The city’s attendance to several momentous activities including a horticultural exposition in 2027 has been concretized through Mayor Benjamin Magalong’s presence in the Yokohama, Showcasing Highly Innovative Pioneers (Y-SHIP) conference in Japan from Nov. 13 to 15.
The horticultural event showcased “nature-based solutions for decarbonization.” Though the activity is years away, the mayor has made assurances that participants, horticulturists from the local government unit, and the city’s urban gardens are preparing for the activity.
The Y-SHIP innovators and pioneers’ gathering in Japan highlighted solutions to global issues and aimed to create new partnerships as announced by Yokohama Mayor Takeharu Yamanaka, drawing inspiration from history when the city in 1859 welcomed trade, cultures, and technologies.
Yokohama has been attracting major global companies thus is considered a business base in Japan, Yamanaka said, with its wealth of human resources, universities and research institutions, and the number of skilled technical workers in the area.
After the Y-SHIP event at Yokohama, delegates from all over Asia moved to Tokyo for the Knowledge Event seminar at the World Bank Tokyo Development Learning Center with various topics.
The convention launched a World Bank study on urban heat entitled “Unlivable: What the Urban Heat Island Effect Means for East Asia’s Cities.”
Key findings of the WB’s Sustainable Development Flagship Report, “Thriving, Making Cities Green, Resilient and Inclusive in a Changing Climate,” was also presented with active participation of City Environment and Parks Management Office Assistant Head Engr. Marivic Empizo and City Planning, Development, and Sustainability Office personnel Micaela Gay Rimando.
Together with bankers, economists, planners and urban developers, Magalong served as a panelist in the same occasion’s side event World Bank Asia Smart Cities Conference: “Building Thriving and Livable Cities.”
Environmental concerns, ecological matters, smart, safe and livable cities have always been a priority program and part of the mayor’s seven-point agenda. – Julie G. Fianza
