Dr. Carlos Tabunda Jr., Executive Fellow of the Development Academy of the Philippines, spoke at the China International Friendship Cities Conference 2016 held in Chongqing, China from November 9 to 11, 2016, highlighting the value of establishing sustainable communities anchored on a cooperative relationship among cities from different countries.

The conference, with the theme “Innovation for Development and Cooperation for Sharing,” gathered more than 500 delegates from 54 countries all over the world as it aimed to promote sustainable development within the framework of sister-city relationship.   Also attending the conference along with Dr. Tabunda were Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi and the city’s Business Licensing Section chief, Gary Llamas.

Dr. Tabunda’s talk centered around a policy  dialogue hosted by the DAP on November 13, 2015, where selected local government executives from China and the Philippines exchanged experiences on how city managers from both countries could address problems facing urban populations.  The activity, which was a brainchild of DAP Eminent Fellow Laura del Rosario and Tabunda, was designed as a people-to-people engagement among the local chief executives from the two countries, which was held at a time when tensions between the two countries, which were brought about by the South China Sea conflict, were very high.

Dr. Tabunda related that the participants then acknowledged the value of establishing sustainable communities and that such communities that are “economically, environmentally and socially healthy and resilient” should meet challenges to their sustainability through integrated solutions rather than through  fragmented approaches that meet one of those challenges at the expense of the other communities.

“Megacities face various problems that transcend geo-political boundaries,” Dr. Tabunda said.  “Increased urbanization, economic globalization and assertion of local communities, among others, have resulted in the rise of megalopolises such as Manila.”

Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao delivered the keynote address at the opening of the conference, whose organizers were led by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC).

The other speakers during the opening session were Uganda Vice President Edward Ssekandi, former Japanese Prime Minister Hatoyama Yukio, former Netherlands Prime Minister Wim Kok, Chongqing Mayor Huang Qifan, and CPAFFC President Li Xiaolin.