Representatives from Malaysia met with the Philippines’ Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia in mid-February 2025 to discuss opportunities for collaboration on the city’s infrastructure projects, including the construction of dams and improvements to mass transportation.
Cebu City is a highly urbanized area in the Philippines’ Central Visayas region. As of the 2020 census, its population was 964,169, ranking it the nation’s sixth most populous city.
A second meeting is scheduled, during which both parties will provide more specific details about the infrastructure development in Cebu. Malaysia will present a more detailed proposal, while the city will outline the challenges that must be addressed.
The Mayor of Cebu has also expressed interest in a public-private partnership (PPP), where Malaysia would bring in private investors to collaborate with the local government of Cebu.
Japan has also developed a strong partnership with Cebu City through its City-to-City Collaboration (CTC) project. Recently, Cebu City government officials met with Japanese investors to explore ways to reduce the city’s carbon footprint by harnessing solar energy.
The initiative aims to provide electricity to Cebu’s public buildings, including schools, barangay halls, fire stations, and police stations. Mayor Garcia described the partnership with Yokohama, Japan, as “advanced,” highlighting completed projects, ongoing initiatives, and upcoming projects set to begin in collaboration with them.
City-to-city collaboration
Yokohama, a bustling port city near Tokyo, was the first port in Japan to open to foreign traders in the 19th century. Today, it remains one of Japan’s leading trade hubs. The city has faced challenges, such as rapid population growth and inadequate infrastructure and services, similar to those of emerging cities today.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a framework for Yokohama’s development. Drawing from its history and the lessons learned, Yokohama values collaboration with cities worldwide to discover innovative ideas and solutions that improve the lives of its residents.
This principle drives its City-to-City Development Cooperation. As one of Japan’s fastest-growing cities, Yokohama has experience tackling infrastructure, pollution, and service provision challenges and is now focused on helping cities in emerging economies address similar issues.
In 2011, Yokohama launched the Yokohama Partnership of Resources and Technologies (Y-Port) program. This initiative is a public-private partnership focused on international cooperation to share Yokohama’s expertise in sustainable urban development with other cities.
At the ASEAN Smart City Conference in Yokohama, Japan, in October 2024, Cebu City Mayor Garcia, who was a panelist at the event, alongside City Architecture Planner Joseph Michael Espina, secured a 1-billion-peso grant from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The mayor announced that the grant will establish a wastewater treatment plant in Cebu City’s North Reclamation Area. Given numerous residential areas, businesses, and seven major rivers in the locality, he emphasised the urgent need for wastewater treatment.
Many establishments in the city lack proper wastewater facilities, resulting in untreated wastewater being discharged into rivers and leading to dangerously high coliform levels that far exceed safety limits. Mayor Garcia also noted that JICA and Yokohama would provide a sewerage master plan for the city at no cost.
Cebu City’s partnerships with Japan and Malaysia are poised to play a significant role in the city’s infrastructure growth. Malaysia plans to support key projects such as dams and mass transportation through public-private partnerships, while Japan offers expertise in sustainable urban development and renewable energy.
Specifically, the City-to-City partnership with Yokohama is focused on innovative solutions for wastewater management and carbon reduction. As these partnerships progress, they hold the potential to enhance Cebu City’s infrastructure, improve residents’ quality of life, and foster long-term sustainable growth.
Sources:
Oliverio, N. (2025, February 18). Malaysia to help the Cebu City government in its infrastructure projects. CDN. Retrieved from https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/623651/malaysia-to-help-cebu-city-government-in-its-infrastructure-projects
Saavedra, J. (2025, February 17). Malaysian gov’t eyes Cebu City LGU water dam construction projects. Philippine News Agency. Retrieved from https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1244237.
City-to-City Program for Low Carbon and Smart Asia (C-to-C Program). (n.d.). ICLEI. Retrieved from https://tap-potential.org/projects/city-to-city-program-for-low-carbon-and-smart-asia-c-to-c-program/
How Yokohama is supporting city-to-city collaboration. (2021, June 3). Apolitical. Retrieved from https://apolitical.co/solution-articles/en/how-yokohama-is-supporting-city-to-city-development-cooperation
Fuentes, K. (2024, October 28). Garcia secured a P1 billion grant from JICA during a recent Yokohama trip. MYTV. Retrieved from https://mytv.ph/article/garcia_secures_p1-billion_grant_from_jica_in_recent_yokohama_trip
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