History

HOW TAO-PILIPINAS WAS BORN by Arlene Lusterio and Maria Faith Varona Inspired by people power The influence that led to the creation of TAO-Pilipinas can be traced as far back as 1986, after the EDSA People Power Revolution toppled then President Ferdinand Marcos after 20 years of dictatorship. Inspired by the massive change in Philippine government and society after the revolution, architecture students at the University of the Philippines in Diliman formed the socio-civic student organization Task Force Arki (TFA). The organization transformed words of social change into action by bringing activism to the poor communities in Tondo, through assisting needy families in planning and rebuilding their homes with the active involvement of the San Pablo Apostol Parish priest. The community interaction changed the students elitist and market-dictated architecture orientation into one of social service and responsibility. This laid the groundwork for the later creation of TAOPilipinas by TFA members Arlene Christy Lusterio and Maria Faith Varona. Encouraged by the Asian experience In 1994, Arlene participated in the Regional Young Professionals Workshop for Social Housing organized by the Asian Coalition for Housing Rights (ACHR), an NGO network based in Bangkok. The conference showcased different initiatives and approaches in social housing from various Asian countries including the Philippines. This inspired Arlene to push for the first national Young Professionals Summer Camp for Social Housing in Cebu City in 1996. She enlisted the help of Faith in the organizing the workshop, starting a unique career journey for both. The summer camp was funded by SELAVIP, a social housing service for Asia, Latin America and Africa, with local support by Pagtambayayong Foundation, Inc. The theme of the workshop was: An Alternative Approach to Social Housing: Bridging the Gap Between Urban Poor Communities and Young Professionals through Exposure, Participatory Planning and Design. The workshop brought together professionals from different sectors in society from ten key cities all over the Philippines. The success of the YP summer camp workshop led to the formation of a loose coalition of young professionals in Quezon City and the Bicol region. The

organizers became the secretariat of the YP coalition. But the initiative did not last, as coordination was very difficult and the group lacked funds and institutional support. The group eventually broke up and lost contact. But the organizers saw the need to create a venue for a more socially responsive practice especially in architecture. This vision was finally realized a few years later. Keeping volunteerism alive After the summer camp both women went on separate ways, working in various private companies and NGOs. But they continued volunteer work on weekends mainly for Grameen in Matain, Subic, involving in the process former and new members of TFA, keeping their interests in volunteerism and development work alive and burning. The hunger for independence and opportunity to work with communities gave them the idea of pursuing a career in development work and setting up an NGO. Finding a mentor Fr. Eduardo Jorge Anzorena of SELAVIP played a vital role in the formation of TAO-Pilipinas. After the summer camp in 1996, he provided constant support to both Arlene and Faith in their discernment of the right path. Whenever Fr. Jorge visited the Philippines, it became a ritual for the ladies to visit him. He became a mentor and confidante to both lady architects. Creating a name In 2000, Arlene and Faith finally decided to create a technical assistance NGO with full support from Fr. Jorge. The name tao was chosen because it has several meanings: the way after the Japanese Tao; people or man in Filipino; and an apt acronym for technical assistance organization which is what the creators wanted to form as an NGO. Pilipinas indicates the Philippines as the geographic origin of the organization, and its creators hope that decades from now, the TAO way will become a global phenomenon that defies geographic boundaries. The all women character of the group was not intentional, although this was later affirmed after a growing realization of the power of women working and bonding together, creating a niche for themselves in technical assistance, and making a difference. Conceived over doughnuts and under the mango tree In 2000, over coffee and doughnuts, Arlene and Faith together with old college friends/TFA alumni Criselda Kho and Gertrudes Samson firmed up the plans for

the formalization of TAO-Pilipinas. But since Criselda was based in Mindanao, she declined to commit officially but offered her support whenever possible. The lack of resources did not stop the three ladies (Arlene, Faith, and Ger) from pushing with the legalization process. Two more like minded professionals, Laura David (a chemist/oceanographer) and Ana Dizon (sociologist), were asked to join the group as board members. This completed the official magic five and in August 20, 2001 TAO-Pilipinas was officially registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The mango tree at the back of Quezon Hall in the University of the Philippines Diliman bore witness to the completion of the legal paperwork. Testing the waters, taking the plunge With just a staff of two architects, TAO-Pilipinas first official involvement was with informal settlements affected by the Pasig River Rehabilitation Program in Metro Manila, in partnership with Urban Poor Associates. The first community was in Brgy. Pineda followed closely by Baseco and Parola in the port area of Manila. TAO-Pilipinas technical interventions in Pineda led to the approval of an on-site community development plan (tagged as a Peoples Plan) by city mayor of Pasig. It was a major victory for the Samahang Magkakapitbahay sa MRR-Pineda (SAMAPI) against the medium-rise housing proposal by the National Housing Authority for the local government of Pasig City. The community development plan (CDP) of Baseco was formulated based on ideas from members of Kabalikat para sa Kaunlaran ng Baseco (KABALIKAT), the peoples organization working on security of tenure issues in the area. It was presented to the mayor of Manila and was received without prejudice in the absence of a plan by the Urban Settlements Office (USO). But the proposed KABALIKAT CDP never reached approval due mainly to several fires that gutted the area three years in a row. USO developed Basecos post-fire rehabilitation masterplan taking into consideration requests made in KABALIKATs CDP. The CDP served as a guide for USO on what not to develop in Baseco. Gathering momentum With the little leverage TAO-Pilipinas pulled for informal settlements along Pasig River, other groups along Pasig River and in other areas in Metro Manila also requested for assistance from TAO-Pilipinas. With the blessing of a start-up grant

from Fr. Jorge Anzorena through the Jesuit Center for East Asia, TAO-Pilipinas established its first office in a studio unit in 29-A Matimtiman Street, Teachers Village-East, Diliman, Quezon City. The TAO office has moved to three places since, grown to a 10-strong all-women staff, reached more informal settlements in and outside of Metro Manila, worked with more non-government organizations, collaborated with several local government units and universities, and finally in 2006, received the First International Year of Shelter for the Homeless Encouragement Prize from Japan Housing Association in recognition and support of its efforts in helping the poor.