Makati lone finalist from PH, Asia-Pacific in World Smart Cities Awards

Makati City, the country’s financial hub, is the sole finalist representing the Philippines and the entire Asia-Pacific region in the 2023 World Smart Cities Awards —an annual competition recognizing cities’ efforts on sustainability.

Makati is a finalist under the City Award category along with Barranquilla, Colombia; Izmir, Turkey; Sunderland, United Kingdom; Curitiba, Brazil; and Cascais, Portugal.

In particular, the Philippine city’s “IoT (Internet of Things) Revolution: Empowering the City to Become Better Stewards of Energy and Environment" was chosen to compete for the City Award category.

The project showcases Makati’s innovative use of smart initiatives to tackle real-world challenges.

The said category aims to recognize cities for “developed global strategies combining projects, initiatives and policy implementations for their citizens.”

Meanwhile, the whole World Smart Cities Awards seeks to recognize pioneering projects, ideas and strategies making cities around the world more livable, sustainable, and economically viable.

“We are honored to be chosen among the top six finalists in the highly coveted City Award category of the 2023 World Smart Cities Awards. Being the only city from the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific Region to make the cut makes this achievement even more noteworthy,” Makati Mayor Abby Binay said in a statement.

Binay said this is the first time Makati became a finalist under the City Award category.

She said that the process for qualifying in this category was more challenging than the others, making it a significant achievement for the city.

It was the top category with stringent requirements among the award categories, including Innovation, Leadership, and Project.

The awarding ceremony will be on November 8 at Fira Barcelona Gran Via, one of the largest fair venues in Europe.

Binay said the forthcoming World Smart Cities Awards event would provide Makati the opportunity to present its initiatives alongside the other esteemed global finalists.

“This platform will not only allow Makati to showcase its achievements but also to share insights, learn from others, and foster international collaboration for building smarter, more sustainable cities worldwide," the Makati Mayor said.

The World Smart Cities Award, which is held at the Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC), recognizes and promotes innovative urban initiatives that enhance the quality of life in cities around the world.

The annual congress, held in Spain by Fira de Barcelona since 2011, stands as the world's most prominent and impactful event dedicated for urban innovation, uniting global leaders, companies, academia, and citizens to tackle the world's pressing challenges.

Makati joined the SCEWC for the first time in 2019 and was one of the top six finalists in the Innovation category of the said awards through its project titled "Use of technology to improve city disaster preparedness and communication to and from city citizens.” — DVM, GMA Integrated News