the corresponding disaster is augmented by factors produced within the socio-economic realm. To measure the increasing frequency of disasters from floods, the inherent vulnerability of the study area, Metropolitan Manila and historical reports of said events are considered. To further comprehend the role of Landscape Architecture within an integrated framework the three types of resiliency organized by Dovers and Handmer are examined and applied at various scale (regional, local, and micro) pertaining to the study area. This part of the practicum explores methods of resiliency in conventional response as well as ecological resiliency to flood events. / October 2016

<p>High population growth rate in Metro Manila has a direct effect on the intensity of urbanisation and development in the region and population is expected to reach 13 million by the year 2015. Urban congestion is one of the region's most pressing problems as air pollution has a major impact on public health and particularly affects children and the elderly. This study will give a broad description of transportation and urban development in Metro manila and thus contribute to improve the understanding of urban transport issues of developing countries.</p>

High population growth rate in Metro Manila has a direct effect on the intensity of urbanisation and development in the region and population is expected to reach 13 million by the year 2015. Urban congestion is one of the region's most pressing problems as air pollution has a major impact on public health and particularly affects children and the elderly. This study will give a broad description of transportation and urban development in Metro manila and thus contribute to improve the understanding of urban transport issues of developing countries.

La région métropolitaine de Manille connait, depuis la fin du XXème siècle, un «changement urbain». Par cette expression, on désigne un ensemble de phénomènes liés entre eux, qui comprend la consolidation de classes moyennes, l’implantation d’entreprises de services et le développement d’une économie orientée vers la consommation – cette dernière étant illustrée de manière frappante par la multiplication des centres commerciaux, des objets urbains structurants dans la région capitale philippine. Ces éléments se traduisent par une transformation de la morphologie urbaine, mais également par une internationalisation de l’économie et par l’émergence de nouveaux modes de vie. La thèse propose d’appréhender ce changement urbain dans le Grand Manille au regard du service électrique. Les phénomènes décrits ont en effet des implications majeures sur la question énergétique : accroissement substantiel de la demande d’électricité, exigences plus hautes quant à la fiabilité du service, nouvelles pratiques de planification et de déploiement de l’infrastructure. Mais la relation entre changement urbain et secteur électrique est à double sens, et l’on peut observer des tensions par rapport aux tarifs ou à la qualité du réseau, dans la mesure où ces éléments viennent contraindre les transformations économiques et sociales que connaît la capitale philippine. En mobilisant plusieurs courants de littérature — sur les classes moyennes, sur l’économie politique de la production urbaine, et sur les grands réseaux techniques —, la thèse permet d’interroger les évolutions socio-techniques du service électrique dans le Grand Manille. Pour ce faire, elle mobilise la notion de « modernité », qui permet d’appréhender les normes et représentations émergentes pour la fourniture du service. Partant, la thèse identifie les écarts entre les idéaux de modernité et les pratiques existantes. Ce faisant, elle analyse les tensions générées par ces dés-ajustements, et discute les enjeux d’universalisation du réseau, d’homogénéité de sa desserte, d’évolution de sa forme (grand réseau centralisé ou structure « post-réticulaire ») et d’adaptation aux contraintes environnementales / Metro Manila has been experiencing dramatic urban change since the end of the XXth cen- tury. By ‘urban change’, I designate a number of connected phenomena: the consolidation of middle classes, the rise of a service-led economy and a significant increase in domestic consumption – the latter being exemplified by the frenzied construction of gigantic shop- ping malls, which are structuring objects for the urban fabric. These phenomena have converging effects, which include the transformation of the city’s appearance, but also the internationalisation of its economy and the diffusion of new urban lifestyles.This dissertation suggests that studying the electricity service in Metro Manila is an instructive way to decipher urban change. Indeed, the transformations that the Philippine National Capital Region (NCR) is going through have major implications for the energy question: they lead to a dramatic increase in electricity demand, to higher expectations from end-users with regard to the quality of service, and to new practices of planning and laying down infrastructure. However, the relationship between urban change and the electricity service goes both ways. The electricity network is also putting a constraint on social and economic changes, as evidenced by the social tensions that can arise from such things as tariff hikes or network failures.By drawing upon different bodies of literature (i.e., on urban middle classes, on the political economy of urban production, and on large technical networks), the present dissertation examines the socio-technical evolutions that the electricity service is going through in Metro Manila. It uses the notion of ‘modernity’ in order to grasp the emerging norms and representations pertaining to electricity provision. From there, I identify discrepancies between the ideals of modernity and actually existing practices. In doing so, I analyse the tensions generated by such mismatches and discuss the issues of network universalisation, homogeneity of servicing, evolution of the network’s form (large, centralised system or "post-reticular" structure) and adaptation to environmental constraints

The results of this study indicate that two groups of mothers share a relatively similar socioeconomic status, knowledge of health and hygiene, and have similar health-seeking behaviors. The mothers' lack of knowledge and their local view of illnesses seemed to embody questionable newborn care related to breastfeeding practices and oil applications to newborns. Three psychosocial factors that appeared to contribute to the mother's health-seeking behaviors were attitudinal factors (this consisted of favorable or unfavorable perceptions toward services based on the mother's prior experiences or familiarity with service), social pressures (opinions from others and the mother's competing responsibilities), and self-efficacies accessibility, availability, and affordability). In addition, the external factor of poverty in the slum settlements was also a significant factor which determined the mother's health seeking behaviors. The implications of these findings are discussed in further detail, which are then followed by a set of recommendations for future health interventions designed to reduce the risk of sepsis neonatorum in urban communities. This study underscores the benefits of integrating the perspectives of anthropology and public health to further the understanding of the neonatal health problem. Finally, the need for future studies is addressed as it is necessary to further understand the existing local practices and beliefs in relation to the risks of sepsis neonatorum.

Transit-oriented development (TOD) or as it is referred to in Sweden ABC (Arbete, Bostad,och Centrum which means work, housing, and city center) is the highly prevailing and excitingconcept of integrating urban communities, activities, people, buildings and public places together.This idea is primarily focused upon the creation of walkable, pedestrian-oriented communities andcycling connections, which are centered among the high-quality train systems.This research has been conducted to provide a comprehensive analysis related to theimplementation of the TOD model within Metro-Manila, by enhancing its railway network toreduce the problem of high traffic congestion and to provide a better service to a larger number ofpassengers. To carry out this research, various ideas were taken from the TOD projects that havebeen implemented within the metro system of Stockholm as an example to be used for Metro-Manila.In order to conduct this study, both quantitative and qualitative research approaches wereutilized to conduct an in-depth analysis of the current conditions of the railway transportationsystem in Metro-Manila. Within the qualitative part of this research, a SWOT analysis and adetailed comparison was also carried out to determine the efficiency of Metro-Manila and the areaswhere it needed significant improvements. Whereas, for the quantitative analysis, a survey wasconducted from both the people of Metro-Manila and Stockholm (i.e., 226 respondents) tounderstand the current situations of these railway networks more appropriately. The survey wasdesigned based on close-ended five (5) points Likert Scale questions. The results of the surveysrevealed that the respondents were mostly satisfied with the metro system in Stockholm andimplementation of the TOD concepts but usually dissatisfied with Metro-Manila railway system.An interview was also conducted with the officials of the Stockholm transport organization (SL)to gather more insight related to the problems within the railway networks.It was revealed from the analysis that Metro-Manila railway network has been facingsevere problems in terms of limited capacity, poor facilities, unavailability of trains, andmismanagement. The analysis also revealed a few problems within the Stockholm metro systemas well. However, to eradicate or mitigate these problems, several strategies and recommendationshave been proposed within this research. Based from the facts the researcher has gathered and ispresented in this research paper, it was evident that implementation of transit-orienteddevelopment, even if its limited to just the basic concepts, will highly be beneficial in botheconomic and societal aspects and its effectively and efficiently is enough to satisfy the needs ofthe daily commuters and would result in a dramatical reduction of traffic congestions.

The Philippines is considered one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate disasters due to a combination of its geospatial, political, economic, and social attributes. The nation gets hit with an average of 20 annual tropical cyclones, also known as typhoons, and through the process of climate change, these events are only growing in both frequency and magnitude. In the coastal capital city of Metro Manila, climate change coupled with rapid and unplanned urbanization has led to increased vulnerabilities of populations, infrastructures, and increased inequalities.  This thesis aims to assess the current disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) frameworks present within the nation and National Capital Region (NCR), through a case study approach of the 2020 typhoons: Quinta, Rolly, and Ulysses. It presents findings through four thematic pillars of disaster prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response and early- recovery, and recovery and rehabilitation. It uses the perspectives of three key informants from the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), as well as additional diversified perspectives.  Findings suggest that DRRM has evolved since the implementation of the Republic Act No 10121 (RA 10121), or the Philippine Disaster Reduction and Management Act of 2010, however, can still be improved to tackle root causes of vulnerabilities. I use Roberts and Pelling’s (2020) transformation as liberation model as a theoretical framework to generate recommendations to policymakers that can help address vulnerabilities to typhoons. These recommendations include increasing participation and inclusivity within policy and decision making, creating a formal mechanism to measure vulnerabilities and inform future DRRM policies, and finally to reframe climate change and disaster risks as a socio-ecological issue rather than just an environmental one. / Filippinerna anses vara ett av de mest sårbara länderna i världen för klimatkatastrofer på grund av en kombination av dess geospatiala, politiska, ekonomiska och sociala egenskaper. Nationen drabbas av i genomsnitt 20 årliga tropiska cykloner, även kända som tyfoner, och genom klimatförändringsprocessen växer dessa händelser bara i både frekvens och omfattning. I kusthuvudstaden Metro Manila har klimatförändringar i kombination med snabb och oplanerad urbanisering lett till ökad sårbarhet hos befolkningar, infrastrukturer och ökade ojämlikheter.  Denna avhandling syftar till att bedöma de nuvarande ramverken för katastrofriskminskning och -hantering (DRRM) som finns i landet och i National Capital Region (NCR), i fallet med tyfonerna 2020: Quinta, Rolly och Ulysses. Avhandlingen illustrerar resultaten genom fyra tematiska pelare: förebyggande och begränsning av katastrofer, beredskap, insatser och tidig återhämtning samt återhämtning och rehabilitering. Detta görs utifrån tre nyckelinformanters perspektiv, från Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) och Asian Development Bank (ADB).  Resultaten tyder på att nuvarande DRRM-policyer vidmakthåller orättvisa mönster i nationen och det borde tillämpas en förändring som befrielsemodell, baserad på Roberts och Pelling (2020), för att främja en mer rättvis och hållbar hantering av tyfoner i landet. Därför rekommenderas det att DRRM-policyer ökar deltagande och inkludering inom policy- och beslutsfattande, skapa en formell mekanism för att mäta sårbarheter och informera framtida DRRM-policyer, och slutligen att omformulera klimatförändringar och katastrofrisker som socioekologiska frågor snarare än bara miljömässiga sådana.

Population displacement has long been a controversial companion of development. The central tension has been between the position challenging the kind of development that removes people from their homes, livelihoods and communities, and a managerial position that the impoverishment risks of displacement can be mitigated through an effective intervention. Whereas recent research has been devoted to unpacking a rather unsuccessful performance of involuntary resettlement as a mitigation measure, this study aims to question the assumption of mitigation itself by expanding the concept of development impacts beyond the realm of displacement. Through an empirical study of a railway project in Metro Manila, the Philippines, I examine how urban residents are affected by a large-scale demolition and displacement that took place in their locality. Semi-structured interviews were conducted along the railway tracks after the land was cleared of informal settlements since the study placed particular focus on residents who were not physically displaced. They are identified in my research as non-displaced people. Few studies have addressed the possibility that other people might have been adversely affected in situ and this is particularly so in urban areas. Empirical findings reveal that the physical environment and socio-economic relationships in the locality were significantly transformed through the clearance; impacting the tenure status, livelihoods and social milieu of non-displaced people. Tenure security was important for avoiding displacement but was not a definitive factor as a number of people are still informal settlers who continue to be faced with other eviction threats. For the non-displaced, the physical change of the locality became relevant when their productive capital, notably, a second house or business space, was affected. The loss or erosion of physical capital had a secondary impact on livelihoods, which was compounded by the rupture in the local livelihood network following a mass population outflow. Whereas the income of locally-based businesses decreased substantially, livelihoods that operate beyond the locality remain relatively resilient. Differentiated experiences of a local change are also reflected in a range of evaluations that describe local social ambiance before and after the event. Diverse ways in which non-displaced people were affected underline that the current conceptualisation of impacts is limited to one dimension of displacement. This raises the need to adopt a more holistic and disaggregated approach to understanding the complexities of development impacts. A discussion on whether and how they can be mitigated would benefit further from such a comprehensive study.