The International Conference on Human Settlements Planning and Development (ICHSPD) 2021 was successfully held on October 20 to 22, 2021. With the theme “Pursuing Resilient and Sustainable Human Settlements amid Global Risks,” the virtual conference’s objectives were to form partnerships and discuss, promote, and educate about solutions and global best practices focused on mitigating risks and enhancing the sustainability, resilience, and overall health of our communities and cities. The event was hosted by the Department of Community and Environmental Resource Planning of the College of Human Ecology, University of the Philippines Los Baños. More than 1,000 individuals from 25 countries registered and joined. Participants included members of the academe, public and private sector representatives, international sustainability and human settlement experts, urban planners, architects, and policymakers, among others.

We at Palafox Associates and Palafox Architecture Group are grateful and honored to once again be part of ICHSPD alongside the conference’s other partners — UN-Habitat Philippines, UNIDO Philippines, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, Habitat for Humanity Philippines, the Philippine Institute of Environmental Planners, and University of the Philippines College of Architecture, among others.

Organized sessions were hosted by the event’s partners, and the lectures encompassed topics about designing and planning resilient, vibrant, and safe urban spaces; innovative environmental and social technologies; sustainable housing solutions; building inclusive communities; zero waste; food security; hazards and risks in human settlements; and pandemic-ready urban systems. The main theme of Palafox’s organized session was “Spaces for Health and Innovation,” through which Palafox representatives were able to discuss milestone projects for pandemic response, capacity and knowledge-building and innovation, and sustainable industrial development, namely, the LIGTAS COVID Centers and Mega Vaccination Center, the Batangas State University’s Knowledge, Innovation and Science Technology (KIST) Park, and the Leyte Ecological Industrial Zone. Palafox’s speakers were Mikey Ramos, EnP and MSc; Ar. Emil Pinaroc, Msc; and JR Pornillos. They were directly involved in the aforementioned projects, so they were able to share the rationale, design process, and solutions of the projects.

We at Palafox applaud the efforts of the Department of Community and Environmental Resource Planning of the College of Human Ecology of the University of the Philippines Los Baños and our fellow partners in creating this conference to widen the discourse about designing and planning healthier, future-proof, and socially inclusive environments that enhance people’s quality of life.

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