Environmental planners build on PH city practices

The US and PH YSEALI fellows shared their expertise and exchange learnings with the University of the Philippines Planners Organization. (From left): Blaise Morales (UP Plano), US fellow Joe Rogers, Francis Gasgonia, Ragene Palma, US fellow Abena Ojetayo, Mary Joy Gonzales and Spring fellowship batchmate Vico Sotto.

Three environmental planners embarked on a six-week US exchange fellowship from April to June this year to study about environmental sustainability.

Last September, they hosted their American counterpart fellows to showcase current city planning practices in the Philippines, and to collaborate in addressing emerging challenges.

Under the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) program, which is funded by the US Department of State, Ragene Andrea Palma, 27, Mary Joy Gonzales, 35, and Francis Josef Gasgonia, 30, were placed in three different states to study sustainable practices in American cities.

Citizen-led planning, placemaking, public spaces

Placed in the planning and sustainability department of the City of Northampton, Massachusetts, Palma studied how a local government utilizes tactical urbanism and citizen engagement to manage public spaces. She also observed urban elements and pedestrian behavior, and studied techniques on how to collaborate with citizens on land conservation and space transformation.

Upon her return to the Philippines, Palma created Placemade, a community challenge that engages citizens to create better and greener public spaces. Through this effort, she is now working with Barangay Concepcion Dos in Marikina City to undertake urban space transformations.

Pilot projects include a garden, parklets, and activated streets and blocks. She is also working with the Marikina City Government to encourage inclusive planning.

Resilience, disaster, emergency management

Gonzales was placed in the City of Tallahassee, Florida, to study how resilience transcends disaster management.

She visited and learned from different planning, environmental and emergency management departments in the three levels of government (city, county, and state). She also attended the Governor’s Hurricane Conference held in West Palm Beach, Florida, where she learned about the best practices, topics, tools and technologies of disaster phases.

Currently a consultant of the City Government of Cadiz, Gonzales works with the local disaster risk reduction and management office for the planning and implementation of the DRR plan. She advocates for integrating resilience with sustainable city development, especially through partnerships and capacity building.

Trails, park maps, ecosystem services

Lastly, Gasgonia’s placement in Frankfort City, Kentucky, exposed him to the best practices of developing a trail management system by using global positioning systems (GPS) and geographic information systems (GIS).

He studied the process of mapping, hiking and recreational routes, as well as integrating outdoor activities with community planning in mountainous areas, seascapes and other landscapes to maintain ecological integrity.

Post-fellowship exchange

As part of the learning exchange, US fellows Joseph Rogers and Abena Ojetayo flew to Manila to support the fellows’ initiatives, and to learn more about Philippine cities.

Palma and Rogers visited Marikina City to share learnings with the city planning office, and to create an urban diary of a protected bike lane and potential parklets. They also visited San Vicente, Palawan, to learn about regional planning and youth-led initiatives on sustainability, led by YSEALI alumnus and youth chair Mark Anthony Tabangay.

Gonzales and Ojetayo flew to the City of Cadiz, Negros Occidental, to speak with city leaders, and with the Negros Occidental Association of DRRM Officers and Practitioners (NOADOP) to share about integrating resilience. They also immersed in community practices in Bago, and studied post-Haiyan shelter, evacuation and relocation.

The fellows partnered with the University of the Philippines Planners Organization (UP PLANO) to share their learnings with student planners and the general public through a re-echoing session. They are also scheduled to talk at the national convention of the Philippine Institute of Environmental Planners this November.

About YSEALI

The YSEALI Professional Fellows Program is currently accepting applicants for the Spring 2019 batch, and has four specialization tracks: Environmental Sustainability, Civic Engagement, Governance and Society, and Economic Empowerment.