MARKING its third overall win and second consecutive title, Calamba City was named the Top Model City at The Manila Times Philippine Model Cities and Municipalities 2026. Bacnotan, La Union, was named Top Model Municipality for the second time.
Speaking on behalf of Mayor Roseller Rizal during the event, City Administrator Johnny Pamuspusan said the award serves as an indication of the city government’s work, but emphasized that its greater value lies in the services and benefits received by the people.
“The people should benefit from it,” he said of the award. “This is just an indication. Ultimately, what matters more is that our constituents benefit from it,” Pamuspusan said. Pamuspusan said that the services provided by the city government are among the areas where residents should ultimately feel the impact of the recognition.
“Thank you to The Manila Times because we have been given this opportunity for the third time,” he said. The city also won the top award in 2023 and 2025.
More than 60 cities and towns took part in this year’s edition of the Philippine Model Cities and Municipalities, which was launched in 2017.
The number of participants increased from last year, when 30 cities and 18 towns joined. This year, the event drew 40 cities and more than 20 towns.
Held at The Manila Hotel, the event carried the theme “More than Resilience: Environmental Communities Cultivating First World Economies.” General Trias was named winner of the Special Award for Mega City.
Aside from the top awards, the competition featured 15 award categories: Safe Haven (Baguio), Infra Innovator (San Fernando, Pampanga), Education Hub (San Fernando, Pampanga), Eco Friendly (Malolos), Family First (San Fernando, Pampanga), Social Service Oriented (Baguio), Business Friendly (San Fernando, Pampanga), Livelihood and Employment Centered (San Fernando, Pampanga), Retirement Haven (Tagum), Emergency/Disaster Management Excellence (San Fernando, La Union), Wealth Center (San Fernando, Pampanga), Tourism & Culture Hub (San Fernando, Pampanga), Tech Territory (Baguio), Food Security Enabler (San Fernando, Pampanga) and Sustainability Champion (Calamba/Samal).
For municipalities: Safe Haven (Masinloc), Infra Innovator (Masinloc), Education Hub (Taytay), Eco Friendly (Guiuan), Family First (Guiguinto), Social Service Oriented (Siniloan), Business Friendly (Sta. Cruz), Livelihood and Employment Centered (Masinloc), Retirement Hub (Sta. Cruz), Emergency/Disaster Management Excellence (Sta. Cruz), Wealth Center (Sta. Cruz), Tourism & Culture Hub (Guiuan), Tech Territory (Siniloan), Food Security Enabler (Guiuan) and Sustainability Champion (Guiuan).
Raising the bar
Pamuspusan said that receiving the Top Model City recognition for a third consecutive year was significant, particularly because maintaining the distinction requires the city government to continue improving its services.
“It’s a big thing because it is difficult to be a champion, and it is difficult to defend the crown. Which means we really have to raise the bar when it comes to providing socioeconomic services to our people,” the city administrator said in Filipino and English.
Pamuspusan also recalled that the city did not expect to be called when the winners were announced in previous years.
He emphasized that the annual recognition could also serve as motivation for other local government units to improve the services they provide to their communities.
“Other local governments are also improving, and this will motivate them to improve the services they provide to their communities,” Pamuspusan said.
He said the city government would not allow the recognition to result in complacency.
Beyond the recognition, Pamuspusan highlighted Calamba’s livelihood and economic programs, particularly those aimed at helping residents develop sources of income.
He said employment was one of the concerns being addressed by the city government, particularly for residents who might otherwise be left behind.
Through its Cooperative Livelihood Development Department, the city offers three processes for helping residents develop livelihood opportunities: training, financing and marketing.
Pamuspusan said the program covers the range of economic activities needed to help residents develop their livelihoods.
He added that the city has a department dedicated to the program, which trains residents to become entrepreneurs, provides capital at a very low interest rate and assists them with marketing. Pamuspusan said marketing is an important part of the program because residents also need assistance in selling what they produce. The city has also hosted three summits directed toward micro, small and medium enterprises.
Platform for sharing ideas
The Manila Times Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Anna Marie Ang-Thompson said the program was a platform to share ideas.
“This program is more than an awards ceremony. It is a platform for recognizing progress and sharing ideas so that one community’s innovation can become another’s blueprint,” she said in her speech.
Noting this year’s theme, she said, “Sustainability is no longer an aspiration; it is a responsibility.” “For the Philippines, this presents both a challenge and opportunity to build communities that are more efficient and active, resilient and livable,” she said. “Our communities must become smarter, more sustainable, more resilient and more responsive to the people they serve.”
San Fernando, Pampanga earned multiple awards.
“Earlier, there were mayors wanting to benchmark who approached us. I said that is welcome. Because we want to spread the best practices that we have,” said San Fernando Mayor Vilma Caluag.
“The Model Cities and Municipalities is growing — this year is the biggest ever with 40 cities and 26 municipalities vying for the awards,” The Manila Times President and Chief Operating Officer Blanca Mercado said in her speech.
“It is growing not only because of the stellar reputation of The Manila Times but more so because of the strong and clear advocacies of the cities and municipalities nominated toward a culture of good public service through sustainable, accountable, responsible actions by the local governments,” she said.
Those that won the top city award in previous years are Bacolod (2017 and 2019), Davao (2018), Calamba (2023 and 2025) and Baguio (2024).
Nunungan town in Lanao del Norte was the Most Promising Municipality in 2017.
The towns that won the top municipality award are Agoo, La Union (2018); Liloan, Cebu (2019), Bulakan, Bulacan (2023); Bacnotan, La Union (2024); and Liloan, Cebu (2025).
“Now the element of sustainability has become prominent not in the ways we commonly perceive,” Mercado said.
“It is not just governance and policy,” she said.
“Sustainability embraces technology, finance, food security and safe spaces for ourselves and our children,” she said.
“To all our finalists, our past and present awardees, our judges, speakers, partners, guests and colleagues, thank you for being a part of this” journey, Mercado said.
She also thanked the judges for lending their time as well as experience and judgment to the program.
Seven judges evaluated the cities and towns: Mai Sigue-Bisnar, Advisory Services partner and brand and communications and business development groups leader at P&A Grant Thornton; Carla Czarina Cadiz, marketing manager at PHirst Park Homes; Lorraine Belo-Cincochan, president and CEO of Wilcon Depot; First Vice President Harold Brian Geronimo at Megaworld Corp.; former Interior secretary Jose Lina Jr., president of the Manila Hotel; Sheila Lobien, CEO of Lobien Realty Group; and architect and urban planner Felino “Jun” Palafox Jr., founder of Palafox Associates.
