From danger to death zones: Living with the floods in the resettlement site of Kasiglahan Village in the Philippines

Urban and land use planning play a central role in managing climate-related risk, yet this potential remains underutilized in urban-poor contexts. In many cities of the Global South, informal settlements operate largely outside formal planning frameworks and face high exposure to hazards. Resettlement has often been promoted as a response to informality and disaster risk, but these sites evolve incrementally and require continuous adaptation. Treating resettlement as a one-off intervention has led to inadequate infrastructure, limited livelihoods and sometimes even renewed exposure to hazards. This study examines Kasiglahan Village, a large resettlement site in Rodriguez, Rizal, outside Metro Manila, as a living laboratory for climate-resilient land use planning. It develops a vision of “living with floods” that is derived from a mixed-method approach that combined flood modelling, household surveys, focus groups, and participatory co-design workshops. The proposed concept builds on three pillars: (1) reducing exposure through flood protection, (2) accommodating risk via adaptive housing and community-based disaster preparedness, and (3) supporting livelihoods to enhance long-term resilience. The findings highlight the need to reconceptualize resettlement and managed retreat as long-term, adaptive land use planning processes that integrate incremental upgrading and sustained flood risk management. • Examines resettlement as a dynamic disaster risk reduction strategy. • Proposes concrete strategies for reducing exposure and accommodating risk. • Introduces new co-produced flood-adapted housing designs. • Advocates adaptive, incremental approaches to climate-resilient planning.