Malabon shares best practices at intl meet

MALABON City Administrator Dr. Alexander Rosete shared the local government's best practices and plans to boost resiliency and address flooding problems and various challenges during the Smart Cities Asia Conference 2024 held last week in Malaysia. His presentation, "Making Cities Resilient Together: The Malabon City Metro Manila Experience," focused on the use of advanced technology to implement programs that will solve various concerns including flooding, typhoons and other calamities. Rosete shared that Malabon — a low-lying coastal city with about 400,000 residents, 18 rivers and waterways, and located near Manila Bay — is highly vulnerable to environmental risks, including rising sea levels, tidal movements, frequent flooding, and other challenges. He said that these challenges prompted the local government to use advanced strategies to improve emergency response, urban planning, and other programs for safety and security. With these challenges affecting Malabueños daily, the city, led by Mayor Jeannie Sandoval, has designed projects that focus on the use of information technology. To efficiently monitor the weather, status of waterways, and reduce the impact and possibility of flooding during heavy rain and high tide, Rosete said the local government installed equipment including water-level sensors in river networks, rain gauges in identified areas, closed-circuit television cameras, risk and hazard maps, and early warning sirens that would alert residents for pre-emptive evacuation. He added that the 50 pumping stations being operated by the local government, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, and the Department of Public Works and Highways, have been integrated in the city's infrastructure to help in its water management system and prevent flooding from low-lying areas. The city also has programs for the environment such as the deployment of "estero rangers" who clean waterways and do mangrove tree-planting activities that largely contribute to its flood-mitigation measures. "The concept of Smart Cities represents a crucial advancement in addressing the multifaceted challenges of urbanization. As cities grow and evolve, they encounter complex infrastructure, resource management, and quality of life issues," he said. "Embracing the principles of Smart Cities offers a pathway to effectively tackle these challenges by harnessing the power of technology and data-driven decision-making," he added. Rosete said that building solid partnerships with stakeholders, active participation of residents, and environmental initiatives of the local government under the stewardship of Sandoval are the keys for Malabon to become a resilient city that can navigate the complexities of urbanization and climate change, ensuring a safer and more sustainable future for their residents. ARLIE O. CALALO