Contacts:
In Manila: Dave Llorito (632) 917-3047
E-mail: dllorito@worldbank.org
Kitchie Hermoso (632) 917-3013
E-mail: mhermoso@worldbank.org
In Washington: Mohamad Al-Arief (1-202) 458-5964
E-mail: malarief@worldbank.org Manila, September 22, 2008—The Cities Alliance, a Global Partnership Program housed in the World Bank, is extending technical assistance to cities in the Philippines to help improve governance and delivery of social services in urban areas, Bert Hofman, WB Country Director revealed today. In a grant agreement signed on September 15, 2008, the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) will receive USD$169,000 for three activities: A review of the City Development Strategy (CDS) program. The study will draw lessons from the implementation of the CDS program that could be used to improve local governance and strengthen the performance of cities.
A documentation of an innovative shelter management program by Marikina City which has successfully housed its poor residents.
The publication of the State of Philippine Cities Report that will serve as basis for project design, policy formulation and further assistance to cities from their development partners.
The financial grant to the LCP, according to Mr. Hofman, is part of the World Bank’s continuing efforts to help the Philippines, a middle income country, achieve pro-poor growth and development. “More than half of the Philippine population resides in urban area and about 14 percent are poor. Beefing up the capability of city executives and managers to meet people’s needs for social services and infrastructure therefore offers vast opportunities for poverty reduction.” “The State of Philippine Cities Report can be used as yardstick for competition in performance between and among cities in the country,” added Mandaluyong Mayor Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr., President of the LCP, who signed the grant agreement on behalf of the LCP. A view supported by Mr. Hofman who said, “The ultimate goal of this project is to enhance the performance of cities in governance and service delivery.” The Cities Alliance is a global coalition of cities and their development partners committed to scaling up successful LGU approaches to poverty reduction. The Cities Alliance supports cities in two key areas: the preparation of City Development Strategies (CDS) and citywide and nationwide slum upgrading programs. The CDS is a participatory planning tool that aims to assist cities address the pressures of rapid urbanization including congestion and rising demand for basic urban services like transport, shelter, water, sanitation and health services, among others. In 1998, the World Bank and the mayors of several cities in the Philippines launched the first phase of the CDS Program. After eight years, three CDS phases have been implemented. In addition to the CDS programs, a project preparation grant from the Japanese Government supported a number of cities in preparing city strategies and project feasibility studies. In all, more than 60 cities have participated in the CDS activities. Through the CDS process, the cities have generated more than 500 priority programs and projects, primarily in infrastructure (30 %), environment (14%) and governance (13%). Many of these projects were funded through the cities own funds, government financial intermediaries, official development assistance, central government transfers and the private sector. Phase 1 included Dapitan, Dipolog, Lapu-Lapu, Olongapo, Roxas, Sagay, and San Fernando City (La Union). Phase 2 covered 31 cities including 17 cities in Luzon (Antipolo, Calapan, Candon, Dagupan, Ligao, Marikina, Masbate, Munoz, Muntinlupa, Naga, Palaya, San Carlos, San Fernando- Pampanga, San Jose, Sorsogon, Tagaytay and Tuguegarao), nine cities in the Visayas (Bais, Bayawan, Bislig, Cadiz, Calbayog, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Maasin, and Mandaue) and five cities in Mindanao (Iligan, Kabankalan, Malaybalay, Panabo, and Island Garden City of Samal. Phase 3, which has recently concluded, covers Baguio, Balanga, Cavite, Iriga, Laoag, Makati, Paranaque, Puerto Princesa, Tanauan, Bago, Canlaon, Tanjay, Pagadian, Tangub and Zamboanga. The cities that were supported by the project preparation grant include Escalante, General Santos City, Legazpi, Ormoc, Santiago (Isabela) and Tanauan. The Philippines is the newest member country to join the Cities Alliance. Other members of the Cities Alliance include Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom and the United States. In addition, its members include local authorities and development partners like the Asian Development Bank, European Union, United Nations Environmental Programme, UN-Habitat, and the World Bank.
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