Natural disasters exert a lot of pressure on development and they pose threat on achieving Millennium Development Goals. Developing countries around the globe
are said to be more vulnerable to natural disasters because they fail to adequately
withstand the impacts of disasters (UNDP 2004). Member states of the Association of
South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) are said to be at risk from several disasters.
However, flood risk is noticed to be the most recurring in the region due to monsoon and cyclone seasons associated with all ASEAN member states. Other than
unfavourable topography, a large proportion of people in the region live in along the coastal low land or deltas at risk of flooding.
Philippines has been declared to be vulnerable to natural disasters. This is due
to its’ location and geographical landscape. Consequently, resources meant to finance
basic services are instead diverted to address effects of disaster events. Valenzuela City which is the case study is inherently susceptible to flooding. The city had for the time immemorial been affected by flood disasters. However, so many interventions have been put in place by Local Government Unit (LGU) to minimise disaster risks but still 15% of the City is described to be under the threat of flood risks (CDIA 2014). Reflecting on the past efforts in risk reduction, the study explored areas in which Valenzuela City would improve the use of its’ land resources in response to the directive of mainstreaming disaster risk reduction in land use planning.
The paradigm shift to mainstream risk reduction in land use planning is a
regional issue that brought about various regional agreements which the Philippines is
part hence influenced legal and institutional framework on disaster risk reduction.
Coupled with decentralisation planning system of the Philippines, LGUs have a
responsibility to sustainably use its’ land resources though which disaster risks would
be reduced.