UK grant to Cebu City P160-million figure still not final

CEBU, Philippines — The P160 million that the Cebu City government is set to receive via a grant from the UK government is not an actual figure yet, as the final program is still under process in the UK.

City administrator Nigel Paul Villarete said the final figure of the grant might be much more than P160 million, or even lesser than that.

Villarete also clarified that the representatives of the UK government and Cebu City government have yet to sign the memorandum of understanding on the third or fourth week of this month.

“That occasion was rather the Prosperity Evening Reception at the UK Ambassador’s Residence, where Mayor Tommy Osmeña was invited as Cebu City is one of the two Philippine beneficiaries of the Prosperity Fund – Global Future Cities Program,” he added.

The other one is New Clark City.

Cebu City is among the 19 cities in the world that was chosen by UK government under the Global Future Cities Program.

In the memorandum of understanding, the money in the grant will be used to promote growth and prosperity in developing middle-income countries.

The program scope includes transportation, urban planning, and resilience wherein sustainable developments under the scope will be implemented to alleviate the concerns revolving around these scopes.

Villarete said it will provide the city with a long-term strategy and framework for sustainable urban development, including a strategy to achieve the sustainable development goals that can be continued beyond political cycles.

“The Prosperity Fund focuses on the UN Sustainable Development Goal 8, which promotes sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth.  We are looking at coming up with a strategic document which will serve as a framework for other city plans required by the national government as well as facilitate their alignment with national goals, similar to the Cebu City + 10 which was conceptualized in 2008,” he said.

He said the primary hallmark of Cebu + 10 is that it enhances participatory and consultative approaches and multi-stakeholder engagement.

“The UK’s assistance will help improve the way Cebu City is planned and managed, especially in capturing the aspirations of the Cebuanos through a consultative process and will hopefully result in increased local prosperity and quality of life, including reductions in levels of poverty and gender inequality,” he added.

Villarete said the assistance may not involve actual construction of projects but mainly project preparation, at no cost to the government, adding that the assistance is still very important as the city cannot undertake the project development works without the project preparation. — BRP (FREEMAN)