In its mission towards realizing the value of integrity for creation, the Holy Cross of Davao College, through its Insitute of ASEAN-European Studies (IAES), conducted a two-day workshop, last October 25-26, highlighting the importance of resiliency towards acknowledging and taking action in the various challenges brought by climate change.
The innovative training dubbed “Climate Resilience and Placemaking” featured Ian Clark R. Parkon, PhD from the Ateneo de Davao University – Department of Philosophy, who discussed about “Reimagining our Relationship with the Natural World: Environmental Ethics and Democratic Governance as Response to the Climate Problem” and University of the Philippines Mindanao’s Isidoro R. Malaque III, PhD from its Department of Architecture, who he talked about “Places for People: Participatory Creation of the Built Environment Towards Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience.”
Malaque III shared that the event aims to provide an avenue of information to ‘non-technical’ people on placemaking and shaping the environment in equipping them with the basic skills needed to create a climate-resilient-built environment.
“Because shaping the built environment, making places for the people to live is everybody’s responsibility which not only be trusted by people in the government, to do their actions. It should not only be trusted to the professionals… it is everybody’s responsibility,” he said.
In an interview, he encouraged the community to advocate for the environment, especially in urban planning and designing in making a more sustainable society for the community to live in.
Professionals and students alike were able to participate in the event and learn from the experts on how sustainable design and community involvement can create resilient spaces that can withstand the challenges of climate change.