An example of what the ABKD initiative produced - clean waterways lining residents’ homes in Balanga City.
Source: Centre for Liveable Cities
A banner advertising Balanga City’s smoke-free status and raising awareness of the consequences of smoking.
Source: Centre for Liveable Cities
The grounds of Las Casas Filipinas de Akuzar – a museum and heritage homes showcase. Source: Centre for Liveable Cities
Balanga City officials showing CLC and TFI around the villages on site visits during the Flood Management and Green Spaces Forum. Source: Centre for Liveable Cities
Balanga City officials showing CLC and TFI around the villages on site visits during the Flood Management and Green Spaces Forum. Source: Centre for Liveable Cities
Balanga City officials showing CLC and TFI around the villages on site visits during the Flood Management and Green Spaces Forum. Source: Centre for Liveable Cities
Balanga City officials showing CLC and TFI around the villages on site visits during the Flood Management and Green Spaces Forum. Source: Centre for Liveable Cities
Balanga City officials showing CLC and TFI around the villages on site visits during the Flood Management and Green Spaces Forum. Source: Centre for Liveable Cities
A citywide coastal clean-up, a trust fund for green cities and banning
smoking are just some of the initiatives that Balanga City has for liveable and
sustainable outcomes.
CLC and Temasek Foundation International (TFI) visited Balanga city in Bataan
province to visit Mayor Francis Garcia, and Governor Albert Garcia, both
alumni of the Temasek Foundation International Leaders in Urban Governance
Programme (TFILUGP).
During their week in Singapore for the programme in November 2017, the
province drew inspiration from Singapore’s Active, Beautiful and Clean Waters
(ABC) programme. This was adapted to become Ayusin, Buhayiin, Kalingain
Daluyangg (ABKD), which improved the province’s 33 riverways and coastal
areas. The citywide coastal clean-up improved the water conditions so much
that Mayor Francis was recognised by the national government.
The mayor is also boosting the greening efforts of his city as well as 143 other
cities in the Philippines. Serving also as the Secretary General of the League
of Cities, Philippines, Mayor Francis has secured a trust fund of approximately
USD 50 million to support the better use of green spaces. Some upcoming
plans include the establishment of pocket forest parks, arboretum and
botanical gardens. The cities will also rejuvenate their streetscapes with ecofriendly bike lanes and walkways, tree planting, construction of bioswales and
pervious surfaces.
Besides building infrastructure to improve the city, Mayor Francis has also
stubbed out smoking. Balanga City is proudly smoke-free, so much so that
a city engineer joked that his father-in-law preferred staying in the next city
when he visits just so he can continue smoking. The city achieved this status
in a variety of ways. Accompanying the many signs in the city that remind its
residents and visitors not to smoke, are groups of counsellors who engage
smokers and convince them to stop. This is reinforced with heavy fines and
penalties for smoking, including the closure of business or revocation of
business licences.
During the visit, CLC expert Yap Kheng Guan participated in a Flood
Management and Green Spaces Forum organised by the city to address the
recent flood caused by two weeks of incessant rain in July 2018 The 5-feet
high flooding affected life in 23 out of 25 barangays (villages) in the City, and
damaged property, infrastructure as well as industry. At the forum, Yap, who
was a former Senior Director with the Public Utilities Board in Singapore,
shared how Singapore came up with flood mitigation measures in the
seventies. Balanga City is currently reviewing its master plan to see how it
can include more drainage and flood management elements. It will also look
at technological simulations, land-based practices such as deforestation and
land clearing as well as acquiring privately-owned land around the waterways
for drainage widening.
In addition to efforts to create a more liveable environment, Balanga City is
also positioning itself to become a technology hub by emphasising the training
of IT skills and empowering its youth. Some 600 PCs have been installed
in two public schools to improve access to new technology and educate
them with new capabilities. The government has also worked with nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) and communities in the barangay to build
IT learning hubs, which are open till late in the evening and even on Saturdays.
These multipurpose halls are set up in open spaces provided by the barangays
and installed with equipment sourced by the NGOs. They are administered by
young graduates hired by the government to help the youth learn IT skills and
solve any technical problems.
While Bataan province is largely agricultural, it lies approximately 124 km
from Manila, and this close proximity gives it a huge potential for eco-tourism
Bataan has a rich WWII history, and is the site of the American surrender to
the Japanese, as well as where the 100 day march took place. Mount Samat
National Shrine is built on top of a WWII museum and honours the wartime
sacrifices. Las Casas Filipinas de Akuzar is a museum, hotel and showcase
of heritage colonial and Filipina homes that have been flown from different
locations in the country, to be sited near the beautiful, Bagac Bay.
About the Author
Nisha Sharda
Nisha works on international capacity development
programmes in Urban Governance at CLC. She was
part of the team that launched the ASEAN Smart Cities
Network, and was with the WCS team where she also
managed the global WCS Young Leaders Network. She
was previously a Crime Analyst, and developed capacity
building programmes in safety and security with the
Ministry of Home Affairs.