Monday, September 7, 2009

Low-cost Housing Industry Leaders Present Best Practices, Partnership Opportunities at 2nd Asia-Pacific Housing Forum

Housing developers, microfinance institutions, local governments, and academics are encouraged to attend the 2nd Asia-Pacific Housing Forum slated today until September 9, 2009 at the Dusit Thani Manila Hotel in Makati City.

Organized by Habitat for Humanity International in cooperation with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies this year's forum revolves around the theme, "Maximizing Urban Poverty Housing Solutions for Greater Results." It gathers major stakeholders from the social, private and public sectors, academe and international organizations to share best practices, solutions and resource needs for the large and growing number of people living in substandard housing environments.

The forum presents opportunities for forging joint partnerships in housing projects, as potential sources of housing finance, cost efficient technologies, and social entrepreneurs are brought together by this event. The three-day event is structured in a manner to maximize dialogue, interaction and networking among participants. The forum's plenary sessions and discussion groups will focus on four themes: (1) innovations in housing the urban poor; (2) rethinking disaster response; (3) UNESCAP Quick Guides on Housing the Poor; and (4) "Leaders of Tomorrow Meet Leaders of Today".

Internationally acclaimed speakers and leading experts in housing concerns who will share insights at the forum, include:
  • Dr. Nicolas P. Retsinas from the Joint Center for Housing Studies, Harvard University, with a plenary presentation on "Housing Policy: How to Meet the Needs of the Poor".
  • Bruce Ferguson, former urban economist of the World Bank and member of the Advisory Board of Global Urban Development, on the plenary topic "A Value Chain Approach to Affordable Housing: The Key to Massive Scale";
  • Graham Saunders, head of the shelter department at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Geneva, Switzerland, to speak on "Linking Disaster Response with Sustainable Development"
  • Huub Cornelissen, director on energy and housing of The Netherlands Development Finance Company, to present the organization's initiatives in housing finance for the poor, and
  • Nestor A. Espenilla, Jr., deputy governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas,to talk on the BSP's role in supporting housing microfinance in the banking sector

Vice President Noli de Castro, who is also the chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council will be the guest of honor and will deliver the keynote address.

The 2nd Asia-Pacific Housing Forum is in partnership with the Department of Tourism Vestergaard Frandsen, Local Government of Taguig City, and sponsored by Citi, Acer Business World, Epson, ACNNewswire, and IndianNGOs.com.

For more information and for online registration, visit http://www.aphousingforum.org or contact the Secretariat at (632) 897-3356, 897 3069 loc. 107 or email 2APHFSecretariat@habitat.org.ph.

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