The government is stepping up efforts to promote digital innovation and inclusive development across island provinces with a renewed push to establish smart cities and villages in the MIMAROPA region.
During the 2nd Quarter Full Council meeting of the Regional Development Council (RDC) MIMAROPA held in Pasay City on June 11, Calapan City Mayor Marilou Morillo, chairperson of the RDC’s Development Administration Committee (DAC), proposed to formally promote smart city and village development across the region’s five island provinces.
“In a region defined by geographic fragmentation and resource gaps, smart solutions can enable MIMAROPA to leapfrog traditional development barriers,” Morillo said.
This move follows similar efforts in neighboring regions. In December 2024, RDC CALABARZON passed Resolution No. IV-A-75-2024, expressing support for a policy proposal to advance the establishment of smart cities in the region.
The initiative is now gaining traction in MIMAROPA as local leaders seek to adopt comparable innovations suited to their island context.
This has drawn strong backing from various national government agencies. Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) MIMAROPA Regional Director Emmy Lou Delfin affirmed the agency’s commitment to the project.
“DICT stands ready to support the smart city and village movement in MIMAROPA. With the support of agencies like the Department of Health [DOH] and TESDA, we aim to bridge the digital divide and ensure that even remote communities benefit from technology-driven development,” Delfin said.
The development of smart cities and villages aligns closely with the MIMAROPA Regional Development Plan (RDP) 2023–2028, which envisions a “stronger, more inclusive and resilient” region, which identifies innovation-driven governance, digital transformation and sustainable infrastructure as key pillars to uplift the socioeconomic conditions of rural and island communities.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Ace Sapit
Quelle/Source: Philippine Information Agency, 16.06.2025
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