CLIMATE-RESILIENT LAND USE PLANNING STRATEGIES IN SELECTED FLOOD-PRONE BARANGAYS OF BUTUAN CITY

Atty. Joel S. Pardillo; Tenny Junson Andam; Aldrich Boyles; Claire Quennie Baro.

doi:10.5281/zenodo.21502112

Abstract

Flooding remains one of the most significant climate-related hazards affecting Butuan City due to its location within the Agusan River Basin, exposing several barangays to recurrent flood events that threaten lives, infrastructure, livelihoods, and sustainable development. This study assessed the implementation of climateresilient land use planning (CRLUP) strategies in four flood-prone barangays of Butuan City, namely Baan Riverside, Los Angeles, Mahay, and Sto. Niño. Specifically, it identified existing climate-resilient land use planning strategies, determined their level of implementation, examined the challenges encountered during implementation, and proposed recommendations to strengthen local climate resilience. The study employed a descriptive mixed-methods research design using survey questionnaires administered to 20 barangay officials and personnel, key informant interviews with representatives from the City Planning and Development Department, City Engineering Department, and City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department, and a review of relevant planning documents, including the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP), Climate and Disaster Risk Assessment (CDRA), Barangay Development Plans, and hazard maps. Quantitative data were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, weighted means, and ranking, while qualitative data were examined through thematic analysis. Findings revealed that the overall implementation of climate-resilient land use planning strategies was generally high. Community participation obtained the highest implementation rating (WM = 4.41), followed by hazard-based land use planning (WM = 4.38) and disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation (WM = 4.25), all interpreted as very high implementation. Environmental protection measures recorded a high implementation level (WM = 3.68), while flood mitigation and drainage management received only a moderate implementation rating (WM = 3.00), highlighting deficiencies in drainage infrastructure and flood control systems. The major implementation challenges identified were insufficient budget, poor drainage systems, weak enforcement of land use policies, and limited technical expertise among barangay personnel. The study concludes that while the selected barangays have successfully integrated climate resilience into local planning, strengthening infrastructure investments, enhancing policy enforcement, expanding technical capacity-building, and improving inter-agency collaboration are essential to further enhance climate-resilient land use planning and reduce flood vulnerability in Butuan City.

Keywords

Climate-resilient land use planning, flood-prone barangays, disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, flood resilience, Butuan City

References

1) Alsayah, M., et al. (2022). Land use planning to reduce flood risk: Opportunities, challenges and
uncertainties in developing countries. Sustainability, 14(18), 11459.
2) Alwin, R., Rachmawati, R., Hidayati, I. N., & Suprayogi, S. (2025). Resilient city and flood disaster
mitigation adaptation community-based in Samarinda City. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jum.2025.12.004
3) Ashley, R. M., Balmforth, D. J., Saul, A. J., & Blanskby, J. D. (2005). Flooding in the future—Predicting
climate change, risks and responses in urban areas. Water Science and Technology, 52(5), 265–273.
4) Biesbroek, G. R., Klostermann, J. E. M., Termeer, C. J. A. M., & Kabat, P. (2013). On the nature of
barriers to climate change adaptation. Regional Environmental Change, 13(5), 1119–1129.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-013-0421-y
5) Climate and Disaster Risk Assessment. (2023). Climate and Disaster Risk Assessment. City Planning
and Development Office, Butuan City, Philippines.
6) Dwirahmadi, F., Rutherford, S., Phung, D., & Chu, C. (2019). Understanding vulnerability, capacity and
adaptive capacity in climate change adaptation planning for local governments. Climate and
Development, 11(7), 593–603. https://doi.org/10.1080/17565529.2018.1507747
7) Few, R., Brown, K., & Tompkins, E. L. (2007). Public participation and climate change adaptation:
Avoiding the illusion of inclusion. Climate Policy, 7(1), 46–59.
https://doi.org/10.1080/14693062.2007.9685637
8) Fletcher, T. D., Shuster, W., Hunt, W. F., Ashley, R., Butler, D., Arthur, S., Trowsdale, S., Barraud, S.,
Semadeni-Davies, A., Bertrand-Krajewski, J. L., Mikkelsen, P. S., Rivard, G., Uhl, M., Dagenais, D., &
Viklander, M. (2015). SUDS, LID, BMPs, WSUD and more – The evolution and application of
terminology surrounding urban drainage. Urban Water Journal, 12(7), 525–542.
9) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2023). Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report. IPCC.
10) Measham, T. G., Preston, B. L., Smith, T. F., Brooke, C., Gorddard, R., Withycombe, G., & Morrison,
C. (2011). Adapting to climate change through local municipal planning: Barriers and challenges.
Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, 16(8), 889–909.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11027-011-9301-2
11) Mercer, J., Kelman, I., Lloyd, K., & Suchet-Pearson, S. (2010). Framework for integrating indigenous
and scientific knowledge for disaster risk reduction. Disasters, 34(1), 214–239.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-7717.2009.01126.x
12) Michael Niño, Amick, B., Williams, M., Norton Smith, K., & Bingham, S. (2025). Extreme weather
events, climate change attitudes, and preparedness on self-rated health and depressive symptoms.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joclim.2025.100582
13) Modesto, D. B., Poblete II, E. D. S., Tingson, J. V. I., Bautista, R. L., Sarao, A. M. A., & Castillo, C. C.
(2026). Examining disaster response self-efficacy and flood preparedness behavior among Filipino
youth: Moderating role of frequent flood experience. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nhres.2026.06.003
14) Nalau, J., Preston, B. L., & Maloney, M. C. (2015). Is adaptation a local responsibility? Environmental
Science & Policy, 48, 89–98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2014.12.011
15) Paton, D., & Johnston, D. (2017). Disaster resilience: An integrated approach (2nd ed.). Charles C
Thomas Publisher.
16) Porter, J., & Demeritt, D. (2012). Flood-risk management, mapping, and planning: The institutional
politics of decision support in England. Risk Analysis, 32(10), 1782–1794.
17) Reed, M. S. (2008). Stakeholder participation for environmental management: A literature review.
Biological Conservation, 141(10), 2417–2431. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2008.07.014
18) Rivera, A. T., & Dela Vega, J. B. G. (2025). From vulnerability to resilience: Addressing the causes,
impacts, and solutions for recurrent flash floods in the Philippines.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tcrr.2025.08.005
19) Salvadore, E., Bronders, J., & Batelaan, O. (2015). Hydrological modelling of urbanized catchments: A
review and future directions. Journal of Hydrology, 529, 62–81.
20) Shaw, R., Pulhin, J. M., & Pereira, J. J. (Eds.). (2011). Climate change adaptation and disaster risk
reduction: An Asian perspective. Emerald Group Publishing.
21) Stringer, L. C., Reed, M. S., Fraser, E. D. G., Hubacek, K., Prell, C. H., Quinn, C. H., & Dougill, A. J.
(2006). Unpacking "participation" in the adaptive management of social–ecological systems: A critical
review. Ecology and Society, 11(2), 39.
22) Uittenbroek, C. J., Janssen-Jansen, L. B., & Runhaar, H. A. C. (2014). Mainstreaming climate adaptation
into urban planning: Overcoming barriers, seizing opportunities and evaluating the results. Mitigation
and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, 19(6), 811–831. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11027-013-
9527-8
23) Ye, Z., Liu, Z., Ziegler, A. D., Alkon, M., Lv, K., & He, X. (2026). Floods and public perceptions of
climate change. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135810
24) Yirgaalem, S., Abate, B., & Arba, Y. (2026). Impact of land use and climate change on flood hazards in
the Gojeb River Catchment, Upper Omo-Gibe River Basin, Ethiopia.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nhres.2026.03.010
25) Zhou, Q. (2014). A review of sustainable urban drainage systems considering the climate change and
urbanization impacts. Water, 6(4), 976–992.