1. Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (Japan)
University of the Philippines, Los Baños (Philippines)
Funded by: Japanese Ministry of Environment
Making land-use climate resilient:
A participatory watershed management
approach in the Philippines

2. • 5 watersheds of the Laguna de
Bay lake (~650 sq. km), located
around 40km from Metro
Manila.
• Rapidly growing population
(currently ~1 million).
• Problem: Rapid land-use change,
leading to higher flood risk and
deteriorating water quality.
Laguna de Bay
Study site: Laguna de Bay basin, Philippines

3. Urbanization challenges
Flooding due to increased runoff
Water pollution from household waste disposal
Typical landscapes of the area

4. •Expert meeting
•Stakeholder
consultation to
identify priority
countermeasures
•Land-use plan
•Development plan
•Climate change plan
•Hydrological modeling
to estimate future
flood risk, water
quality, etc.
•Participatory land-use
mapping at watershed
level to understand
future plans
Step 1: Scenario
development
Step 2: Risk
assessment
Step 3: Identify
countermeasures
Step 4: Climate-
resilient land-use
planning
Hydrological modelling
Identifying countermeasures
with local governments
Identifying benefits of adaptation/
mitigation actions, mainstreaming
them into local policies
Land-use, 2014 Future land-use plans, 2025 (BAU) Hazard mapping
Participatory Watershed Land-use Management (PWLM) approach

5. Step 1: Scenario development (Participatory GIS)

6. Step 2: Risk assessment

7. Los Baños Bay Pila
1. Zoning enhancement
To alleviate flood risks and
and promote ecosystem-based
adaptation/disaster risk reduction
approaches.
• Relocation of illegal
settlers from riverine
systems
• Solar panels
• Livestock in upland areas
• Construction of
evacuation center – now
on-going
• Vegetable crops –
planning to look for
possible expansion areas
to transfer vegetable
production
• To develop Building codes
• LGU to provide upstream
areas for livestock
• Acquisition of land for
potential evacuation sites
2. River rehabilitation
To increase water retaining
capacity and improve water
quality.
• Retention pond -
upstream or downstream
• UPLB can take action to
reduce run off
upstream -
rehabilitation.
• Flood walls
• Vegetable areas –
planning to look for
possible expansion areas
to transfer vegetable
production
• Crop insurance – risk transfer
• Seed subsidy for farmers
• SWIS – used for rice fields,
agriculture,
• To employ people to
maintain tributaries
3. Capacity development
To strengthen the capacity of local
governments to design and
implement climate actions
• Barangay level CCA-DRRM
planning
• Training for sector’s
stakeholders
• Early Waring system in
place
• DRRM evacuation
• To orovide training and
capacity building
• To employ people to
maintain tributaries
Step 3: Identify countermeasures

8. Step 4: Climate-resilient land-use planning
Incorporating countermeasures into local plans

9. • Piloting phase (2014-2016): Applied project methodology in one
watershed.
• Results used to improve “Comprehensive Land-use Plan” and “Local Climate
Change Action Plan” of Santa Rosa City (population ~400,000).
• Scaling up phase (2016-2018): Expanded project to four additional
watersheds.
• Handing off phase (2019-2020): Provide training on project methodology
to government agencies (Laguna Lake Development Authority, local
government staff) to allow further scaling up and continuation of the
methodology after our project finishes.
Project timeline

10. Thank you for your
patience!!!
Sinigang (shrimp and vegetable soup)
Chicken Adobo
Sisig (Sizzling pork) Local fruits
Buko (coconut) pie