Implementing a Pre-disaster Recovery Workshop in Intramuros, Manila, Philippines: lessons for disaster risk assessment, response, and recovery for cultural heritage

Abstract

The Sustainable Development Goals have included cultural heritage in the development agenda. However, natural hazards threaten the existence of several historic districts, like Intramuros in Manila, Philippines. Pre-disaster recovery planning has gained ground as a promising approach to improve disaster preparedness and recovery, although it has yet to be widely utilised for cultural heritage preservation. The authors organised a pre-disaster recovery planning workshop, which helped observe the existing system of disaster management for cultural heritage in Intramuros. Heritage Values and Vulnerability Assessments, which were presented to heritage experts, disaster managers, and the local community at the workshop, were conducted. As disaster risk management for cultural heritage is largely unexplored, the workshop generated much interest among stakeholders, as this was the first time that contact had been facilitated among them. It successfully demonstrated the benefits of pre-disaster recovery planning to provide inclusive and better recovery outcomes for historic districts.

Keywords: Intramuros; Manila; Philippines; disasters; heritage; pre disaster; recovery planning.