Technology has made many aspects of life easier. Governments and the private sector alike are investing in technology to develop smart communities and improve governance.
The Marcos administration is moving to fast-track the shift to e-governance, not only to improve the delivery of services but also to cut opportunities for corruption.
Neighboring countries, however, are moving faster. In this year’s edition of the Smart City Index, Metro Manila plummeted 19 spots, near the bottom among 73 cities in the Asia-Pacific region. The index is drawn up by the International Society for Urban Informatics together with the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute. It is based on the state or quality of six dimensions: citizen, economy, environment, social landscape, infrastructure and governance.
“A smart city is assessed in terms of its contribution to improving urban efficiency and sustainability, and more importantly, its capacity to support the wellbeing, inclusiveness, and quality of life of city dwellers,” the ISUI report said.
Stockholm, Sweden topped the index globally. From 44th out of 50 cities studied in the previous edition, Manila has fallen to 63rd out of 73 cities included in the 2025 index.
Leading the pack in the Asia-Pacific is Japan’s capital Tokyo, ranked fifth overall. Hong Kong followed at eighth; South Korean capital Seoul, 13th; Chinese capital Beijing, 15th; city-state Singapore, 21st; Shenzhen, 25th; Yokohama, 28th; Guangzhou, 36th; Shanghai, 39th; Busan, 41st; Huangzhou, 47th; Incheon, 50th, and Osaka, 53rd.
In Southeast Asia, Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur followed Singapore, placing 46th. Thai capital Bangkok was at 55th and Indonesian capital Jakarta placed 60th.
Earlier this year, the IMD Business School also released its Smart City Index. Covering 146 cities, Zurich in Switzerland topped the index globally, followed by Oslo, Norway, and Geneva, Switzerland. Singapore was ahead in Asia at ninth place, followed by Seoul at 13th, Beijing at 14th and Shanghai at 15th.
Again, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Jakarta and even Vietnamese cities Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh as well as Indonesia’s Medan and Makassar cities were ranked ahead of Manila, which was at 125th spot.
Analysts noted that apart from showing the Philippine capital being left behind by its neighbors, the studies also indicate a widening digital divide in the country. The benefits of technological advances are not being felt by the poor.
Smart cities not only mean livable environments for residents, but also attract more tourists and investments. The regular assessments should spur the government to do more in developing smart cities, not only in the National Capital Region but all over the country.
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Dieser Artikel ist neu veröffentlicht von / This article is republished from: The Philippine Star, 23.08.2025
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