Cauayan City, Isabela – Strengthening its position as the country’s pioneer smart city, Cauayan City held a roadmap re-alignment and planning workshop on July 22-24, 2024. The event brought together the city’s department heads and resource speakers to re-align and refine the Smart City 2025 Roadmap.
The workshop featured insightful contributions from Ms. Raquel Santos, DOST 02 Smart and Sustainable Community Program Officer, Dr. Betchie Aguinaldo, Director of the Business Intelligence Research and Development Center (BIRD-C), and Atty. Reina Consorcia Santos, LGU Cauayan City Smart City Focal Person. Their expertise was instrumental in recalibrating the roadmap and strategizing future initiatives to make Cauayan City more dynamic and responsive to the evolving challenges and needs in attaining smart and sustainable developments.
Day 1 commenced with Ms. Czarah Jane Dy, City Administrator, who emphasized the necessity of roadmap development that acknowledges the citizens, thereby suggesting implementing similar workshops at the grassroots levels to provide an understanding of the smart city concept, starting with the barangays in Cauayan City. Minority Floor Leader, Chairman for Smart and Sustainable Cities and Metropolitan Cauayan Development, and City Councilor, Hon. Paolo Eleazar Delmendo, concurred and urged department heads to consider drafting legislation to support and enhance these initiatives. Subsequently, discussions on smart city development and the role of the tripartite partnership between DOST, local government units, and the academe followed.
Day 2 focused on the presentation of workshop outputs grounded in the existing Executive-Legislative Agenda (ELA). This approach ensures that the strategies developed align with the current priorities and legislative framework for a more targeted and efficient response to the city’s needs.
Day 3 targeted educating participants about the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Smart Technologies, exploring their potential applications and benefits for the city’s development.
Hands-on sessions and interactive discussions in the three-day event allowed transforming concepts into actionable strategies. This approach not only enhanced understanding but also facilitated the development of concrete solutions tailored to the specific needs of Cauayan City.
As the city advances with its roadmap and a renewed commitment to driving forward smart and sustainable initiatives, Cauayeños can look forward to a transformed, innovative, and future-ready Cauayan City.
