The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said that Manila, Cebu, and Davao will be candidates for smart cities as part of the ASEAN Smart City Network, a regional initiative for sustainable development.

“For this ASEAN Smart Cities Network, we have Manila, Cebu and Davao, candidate cities that will collaborate and synergize with other smart cities in the region,” Assistant Socio- Economic Planning Secretary Roderick Planta said at a virtual press briefing.

Building smart and sustainable technologies would help the Philippines shift to reducing carbon emissions and become more resilient, he added.

“What’s exciting about smart and sustainable infrastructure is that it not only aims to achieve economic, social, and environmental development objectives, but also transitions a country’s low emission and resilient feature,” he said.

Planta said the national government has been working with international partners to make sustainable infrastructure mainstream.

As part of the international collaboration, the country has been given “practical guidelines for efficient, transparent and responsive decision-making process in infrastructure investment,” he said.

This includes the ASEAN framework for urbanization and the Sustainable Infrastructure Programme in Asia.

He also showed the Development Plan for New Clark City (NCC), which was approved by NEDA in 2014 and includes the development of 4,950 hectares of land.

A backup government building for disaster resilience, a Filinvest mixed industrial development, and access roads are all under the NCC project.

Planta said that Phase 2 and 3 of the access roads “will feature bike and pedestrian lanes and the usual roadway lighting and linear parks.”

NEDA has also commissioned 13 sector-wide infrastructure plans in cities that are funded by the Project Development and Other Related Studies Fund, according to Planta.

“These masterplans will guide the preparation and implementation of programs and projects for sustainable and infrastructure development,” he said.

Planta said that key strategies the national government would have to implement in the long and short term if it wants to speed up the development of sustainable infrastructure are: adopting and enforcing national policies, formulating development strategies, strengthening the capacity of local and national governments, exploring partnerships and expanding the country's digital infrastructure. Jaspearl Tan/DMS