July 1, 2013

Ivan Henares
President
Heritage Conservation Society
G/F Museo Pambata Building, Roxas Boulevard,
Ermita Manila, Philippines
Dear Mr. Henares,
Greetings!
The Architectural Students Association of the Philippines-University of the Philippines
Chapter (ASAPHIL-UP) and the Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands, Inc. (SCPW) in
cooperation with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Pasig River
Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC), are pleased to inform you of the launch of a design competition
entitled Gawin Nating Pasyalan and Ilog Pasig. This is the third in a series of design competitions
focusing on increasing awareness on wetland conservation by integrating environmental concepts into the
design process.
After the rousing success of the launching event symposium Environmental Concerns on
Sustainability in Strategic Design and Planning held last June 28, 2013, a Field Trip to selected sites
in Manila will be held on June 6, 2013, Saturday. Over 400 students from more than ten schools and
universities attended the symposium and we are expecting about 135 students to join the Field Trip.
To ensure the success of this worthy project, we are inviting your office to provide a resource
speaker who will talk about A Historical Perspective of Pasig River and Environs, during the Field
Trip on July 6, 2013, Saturday, from 8 am to 12 nn. We believe that your organizations vision and goals
are suitable for our advocacy and event. Attached are the details of the project and the Field Trip
programme.
Thank you for your time and consideration, we look forward to working with you in this endeavor!
Sincerely yours,

Patrick Lawrence P. Monfort

Chairperson, ASAPHIL-UP
plpmonfort@gmail.com, 0915-796-2461

Mrs. Amy Morado Lecciones

Executive Officer, SCPW Inc.
amy_lecciones@yahoo.com, 637-2409

Pasyal Ilog Pasig Design Competition

Field Trip Programme
July 6, 2013 (Saturday)

7:30 am
8:00 - 8:05
8:05 - 8:10
8:10 - 8:30
8:30 - 9:00

Doors Open and Registration

Invocation
ASAPHIL UP CHOIR
National Anthem
ASAPHIL UP CHOIR
Welcoming Remarks
Dir. Juliet Villegas
Director, National Parks Development Committee
A Historical Perspective of Pasig River and Environs
Heritage Conservation Society

9:00 - 9:30

Tourism in and around Pasig River

Department of Tourism

9:30 - 10:00

10:30 - 11:00

Wetland Centers
Ms. Amy M. Lecciones
Executive Director, Society for the Conservation of
Philippine Wetlands, Inc.
Estuary Edges Design Guidance
Arch. Aaron Julius M. Lecciones
Project Coordinator, Society for the Conservation of
Philippine Wetlands, Inc.
Open Forum and Field Trip Guidelines

11:00 11:10

Closing Remarks

10:00 - 10:30

Organizational Profiles
I. Architectural Students Association of the Philippines
The Architectural Students Association of the Philippines-University of the Philippines Chapter (ASAPHIL-UP) is the
largest student organization in the UP College of Architecture, with an inter-collegiate network in the Philippines.
ASAPHIL-UP has been a partner of the Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands, Inc. (SCPW) in
organizing the past two design competitions. ASAPHIL-UP is proud to have been named as one of the ASEAN
Champions of Biodiversity by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity for its contribution to wetland conservation through
the Candaba Wetland Centre Design Competition in 2010.The Architectural Students Association of the Philippines is
an academic organization with nationwide affiliations primarily concerned with improving the quality of architectural
education.
It started in 1986 when former Dean Geronimo Manahan of the University of the Philippines College of Architecture
invited architecture students from all over the Philippines to form an interim council, with him as the adviser. Fifteen
colleges and universities participated, and the result was the formation of ASAPHIL, with ASAPHIL-UP as one of its
founding chapters.
Since its establishment, ASAPHIL-UP has continued to promote and uplift the standards of architectural education.
The organization aims to accomplish the following:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

to establish a venue where students interact, grow, develop, and foster camaraderie and unity;
to uplift the standard of architectural education by conducting researches, accumulating and
disseminating information about ideas in architecture, environmental design, ecology, technology,
culture, and other related fields;
to safeguard the rights and interests of architectural students in the apprenticeship program;
to create a greater understanding and awareness of pertinent issues and problems and to find solutions
to these;
to cooperate and to coordinate with ASAsia and other related organizations in the fulfilment of these
objectives.

In line with these intentions, ASAPHIL-UP organizes several academic and social activities. An advocacy to spread
the importance and role of design, unity in diversity, and social relevance is shown in Arch 360a movement to
generate more awareness on architecture and design. Constant participation in the university-wide Alternative
Classroom Learning Experience (ACLE), with themes such as disaster preparedness, graffiti art and the art of
tattooing enrich our advocacy. In addition, Artreach: An Outreach Art Workshop for Kids, an event that aims to aid our
cancer-stricken brothers and sisters from the Philippine Children Medical Center (PCMC), our beneficiary for our
events; and its two fundraising events: Siklab 2013: Night Vision and Arkistry: Padyak Manila are highlights of
ASAPHILs activities.

II. Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands, Inc.

The Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands (SCPW) was organized on February 06, 1998 after the
Forum on the National Wetlands Action Plan, an organizational meeting of Wetland Management advocates, with the
following objectives:
To serve as network of wetland workers and advocates and establish linkages with local and international
organizations
To serve as a forum for wetland issues
To engage in advocacy work supportive of wetland conservation objectives
To provide technical assistance on matters related to wetlands
To complement wetland management activities such as research, training, IEC.
SCPW was formally launched and its officers inducted on 17 June 1998 at the Office of the Secretary of the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Since then, the SCPW involved itself in various activities that support the conservation of various Philippine
wetlands.
Designated as the NGO focal point of the Ramsar Conventions Communication, Education and Public
Awareness (CEPA) Programme, taking the lead in implementing the Conventions CEPA programme as a
key tool for the conservation and wise use of wetlands.
Catalyzing changes in peoples behavior towards wetlands
Taking the SCPW Wetlands Caravan (the evolving National CEPA Programme of the Philippines for
wetlands conservation) to various wetlands in the country, such as Laguna de Bay (May 2006), TawiTawi coastal Zone (September 2006), Taal Lake (January 2007) and Ticao Island (April 2008).
Forging partnerships with various government agencies, organizations, and public sectors reaching out
various sectors of the society
- Membership to the Living Lakes Network
- CLEAR (Conservation of Laguna de Bays Environment and Resources), tripartite partnership with
Laguna Lake Development Authority and Unilever Philippines, to ensure the continuity of efforts to
conserve the resources of Laguna de Bay, and empower and educate communities within its
watershed.
- Youth in Action for Lake Conservation, in partnership with UPS Foundation, to empower and mobilize
the youth to take actions that will arrest the deterioration of Laguna de Bay thus contributing
significantly to the overall conservation efforts.
Promote awareness of communities
- Ecological camping for high school students in communities in wetland areas
- Community Lake Monitoring using secchi disc
- CLEAR Youth Network, holding of Annual Congress since 2006
- Community Lake Monitoring using secchi disc
- Design of Lumban Delta as ecotourism site
Website: www.psdn.org.ph/wetlands

III. National Commission for Culture and the Arts

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Philippines is the overall policy making body,
coordinating, and grants giving agency for the preservation, development and promotion of Philippine arts and
culture; an executing agency for the policies it formulates; and task to administering the National Endowment Fund
for Culture and the Arts (NEFCA) -- fund exclusively for the implementation of culture and arts programs and projects.
The NCCA was created to serve as the presidential inter-agency commission to coordinate cultural policies and
programs.
IV. Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission
Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC) was created by virtue of Executive Order No. 54, as amended by
Executive Order No. 65 to ensure that the Pasig River is rehabilitated to its historically pristine condition conducive
for the propagation of fishes and other aquatic resources, transport, recreation and tourism. Their vision is:A new
Pasig River - clean and alive - reflecting the countrys noble history and progress and their mission: To transform
the Pasig River and its environs into a showcase of a new quality of urban life. PRRCs ultimate goal is to Restore
the rivers water quality to Class C level.
PRRC is composed of representatives from various government, non-government and private agencies organized
into Technical Working Committees in order to fully address the different sectoral concerns of rehabilitating the Pasig
River. The current chair is Ms Regina Paz L. Lopez. The TWGs are the following: Housing and Resettlement
Committee, Riverbanks, Transportation and Tourism Development Committee, Flood Control Committee,
Environmental Management Committee, and Public Information and Advocacy Committee.

I.

Project Rationale
Many major rivers around the world contribute to the national pride, economy, and culture of their respective
countries such as the River Thames in the London and the River Seine in Paris. The same, however,
cannot be said with the current state of our very own Pasig River. This project aims to bringing back the
former glory of Pasig River by helping stimulate tourism along the river and by making it once again a prime
destination in the country.
The creation of a well-designed and articulated riverscape combined with provisions for boat tours, wetland
centres, river kiosks, exciting river tours, and market wharfs will provide the attraction that can begin to
snowball tourism along the river. Tourism can also be the solution to make Pasig River the front yard of the
residents Metro Manila no longer making it their garbage bin but treating it worthy of its former glory.
By spurring tourism through design, architecture, and engineering Pasig River can now have the possibility
to contribute to the economy of the capital. Providing a source of funds that can help maintain the river as
well as be the source of funds for future improvements.
Most importantly, a design competition engaging designers, architects, interior designers, landscape
architects, engineers, and planners, to use and hone their existing skills and learn new skills in designing
with the environment, society, and Filipino values in mind will help instil a new generation of future builders
of the Filipino Nation with responsibility and pride for our countrys natural resources.

II.

Project Objective
This project provides a venue for the participants to showcase their talents in designing through a practical
approach towards a specific environmental problem and help them start engaging with socio-civic issues in
their community. It also aims to educate and enlighten future architects, designers, engineers and planners
on green architecture, sustainable planning and the wetland environment. Through a series of public
information campaigns, the project also aims to highlight how green architecture and sustainable planning
can help in restoring Pasig River as a destination in the capital.

II.

Project Details
Project details are available upon request. Please contact ASAPHIL-UP c/o Patrick Lawrence Monfort,
Project Manager at 09157962461 or email at plpmonfort@gmail.com.