” The first half of 2020 has been a rollercoaster of national and world events—from natural phenomena to global health security, and economic stability. The Philippines, for one, suffered from all three, with Taal volcano erupting and devastating the families and cities near it in the first month of the year. Shortly after, the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic due to the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)—the country wasn’t spared. As of writing, the Philippines has recorded 30,052 validated cases with 7893 recoveries and 1169 deaths. It is at this time that faults in the system surfaced: the health sector was deemed lacking, the economy was paralyzed due to the implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine in selected cities and provinces, and several people in power resorted to force instead of presenting a concrete and research-based plan to mitigate the problem. The architecture and design community proved to be heroes in this battle against COVID-19 as groups of individuals and companies within the industry collaborated to design both contingent and permanent solutions. ” Learn more.
