MY BIRTH city’s vision is “A highly-urbanized, resilient, and livable city by 2030;” its mission: “To enrich the eco-cultural heritage, enhance sustainable and inclusive socio-economic growth, and build a resilient community anchored in responsive governance and active multi-stakeholder participation,” Given that, I wonder why Tagbilaran City is not in the WWF-Philippines’ One Planet Cities (OPC) program considering how this initiative ties in with the vision-mission of the city in the area of building resilient communities.
What is the WWF-Philippines?
“World Wide Fund For Nature Philippines (WWF-Philippines) works on the frontlines of conservation with people, for people. Their mission is to stop and eventually reverse the accelerating degradation of the Philippine environment – to build a future where Filipinos live in harmony with nature.” Isn’t that the goal of every city? Isn’t that the objective of Tagbilaran City? We want to live in harmony with nature, not suffer from the wrath of nature.
I served as executive director of the General Santos City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (GSC Chamber) in 2014-2015. At the time, the GSC Chamber collaborated with WWF-Philippines and the city government of General Santos through the conduct of a series of workshops that focused on disaster preparedness via scenario-building exercises to prepare the city for the likely event of a catastrophe coming on the heels of Yolanda in 2013. Broadly attended by key sectors, it was very enlightening and informative. I learned a whole lot.
Now on its 10th anniversary, twenty-eight Philippine cities are joining the WWF’s OPC program, the highest-ever number of cities participating, indicating a marked growth in the country’s urban sustainability movement since it started ten years back. I would say it’s commendable.
“We are seeing an almost double growth in the number of cities that joined the program, from 15 cities in the 2023-2024 cycle, to 28 in the 2025-2026 cycle. This is the highest number of cities in the Philippines that are making a strong commitment to sustainable urban development,” Atty. Gia Ibay, climate and energy programme head, said in a statement. Gia said the increasing number of cities that now recognize the need to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and advocate for sustainable development is a clear sign that vital sectors are uniting and acting for the climate.
Twenty-eight cities are leading the charge, seventeen are returning, while eleven are joining for the first time.
For Luzon:
Returning: Baguio City, Batangas City, Legazpi City, Makati City, Malolos City, Naga City, Puerto Princesa City, San Fernando City (La Union), Santa Rosa City
New: Balanga City, Calapan City, Carmona City, Laoag City, Ligao City, Tayabas City
For Visayas:
Returning: Catbalogan City, La Carlota City, Ormoc City, San Carlos City (Negros Occidental)
New: Bacolod City, Iloilo City
For Mindanao:
Returning: Cagayan de Oro City, Davao City, Dipolog City, Tagum City
New: Butuan City, Island Garden City of Samal, Oroquieta City
Unfortunately, nowhere in the list can we find Tagbilaran City, which is quite ironic bearing in mind the city’s vision-mission. Interestingly, the support of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) paved the way for the significant increase in the number of participating cities because LCP endorsed the OPC program to member cities. Wasn’t it endorsed to Tagbilaran City as well? The endorsement understandably helped promote awareness and encourage more cities to join the program, with the end goal of driving and achieving sustainable urban development.
Since 2015, WWF-Philippines has implemented the global WWF OPC program and its flagship One Planet City Challenge (OPCC) – a biennial global challenge that assists cities in acting as transformation catalysts. This program encourages the development of integrated and inclusive plans aligned with the 1.5°C target while promoting urban climate resilience and facilitating individual and collective climate actions. OPCC is the longest and largest friendly competition since 2011, engaging a total of 900 cities worldwide.
What is the 1.5°C?
Under the Paris Agreement, countries agreed to substantially reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to enable the long-term global average surface temperature increase to be kept well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C. (Paris Agreement)
Monthly and annual breaches of 1.5°C do not mean that the world has failed to achieve the Paris Agreement’s temperature goal, which refers to a long-term temperature increase over decades, not individual months, or years. Temperatures for any single month or year fluctuate due to natural variability, including El Niño/La Niña and volcanic eruptions. Consequently, long-term temperature changes are typically considered on decadal timescales. (WMO)
Nevertheless, breaches of 1.5°C for a month or a year are early signs of getting perilously close to exceeding the long-term limit and serve as clarion calls for increasing ambition and accelerating action in this critical decade. (UNEP)
Imee Bellen, project manager of One Planet Cities, said, “A decade into the OPC journey in the Philippines, we are inspired by the continued commitment of our partner cities, and we are proud to witness more cities stepping up to lead climate action. Urban areas are significant in the reduction of carbon emissions while fostering collaboration with stakeholders and governments, which is vital in driving inclusive, adaptive, and science-based climate solutions at the local level.”
Emphasizing that, I wonder why Tagbilaran City has not adopted this initiative, highlighting the city leadership’s penchant for dramatic rhetoric. We should stop pomposity and get down to brass tacks.
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The writer hosts Woman Talk with Belinda Sales every Saturday, 10 a.m., at 91.1 Balita FM Tagbilaran City. Email at belindabelsales@gmail.com. X @ShilohRuthie./PN
