Culture and traditions are two key things that set Filipino design apart from the rest of the world, according to Mañosa. "When you look at the bahay na bato, that is uniquely Filipino [but] many refer to it as Hispanic, although you will not find that house in Spain," he explains. "That was uniquely designed by our ancestors using our local culture and tradition infused with our colonisers' influence."

Mañosa takes his point further by emphasising that our strong affinity to our roots plays an integral role in the shaping of our nation, even centuries later. For him, our standards of beauty for our handcrafted traditions such as weaving, woodworking, and jewellery making, and our constant improvement of other artisanal traditions like culinary, music, and dance, all fully realise the uniqueness of the Filipino people albeit influenced by many foreign races. This pride that is inherent in us as Filipinos are humbly expressed through sheer strive for perfection.

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There are several things that Mañosa considers when designing structures to be disaster-resilient: site selection, water, power, medical, and distribution space.

"Your first priority is picking the right site. It is important when looking at beachfront properties that architects project a 10-year flood plan to compensate for the rising water levels due to climate change. If the site is near a cliff or at the bottom of a mountain, is the area prone to landslides? Choosing the right site I believe is already half the battle with regard to disaster resiliency," Mañosa explains.

"You need to identify your source of water," he continues. "Usually after natural disasters, clean potable water tends to be the biggest problem for those affected. So your structure must identify its source of water, and you should determine how the water gets treated, recycled, and produced."

Mañosa further explains the importance of identifying the source of power and reiterated the high potential for power outages of overhead electrical lines. If it is possible, have a renewable source of energy integrated into the structure. The ability to make the structure versatile is important for Mañosa as well, particularly when natural disasters happen and there is a need to convert the amenities into makeshift rooms, and isolation areas for medical emergencies. Lastly, it is also important to have a space that is able to create a makeshift distribution centre as that is critical in emergency relief operations. Determine if you are near an airport, seaport, or main road access that transport of goods would not be a problem. If this is near impossible due to site limitations and whatnot, at least have a space that could be made as a temporary shelter for people.

When it comes to materials, the type of natural disaster tends to dictate which material solution is best, Mañosa explains. Heavy materials such as steel, concrete and stone tend to be favoured against natural disasters such as super typhoons, storm surges, and floods. But lightweight materials like wood/bamboo construction, and cogon/nipa tend to be more resilient against earthquakes and ash fall from volcanic eruptions. The choice of materials does vary on the type of building, its purpose/function, its location, and the availability of local material sources.

Read also: Bahay na Bato: The Parts of a Stately Filipino House During the Spanish Colonial Period

"In a world where super typhoons are becoming a yearly occurrence, storm surges are destroying more coastal towns due to floods and rise in sea levels. High winds take down trees, light structures, and alike, and the same goes in occurrences of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The Filipino architect must design under these conditions," Mañosa emphasises.

"When we look back at the bahay kubo, this is a structure which was not designed by an architect or engineer. It was a structure which was designed and built by our ancestors based on climate, culture and traditions. Our forefathers knew best how to merge these fundamentals together in a way, which put purpose and meaning in Philippine architecture. Understanding our past truly helps us design a sustainable future."

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