BUILDING smart cities in the Philippines will remain out of reach unless local governments address fundamental urban issues such as traffic congestion, aging infrastructure and weak emergency response systems, the American technology firm Vantiq said.
Speaking during a presentation in Ortigas in early July, Vantiq vice president for business development Sameer Bhandari emphasized that digital solutions cannot mask dysfunctions rooted in everyday urban life.
“In the Philippines, average urban commuters lose an average of about 98 hours per year,” Bhandari said, adding that the economic loss from this inefficiency “results in about P1.2 billion [in] sales every day…lost by productivity by people who are sitting in traffic.”
Beyond transport, public safety remains a key concern. “Only 28 percent of Philippine cities currently have access to a centralized emergency response system,” Bhandari noted, adding that this was the top concern raised during recent conversations with government officials.
Given such, Vantiq proposed a more localized, responsive approach to digitization, in which the company unveiled artificial intelligence-powered platforms tailored for Filipino cities.
One of its featured technologies is a smart ambulance app that lets paramedics send real-time patient data to hospitals before arrival.
For disaster response, the firm demonstrated a system that draws from weather, traffic and geolocation data to issue real-time evacuation routes and shelter updates.
Data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council as of July this year showed that floods, landslides and incidents involving falling debris have affected more than 82,500 people across the country.
On one hand, the 2024 Traffic Index by global data firm TomTom indicated that Davao City ranked 10th worldwide in time spent on the road, followed by Manila and Caloocan, which placed 15th and 18th, respectively.
Regarding government efforts, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) leads key initiatives in disaster management.
Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) recently launched a three-year partnership to improve Metro Manila’s traffic systems, with its pilot activities beginning in Pasig City.
Locally, the DOST defines a smart city as an “integrated, adaptive, and responsive system” where people, institutions, infrastructure, and policies are synchronized toward shared goals through the aid of technology.
Last month, Science Undersecretary Sancho Mabborang explained that one of the primary criteria for selecting LGUs under the program is strong leadership commitment. (See: here)
As of now, 91 local governments are enrolled in the national Smart City Program, with 10 to 15 more expected to join once election-related restrictions are lifted.
Internationally, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) defines smart cities as urban areas that apply data and digital innovation to improve social, economic, and environmental sustainability.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Bless Aubrey Ogerio
Quelle/Source: Business Mirror, 23.07.2025
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