THE Manila Times will hold the 7th Philippine Model Cities and Municipalities Awards and Forum today, Sept. 24, at The Manila Hotel, with the theme “Environmental communities cultivating first-world economies.” The Manila Times Chief Executive Officer Anna Marie Ang-Thompson said this year’s awards make clear that “sustainability is now a survival requirement.” More cities and towns — 60 in total — competed for this year’s edition of the event which started in 2017.
This figure was the most number of entries since the awards began, said The Manila Times President and Chief Operating Officer Blanca Mercado.
“When we started the awards in 2017, the idea is simple: to recognize local governments that were doing more than simply managing their communities. We wanted to look at how cities were planning, how they were responding to their people’s needs and how they were preparing for the future,” Mercado said.
“Now the element of sustainability has become prominent not in the ways we commonly perceive. It is not just governance and policy. Sustainability embraces technology, finance, food security and safe spaces for ourselves and our children,” she added.
Mercado said the Model Cities and Municipalities was growing because of the strong and clear advocacies of the cities nominated toward a culture of good public service through sustainable, accountable and responsible actions by the local governments.
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 chief executive officer (CEO) of Wilcon Depot; Harold Brian Geronimo, first vice president of 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 Palafox Jr., founder of Palafox Associates.
The two top awards are for top model city and top model municipality.
The 15 other awards are Safe Haven; Infra Innovator; Education Hub; Eco-Friendly; Family First; Social Service Oriented; Business-Friendly; Livelihood and Employment Centered; Retirement Haven; Emergency/Disaster Management Excellence; Wealth Center; Tourism & Culture Hub; Tech Territory; Food Security Enabler; and Sustainability Champion.
Those that won the top city award in previous years were 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 were Agoo, La Union (2018); Liloan, Cebu (2019); Bulakan, Bulacan (2023); Bacnotan, La Union (2024); and Liloan, Cebu (2025).
