DHSUD launches Philippine Urban Forum 2023
It’s a date! Today, February 14, representatives from the national, regional, and local government; non-government organizations; research institutions and academe; real estate development associations; key urban actors; and stakeholders will gather for the kickoff launch of the Philippine World Urban Forum (PhUF).
In time with its fourth anniversary celebration, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), in partnership with UN-Habitat Philippines will spearhead PhUF 2023 which will be held in October 2023, with the theme, “Road to Better, Greener, Smarter Human Settlements, and Urban Systems in a more Inclusive Philippines.”
The Philippines is the 13th most populous country in the world that is rapidly urbanizing.
Thus, there is a need for immediate action to capitalize on the potential of cities as drivers of growth and development, while at the same time addressing the negative impact of urbanization, such as deteriorating environmental quality and socioeconomic inequality between the rich and the poor which unfortunately, was exacerbated by the pandemic and climate change.
With more than half of Filipinos living in urban areas, demand for housing, land tenure, basic utilities and services, and employment in cities and urban areas is as strong as ever.
Efficient and coordinated urban planning and development is crucial to achieve sustainable and inclusive urban development.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
The Philippine Urban Forum (PhUF) is envisioned to be a localized version of the World Urban Forum which is recognized as the biggest international gathering and dialogue for sharing practical knowledge, innovations, and experiences of countries in managing human settlements and urbanization.
The WUF is held every two years, with the last session of the WUF held in June 2022 in Poland. The next one will be held in Cairo, Egypt in 2024.
For the Philippines, the PhUF 2023 aims to bring together allied forces in the field of human settlements and urban development to share, discuss, and exchange knowledge and best practices on sustainable urbanization in the country in an open and inclusive platform.
The event will include lectures and presentations from selected international and local experts, government agencies and local governments on innovations, researches, and best practices on urban development including new policies, projects and initiatives.
The forum will also be a venue for sharing ideas in implementing the country’s international commitments - the Philippine New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular, SDG 11 – Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
There will also be exhibits and gallery presentations, training and workshops on various topics including new technologies and studies that will be benefit the various urban development actors. There will be collaborative activities to promote partnership and networking among the key players in urban development across the country.
The event will also provide opportunities for stakeholders, particularly local governments to secure technical and financial solutions and potential investors to implement local development projects.
The forum will also be a venue for sharing ideas in implementing the country’s international commitments - the Philippine New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular, SDG 11 – Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
The event proper will be held in October this year, coinciding with DHSUD’s National Shelter Month Celebration and UN Habitat’s Urban October.
A showcase of talents, activities, and knowledge exchange, PhUF 2023 will feature a set of activities, namely: Urban Expo, Urban Gallery and Cinema, Training Activities, Investment Forum, Dialogues, and Assemblies.
The lessons learned in the PhUF will provide valuable inputs for the preparation of technical sessions and other information to be delivered by the Philippine delegation in the twelfth session of the WUF in 2024.
WHAT TO EXPECT?
Open to government, private, and civil society organizations that push forward equitable and sustainable urban development in the country, DHSUD invites all to participate in the PhUF 2023.
Urban Expo. A chance for urban development practitioners and champions to exhibit their innovations, best practices, ideas, and solutions to urban development, the Urban Expo is envisioned to be an engaging and comprehensive display of solutions covering the wide spectrum of urban development in the areas of housing, environment, infrastructure, community development, and climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. Booths will be provided to exhibitors.
Urban Gallery and Cinema. The event will also feature competition entries in the field of arts. An open exhibit for photos and artworks that capture the Philippines’ urban design and development will be held. Interested participants are also invited to submit short video entries related to the theme. The winning entries will be announced, displayed, and shown during the main event.
Training and Workshops. Interested National Government Agencies (NGAs), Local Government Units (LGUs), international and local organizations, academic/research institutions, and corporate bodies will also be encouraged to organize structured training activities and workshops.
Climate Resilient Urban Design Projects and Investment Forum. LGUs will be enjoined to submit proposals to make their communities climate-resilient, livable, sustainable, and well-connected. Selected proposals will be provided technical assistance by DHSUD, and will be invited to pitch their proposals to potential investors during an Investment Forum to garner support and funding for the realization or upscaling of their projects.
Dialogues and Assemblies. During the main event, there will be dialogues between decision-makers to set the agenda for policy and action on urban development. Meanwhile, assemblies will provide an opportunity for civil society and people’s organizations to actively participate in the forum by providing their ideas and recommendations on housing and sustainable urbanization.
This Philippine Urban Forum 2023 is the first large-scale convention of urban actors since the creation of the DHSUD in 2019. As the primary national government entity responsible for housing, human settlement, and urban development, the DHSUD is pursuing the PhUF as an open, participatory, and inclusive mechanism for generating practical urban solutions.
The launch of the PhUF today will be a hybrid in-person and online event (thru Facebook live).