Cebu among 5 Asian countries chosen for “green growth” study

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu has been selected as one of the five cities in Asia for “green growth” study. 

Other cities are Bangkok in Thailand, Johor Bahru or Iskandar in Malaysia, Bandung in Indonesia and Hai Phong in Vietnam. 

The study, “Urban Green Grown in Dynamic Asia Project,” is seen to foster green growth in fast-growing cities in Asia. 

The study is pegged at P10 million and will be undertaken by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), an organization of 34 high-income countries that provides, among others, a forum where governments can work, share experiences and come up with solutions to common problems.

OECD wants cities in dynamic Asia urgently need to adopt or strengthen a green growth model that takes into account specific local circumstances (rapid urbanisation, industrialisation and motorisation, fast economic growth, widespread informal settlements, vulnerability to environmental risks, etc.). 

The study of urban green growth for Cebu is aligned to Mega Cebu, which has been identified as OECD project’s fifth case study. 

Elizar Sabinay Jr., capability training and education officer of Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board-Research, Program and Organizational Development, said the output of Cebu’s study would be a report entitled, “Green Growth in Cebu, the Philippines.” 

The urban green growth in dynamic Asia project, he said will focus on the policies needed for Metro Cebu’s social and economic development and will complement and further outline, from a policy-focused perspective, the roadmap study’s recommendations on a chosen focus area. 

Both of these studies together will provide the blueprint for Cebu’s holistic and sustainable development. 

“The report will consider a theme affecting Cebu’s green competitiveness and recommend policies to be implemented,” he said. 

Sabinay said the chosen countries and 20 others including France, Spain and other European countries, that will serve as peer reviewers of the study will be coming over to Cebu for workshop, forums, conferences and sharing of knowledge on December 8-12.  On December 11, there will be a parallel discussion at the provincial Capitol.

“Knowledge sharing will be critical to foster urban green growth,” he said.  — (FREEMAN)