Good Afternoon and Happy World Cities’ Day!
Before I go into my Message, allow me to share some feedback from the delegation that attended the 6th Asia Pacific Urban Forum (APUF6) and the Asia Pacific Regional Meeting for the Habitat 3 in Jakarta, Indonesia last week, headed by our Secretary General Cecilia S. Alba.
According to our delegation, there were several Filipinos who participated in the two events and they made our country proud. Former Mayor Mary Jane Ortega was the Convention Chairperson of the APUF 6. Mayor Bongat of Naga was a Panelist in the Mayors Round Table Discussion on the Role of Local Governments in the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda. For Habitat 3, Usec. Alba was one of the Discussants in the High-Level Panel Discussion on Rethinking Today’s Practice in Urban Development. Commissioner Linda Hornilla of the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board, who was also with the Delegation, was asked to speak in a Side Event on Localizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Philippines also had more than its fair share of U.N. officials. In fact, there were Filipinos who came all the way from the U.N. Habitat Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. A Filipina acts as U.N. Habitat Country Programme Manager of Pakistan. The Asia Pacific Urban Forum Youth also had Filipino delegates. And of course, as always, Filipinos were prominent amongst stakeholder groups - one of them even presented the sectoral statement for women.
With all these Filipinos engaged, one way or another, in development work, one would think that the Philippines should be doing better than it actually is.
We have Mayors whose interventions and program of actions are recognized as good practice worldwide. Similarly, we have planners whose talents are sought after globally. And we have advocates whose works are recognized internationally.
Yet, when we do some introspection, for instance, when we assess our cities, the perennial issues of congestion, informality, peace and order, pollution and social exclusion, among others, remain apparent.
There is no doubt in my mind that Filipinos are very smart! But, I think what we need to learn, as a people, is the art of working together!
We need to do this when we talk about congestion, informality, peace and order, pollution, social exclusion, and climate change resiliency; when we talk about meeting opportunities and addressing challenges in urbanization towards sustainable urban development; when we talk about Sustainable Development Goal No. 11 on making cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. We will only have a chance to achieve this if we work together!
That is why when the idea was raised to hold an Urban Forum to celebrate the World Cities’ Day, in partnership with the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), UN-HABITAT, and the Philippine Institute for Environmental Planners (PIEP), I immediately agreed.
To my mind, it is only through strengthening and nurturing these partnerships - with government, both national and local, international organizations, professionals and other stakeholder-partners - that we can provide venues that would allow us to take advantage of the synergy created.
And we must work together, and work together now. As we speak, forty-four percent (44%) of our country’s population are living in urban areas and cities. This trend will continue as our cities produce roughly seventy-five percent (75%) of the country’s economic output.
In other words one in every two Filipinos will experience congestion, pollution, and overall want for basic services, but at the same time, participate in the accelerated economic pace of our cities. Hence, the challenge is for us to sustain the economic growth; make sure that our cities continue generating wealth and remain the driver of growth – while at the same time, make it more livable, more connected and more people centered.
Together we can make better plans, and be exponentially better in implementation. With our collective efforts, especially those who are here today, we can make cities sustainable – by ensuring access to safe and affordable housing, and upgrading informal settlements. We must also ensure investment in public transport, creating green public spaces, and improving urban planning and management, making sure these are done in a way that is both participatory and inclusive.
By putting these efforts together, we can look forward to cities that will promote economic equity, social integration and resiliency. Let me put some emphasis on the last one – resiliency. i cannot overemphasize the need for us to ensure that our cities are climate change and disaster risk resilient. If we fail to do so, we risk losing lives by the thousands, and economically, we risk wasting our gains in one fell swoop.
I, of course, do not overlook the gains that the very people in this room have worked for. I know for a fact that our partnership with the LCP and the UN-HABITAT has produced not few and, by all means, not modest accomplishments.
Together, we have put together guidebooks for local shelter planning that mainstream disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation as well as the piloting of planned city extensions, both under the ASUD or achieving sustainable urban development. Likewise, we also spearheaded a Forum on Public Spaces. And as I have earlier mentioned, our organizations were together in the Asia Pacific Urban Forum and the Asia Pacific Regional Meeting for the Habitat 3 to ensure that the we are able to input the Philippine essence into what will be the new urban agenda for 2016 and beyond. We are now in the process of updating the National Framework on Housing and Urban Development.
However, much work is left to be done. More help is needed. And I am happy to see that the PIEP is here, together with other stakeholders. Together, we must strategize to raise awareness, localize and implement existing national plans and targets, such as the National Informal Settlements Upgrading Strategy (NISUS) and the newly-minted Sustainable Development Goals.
As I go over the numerous indicators found in the new SDGs, and with a limited timeframe of only 15 years, we are expected to provide safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transportation systems; participatory human settlements planning; protect culture and heritage; raise disaster resiliency; lessen environmental impact; and ensure public green spaces especially for the marginalized. Indeed, a tall order.
Clearly, these targets are not meant for one actor alone – and certainly, not government by itself. Let me emphasize, we need to work together. We need to view and work on the challenges on a wholistic approach and not through piecemeal solutions.
Kailangan nating magsama-sama sa pagpaplano, pag-implement, pag-monitor at pag-improve ng ating mga sistema upang masiguro na makalipas ang labing-limang taon – we will have inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities!
“Di na po tayo pwedeng mag-kanya-kanya. Di na po pwede ang business as usual. At lalong di na pwede ang mind your own business.”
I hope that today will be just the first of many more steps toward our collective goal of making Philippine cities more inclusive, safe, resilient sustainable and competitive. We look forward to more collaboration, cooperation and more partnerships.
Maraming salamat po.