3 PHL cities chosen to be part of WWF One Planet City Challenge

Three cities in the Philippines have been selected as finalists for the World Wide Fund for Nature's (WWF) One Planet City Challenge (OPCC).

The cities of Makati, Pasig and San Carlos in Negros Occidental have been chosen to be among the 40 cities in 23 countries that will join the global challenge which "recognizes cities for developing infrastructure, housing, transport, and mobility solutions to power the global transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient future."

"Cities must cultivate their potential to directly improve the quality of life of their citizens while simultaneously reducing environmental impact. Offering smarter alternatives for energy, transportation, and building standards that affect a significant number of people is key in ensuring that we all thrive without pushing limits of our shared home," said WWF-Philippines president Joel Palma in a press release on Wednesday.

The WWF said the OPCC highlights the crucial role of cities in the transition toward a "low-carbon and sustainable future."

It noted that almost one-third of carbon emissions come from the transportation of people and goods.

"As it is also a great opportunity for cities to capitalize on sustainable solutions like renewable energy and positive synergies to meet the demands of highly-urbanized lifestyles without exhausting our planet's ecological capacity," the WWF said.

The three cities will participate in the OPCC's "We Love Cities" campaign which aims to inspire and engage their respective citizens for support as well as sharing ideas for improvement from May 7 to June 30.

There will be a national and global winner which will be announced in June or July 2018. — Anna Felicia Bajo/BM, GMA News