{"id":450,"date":"2019-10-03T16:50:24","date_gmt":"2019-10-03T16:50:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gqq.gfl.temporary.site\/website_23b9925e\/?p=450"},"modified":"2019-10-03T16:50:24","modified_gmt":"2019-10-03T16:50:24","slug":"lamudi-highlights-sustainability-and-resiliency-in-the-philippine-setting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/energetic-pink-donkey.109-123-235-239.cpanel.site\/?p=450","title":{"rendered":"Lamudi Highlights Sustainability and Resiliency in the Philippine Setting"},"content":{"rendered":"

Manila, September 27<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Climate change is a global issue. It is one that is pushing the Philippines to act upon its weak spots and harness its strengths. \u201cIt\u2019s inevitable,\u201d Lamudi CEO Bhavna Suresh says at the media roundtable held last September 27 in partnership with Holcim Philippines and Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA). Though the country may be facing a dire situation, there is plenty to be done in response to climate change, from big, industrial efforts to small, household changes.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Ferdz dela Cruz, Former Chief Executive Officer of Manila Water Company, Inc.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lamudi<\/a>\u00a0reinforced their support for building resilient and sustainable cities with the first-panel discussion, Sustainability Efforts for the Philippines of NGOs and Private Organizations. NGOs, private organizations, and green developers were represented in the discussion, which tackled the roadblocks to green development in the Philippines and determined the efforts already in place to steer the country into a greener future.<\/p>\n

Highlighting Resilience<\/p>\n

\"\"
Angela Ibay, Head, Climate and Energy Program of the World Wide Fund for Nature<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cMost of our coastal municipalities want to be cities eventually. How do we push them towards not just sustainability but also push them to also look at measures that will make them resilient as well?\u201d Atty. Angela Ibay, Head of the Climate and Energy Program of the World Wide Fund for Nature, posed an important question at the roundtable, steering right into the thick of the important topic of sustainability and climate change.<\/p>\n

In a country that is dotted with high-rise mixed-use buildings and humble coastal homes, the effort to save the environment is tightly coupled with the measures developers can take to safeguard the value of their legacy. One solution, something as simple as planting trees, encourages the growth of foliage and relieves some of the urban heat island effects our cities are experiencing right now. However, it is not enough.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a question anymore of whether you can control climate change or not. It\u2019s about adapting to the effects of climate change. It\u2019s here. We are experiencing it now,\u201d says Wesley Caballa, Senior Manager for Sustainability of Costa Del Hamilo Inc. According to Caballa, Hamilo is actively pursuing efforts to protect mangrove forests to do their part as a company.<\/p>\n

Hamilo is one of many companies that have started making changes in keeping with a more climate-conscious business ethos. Climate change has not spared the Philippines with its onslaught, and with lives at stake, developers cannot sit around and wait.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are already in an area of the world that is highly, highly susceptible to all these natural disasters, and climate change made us more vulnerable to that,\u201d adds Justine Santos-Sugay, Director for Resource Development and Communications of Habitat for Humanity.<\/p>\n

Addressing Roadblocks to Sustainability<\/h6>\n

The Philippines has not been remiss when it comes to sustainable efforts. One of the problems developers and real estate experts face, however, is misinformation or lack of dissemination at the grassroots.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you ask a common fisherman, \u2018What do you know about climate change?\u2019 Sometimes they say it\u2019s synonymous to disaster without knowing why,\u201d adds Caballa. \u201cIt\u2019s really important for them to know what is wrong, what climate change is all about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Santos-Sugay weighs in: \u201cWhen you think about it, when you look at the issue of climate change, climate change seems to exaggerate or re-highlight a lot of the already pre-existing social themes.\u201d<\/p>\n

One issue all Filipinos will relate to, especially in the Philippine capital, is the water shortage. Despite the typhoons that visit the country and leave damage in low-lying areas, there is water shortage because the rainfall missed the dams that are meant to supply water to the majority of the city. Ferdz dela Cruz, former Chief Executive Officer of Manila Water Company, Inc., emphasizes the urgency of the matter: \u201cIt\u2019s up to us to make hard choices for us to be resilient. There are no easy choices at this point. For us to make that, we need to have a constructive dialog and without the misinformation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dela Cruz also mentions the disparity in the supply and demand for water supply. According to him, \u201cThere are two issues on water\u2013there\u2019s the supply side and there\u2019s the demand side. On the supply side, there is a road map of what needs to be done, but there are delays in the execution of the road map. There\u2019s always opposition to a big water project.\u201d<\/p>\n

Long-term solutions to water shortage and climate change are further hampered by the lack of initiative at the individual level. According to Dela Cruz, people forget about the problem once they have water, but it quickly resurfaces when another water shortage is felt.<\/p>\n

Sustainability in the Commercial and Industrial Sectors<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"
JJ Fernandez, Strategic Management Consultant of Menarco Development Corporation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Much of the effort real estate developers have put into sustainability can be seen in the commercial buildings they have strategically positioned in key cities. Jaime \u201cJJ\u201d Fernandez, Strategic Management Consultant of Menarco Development Corporation, mentions the savings Menarco Tower is able to pass on to its tenants through its sustainable design. According to Fernandez, \u201cThere is an estimate that the tenant will save about 20% in terms of energy consumption because the way the building is built is very efficient.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fernandez also highlights the human aspect of thinking sustainable. \u201cProspective tenants would rather pay a little bit more rent\u201d when they know the building will take care of their employees.<\/p>\n

This, paired with Dela Cruz\u2019s observation that people will be more responsible if the problem pinches their bill, makes the case for green developments: rather than lose money in inefficient designs, developers, tenants, and residents can save by prioritizing sustainability.<\/p>\n

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James Buskowitz, Chief Executive Officer of Buskowitz Group<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Philippines, which receives ample sunlight because of its equatorial location, can do more to utilize solar energy, one of the most efficient ways to be sustainable. James Buskowitz, Chief Executive Officer of Buskowitz Group, explains that projects harvesting solar energy come in levels: \u201cResidential scale has always been the goal, but not in the beginning. Typically, when a country starts developing solar projects, it always starts with utility, then it goes to commercial-industrial rooftops, then it goes residential.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we combine all the roofs in the entire Metro Manila, we would have enough solar energy to power the entire Philippines,\u201d Buskowitz shares.<\/p>\n

Trickling to the Residential Developments<\/strong><\/h5>\n

\u201cWhat color is your roof?\u201d<\/p>\n

A simple question sparked discussion in the roundtable\u2019s second-panel discussion, Design and Construction Trends in Real Estate to Build Sustainable and Resilient Cities in the Philippines. It is not a pointless question either, as the simple selection of a white roof can already help a household save energy.<\/p>\n

\u201cA safe home, a resilient city, a safe community is at the heart of what we have to address to adapt to the changes in the climate,\u201d mentions Santos-Sugay.<\/p>\n

To add, Lamudi\u2019s CEO says climate change is not an isolated problem: \u201cAll of these inequalities that exist in the world today are getting heightened because of global warming.\u201d<\/p>\n

We are not at a standstill when it comes to sustainable solutions, thankfully. Dela Cruz says, \u201cThe supply solutions will come many years from now, but everyone could start doing something on the demand side.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Ferdz dela Cruz, Former Chief Executive Officer of Manila Water Company, Inc. \u201cIn other countries, what they\u2019ve done quite successfully during periods of water shortage is to actually adjust the price of water\u2013double or triple\u2013during hot summer months basically to curtail the usage.\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of the solutions proposed is a mirror of what other countries have already implemented: water tariffs. According to dela Cruz, \u201cIn other countries, what they\u2019ve done quite successfully during periods of water shortage is to actually adjust the price of water\u2013double or triple\u2013during hot summer months basically to curtail the usage.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though this price adjustment has been discussed but not yet explored, companies such as Hamilo Coast have already implemented their own guidelines to conserve water and safeguard the environment from climate change. Hamilo Coast, which aims to be a \u201cmicrocosm of what could be done,\u201d practices a \u201ctop-down approach\u201d on implementing sustainable policies. \u201cThe only way that we will see individuals actually follow the rules is if you put a system of checks, balances, and penalties.\u201d<\/p>\n

To get to the finish line, where a more climate-resilient Philippines awaits, each individual has to make impactful changes, but at the forefront are the bigger organizations that can influence those in their respective industries as well.<\/p>\n

With miscommunication proving to be a big roadblock, the discussion needs to be sustained. This is one of the reasons for the creation of the roundtable, as Architect. Amado de Jesus, Vice Chairman of the Philippine Green Building Initiative, mentions, \u201cIf you have a bigger role, that\u2019s a bigger responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
Moderator: Bhavna Suresh, Chief Executive Officer of Lamudi; Panelists from Left to Right: Angela Ibay, Head, Climate and Energy Program of the World Wide Fund for Nature, James Buskowitz, Chief Executive Officer of Buskowitz Group, Ar. Amado de Jesus, Vice Chairman of the Philippine Green Building Initiative, JJ Fernandez, Strategic Management Consultant of Menarco Development Corporation, Justine Santos-Sugay, Director for Resource Development and Communications of Habitat for Humanity; Aina Cruz, Marketing Manager of Lamudi.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cLamudi is a giant brand. With all the buildings that are together, the organizations that you have a big influence on, you can create a big impact,\u201d says de Jesus.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Manila, September 27\u00a0\u2013 Climate change is a global issue. It is one that is pushing the Philippines to act upon its weak spots and harness its strengths. \u201cIt\u2019s inevitable,\u201d Lamudi CEO Bhavna Suresh says at the media roundtable held last September 27 in partnership with Holcim Philippines and Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA). Though […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":451,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-450","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-events","category-stories"],"pageone_source":{"pageone_source":"","author_name":"sipandblog.com"},"_pageone_source":"","zyndk8_nxtgen_metadata":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/energetic-pink-donkey.109-123-235-239.cpanel.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/450","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/energetic-pink-donkey.109-123-235-239.cpanel.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/energetic-pink-donkey.109-123-235-239.cpanel.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/energetic-pink-donkey.109-123-235-239.cpanel.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/energetic-pink-donkey.109-123-235-239.cpanel.site\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=450"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/energetic-pink-donkey.109-123-235-239.cpanel.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/450\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/energetic-pink-donkey.109-123-235-239.cpanel.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/451"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/energetic-pink-donkey.109-123-235-239.cpanel.site\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=450"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/energetic-pink-donkey.109-123-235-239.cpanel.site\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=450"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/energetic-pink-donkey.109-123-235-239.cpanel.site\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=450"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}