8:08 PM
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By MALOU M. MOZO
October 24, 2011, 4:25pm
CEBU CITY, Cebu, Philippines – The Metro Cebu Development Coordinating Board (MCDCB) has lined up a complete operational framework for Cebu, with the group set to present concepts pooled from public and private stakeholders to the Central Visayas’ Regional Development Council (RDC) for immediate implementation.
The MCDCB Board, chaired by Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, is currently forming various committees under the Board and is inviting multisectoral representatives to participate in a common vision to make Cebu “one of the most livable cities in the world.”
MCDCB co-chairperson Roberto Aboitiz said, “The framework for Cebu is such that all 13 cities in the province, from Carcar City in the south to Danao City in the north will collaborate as one and make a conscious decision to map out a long-term plan for Cebu. We should all move from being individual, broken cities to unite for a greater cause.”
Aboitiz noted that there is “a certain level of attractiveness” about seeing Cebu as a city-region rather than as a cluster of small local government units (LGUs).
In the last three weeks, six senior IBM executives from the United States, Sweden, Germany and Italy worked closely with various cities and municipalities in Cebu province through the newly formed MCDCB.
The team is part of the IBM Executive Service Corps (IBM-ESC), a variant of the company’s ongoing Corporate Service Corps pro bono community service program. Cebu was among the 11 cities worldwide who was made a IBM-ESC program beneficiary.
Said IBM executives work in teams with city planners, entrepreneurs, business leaders and governmental agencies to develop road maps identifying the best ideas, most scalable solutions and critical steps in the making cities economic, social and environmentally sustainable.
The IBM-ESC team presented to Metro Cebu stakeholders and Garcia a detailed report which includes observations and recommended policies, processes, and supporting ICT systems enabling Metro Cebu’s competitiveness in the global marketplace.
Also, the top IBM executives raised the need to address key issues Cebu currently face in terms of land use planning and zoning, transport & traffic management, and increased flash floods and worsening traffic which all hinder economic development.
Aboitiz said issues such as flooding, traffic, and water supply, for instance, are not concerns faced by just one city component in the province. “Foreign investors do not understand it when a given plan or solution is only limited to one territory and does not extend to a neighboring city. We can’t answer the world that way,” he said.
Meanwhile, Harold Robok, IBM director for general business in Germany, said they are promoting the idea of long-term planning so that Cebu can have a clear direction.
For her part, Garcia said “we are excited to be working with IBM in looking for smarter solutions that would better manage our public transportation and urban planning systems. Public-private partnerships like this helps ensure a greener and more integrated Metro Cebu.”
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