By Iris Legal, Dallay Annawi, and Pedro Walpole

Landscape analysis is like "reading" through the land, its history and future. Having greater understanding of the land helps us work with the underlying factors driving the processes that shape the land.

Site plan. Click here to enlarge the map

Aside from helping us know the land, landscape analysis also helps us draw appropriate plans and responses to social and environmental risks in our area. Landscape analysis requires technical knowledge of the geological and geomorphological processes. Yet, one may still be able to "read" the land through personal experiences in the area, which are valuable information to the technical processes.

The effort here is to present the observable "signs" in the land, which indicate threats or risks to people when management is not in place.

This analysis was developed for the Payatas Scavengers Homeowners' Association who were relocated to Miraculous Hills Subdivision in Sitio Bangkal, San Isidro, Rodriguez in Rizal province. The Miraculous Hills Subdivision is the study site wherein landscape analysis has been a significant tool for site planning and housing development.

Landscape Analysis for Site Planning and Housing Development (PSHAI) Click here to enlarge the poster

Payatas Scavengers Homeowners' Association (PSHAI)
The savings-based community-led shelter initiatives of Homeless Peoples Federation Philippines, Inc. (HPFPI) took root among the informal settlers in the dumpsite in Payatas, Quezon City. In the early 1990s, the head of the Vincentian Missionaries and Social Development Foundation encouraged the informal settlers around the dumpsite to save whatever money they could spare for their own future use.

In 1992, the Payatas Scavengers Association, Inc. (PSAI) was organized with about 150 original saver-members. It was one of several savers' groups in Payatas which formally federated into HPFPI in 1998.

In 1996, faced with the threat of eviction and also considering the hazardous living conditions in Payatas, the members of PSAI - reorganized as Payatas Scavengers Homeowners Association (PSHAI) in 1998 - agreed to save to be able to buy a private lot where they could eventually relocate. Thus, began HPFPI's land-and-housing savings program.

The titled lot in Barangay San Isidro, Montalban in Rizal Province in December 1998 was the first community-led relocation site acquired through HPFPI's savings scheme. PHSAI named their housing project site as "Miraculous Hills Subdivision".

CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS: 1990s to 2009

1990s Introduction of multi-purpose savings among informal settlers in Payatas by VMSDF Organization of the Payatas Scavengers Association, Inc. (PSAI)

1996 Start of land-and-housing savings program by PSAI

1997 Search for possible relocation site to buy, Failed negotiation with a private lot owner

1998 Acquisition of a 3-hectare titled property in Barangay San Isidro, SAI re-organization into the Payatas Scavengers Homeowners' Association (PSHAI); Loan agreement with Domus-Mariae Foundation for full lot payment; Formal registration of Homeless Peoples Federation Philippines

1999 Survey of the lot to know the exact lot location; Groundbreaking at the site

2000 Payatas dump-slide tragedy; DAR issuance of certificate of exemption from land conversion

2001 Transfer of the lot's Certificate of Title under PSHAI's name; Start of the construction of the row housing projects and activity center; road opening and concreting

2004 First site planning; Conduct of Geohazard Identification Survey (GIS) on the site (MGB geologist); Conduct of geohazard assessment (private geologist); Issuance of Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC)

2005 Second site planning; Issuance of development permit by the Rodriquez LGU

2006 Construction of deep wells

2008 Livelihood assistance from Assisi Foundation

2009 Conduct of ESSC site assessment; HLURB advice for the reduction of number of individual lots

NEXT STEPS: MAJOR CONSIDERATIONS FOR PLANNING

1. Review allocated individual lots on critical areas:

a. Steep slopes in Block 15 (where fill materials were also dumped)
b. Cut hillsides along the boundary line in Block 10 (subject to boundary conflict with adjoining lot) and upper portion of Block 18
c. Lots on the drainage hollow in lower Block 18
d. Corner and lower lots in Block 14

2. Improve drainage management by directing run off to drainage canals and improving drainage canals along roadsides.
3. Stabilize road cuts through well-planned retaining walls and planting of deep-rooted trees before building houses above these areas.
4. Maintain the designated "parks and playground" as housing-free and improve slope stability