Divided we drown: Segregation and climate resilience in Metro Manila

Abstract

In a flood-prone megacity like Metro Manila, how does urban segregation impact a city’s ability to prevent, mitigate, endure, and recover from climate-related disasters? In this thesis, I combine urban form analysis with qualitative methods to understand how the physicality of the city interplays with the lived experiences of government officials and residents during flood events in Metro Manila. Through the examination of two barangays, Damayang Lagi of Quezon City and Malanday of Marikina, I identify cases in which segregation poses a threat to the safety of residents, such as walls obstructing critical evacuation routes. The thesis culminates in a proposal that explores alternatives to disaster risk management and governance set in motion by spatial negotiations that transcend segregation boundaries. The institutional and urban design interventions that make this possible show that a fragmented barangay could become united against the impending crises that threaten its security.