1st City to City Exchange

LCP opens new learning exchange platforms on good urban practices

LCP recently concluded its 1st City to City Exchange on January 27-29, 2015 in Mandaluyong City. A first of a series of learning exchanges among technical personnel and local authorities of the city governments of Pasay, Mandaluyong, Quezon, Tacloban, Ormoc and the municipality of Guiuan for planning and promoting safety and resilience in local governments.

In his welcome message, LCP President and Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista said cities need to better perform given the challenges of in-migration and impacts of climate change, ‘After typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) hit the country, many of us were compelled to rethink our strategies and plans and review our policies. How prepared are we to face similar disasters in the future? Can our cities withstand the economic, social, and physical destruction by another super typhoon?’ He added that developing partnerships among cities is one of the key steps towards resilient and sustainable cities.

LCP Secretary General and Marikina City Mayor Del De Guzman said learning exchange has been part of the LCP’s regular program. During National Executive Board (NEB) meetings, city mayors also get to share their good urban governance practices, he added. ‘It is our intention that we will be learning from each other. We also want to make recommendations, innovative solutions as to how to make our programs more effective,’ Mayor Del said.

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)’s Augusto Rodriguez encouraged cities to become laboratories of innovations like pioneers Marikina and Quezon City, ‘How do we upscale these good local practices?.’ He added, ‘Nothing beats experience sharing. Sharing and learning are always bilateral’, emphasizing NCR-based cities (Mandaluyong, Quezon and Pasay) can also learn from the Visayas-based local governments (Tacloban, Ormoc, and Guiuan).

UN HABITAT’s Adelaida Antonette Mias-Cea underscored the role of LCP in pulling together its member-cities in this knowledge-sharing activity.

The three-day activity highlighted learning visits to Mandaluyong Pasig River Linear Park, Garden City of Life (in Mandaluyong City) and Bistekville (in Quezon City). Pasay City also presented its sustainable livelihood programs like the Family-Based Actions for Children and their Environs in the Slums (FACES) Project, Bayanihan Savings Program, and Family-Based Ecological Diversion and Recycling of Waste (FEDROW).

On the last day, Visayas participants identified learning topics that NCR cities will provide the details during the mentoring program. The Visayas LGUs will explore possible replications in their respective areas. These programs include Mandaluyong’s Welfareville Commission, a local initiative focusing on the concerns and issues in the Metro Manila’s biggest informal settlement; Garden City of Life, a one-stop shop local columbarium and city cemetery (Mandaluyong City); Bistekville Program, an award-winning low-cost socialized housing, and the Community Mortgage Program in Quezon City, and Pasay City’s values-based livelihood programs like the FACES, FEDROW, and Rainwater Harvesting Project.

The 1st City to City Exchange is part of an ongoing LCP Safe and Resilience Program Initiative with support from the UN HABITAT and UNICEF.