Iloilo City received the Livable City Award at the 3rd CityNet United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) City Awards.
The citation was for Iloilo City’s significant contributions in localizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“I am overjoyed to share that CityNet has recognized Iloilo City as the Most Livable City! This prestigious honor is a testament to our shared dedication, hard work, and unwavering commitment to making our metro a better place for everyone. Together, we continue to rise and create a city we can all be proud of,” said Mayor Jerry Trenas.
Engr. Neil Ravena, head of the City General Services Office, presented to the Asia and the Pacific regional leaders one of Iloilo City’s best practices, the Iloilo River Esplanade.
The Iloilo River Esplanade is one of Iloilo City’s prides when it comes to green, sustainable developments, as it has successfully linked urban living with an active lifestyle. The esplanade is a key component of the city’s river rehabilitation project, which also involved relocating informal settlers and removing the stilt houses, initiating massive mangrove planting initiatives, releasing juvenile fish into the river for stock enhancement, and sustained river cleanups involving various sectors.
This year’s CityNet UNESCAP SDG City Awards were held Tuesday, November 19, at the Iloilo Convention Center.
The annual awards program promotes knowledge sharing of innovative best practices in sustainable urban development. Each year, new competition categories are selected among in-demand urban issues to spur cities to contribute policies and practices on the most pressing problems cities are facing.
The winners are:
- 1st place: Busan City, South Korea’s Deullak Nallak – Busan Children’s Cultural Complex
- 2nd place: Baguio City, Philippines’ Mapping Urban Resilience: A Digital Twin to Baguio’s Livability Index
- 3rd place: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s 1 Community, 1 Recycle
Iloilo City received a special citation for being a “Livable City” for its significant contributions in localizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Makati City, meanwhile, garnered the Audience Choice Award for its Public Service Caravan.
This year’s thematic categories are: Inclusive City, Smart City, Circular City, and Resilient City.
