ASEAN Working Group on Environmentally Sustainable Cities (AWGESC)

DENR Official In-Charge
       MS. CORAZON C. DAVIS
       Assistant Secretary for Administration and Finance
       Department of Environment and Natural Resources
       Tel. Nos. - (632) 927 6726 / 926 1084

National Focal Point
       ATTY. JUAN MIGUEL T. CUNA
       Assistant Secretary and Concurrent Director
       Department of Environment and Natural Resources
       Tel. Nos. - (632) 928 3725 / 927 1517

National ESC Coordinator
       MS. RAQUEL SMITH C. ORTEGA
       Environmental Impact Assessment Division
       DENR - Environmental Management Bureau (EMB)
       Tel. Nos. - (632) 376 5541

The ASEAN Initiative on Environmentally Sustainable Cities (AIESC) which was endorsed by the ASEAN Environment Ministers in 2005 serves to assist ASEAN cities, especially the smaller and rapidly-growing, to pursue environmental sustainability. The program covers 25 participating ASEAN cities. As participating cities of AIESC, regional activities are focused on these cities, such as to pilot test the revised ESC Key Indicators for Clean Air, Clean Land and Clean Water. AIESC participating cities in the Philippines are Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, and Quezon.

ASEAN gives the Environmentally Sustainable Cities (ESC) Award to recognize cities that are clean, green and livable while being centers of economic and industrial activity. During the 3rd ESC Awards held in Vientiane, Lao PDR on 30 October 2014, San Carlos City received the ESC Award while Davao City received a certificate of recognition in the category of "Clean Land for Big Cities." The ASEAN ESC Model Cities Programme, a regional initiative aimed at promoting the development of Environmentally Sustainable Cities (ESC) across ASEAN countries, is now on Year 3. The program promotes innovative and voluntary bottom-up initiatives on solid waste management through capacity building, training and other methods to promote environmental sustainable cities. Philippine project areas for 2014-2015 are Santiago City (Region II), San Carlos City (Region III), Legaspi City (Region V).

Knowledge Sharing on Environmentally Sustainable Cities (ESC) Management: Regarding the Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy, 26-29 August 2015 in Hua Hin, Thailand (Attended by Mr. Nino P. Pinalva)

13th Meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Environmentally Sustainable Cities, 8-9 July 2015, Dalat, Vietnam (Attended by RD Gilbert Gonzales and Ms. Raquel Smith C. Ortega)

Reflection and Planning Workshop for Year 2 and Year 3 of the ASEAN Environmentally Sustainable Cities (ESC) Model Cities Program, 6-7 July 2015, Dalat, Vietnam [Philippine Delegates headed by RD Gilbert Gonzales with Ms. Raquel Smith C. Ortega. From the LGUs: Davao City (CENRO Madrazo), San Carlos City, Negros Occidental (Mayor Valmayor and Engr. Batomalaque), Santiago City, Isabela (CENRO de Guzman)]

6th High Level Seminar on Environmentally Sustainable Cities, 9-10 February 2015, Johor Bahru, Malaysia [Philippine Delegates headed by Asec. Corazon C. Davis, with Regional Director Gilbert Gonzales and Ms. Raquel Smith C. Ortega. From the LGUs: Legaspi City (Councillor Rosal), Davao City (CENRO Madrazo), San Carlos City Negros Occidental (Engr. Batomalaque)]

ASEAN – German Technical Cooperation: Clean Air for Smaller Cities in ASEAN Region