ICLEI Southeast Asia (SEA) met with the Naga City Government, WeSolve Foundation Inc., and the city’s local youth to present milestones and learnings from the Safe and Sound Cities (S²Cities) programme implementation in the Philippines at the Naga Youth Innovation Hub last December 3, 2024.

ICLEI Southeast Asia (SEA) shared milestones and learnings from Safe and Sound Cities (S²Cities) programme implementation in the Philippines with the Naga City Government and local youth in Naga City, Camarines Sur. 

Implemented in the Philippines in the cities of Baguio and Naga, the local run of the S²Cities programme revealed insights and opportunities for local governments to strengthen the ways they involve the youth in developing safer cities, particularly through innovation and participatory planning and governance. 

The learning exchange marked the culmination of the phase one implementation activities of the S²Cities programme by ICLEI SEA. This final activity served as a pivotal step in advancing the programme’s advocacy and engagement objectives, highlighting the impact and progress achieved across its partner cities. 

The ICLEI SEA Secretariat, represented by Kristianne Jemi Santos, Senior Project Officer, and Chris Noel Hidalgo, Communications Head, met with representatives of the Naga City Local Government Unit (LGU), WeSolve Foundation Inc., and youth participants of S²Cities in Naga, in a learning exchange at the Naga Youth Innovation Hub last December 3, 2024. 

Santos presented the phase one accomplishments of the programme across SEA and other participating cities, highlighting key milestones such as the successful engagement of youth stakeholders, the implementation of innovative urban solutions, and the development of strengthened partnerships. 

Meanwhile, Hidalgo presented the case studies developed by ICLEI SEA as part of the advocacy and engagement component of the programme. 

Johann Dela Rosa and Samantha Fullante of the Naga City Youth Development Office (NCYDO) represented the LGU, while Jadi Castroverde and Sandy Cervas represented WeSolve Foundation Inc., a youth organization and the local grantee of S²Cities in Naga. 

The Naga Youth Innovation Hub, inaugurated in January 2024, is an outcome of the S²Cities programme.

S²Cities is a global programme aiming to improve the safety and well-being of young people in urban environments. It seeks to understand urban systems better and their influence on safety and well-being, build capacity within these systems, and enable youth innovation to solve critical challenges for safer urban environments. It is led by the Global Infrastructure Basel (GIB) Foundation, hosted by the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation, with the support of Fondation Botnar.

ICLEI SEA supported S²Cities’ implementation in 2023-2024 by facilitating the programme’s engagements with the LGUs.

ICLEI SEA documented the journey and learnings of the S²Cities programme implementation in the Philippines through the case studies on Baguio City and Naga City.

Phase two of the S²Cities programme is currently being implemented in the Philippines in both Baguio and Naga.

ICLEI Southeast Asia (SEA) met with the Naga City Government, WeSolve Foundation Inc., and the city’s local youth to present milestones and learnings from the Safe and Sound Cities (S²Cities) programme implementation in the Philippines at the Naga Youth Innovation Hub last December 3, 2024.