Welcome Remarks- UNIDO Peer Review Support Visit

Mr. Jan Dictus, UNIDO International Expert;

Mr. Ludovic Bernaudeat, UNIDO Project Manager;
Mr. Junichi Sono from the Environmental Bureau of the City of Kitakyushu, Japan;
Mr. Simon Gilby, also from Kitakyushu City and representing the Institute for Global
Environmental Strategies, an active partner of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition;
Other members of the Peer Review Team, particularly those coming from Malaysia,
Thailand, Vietnam: Ms. Zilfirhani Zulkigli, Ms. Hmaizah Rahman, Ms. Parichad
Boonsuan, Ms. Mai and Ms. Ha;
Heads of various departments in the Cebu City Governments, particularly Atty.
Dominic Dio, head of our Human Resources Development Office (HRDO);
______________ (etc.);
Members of civil society organizations and also current or previous members of
various special bodies Arch. Socorro Atega and Cathy Ruiz;
Ms. Miriam Bacalso, Regional Coordinator of the Promotion of Green Economic
Development (ProGED) Project, a joint undertaking of the Philippines and Germany
through the Department of Trade and Industry and GIZ;
Members of the JICA Study Team who are undertaking studies related to Mega Cebu,
a platform for smart, inclusive and sustainable city-region among 13 cities and
municipalities within the Cebu Province;
Our guests from the BEET Philippines, Inc., who brought with them an E-Trike
(Electric Tricycle) demonstration unit;
Colleagues in public service;
GOOD MORNING!
On behalf of Hon. Mayor Michael Rama, it is my pleasure to welcome you all in this
historic event: the UNIDO Peer Review Support Visit. This is the fourth in a series of
peer reviews that started last year in Ma Ta Phut, Thailand, followed by Iskandar,
Malaysia and then Da Nang, Vietnam.
I hope our visitors have enjoyed their initial stay in the City. We will have a chance
to meet some places in the days to come.
As the host city, Cebu City this time will be reviewed by its peers from other
countries who are part of this innovative UNIDO project of promoting an Eco-Cities
Network in South East Asia.

The process involves exchange of experiences and cross-examination of good

environmental practices to realize the goal of being an eco-city.
There will be substantive presentations from our panel of presenters. Five (5) major
areas will be examined under this review:
(1) Governance
(2) Water Management
(3) Waste Production and Management
(4) Local Transport; and
(5) Legislation and Enforcement
I expect honest and constructive comments from our experts. Others present here
today can certainly contribute a lot by sharing their thoughts on how Cebu City can
address development issues.
The City has shown its reliance of facing past and present development challenges,
anchored on a firm belief in sustainable development and a dynamic partnership
with the private sector and business community, and an active community of civil
society organizations willing to engage the Cebu City Government in promoting
participatory governance.
With stronger collaboration, together with our partners in the international
community, we will soon realize this goal of being an eco-city, for the current
generations and generations yet to come.
Thank you once more and a pleasant morning to all!

Welcome Remarks- July 19, 2013

To our partners and speakers from the Department of Chemistry, University of San
Carlos: Dr. Josephine Castaares and her colleagues, Professors Marilyn Piandog,
Leonila Adarna, Lorna Mae Villegas, Allan Ramal,
Other members of the USC Community and other schools present,
Members of the Cebu Academe Network (CAN) and other civil society organizations
present,
Representatives of the Regional Office of the Environmental Management Bureau
and other agencies,
Councilor from the Municipality of Sibonga, Dr. Gina Patalinghug and Hon. Mary
Joejie Chan,
Officials from the barangays and their representatives,
Departments heads, heads of offices here at Cebu City Hall, fellow workers in
government,
Guests,
Good Afternoon!
As the chairperson of the Committee on Environment of the 13 th Sangguniang
Panlungsod of the City of Cebu, it is my sincere pleasure to welcome you all in
todays research presentation and forum on Air and Water Quality in Cebu City and
the rest of Cebu.
We are facing serious environmental problems today. These problems, if left
unattended, shall magnify the risks and vulnerabilities facing our communities. It is
therefore, our urgent task to thresh out these problems and collaborate on
immediate, medium-term and long-term solutions.
We are fortunate today to hear presentations from esteemed professors of the
Department of Chemistry, University of San Carlos, based on the researches they
have conducted, which will update us on the quality of our air and water.
Findings of these researches, are vital in guiding us to find appropriate responses to
address these environmental challenges.
We believe in sustainable development, in preserving the quality of the natural
environment for the current generation and for the generations yet to come.

Sustainable development shall be our guiding principle in finding solutions to these

challenges.
We have invited officials from the barangays, NGOs and POs and other stakeholders,
who are also vital in this whole process. We would like to hear your views and actual
experiences relative to address problems associated with the air and water quality
Cebu City and the rest of Cebu.
From my end, I am continuously seeking your partnership to make the city a better
place. I am currently working on several legislative measures to address problems
associated with solid waste management, hazardous and toxic wastes, disaster risk
reduction and management, and the like. Also, I am in the process of finalizing the
draft of the citys Environment Code, which will serve us guidepost in the City
Governments commitment to green the city and the strict enforcement of
environmental laws.
Thank you once more and let us all have a productive discussion.

Message- July 23, 2014 SWM Workshop

zAssistant Secretary Corazon Davis of the Environmental Management Bureau

(EMB) Central Office,
Officials from the Environmental Education and Information Division of the EMB,
Representatives from the National Solid Waste Management Commission,
Representatives from various regional offices of the EMB,
Engr. William Cuado, OIC Regional Director, EMB-Region VII,
Other officials and staff of EMB-7,
Participants in this workshop different local government units, specifically from
Baguio City; City of San Fernando, La Union; Santiago City, Isabela; City of San Jose
del Monte, Bulacan; City of Sta. Rosa, Laguna; Legaspi City, Albay; San Carlos City,
Negros Occidental; Municipality of Palo, Leyte; Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental;
Mandaluyong City and Cebu City.
Good afternoon to all! I am glad to welcome you here in the Queen City of the South
for a workshop on solid waste management, with focus on eco-friendly and healthy
cities.

It is policy of the City Government of Cebu to focus on sustainable development as

declared in its Sustainable Development Ordinance. A key component in sustainable
is environmental sustainability, which is the highlight of this workshop.
This workshop is an excellent avenue avenue to share best practices and strengthen
our resolve and capacity to address problems on soild waste management. Waste is
a climate process driver, and how we manage our waste impacts greatly on our
climate change mitigation efforts.
Ineffective waste management programs also put communities into further risks,
such as urban flooding. The City of Cebu is intensifying its regulation on the use of
plastics by implementing by September this year a No Plastic Saturday and
expanding the same for a second day of the week.
Central to this regulation is the establishment of plastic bag recovery bins, both in
public and private establishments, which shall be placed in a location visible to the
customers, clearly marked for that purpose. The discarded plastics wil be delivered
to the manufacturer/ supplier/ trader of plastic bags duly accredited by the
Philippine Plastics Industry Association, Inc. (PPIA) for recycling purposes.
During my time as Punong Barangay Luz, this city, I have realized that there are
crucial components to a successful solid waste management program, which
enabled Barangay Luz to win the prestigious Galing Pook Award on 2009 for
Participatory Environment Management. Among these components include: (1)
Innovative programs such as the Kuarta sa Basura wherein communities earn from
composting and recycling, and the Bayanihan Savings, a financing program that
accepts recycled waste as deposit for loan applications in the cooperative; (2) Public
Private Partnership- such as the formal collaboration with the Cebu Holdings Inc.
wherein the barangay is the one processing its solid waste; (3) Sustained
Awareness-Raising to enable citizens and barangay residents to become
environmental stewards; and (4) Integration of these innovative programs and
approaches in all decision-making processes.
Sometimes the problem looks simple but complicated in the enforcement. As a
leader, one has to show enough political will in order to mobilize our solid waste, all
for the benefit of the current generation and the generations yet to come.
Good day to all of us!