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1000-w ord essay on how I can contribute to the solutionof one of the follow ing environmental challenges that the

United Nations has identified in its M illenniumDevelopment Goals.

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Know ledge as a Key to Achieving Im provement in theLives of 100 M illion Slum Dw ellers by 2020

The Philippines has one of the highest population growth rates in Asia.The country is beset by a rapidly growing population, growing urbanization,increasing urban poverty and worsening economic inequity. Inequity ineconomic development is manifested by the geographical distribution of urbanpoverty. To illustrate, an estimated 10 percent of families in Metro Manila lived inpoverty compared to about 40 percent and 64 percent of the urban populationsin Central Mindanao and Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, respectively(NSO, as cited in NAPGUGST, 2003). As of 2002, more than half of MetroManilas estimated 11 million population lived in slums (Manila Standard, SectionB, p16, Oct. 15, 2002).

In 2004, the housing backlog including slum housing was estimated bythe National Shelter Program at 4.5 million units - 44 percent of which was in theNational Capital Region (ADB, 1999). According to the World Bank, more than30 percent of the countrys urban population lives in squatters and slum areasand that about half of the 1.4 million urban poor households reside in the MetroManila (WB, 2001). To make things worse, these areas have very limited or inmost cases, no access to basic services such as clean water, health services,among others.

The deficiency of proper housing for the poor is mainly a problem of

supply rather than cost (NAPGUGST, 2003). Upgrading slums are affected byaffordability issue. This, in turn, is closely related to housing quality and tenurethat match the incomes especially of the poor. The challenge, thus, lies not in

just raising the money to finance a comprehensive housing program for the poor,but in looking at innovations that will give us the most cost-effective andpragmatic option that in the end will provide the most benefit for every peso thatis spent. This means that we need to scan the whole body of knowledge on thesubject so that for every peso spent, the stream of benefits multiplies, thusaccruing to increased supply. This entails moving knowledge around so that itcan be a key tool for scanning and innovating practical solutions for housing thepoor and improving slum dwellings in a local context.

There are already success stories in this especially at the local governmentlevel, albeit on a very limited scale. These lessons from should not be taken forgranted but should be shared so that others may learn from it, and build on it.

Knowledge is information that is useful for effective action, producing results, orcreating value (Talisayon, 2004). Information and knowledge may seem thesame, but Knowledge Management practitioners make the distinction by saying

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that information is know what, while knowledge is know how; Information is what is while knowledge is what works (Talisayon 2004).

To find innovative solutions you need to know what works. To be able toinnovate, you need to see the whole spectrum of experiences and body of

knowledge so that you know what went right and what are missing that couldhave made the difference. Innovation fills the gaps in what has already beenproven to work in other situations to localize solutions. Thus, the need toshare knowledge is critical. The concerned sectors must share knowledge toform a common resource that will help speed up the search for practicalsolutions for housing the urban poor and improve the lives of millions of slumdwellers.

We have with us today the benefit of the most outstanding innovation of the century, the Internet, that enables people to share knowledge in the mostefficient, cost-effective and timely manner. The Internet has brought forth theinformation revolution. Knowledge Management is getting the right knowledgeto the right people at the right time and more importantly, helping peopleshare and put information into action in ways that strive to improveorganizational performance (ODell, 2004). Clearly, we need an interface tobring together the solutions that work to the key actors/stakeholders that needit. These solutions or best practices in housing the urban poor and improvingthe lives of slum dwellers will become the key in generating new innovativesolutions and spreading the information in action to all regions of the country.

As a 4 th year architecture student, with adequate background knowledge

in housing for the poor and superior skills in website development, I propose todevelop an Internet portal for the sharing of these best practices and providing avenue for discussion on housing for the poor. This portal will become a shortcutfor all who intend to find solutions for housing the poor and upgrading the livesof slum dwellers. It will have the following features: (1) a searchable databaseof best practices; (2) contact persons for each best practice to facilitate theknowledge acquisition; and (3) a forum for discussion and eventual discovery of new practical solutions, for networking and synergy. The database allows usersto input their own practices or new technologies. In this case, candidate best-practices are available online and these might just provide the gap that makesall the difference. It will be also be a capacity building tool.

Examples of best practices that can be included initially will be the GawadKalinga, the different experiences of different cities such as the SHOPCOMapproach of Muntinlupa City and the City and Church Partnership in Housing theUrban Poor of Calapan City. Another example is the EDSA Shrine project of resettling street dwellers under the EDSA flyover.

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Cooperative agreements with the United Architects of the Philippines aswell as from architecture schools to help build-up the content of the website willbe explored. Revenue from sponsorships and advertising within the portal fromarchitectural firms and related businesses can generate income for sustainability.

In time, knowledge will prove to be an important tool to help improve thelives of slum dwellers in every city in the country. With the help of the Internetand the proposed portal, the right information can be available to the rightpeople at the right time.

References:

ADB (April 1999), Appendix E, Table 4, p. A-20.Manila Standard, Section B, p16, Oct. 15, 2002National Action Plan on Good Urban Governance and Secure Tenure,

August 2003.National Statistics Office, 2003.ODell, Carla and Grayson, C. Jackson Jr., If Only We Knew What We

Know. 2004Talisayon, Apin. What is Knowledge Management? 2004.

NOTE: This 1000-word essay does not include the title and the references in itsword count.