Towards a sustainable future: How local governments advocate for urban sustainability
government to dedicate up to 13 percent of its budget for adaptation and mitigation measures.
“We are under a climate emergency, our planet is dying, we can see how climate change is affecting our weather patterns. Our weather patterns are extreme, either the rains are heavy, typhoons often occur, or there are droughts. So we can see real changes that are affecting our planet and our people,” Belmonte told Manila Bulletin.
The city implemented programs to promote active transport and proper waste disposal, reduce carbon or greenhouse gas emission, and create more green spaces.
QC Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Department head Ms. Andrea Villaroman said the city has an Enhanced Local Climate Change Action Plan (LLCAP) 20212050 that presents a roadmap to build climate resilience, pursue net-zero carbon emissions or carbon neutrally, and advance green economic development. Based on the LLCAP, the city government is working on implementing the use of solar panels on buildings.
Among the local government’s sustainability initiatives are the “Grow QC” program that developed over 670 urban farms in the city, providing livelihood to the residents through their vegetables products; the “Trash to Cashback” program, where the recyclable and plastic wastes given to the city government are converted to “environmental points” that residents can use as payment for utilities and basic necessities; and the “Project Zero” waste that produces compost fertilizers from organic wastes from markets.
The City Council has passed ordinances that prohibit the distribution of plastic bags.
Around 91 electric buses have also been deployed to promote an environment-friendly mode of transportation.
The city has also established a 93-kilometer bike lane to encourage residents to use active transportation and reduce air pollution.
In August 2022, the city government and the C40 Cities, launched the Climate Action Implementation (CAI) program that aims to take urgent steps to address the climate crisis and will implement transformational climate change actions and activities.
The city also began conducting tree-planting activities through the “A Million Trees Begins With One: Quezon City’s One Million Trees Initiative” to create more green spaces in Quezon City and help in addressing climate-induced risks. They are also improving the city’s parks and pathways.
Belmonte said that the youth should understand the effects of climate change for them to act as they will be the ones who might experience its effect in the future.
She added that everybody can be part of the solution to climate change by riding bicycles or walking, planting more trees, growing vegetables, and segregating wastes properly.
Caloocan City Mayor Dale Gonzalo “Along” Malapitan has instructed his constituents to strengthen the implementation of proper waste management through simultaneous cleanup operations and continuous educational campaigns in all the barangays including non-government, religious, and youth organizations (NGOs).
Malapitan also instructed the City Environmental Management Department (CEMD) to strictly enforce the city’s environmental policies and ordinances. These include City Ordinance
0407, series of 2006 or the “Caloocan City Ecological Solid Waste Management Ordinance,” and City Ordinance No. 0753 Series of 2018 or the” Caloocan City Anti-littering Ordinance.”
Under City Ordinance No. 0503, series of 2013 or the “Plastics and Polystyrene Regulating Ordinance,” the CEMD collects used plastics and tarpaulins in various barangays and delivers them to a plastic chair factory located in Bagong Silang to convert them into school chairs. These chairs are then donated to daycare centers.
Urban Gardening was also established in Barangays 165, 166, 167, and 168. The project began during the pandemic period to get residents accustomed to healthy and selfsustained food production.
Meanwhile, the CEMD said Malapitan, since his first day in the office, had ordered them to ensure cleanliness and orderliness in the city.
They accomplished 114 cleanup operations which covered 46,145 meters and collected 620,745 pieces of debris from July to December last year. A total of 188 drainages were cleared, where 661,441 debris pieces of garbage were collected.
The CEMD also performed 149 environmental-related activities, including cleaning drainages, hauling, fogging, tree-cutting, flushing and declogging misting, and brigada eskwela.
The department said it continuously spearheads the implementation of segregated door-to-door collections in 76 barangays in the city.
In line with the city’s focus on cleanliness and orderliness, the CEMD coordinates with a global research company ThinkPlace for the Accelerated Circular Economy (ACE) Project Research that promotes proper waste management.
More sustainability programs in the city will be launched in the coming months, said the CEMD. The department also appealed to the public to stop throwing garbage in drainages and public places.
Malabon City Mayor Jeannie Sandoval has vowed to lead Malabonians in protecting the environment as the local government implements initiatives to address climate change and other environmental issues in the city.
“We know for a fact that climate change is really happening, the threat of global warming and its effects is felt not only in the Philippines but in the whole world, we must act now or our future generations are at risk,” Sandoval said.
“Our ecosystem is now desperate because it is being abused and disregarded due to rapid urbanization. Given that Malabon City is a flood-prone area, the effects on our city will be really disastrous if we will not address this concern,” she added.
Since Malabon is one of the lowlying cities in Metro Manila and is at the tail end of the Malabon-NavotasTullahan-Tinajeros River, the city is becoming a “catch basin” of waste materials from upstream areas during heavy rains.
Weekly cleanup operations are held every Friday in the city, in compliance with Executive Order No. 2207-22-018, series of 2022 or “An Order mandating all Barangay Officials, Individuals, Government Institutions, Non- Government Organizations, and other Associations, Private Institutions to Conduct Intensified Clean-Up Operations in their Respective Jurisdictions, and Observe Cleanliness in the City of Malabon.”
City Hall employees, non-government organizations (NGOs), private associations, barangays and national private agencies participated in the operations.
The city government is currently implementing environmental city ordinances for anti-littering, regulation of the usage of plastic, waste segregation and others to apprehend individuals violating its provisions for environment preservation.
Sandoval said that Malabon’s 21 barangays are also implementing proper waste management strategies while the city also coordinated with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to deploy “Estero Rangers” in various areas to help during clean- up operations.
The Estero Rangers are tasked to regularly conduct cleanups and assist in information, education, and communication campaigns in communities on proper solid waste management and other environmental laws.
A total of 60 Estero Rangers were deployed by the DENR in Malabon while 50 more will be hired for other operations.
Lectures or forums in schools are conducted to inform teachers, workers, and students on the existing environmental laws and ordinances including the best practices applicable on schools and communities, the mayor said.
The city government also coordinated with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) for the development of parks or open spaces like the Hulong-duhat Plaza and Catmon Plaza to make them more environment-friendly. Planting of trees and ornamental plants were also done to create greener surroundings.
Sandoval said that tree-planting on open spaces, mangrove-planting on waterways, and identifying more areas to conduct those activities must be intensified with the support of the national government and private agencies.
The Navotas City local government intensified its cleanup operation in line with its solid waste management campaign.
The city government invited volunteers to join its simultaneous cleanup operations in all the city barangays during the 117th Navotas Day last Jan. 14.
Members of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) also recently attended an orientation under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Strategic Communication and Initiatives Service-Development Communication Division (SCIS-DCD), which aims to educate barangay officials about the proper waste management and disposal.
Coastal and waterways cleanup drives are also regularly conducted in the city.
Navotas placed third in the Manila BAYani Awards and Incentives last December for its exemplary contribution to the cleanup and rehabilitation of Manila Bay.
The local government said the city officials are consistent in participating in environmental events including Earth Day, and international and national coastal cleanup and clearing operations.
Last International Coastal Cleanup Day, Navotas CENRO together with DENR conducted a clearing and hauling operation in the coastal areas in Barangays Bagumbayan North, Tangos North at Tangos South, and Tanza Marine Tree Park, where tons of solid waste were collected.
It also continues to improve the city’s tallest vertical farm or a fourstory urban farm located at NavotaAs Homes 1-Tanza to provide a healthy and sustainable food source to the residents.
The NavotaAs Hanapbuhay Center trains residents, including students and the elderly, to plant and harvest fruit and vegetable-bearing plants. The harvested vegetables from the vertical farm were either distributed or sold at affordable prices to residents.
The Valenzuela City government is developing more urban green spaces in line with its sustainability and liveability initiatives.
“The City Government of Valenzuela will always strive for sustainability and liveability, aiming for the city’s continued progress while contributing to environmental awareness, through expanding more urban green spaces, maximizing resources, and improving the city’s surroundings,” Valenzuela City Mayor Weslie “Wes” Gatchalian said.
The city anticipates the opening of Arkong Bato Linear Park or the park adjacent to the city’s iconic 19th century “Arkong Bato”. The park’s area was a reclaimed space from an abandoned industrial complex which will be elevated and planted with flowering native trees like banaba and balayong and low-maintenance softscapes.
Apart from the linear park, three more parks, a fishing village, and a mini-park were inaugurated in the city.
Additional sustainability programs under the city’s agriculture office are being developed, including the Greening Program and Urban Gardening Program.
The city government said they will continue to conduct tree-planting activities for the rest of 2023 as part of the Greening Program. The Urban Gardening Program aims to plant various seedlings to produce fruit and vegetable-bearing plants and shade trees.
The Integrated Community Food Production Project was also launched in Disiplina Village Bignay. The project seeks to educate residents on how to practice healthy and self-sustained food production and inform them on chemical fertilizer-use reduction.
Some residents can even earn extra income by selling food products in the City’s Central Kitchen supply, which were harvested from the community gardens.
The local government is developing an eco-tourism zone in Tagalag Fishing Village. Both Disiplina Village and Tagalag Fishing Village received awards from Gawad Galing Pook.
The Public Sanitation and Cleanliness Office (PSCO) also strengthened the city’s domestic waste collection and disposal through its Solid Waste Management Operation and General Cleaning Program.
The PSCO’s programs include remapping and hauling systems, garbage collection, street sweeping, trimming of trees, and grass cutting to all major and secondary roads in the city’s 33 barangays.
“In a city, improving the quality of life should go hand in hand with inspiring the community to also cooperate and contribute to the local government’s sustainable programs. For this reason, the people, especially the youth, have an important role to play. To be of service to society, to grasp a better life for the generations to come,” Gatchalian said.
Under the leadership of Mayor Abby Binay, the city of Makati has become not just the country’s business hub, but also as one of the most sustainable cities in the metropolis.
Being a staunch promoter of sustainability and environmental protection, Binay introduced some of the best practices and initiatives in increasing climate change awareness and mitigating pollution that have been well regarded both domestically and internationally.
These include her declaration of a state of climate emergency in the city as she called for a whole-of-society approach in responding to the issue of climate change and pollution.
She also launched the upcoming integration of electric vehicles (EVs) in Makati’s transport system, development and distribution of healthy foods for students, improvement in disaster reduction technology, and hydroponics among others.
In August, Binay announced that electric buses (E-buses) will soon be a part of the regular public transportation sector in the city following the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the city government and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) on the establishment of a smart public transport system in the city.
The smart public transport system will provide commuters an affordable means of transportation, help mitigate the impacts of climate change, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The city government also began installing solar panels in all public schools and government offices to minimize energy consumption and ensure the continuity of services during calamities.
The city strictly implements its Solid Waste Management Code, Makati Green Building Code, plastic ban among households and business establishments, ban on cigarette smoking, Anti-Smoke Belching Ordinance, and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Ordinance.
The mayor added that they are promoting sustainable housing and increasing the land area available for housing settlements.
“Makati plans to build 500 more housing units to address the shelter needs of formal and informal sectors under the city’s Comprehensive Shelter Plan. The city will also allocate 1,000 units for city government employees who do not have homes; improve living conditions of residents and government employees by building 1,500+ climate-resilient homes; reduce air pollution through sustainable and affordable housing; and improving public health by reducing exposure to pollutants and providing green space for recreation,” Binay said.
The local chief then stressed the importance of protecting the environment and advocating sustainability for the future generations.
“In Makati, we understand that a sustainable future for our children and grandchildren is dependent on us taking concrete steps to protect the planet. We are committed to creating an environment that is healthy and safe for all, so we have taken specific actions to reduce emissions, conserve energy, reduce pollution and waste, and promote green spaces. Through various initiatives, we are actively protecting the environment and mitigating climate change,” Binay said.
“In addition, Makati has created green spaces and enhanced existing parks to promote access to clean air, healthy environment, and recreational activities. These measures demonstrate Makati’s commitment to protecting