Wow! Batangas, Muntinlupa And Santa Rosa Will Be Our Candidates For This Global Challenge

The Philippine cities of Batangas, Muntinlupa, and Santa Rosa have been selected as national finalists in this year's World Wide Fund for Nature's (WWF) One Planet City Challenge (OPCC). Over 250 cities from around the globe, including 13 from the Philippines, joined the OPCC's 2020 leg.

OPCC was originally known as the Earth Hour Challenge. It was launched in 2011 as a friendly competition, which allows participating cities to share their best practices when it comes to the efforts they have to help build a more sustainable and climate-safe future.

With cities in 53 countries participating, approximately 66% of the global population is represented in this year's run.

Jose Angelito Palma, WWF-Philippines Executive Director expressed his appreciation for the Philippine cities that participated in this call for transformational governance.

"In these trying times, being business-as-usual in the way we do things is no more sufficient to secure a safe and sustainable future. I would like to acknowledge the cities who participated in this initiative for pursuing innovative ways towards sustainable and healthy cities for the current and future generations," he said.

"The role of the citizens is also crucial in building a climate-safe future," Atty. Angela Ibay, Head of the Climate and Energy Program of WWF-Philippines, said. "Even as cities around the world increasingly advance climate actions, we cannot underestimate how citizen engagement and participation play integral roles in the implementation of these actions, and their active participation help shape how sustainable and resilient cities can be in years to come."

The three Philippine finalists, along with those from other countries, have also qualified to participate in the OPCC's We Love Cities campaign, which aims to bridge better communication between city officials and the citizens they represent on climate and sustainability issues.

All finalists are set for evaluation by the OPCC jury - a jury composed of urban sustainability experts from across the globe. A national winner per country, as well as a global winner, will be recognized and awarded in a ceremony set to take place in mid-2020.

For more information and updates, log on to http://panda.org/opcc.