Amazing Jing for Life: Lamudi leads the discussion on the "inevitable climate change," its weak points and solutions

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.

There are a lot of things and issues if we get to talk about what "inevitable" really is. It has a very vast coverage, I must say and if you're going to ask me, the first thing that would enter my mind whenever I hear the word "inevitable" is "aging." Yep, true as it is, right? Aging happens to all of us, it's human nature and there's nothing we can do to put a halt in this. Even science can do nothing to supress this natural human process. And yes, a lot of things, researches, experiments, innovations had been done and let us not play hypocrites around here... what is supposed to happen, there's no way we can stop it but to delay, change our lifestyle, be more health conscious, focus on being good and doing good.

In connection with this, this "inevitable" process of aging can be compared to the global issue that we are facing for ling time now... it's the "climate change." We know for a fact that it's there, and it's already happening and we can all feel its disastrous effects on mankind. Ao what exactly we can do, to take part on making a solution and mind you, not just plainly planning but "real" remedies to sustain our lives and be resilient in the most possible way.

Just recently, I was invited by Lamudi to witness the discussion of such distinguished and well-respected panelists about "Sustainability and Resiliency in Philippine Setting." The whole discussion really got my attention most especially when it has reached the point where they'd talk about the water shortage in our country that we had just experienced this start of summer and lasted for abou three and for some, four months. I'd say, that really made a big impact on us, Filipinos, it was a real burden. The "El Niño Phenomenon" had really happened and we experienced it. So what did we do about it? What we had become after that incident? I guess, we are back to our old normal selves. I do agree with what the panelists had discussed about the continuous encouragement campaign to make everyone get involved, partake, be "in" the real situation, take action, adapt and make a solution to resolve the effects of global warming.

And I commend Lamudi for having the initiative to have this knowledgeable open discussion on sustainablity and resiliency in our country. The Filipinos are known for being resilient, so why don't we all prove to them that we can all do this, have a sustainable living and adapt to our environment and take care of our mother earth.

The following articles are some of the important points tackled during the discussion:

Climate change is a global issue. It is one that is pushing the Philippines to act upon its weak spots and harness its strengths. “It’s inevitable,” 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.

Lamudi reinforced 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.

Highlighting Resilience

“Most 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?” 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.

Angela Ibay, Head, Climate and Energy Program of the World Wide Fund for Nature

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 effect our cities are experiencing right now. However, it is not enough.

“It’s not a question anymore of whether you can control climate change or not. It’s about adapting to the effects of climate change. It’s here. We are experiencing it now,” 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.

Wesley Caballa, Senior Manager for Sustainability of Costa Del Hamilo Inc.

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.

“We 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,” adds Justine Santos-Sugay, Director for Resource Development and Communications of Habitat for Humanity.

Justine Santos-Sugay, Director for Resource Development and Communications of Habitat for Humanity

Addressing Roadblocks to Sustainability

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.

“When you ask a common fisherman, ‘What do you know about climate change?’ Sometimes they say it’s synonymous to disaster without knowing why,” adds Caballa. “It’s really important for them to know what is wrong, what climate change is all about.”

Santos-Sugay weighs in: “When 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.”

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: “It’s 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.”

Ferdz dela Cruz, Former Chief Executive Officer of Manila Water Company, Inc.

Dela Cruz also mentions the disparity in the supply and demand for water supply. According to him, “There are two issues on water--there’s the supply side and there’s the demand side. On the supply side, there is a roadmap of what needs to be done, but there are delays in the execution of the roadmap. There’s always opposition to a big water project.”

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.

Ferdz dela Cruz, Former Chief Executive Officer of Manila Water Company, Inc.Angela Ibay, Head, Climate and Energy Program of the World Wide Fund for NatureWesley Caballa, Senior Manager for Sustainability of Costa Del Hamilo Inc.Justine Santos-Sugay, Director for Resource Development and Communications of Habitat for Humanity

Sustainability in the Commercial and Industrial Sectors

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 “JJ” 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, “There 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.”

JJ Fernandez, Strategic Management Consultant of Menarco Development Corporation

Fernandez also highlights the human aspect of thinking sustainable. “Prospective tenants would rather pay a little bit more rent” when they know the building will take care of their employees.

This, paired with Dela Cruz’s 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.

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: “Residential 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.”

James Buskowitz, Chief Executive Officer of Buskowitz Group

“If we combine all the roofs in the entire Metro Manila, we would have enough solar energy to power the entire Philippines,” Buskowitz shares.

Trickling to the Residential Developments

“What color is your roof?”

A simple question sparked discussion in the roundtable’s 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.

“A 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,” mentions Santos-Sugay.

To add, Lamudi’s CEO says climate change is not an isolated problem: “All of these inequalities that exist in the world today are getting heightened because of global warming.”

We are not at a standstill when it comes to sustainable solutions, thankfully. Dela Cruz says, “The supply solutions will come many years from now, but everyone could start doing something on the demand side.”

One of the solutions proposed is a mirror of what other countries have already implemented: water tariffs. According to dela Cruz, “In other countries, what they’ve done quite successfully during periods of water shortage is to actually adjust the price of water--double or triple--during hot summer months basically to curtail the usage.”

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 “microcosm of what could be done,” practices a “top-down approach” on implementing sustainable policies. “The only way that we will see individuals actually follow the rules is if you put a system of checks, balances, and penalties.”

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.

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, “If you have a bigger role, that’s a bigger responsibility.”

(Middle) Ar. Amado de Jesus, Vice Chairman of the Philippine Green Building Initiative

“Lamudi 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,” says de Jesus.