"Dapat Bata it aton City Urban Planner kay para mas fresh it ideas compared to the old ones (no offense meant! )"

Is there a current urban planner who works for the city? If there is, age doesn't matter really. What is important is that the person is registered and licensed by the state, and as such, we know that he or she is qualified and capable of handling the task as a planner. Plans and ideas generated are usually scrutinized, especially by the city and its constituents, and every feedback should be taken into consideration.

The other option for the City of Tacloban is to hire a firm who specializes in urban planning. I knew of one firm in Makati who is famous of doing such kind of projects - PALAFOX ASSOCIATES. It's an architectural firm and at the same time especializes in urban planning. I knew them well and worked for them many years ago where we did the Rockwell Center project in Makati. Palafox also did the master plan for the Cebu Business Park, and lots of other projects like in Dubai where they built a golf course in the middle of the desert.

^^ I heard about them. Sila ba yung nagdesign nung Dumaguete Business Park?

@TS

from LIT ka?

As of the moment, there is no licensed Urban Planner in Tacloban City, we have only City Planning Development Coordinator. We termed it Environmental Planner as per PD 1308. Unfortunately, there are only 5-6 registered Environmental Planners in REgion VIII, all as Local Planning and Development Coordinators of San Jorge, Calbayog and Catbalogan in Samar, Naval, Biliran and Pambujan, Northern Samar and from HLURB-VIII, that's why there are only few around in Eastern Visayas much so in the entire Philippines where it totals to less than 700, and its me in Region VIII that is only practicing registered/licensed environmental planner having passed the 2005 PRC board exams. Last May 2009, my single proprietorship, Phil-World Gateway conducted an Environmental Planning Capability Building Course at Leyte Park Hotel and UPV-Tac for 5 days attended by 24 participants from LGUs in Region VIII, 1 from DepEd and 1 from Cebu, and no one attended from Tacloban LGU. Sana there would have been one who passed the board exams should the city fielded one or two. Anyway by this 2010 summer there will be another one for the June 2010 PRC board exams.

Partly I agree with the idea to tap experts from other places and experiences in terms of urban planning. However, it is not also bad to supplement/compliment the planning team, if ever, with local counterparts in the local planning and development processes for local touch and participation. However, the rich accumulated knowledge of the present city planning and development office workforce cannot be discounted for it would be bankable source of information/ingredient needed in the process. Really, Environmental Planners are indeed needed by Tacloban for its HUChood.

This maybe the start for a longer vibrant resounding discussion even though more than 6 months this discussion was replied.

EnP Nestor "NIck" V. Tabungar, Jr., PRC550
B7, L32-35, Regina Hills Subd., Brgy. 74, Nula-Tula, Tacloban City

Member, Philippine Institute of Environmental Planners (PIEP), PIEP-SURP-UP Dil, QC, 2005 - Present
Director, Philippine Institute of Environmental Planners (PIEP), PIEP-SURP-UP Dil, QC, 2009 - 2010