SAP Holds Smart Cities Forum in Davao

SAP SE held the Davao Smart Cities: The Future of Digital Government and Smart Businesses Forum at the T’nalak Seda Abreeza, Davao City.

The forum, which gathered representatives from the private and public sectors, aimed to elevate the conservation on Smart Cities as a goal and on the way local governments are innovating to the global trend to improve the citizen’s life and stay competitive in the digital economy.

The forum also tackled the ways to improve citizen engagement by the best in class citizen platform and how a data-driven government can formulate and operationalize policies, as well as provide a safe environment to the public.

The discussion also provided an opportunity for local leaders, the regional government, and guests to share insights with their innovative visions to the future implementation of Smart Cities.

SAP Philippines Managing Director Edler Panlilio said, “With the Philippines facing current issues, such as the threat of urban decay that tolls heavily on the citizens and the state’s welfare, a Smart City can bring beneficial solutions in raising the country’s economy and elevating resource sustainability. To implement a Smart City, a discourse on what it is, its benefits, and how will it be attained must be well-grasped. As the implementation of a Smart City is a steep slope to climb for the country, the aid of one another is a significant help in starting its course. With collaboration, we can achieve such a milestone.”

Davao City has jumped to one of the world’s 100 super cities, as cited by global firm Tholons. It is the only one in Mindanao not only because of its thriving business outsourcing sector but as well as the city government’s digital transformation, specifically in public safety, disaster resiliency, quality of life and infrastructure.