Movements & Milestones: The Legacy of Project LIHUG in Iloilo City
As Project RURBANISE progressed on the ground, a crucial realization emerged: addressing urban climate risks required more than broad planning frameworks. It demanded deeper, localized, and sustained structural mechanisms. Communities needed direct technical tools, formal governance seats, and scalable resources to turn grassroots knowledge into actionable policy and physical infrastructure.
To address these emerging needs, the Technical Assistance Movement for People and Environment, Inc. (TAMPEI), alongside the Homeless People’s Federation Philippines, Inc. (HPFPI), secured and launched Project LIHUG (Locally-led Initiatives for Harmonized Urban Governance in Iloilo City, Philippines). Implemented from April 2025 to February 2026, the project was supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, & Development Office (FCDO) through academic and programmatic leadership from the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and SouthSouthNorth (SSN).
Anchored on IIED’s SECURe Framework (Strengthening and Enhancing Contextual Urban Resilience), Project LIHUG utilized RURBANISE Work Package 2 (Governance) as its starting point, maximizing existing resources in knowledge management, human capital, and logistics across Iloilo City.
Following intensive exploratory meetings and proposal co-design between February and March 2025, the team kicked off global onboarding and online workshops in late April 2025, connecting initiatives in Iloilo City with peer project teams across Myanmar, India, and Kenya.
The Birth of Project LIHUG
Iloilo City faces intersecting climate challenges including severe flooding, rising temperatures, water scarcity, and tenure insecurity. These risks disproportionately affect low-income, riverside, and relocation communities, leaving the marginalized groups – such as women, youth, PWDs, solo parents, and the elderly – exposed and vulnerable in terms of daily education, public health, and transportation. To tackle these urgent issues, Project LIHUG focused on empowering grassroots actors particularly Homeowners Associations (HOAs) to meaningfully engage local decision-makers.
Movements and Milestones
The project's key interventions and milestones yielded significant institutional progress:
Community-Led Assessments & Action Planning
Partnering with the HPFPI, six HPFPI communities and one HPFPI network conducted HOA assessments and context analysis workshops. These sessions contributed to the drafting of the HPFPI Visayas Regional Strategic Plan (RSP), a consolidated document for the Western Visayas and Central Visayas regions.
Institutionalizing CSO Participation
Both TAMPEI and HPFPI successfully secured accreditation as Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) at the city, provincial, and regional levels, securing official seats in local special bodies, including the Local Housing Board, City DRRM Council, Provincial DRRM Council, Provincial Land Use Committee, Provincial Comprehensive Development Planning - Technical Assistance Committee, Provincial Youth Committee, and Regional Development Council Environment Committee. In addition, both TAMPEI and HPFPI are active members of the newly formed Iloilo City People’s Council.
Expanding DRRM Outreach via the KABALAKA Tour
Communities gained first-hand exposure to Iloilo’s disaster risk reduction facilities through the CDRRMO’s KABALAKA (Kahublagan sa Barangay para sa Lapnagon nga Kahandaan sa Kalamidad) Tour, which notably integrated the San Isidro Relocation Site into its itinerary to showcase sustainable, community-led resettlement.
Local Government Collaboration
Through orientations on Barangay Development Plans (BDPs) facilitated by DILG Region VI, HOAs in barangays San Isidro and Calumpang successfully initiated a dialogue and submitted concrete project proposals—prompting immediate local responses such as assigned street sweepers and solar street lights.
Resource Mobilisation & Climate Adaptation
Leveraging strategic partnerships with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the Coca-Cola Foundation, the KABALAKA HOA secured 27 rainwater harvesting units to address the limited potable water supply in the community due to saltwater intrusion. Through the partnership with UN-Habitat Philippines, the plan for a 100-meter on-stilt bamboo walkway (mangrove park) is set to be implemented.
National Advocacy through the Tahanan Forum
Localized housing initiatives were brought to the national stage during the Tahanan Forum, fostering a deep connection with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) to advance community-empowered housing frameworks.
Clarifying Land Tenure
Addressing a 15-year-old backlog, 15 HOAs in the USWAG San Isidro Resettlement Site engaged in consultations with legal experts and the Iloilo City Local Housing Office (ICLHO) to pave the way for clear land repayment schemes and title acquisition.
The Legacy of LIHUG
While the implementation of Project LIHUG concluded, the momentum it ignited in Iloilo City is only just beginning. From tangible infrastructure improvements to active housing dialogues, the seeds of community-led governance are deeply planted. This vital work continues today, driven by the empowered HOAs, civil society networks, and LGU partners carrying the vision forward. Project LIHUG stands as living proof that when communities are heard, cities become stronger, safer, and more resilient.
About the Author
Janina Salubo is a Knowledge Management and Development Communications Volunteer for the RURBANISE project, specializing in translating complex resilience research into accessible insights for funders and grassroots communities.