MANILA, March 14 (PNA) –The city government of Makati under the administration of acting Mayor Kid Peña, has received a Platinum Certification from the Toronto-based World Council on City Data (WCCD) for the year 2015.
Peña attributed this latest recognition to the efforts of the city’s Special Project Office (SPO) which was also responsible for a similar feat in 2014.
He said the city had successfully earned the highest recognition for its compliance in the ISO 37120 on Sustainable Development of Communities Indicator for City Services and Quality of Life, the first ISO International Standard on city indicators published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
In a letter addressed to the mayor, WCCD CEO and president Dr. Patricia McCarney said Makati was given the recognition based from the recommendation of ISO 37120 verifiers who reviewed its submissions and registered in the WCCD Global Cities Registry for ISO37120 for 2015.
“Congratulations on successfully completing the City of Makati’s 1SO 37120 report for 2015. Your certification is valid for one year. To maintain your status in the WCCD Global Cities Registry for ISO 37120, please report annually. We look forward to your submission for 2016,” McCarney said in the letter.
Peña said Makati City was the only city in the country that earned such recognition, along with the cities of Buenos Aires (Argentina), Dubai (UAE), León (Spain), London (UK), Los Angeles USA), Melbourne (Australia), and Vaughan (Canada). In 2014, Makati was also recognized along with cities like London (UK), Boston (USA) and Toronto(Canada).
In explaining the ISO 37120, SPO head Atty. Violeta Seva said it refered to a set of standardized indicators that allowed cities to assess their social, economic, and environmental performance and progress in relation to other cities. It comprises of 100 indicators (54 cores, 46 supporting) categorized under 17 themes, namely: economy, education, energy, environment, recreation, safety, shelter, solid waste, telecommunications and innovations, finance, fire and emergency response, government, health, transportation, urban planning, water and sanitation, and wastewater.
“This International Standard is applicable to any city, municipality or local government that measures its performance in a comparable and verifiable manner, regardless of size and location or level of development. Once certified, the verified data of these cities will be added to the WCCD Global Cities Registry Portal for a period of one year. Cities must apply for certification and registration on an annual basis,” the SPO chief added.
This membership in the WCCD, according to Pena, gives the City the opportunity to compare its best practices with other cities and identify which areas the City needs to improve on.
It is utilized by the different departments of the City Government to guide their planning process and decision-making for a more effective governance and efficient delivery of services. It can also be used by other city managers, urban planners, politicians, researchers, and other professionals for further development and to help ensure policies are put into practice.
Peña said the City Government was strongly committed to conducting regular assessments of its performance based on the ISO 37120 standards and would continue its effort to maintain its status in the WCCD Registry as one of the cities that promotes sustainability and resiliency. (PNA)
