Mega Cebu: Cebuano Collaborative Approach for Sustainable Growth & Development

Creating a sustainable community is a shared responsibility. It does  not lie solely on the government or the private sector; it involves  every citizen.
In Metro Cebu, the Mega Cebu project is one of the main movers of  promoting sustainable growth and development through an integrated and  collaborative approach.

Mega Cebu’s vision is a vibrant, equitable, sustainable, and  competitive environment that embraces Cebu’s creativity and its  cultural, historical and natural resources, with strong citizen  participation and responsive governance.

“Mega Cebu is a collaboration of stakeholders in government,  non-government organizations (NGOs) and private sectors, which aims to  plan Cebu’s future,” said Caroline Ballesteros, Mega Cebu communications and stakeholder relationship manager, during the June 15 episode  of Pagtuki, the official radio program of Ramon Aboitiz Foundation  Inc. (RAFI).

The said project works towards a community that is cultural and  historic, innovative, creative and competitive, inclusive, equitable  and livable. It is also interconnected and compact, integrated, coordinated, and  participative as reflected in its tagline “Mega Cebu making WAVES (Wholesome,  Advanced, Vibrant, Equitable, and Sustainable)”.

The program’s varied areas of focus aim to address challenges and issues in  waste management, public safety, neighborhood participation, and  historic and heritage preservation, among others.

For Mary Ann Alcordo-Solomon of Cebu Chamber of Commerce and  Industry, the first step to making solutions is finding out the  problems in one’s locality.

“Let’s all be aware of what is happening in our society. For  instance, having observed that motor vehicles contribute to pollution,  we promote biking instead,” Alcordo said.

Ballesteros echoed Alcordo’s point, saying, “Sugbo, pagpakabana. Kon  dili karon kanus-a pa? Kung dili kita, sulti-i ko’g kinsa (Cebu, be  vigilant. If not now, when? If not us, tell me who).”

Mega Cebu, through the Metro Cebu Development Coordinating Board, is  working with various local government units, government agencies,  private companies, and civic organizations to come up with a 30-year  integrated plan for Metro Cebu.

Pagtuki is aired over dyLA 909 AM every Saturday at 10-11am. The  program, which is one of the Knowledge Sharing & Advocacy capabilities  of RAFI, tackles timely and relevant issues on community development,  politics and governance, micro-financing, education, environment,  early childhood care and development, culture and heritage that  affect the Cebuano community.

For more information about RAFI’s radio program, please contact  Carmel Matus at 418-7234 loc. 542, or visit www.rafi.org.ph or
www.facebook.com/rafi.org.ph, or follow @rafiorgph on Twitter. (by  Carla Maniwang/RAFI intern)