about THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Dr. Engr. Tabassam Raza     Executive Director

Key Skills and Expertise

Dr. Engr. Tabassam Raza has a multidisciplinary academic background i.e., Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) sensitive Urban and Regional Physical and Development Planning (Ph.D. and MA in Urban and Regional Planning, University of the Philippines), Disaster Economics and Allied Knowledge on developing Institutional Setup and Policy Design including Environmental Catastrophe solutions towards Business Sustainability Development  (Doctor in Business Administration DBA, Philippine School of Business Administration and MBA, Graduate School, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Marikina, Marikina City, Philippines.), Knowledge Support Procedure in Investigating Environmental Hazard Prone Areas (MS Geology, University of the Philippines), Application of Technical Knowledge in Analyzing  and Mitigating Hazard Prone Areas (M.Sc. and B.Sc. Applied Geology, University of the Punjab, Pakistan),  and Civil Engineering (BSCE, University of the Philippines).

Dr. Engr. Raza at present is the Executive Director and Member of the Board of Trustees, Planning and Development Research Foundation, Inc. He is a licensed Professional Civil Engineer, Geologist, and Environmental Planner. He is a Professorial Lecturer II (Professor II) of the School of Urban and Regional Planning (SURP), University of the Philippines, Diliman (UP-D). Dr. Raza is a Permanent Special Technical Advisor of Quezon City Government, Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (QCDRRMO), Philippines. Further, he is a Technical Adviser - Office of Civil Defense (OCD)-NCR, Philippines: For the Regional DRRM Plan formulation Activities & Metro Manila Development Plan. Dr. Raza also extended his services to the Department of City and Regional Planning, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan under the category of a visiting Professor and presently engage in developing Real Estate Planning and Management program. Further, Dr. Raza has more than 30 years progressive experience of working internationally as Government Adviser, Senior Director, Associate Dean, DRM and ICT Projects Expert, and Technical Director. He has authored numerous articles in international journals and contributed to book chapters. Additionally, he has worked for multilateral organizations including ADB, WB, UNISDR, UNDP, DKKV-FFO Germany, JICA and EU-DIPECHO funded projects.

Dr. Engr. Raza has overall advanced professional working experience of over 30 years in the field Science and Technology through Inclusive and Universal Accessibility approach in mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation (CCAM) and Disaster Risk Management (DRM) into Local to National Physical and Development Planning particularly focusing on the following expertise in local and international setting:

Key Qualification:     

  • Dr. Engr. Tabassam Raza has a multidisciplinary academic and professional Expertise i.e., Business Risk and Continuity, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Climate Change Adaptation (CCA), Inclusive and Universal Accessibility Sensitive  Urban and Regional Planning (earned Ph.D. and MA in Urban and Regional Planning from University of the Philippines), Inclusive Disaster Economics and Allied Knowledge Management in developing and capacitating Institutional setup and Policy Design (Earned Doctor in Business Administration-DBA from Philippine School of Business Administration and MBA from Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Marikina, Philippines), Knowledge Support Procedure in Investigating Environmental Hazard Prone Areas (Earned MS Geology from University of the Philippines), Application of Technical Knowledge in Analyzing  and Mitigating Hazard Prone Areas (Earned M.Sc. and B.Sc. Applied Geology, University of the Punjab, Pakistan),  and Civil Engineering (Received BSCE, University of the Philippines).
  • Dr. Engr. Raza has overall advanced professional working experience of over 30 years in the field Science and Technology through Inclusive and Universal Accessibility approach in mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation (CCAM) and Disaster Risk Management (DRM) into Local to National Physical and Development Planning particularly focusing on the following expertise in local and international setting:
    • Inclusive and Risk Informed Urban Land Use and Development Planning: With three decades of professional and academic experience, I specialize in addressing urban development challenges through smart, risk-sensitive, and universally accessible approaches. By leveraging advanced technologies and data-driven strategies, I enhance the quality of life for urban residents, improve sustainability, and optimize services across various sectors. My expertise includes:
    • Infrastructure Development: Integrating risk sensitivity into critical infrastructure like schools, hospitals, and public buildings. Promoting smart transportation and transit-oriented development (TOD) with intelligent traffic management, real-time tracking, efficient routing, climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, vehicle modernization, and electric/shared mobility services.
    • Social Inclusion: Creating equitable urban environments through participatory processes. Developing accessible infrastructure, affordable housing, inclusive public spaces, water supply, wastewater management, sanitation, drainage, solid waste management, health, education, sustainable tourism, municipal governance, climate resilience, and sector restructuring.
    • Economic Development: Promoting inclusive, gender-sensitive urban and municipal development. Supporting innovation and startups through incubators and accelerators, utilizing data-driven decision-making to attract investments, drive growth, and ensure digital literacy and technology access.
    • Institutional Smart Governance: Implementing e-governance platforms for transparent, efficient public services, including one-stop business permits. Engaging citizens through digital platforms and mobile apps, and demonstrating proficiency in contract modalities, procurement, and reviewing bidding documents.
    • Environmentally Sustainable Development: Ensuring environmental stability through water sufficiency, food security, climate-smart industries, sustainable energy, and capacity building.
    • Policy Formulation and Articulation: Developing strategies for the water and urban development sectors (Social, Economic, Institutional, Environmental, and Infrastructure) to enhance policy dialogue, operations, and knowledge solutions for local governments.
    • Resiliency and Disaster Management: Creating systems for monitoring and responding to natural disasters and emergencies, integrating climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction early in urban planning, and developing surveillance and emergency response systems. Further, Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation Planning (DRMCCAP): Analytical and conceptual approaches; Strategies, policies and frameworks toward expanding Institutional and personnel CC adaptive and DRR coping and capacities; Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) best practices in sectoral and Local, sub-national and national development planning;  CCDRM proofing, Pertinent data collection,  analysis of the key barriers to CCAM, risk assessment, integrating urban resilience measurements/works in Project design and economic analysis; and opportunity for investment are among others.
    • Urban and Regional Planning: Inclusive and Universal Accessibility approaches:  Mainstreaming inclusive and universal accessibility in Urban and Rural  water sufficiency, food security, human protection, ecological environmental stability, climate-smart industries and services, sustainable energy, and knowledge and capacity in physical and sustainable development;  Comprehensive Development Planning and practical experience in analyzing urban development sectors i.e., Economic, Social, Institutional, infrastructure and Environment, trends also inclusive to disaster risk reduction in changing climate.
    • Disaster Vulnerability and Risk Assessment: Hazard vulnerability analysis (HVA) and risk assessment systematic approaches including probabilistic, experimental, and descriptive. Evaluation and dealing with digital spatial data depositories including geographic location-based inventories of exposed elements at risk i.e. Risk Assessment of Physical assets, vulnerable population, and economies exposed to multi-hazards and climate impacts. Developed Risk Assessment tools i.e., Event Impact Rapid Assessment and Disaster Scaling (EIRADS) Calculator; Rapid visual screening of buildings for Seismic Vulnerability; Framework towards Sustainable and Climate-Resilient; Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation Technical Comprehensive Model; and Flexible Ladderized Capacity Building Model amidst COVID-19 is among others.
    • Disaster Risk Financing and Climate Change Adaptation (Insurance Strategy): Alternative financial mechanisms for instance Micro-insurance, Index based-insurance, Catastrophic pools and bonds, Crop insurance and soft loans are among others DRR and CCA entry points in Project Evaluation and Development (PED). Analysis of market situation, technical feasibility, financial and economic viability, risk and sensitivity tools are among others.
    • Training and Capacity Building Services: Developing face to face and online modules of wide range of subjects under DRM and CCA proposed programs and course curriculum such as for MBA in DRM.  Professional Training in Risk Sensitive Land Use and Development Planning for representatives of the Government of varies countries, Brown Bag Lecture Series (lectures for staff learning and development). Advocating the inclusion of DRR and CCAM in primary, secondary, tertiary and higher educational levels.
    • Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Based Knowledge Management: Geographic Information System (GIS)-based Hazard Characterization, Consequence Analysis, and Risk Assessment, City Risk Profiling “Riskpedia” (international community of practice on DRR and CCA) –Knowledge sharing and documenting megacities DRM practices. DRR best practices technical assistance and sharing via City-to-City and social media networking. Global Knowledge Dissemination Modelling, Management Information Systems, Knowledge Products Designing, LAN, groupware and application of HTML for effective decision making.   
    • International Advocacies, Legal mandates, Strategies, Policies, Action Plans and Frameworks:  Advocating and localizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Agenda 21, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Kyoto Protocol, Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA)-UNISDR, and Post-2015 DRR Framework (HFA2-UNISDR) so called Sendai Framework  of 2015 and other bilateral and multilateral environmental agreements; Practicing and Implementing Pakistan National Disaster Management Act of 2010, National Disaster Management Framework of Pakistan 2007, Pakistan Disaster Risk Reduction Policy 2013, Pakistan Building Code 2007; Mainstreaming Philippines legal mandates in national to local physical and development planning i.e., the Republic Act No. 9729, known as Climate Change Act of 2009, Framework Strategy on Climate Change 2010-2022, National Climate Change Action Plan 2011-2028, Republic Act No. 10121 also known as “Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan 2011-2028, and National Framework for Physical Planning 2001-2013, and National Building Codes of the Philippines and its Implementing Rules and Regulation (PD 1096), R.A. 7160 also called “Local Government Code of 1991; and  Advocacy towards integrating Disaster and Climate Risk Management from communities to national, regional to global  levels.

Dr. Engr. Raza advocate for the Climate Smart Cities including development of digital infrastructure to ensure widespread access to digital services and integrated communication networks. I collaborate internationally with organizations such as the United Nations (UN), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the World Bank (WB), providing strategic guidance and technical expertise. Recently, I completed the Aide Memoire for the National Disaster Risk Management Project for the National Government of Tajikistan as a Staff Consultant of ADB. My consultancy extends to projects supported by multilateral organizations, including ADB, the World Bank, UNISDR, UNDP, DKKV-FFO Germany, DAAD Germany, JICA-Japan, EU-DIPECHO, and Partnership for Infrastructure (PI) through Curtin University Australia, thereby improving the quality of life for communities living in urban environments: