When Covid-19 was officially declared a pandemic in March of last year, it felt as if the country came to a complete standstill overnight—with limited mobility, a sharp decline in economic activities, and most of the population forced to stay indoors.

Despite the disruptions, an unexpected benefit became apparent: Air quality took a turn for the better, albeit temporarily.

In Manila, netizen Johair Addang captured a rare sighting of the Sierra Madre mountain range at the onset of the lockdowns, which quickly went viral. The unrestricted views were said to have been due to the low levels of air pollution in the country’s capital as a result of the community quarantine.  

According to the University of the Philippines’ Institute of Environmental Science & Meteorology (UP IESM), there was indeed a drastic change in Metro Manila’s air quality during the first six weeks of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). Data from Airtoday.ph reported an almost 65% decrease in pollutants in the first week alone.

Sadly, the sight of clearer skies wasn’t here to stay. As the government slowly eased restrictions in the third quarter of last year, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions started to increase again.

This pandemic should serve as the wake-up call we need, showing us that concerted and continuous efforts may eventually lead to sustainable change and not just fleeting visions of clear skies and mountaintops.

The collaboration between the public and private sectors can help us bring about this sustainable change. These institutions are in a strong position to create innovative pathways through evidence-based solutions.

Sustainable cities    

With rapid urbanization and world population still on a steady rise, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) show us what to aim for if we want to build more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient cities that create a conducive living environment, which not only improves the health and well-being of its residents, but also enables environmental protection for the benefit of future generations.  

The Philippines, which is among the many countries that contribute to the fulfillment of the UNSDGs, is expecting its first sustainable city to be built by 2022. Dubbed as the New Clark City, this soon-to-rise metropolis is said to be the country’s first smart, green, and disaster-resilient city, made possible by the partnership between the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA), Japan’s Overseas Infrastructure Investment for Transport and Urban Development (JOIN), and Singaporean urban developer Surbana Jurong.  

But there are also other cities in the country that are working towards creating sustainable, green communities. The World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines (WWF-Philippines), through its One Planet City Challenge, cited Pasig City, Cagayan de Oro City, and Quezon City as having political leaders who are ambitiously committed to updating and enhancing the quality of their Local Climate Change Action Plans (LCCAPs).

In BPI Foundation, we recently adopted the City of Manila through our “Sustainable Cities” program to help the city transform into an empowered, disaster-resilient, and sustainable city.

In partnership with the National Resilience Council (NRC) and its “Adopt-a-City” program, we aim to strengthen the scientific knowledge, leadership, and governance capacities of local government units to potentially achieve human, economic, and environmental resilience, and sustainable development, one city at a time.

While few initiatives are being rolled out to help improve our sustainability journey, there’s still much more to be done as the Philippines ranks 99th out of 166 countries in terms of SDG progress. With this, we believe that now is the time to focus on what matters most. Seeing natural calamities intensify due to climate change should prompt businesses to champion sustainable solutions that will benefit even future generations.

As we aim to move towards recovery this year, we urge the public and private sectors to make a collective effort in steering the country towards sustainable development. We need more individuals and organizations that will help the country achieve more for the environment. Whether it be through investing in green energy projects, taking steps to reduce and prevent all kinds of pollution, or building capacities to achieve a climate and disaster-resilient future, no act is too little, nor a person too small.

These initiatives, among others we can take part in, will bring about clearer skies and cleaner air. More importantly, it will give rise to a more sustainable and resilient environment for all of us to live in.

Let’s start making a positive difference today so that we can welcome a better Philippines tomorrow, one city at a time.