Text by Martin R. Racza
Photos by Joseph A. Bautista
The organizers, participants, and special guests of the 15th IACSC Conference posing for a photo.
Eyeing the goal of having sustainable and resilient cities not just in the Philippines but in other East and Southeast Asian countries as well, the members and participants of the 15th International Academic Consortium for Sustainable Cities (IACSC) Conference converged in the Seda Manila Bay in Paranaque City last August 23, 2024, to discuss various topics, present the findings of researches conducted, and exchange ideas and best practices, or as aptly imparted by University of the Philippines Manila (UPM) Vice Chancellor Jose V. Tecson III who represented Chancellor Michael L. Tee, “More than a meeting of minds, this is a time for collaboration, and an opportunity for us to align our efforts.”
The conference, themed “Sustainable and Resilient Cities Through Research and Innovation,” was graced by various leaders in the academe and local government of the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, and Malaysia, headlined by Yokohama City University President Yoshihiro Ishikawa, UP Vice President (VP) for Academic Affairs Leo D.P. Cubillan (representing UP President Angelo A. Jimenez), UP Diliman (UPD) Chancellor Edgardo Carlo L. Vistan, UP Los Baños (UPLB) Chancellor Jose V. Camacho Jr., Director Lorra Angelia DC Sayson Garcia of the Health Promotion Bureau (HPB) of the Department of Health (DOH), National Academy of Science and Technology Academician Rex Victor O. Cruz, and Prof. Sukri Palutturi, Dean of the Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Hasanuddin Indonesia.
An Urgent Need To Build Future-Ready Communities
In delivering the welcome message as the official representative of Paranaque City Mayor Eric Olivarez, Special Services Office Officer-in-Charge Marie Angelie Co noted that amid their city’s development, their people must not be left behind. “We invite future researchers to come to our city, to help us [develop] in the right way, that we do not make mistakes in terms of these developments especially with our future habitat–if you have future research that can cater, and that we can learn, and that you can share.”
VP Cubillan, who delivered the message of UP President Jimenez, feted the relevance of the choice of the conference venue in Manila Bay, “a natural harbor that has served as a gateway for socio-economic development even before the Spanish colonial occupation, and up until today, facilitates trade between the Philippines and neighboring countries.” Waxing his pride for the country’s capital region, the President touted Metro Manila as “a quintessential city, a sprawling metropolitan area…a metropolis filled to the brim with history, culture, opportunities, and a wide breadth of communities.”
He then posed the question, “What is the horizon for Metro Manila and other cities around the planet? This year’s theme shines the spotlight on the urgent need to build future-ready communities, as well as the roles we play as part of the academe.
“As heavily emphasized by the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda of 17 Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs, drastic and immediate changes are needed to avoid further deterioration of the ecosystem. I quote, ‘urgent and transformative, going beyond mere plans and promises are crucial–it requires ambition, covering entire economies and moving towards climate-resilient development, while outlining a clear path to achieve net zero emissions. Immediate measures are necessary to avoid catastrophic consequences and secure a sustainable future for generations to come. This means that sustainability is not just ‘a way,’ it is the way towards resilient and sustainable cities. Our future economies, livelihoods, and industries, indeed our lives and the lives of our children and their children will be determined by what we do today. [Thus], conferences such as this are critical as we embark towards our future through research, innovation, knowledge-generation, and the promotion of social awareness and responsibility.”
President Jimenez then emphasized how UP contributes to the goal. “Students, faculty, researchers, and practitioners in the field of government, public health, and urban development can help provide the right frameworks for change in the foundation of urban planning. For a climate vulnerable country such as the Philippines, it is vital that we focus resources on innovating and developing sustainable cities–in the case of UP, this conforms with our administration’s strategic plan and the 10 Flagship Programs of the universities. UP’s goal is to help build cities and communities that can withstand the worsening typhoons–as the national university, UP is mandated to provide inclusive and sustainable solutions that address the plight of our fellow Filipinos. We may not be able to solve all the problems of sustainability and resiliency in [just] one conference, but by working together, we can amplify our voices as we appeal to the lawmakers for more science-based urban planning and capacity-building. It is important that whatever we gain from this conference, from knowledge, to partnership and collaboration, we will translate [these] into inclusive and possible solutions.”
Dr. Yoshihiro Ishikawa, the next speaker, gave a brief history of the IACSC and lauded its commitment to achieving sustainable cities and communities. He enjoined the conference participants to share findings and exchange ideas aligned with SDGs, noting that the event boasts of a vast network, which means that there is a great opportunity to learn from others. He ended his message by saluting the work of the organizing committee, led by the UP College of Public Health (CPH) and Yokohama City University.
“The Time to Act is Now”
In their messages of support, UPD Chancellor Edgardo Carlo L. Vistan and UPLB Chancellor Jose V. Camacho Jr. underscored the importance of the IACSC Conference, with Atty. Vistan noting “the importance of partnering with city governments in advancing the role of research and innovation,” while Dr. Camacho stated that “the theme highlights the critical role innovation and collaboration play.” He also added that “UPLB supports initiatives meant to address and implement sustainability in our cities, especially public health, urban planning, and environmental stewardship.”
Delivering the message on behalf of UPM Chancellor Tee, VC Tecson III acclaimed the efforts of the UP CPH, the UPD School of Urban and Regional Planning, UPLB Institute of Biological Sciences, College of Human Ecology and Graduate School, in partnership Universitas Hasanuddin Indonesia and Yokohama University in organizing the conference. Thereafter, he underscored the importance of the event. “At a time when more than half of the global population reside in cities, we are faced with critical issues such as rising populations, inadequate public transportation, uncontrolled city expansion, and increasing threats on critical infrastructure and basic services. These pressures underline the urgency of the work that we must do.”
UP Manila Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development Jose V. Tecson III stresses the urgency of developing resilient and sustainable cities.
He then pinpointed the role of CPH, saying that “The CPH, at the core of these efforts, demonstrates the vital role that health plays in urban planning, after all, a city’s health is measured through the physical and mental well-being of its population.”
“The time to act is now,” the UPM VC for Planning and Development stressed. “By 2050, nearly 70 percent of the world’s population will live in urban areas, a shift that requires us to rethink and redesign the cities to meet the demands of this new reality. Sustainable cities must integrate affordable housing, efficient public transportation, and accessible social services.” Ending his message, Dr. Tecson III enjoined the participants to “to create cities where future generations can flourish by fostering dialogue and sharing our complementary expertise, we are shaping the blueprint for sustainable and resilient cities that will benefit not only us, but the next generations that will come.”
Fulfilling Each Role
Speaking first during the Plenary Session, DOH-HPB Director Lorra Angelia DC Sayson Garcia delved on the steps they are currently taking in enabling communities to be healthy, the Department’s answer to sustainable and resilient cities through the mandate of the Universal Healthcare Act and through their three-pronged health promotion framework strategy designed to support health and wellness. “One, we need to ensure that Filipinos are health-literate. [Second], we need to ensure that settings in health are ably promoted, and [thirdly] we need to ensure that policies and governance are going to protect that choice of being healthy.”
“By transforming the physical and socio-cultural environments of communities, we can make the healthier choice, the easier choice for everyone, everytime,” she added. Dir. Sayson concluded by stating that the programs are more than just good intentions; they are reimagining the community’s well-being, and that these should not remain as idealisms, but should grow and demand everyone’s support.
In his lecture “The Academe’s Role and Participation in the Development of Cities of the Future, NAST Academician Rex Victor O. Cruz deliberated on the current environmental situation, painting a picture of the future as one that will have projected increase of populations of the Philippines with most belonging to the aged groups, and the changing land use and the insufficiency of the current forest covers to sustain environmental and natural resources needs. He also narrated other concerns such as the spread of urbanization and the multiplication of occurrences of heavy rains, with climate models projecting that there will be more heavy rain events throughout the 21st century. He also noted the decreasing but still high incidence of natural disasters such as flooding, increasing patterns of flood and drought, the spike in the demand for [potable] water, and the rise of food insecurity. Dr. Cruz reiterated that there can be no sustainable cities without sustainable infrastructure, zero hunger, human rights, and education, among others. In closing, he outlined the roles of the academe: as creator and supplier of knowledge, the academe needs to:
The academe also has a significant role in the application of innovative tools, such as space technologies and geomatics, modeling and predictive tools, IOT and environmental sensors, and artificial knowledge.
Research: Key to Sustainable and Resilient Cities
Prof. Sukri Palutturi, Dean of the Faculty of Public Health of Universitas Hasanuddin Indonesia, discussed the topic “Research as a Fuel and Catalyst for Sustainable and Resilient Cities.” In his lecture, he first underlined the difference between sustainable cities and resilient cities. “Sustainable cities are those that meet the needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. They strive for economic prosperity, environmental quality, and social equity. Resilient cities are capable of anticipating, absorbing, adapting to, and recovering from shocks and stresses in a manager that sustains essential functions and structures. They build on their existing assets, capabilities, and resources to enhance their ability to withstand and recover from future challenges.” Prof. Palutturi then delved into the key characteristics of sustainable and resilient cities: low carbon emissions, eco-friendly infrastructure, strong social fabric, economic diversity, has disaster-preparedness programs, and is innovative and adaptable.
With regard to research as a fuel and a catalyst, Prof. Palutturi stated that “Research as fuel, is a driving force, as it provides the necessary knowledge and data that drive advancements in various fields like science, technology, medicine, and social sciences. In sustaining growth, research fuels innovation by providing new insights that lead to better products, services, and solutions.
“With research as a catalyst, it accelerates change; it speeds up progress by providing breakthroughs and insights. It enables innovation by inspiring new ideas and approaches that lead to significant advancements.”
Prof. Sukri Palutturi of Universitas Hasanuddin Indonesia delivers his lecture.
Within the Tridharma of Higher Education (education, research, and community service), Prof. Palutturi posits the role of research in tridharma into three: research informs and enhances the educational process; through research, theoretical knowledge is applied to real-world problems; and research often serves as the basis for community service initiatives.
He then gives the specific contributions of research to sustainable and resilient cities: the quantification of climate impacts, the improvement of urban planning and design, the enhancement of environmental quality, the improvement of public health, and the support for small businesses.
Towards the end of his lecture, Prof. Palutturi posed the question: “How can research improve the quality of life of urban residents?” The answers were as follows:
The last plenary session presenters, former DOH Secretary Manuel M. Dayrit and Dr. Jose Florencio F. Lapeña Jr., representing Ayala Healthcare (AC) Health, feted “The Livable City Playbook for Local Government Unit: Transforming Health Together,” distributed copies of the said material to the participants. The aim of the playbook is to equip, empower, enable, and engage communities through 7 clusters with 35 indicators, namely physical health and well-being; water, sanitation, and hygiene; nutrition and maternal and child health; health services and resources; occupational and financial well-being; environmental and social well-being; and emotional resilience.
The Livable City Playbook is a collaborative project of AC Health through the efforts of Dr. Dayrit and Dr. Lapeña.
Presentations
After the plenary session, the following simultaneous presentations on the environment, urban planning, and public health were held in breakout rooms:
Environment
Urban Planning
Public Health
The winners for the poster presentations are:
John Kloyd P. Araza, et. al (Population Health Category)
Aaron Kim G. Delos Santos, et. al (Medical Laboratory Science Category)
Camille Faith D. Duran, et. al (Environment Category)
Mr. Muhammad Ridwan, International Office Secretary of Universitas Hasanuddin Indonesia, the host of next year’s conference, delivered the closing remarks. #