“We will neglect our cities to our peril, for in neglecting them we neglect the nation.”
—John F. Kennedy, American president
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By the year 2050, the number of people living in urban areas could increase to 6.7 billion, up from the current 3.5 billion, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Urban centers contribute over 80% of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP) and account for more than 70% of global carbon dioxide emissions.
The positive aspect is that there are viable solutions available to address the needs of urban living while adhering to the ecological limits of our planet. The WWF envisions the development of One Planet Cities (OPC) worldwide—urban areas that allow all individuals to flourish within the environmental constraints of our singular planet.
Since it started a decade ago, “The highest-ever number of cities are joining WWF-Philippines’ OPC program marking a significant growth in the Philippines urban sustainability movement,” WWF said.
“We are seeing an almost double growth in the number of cities that joined the program, from 15 cities in the 2023-2024 cycle to 28 in the 2025-2026 cycle. This is the highest number of cities in the Philippines that are making a strong commitment to sustainable urban development,” Atty. Gia Ibay, head of the Climate and Energy Program (CEP), said in a statement.
“The increasing number of cities that are recognizing the importance of reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and advocating for sustainable development is a clear sign. The call for all sectors to unite and take action for the climate is not just a necessity, but an urgent one, especially now as we mark our 10th anniversary,” she added.
Three cities from Davao region are listed among the 28 cities in the country which led the charge. Davao City and Tagum City are among the four OPCs in Mindanao described as “returning cities.” The two other cities are Cagayan de Oro City and Dipolog City.
Under the new cities, Davao Region’s Island Garden City of Samal is added as the new city in the list. Its inclusion made Davao del Norte having two OPCs.
Two other new OPC cities in Mindanao are Butuan City and Oroquieta City.
In Luzon, the returning OPCs are Baguio City, Batangas City, Legazpi City, Makati City, Malolos City, Naga City, Puerto Princesa City, San Fernando City (La Union), and Santa Rosa City.
The new OPCs are Balanga City, Calapan City, Carmona City, Laoag City, Ligao City, and Tayabas City.
In Visayas, four cities are listed as returning OPCs. These are Catbalogan City, La Carlota City, Ormoc City, San Carlos City in Negros Occidental.
There are only two new OPCs: Bacolod City and Iloilo City.
According to the WWF, the significant increase in the number of participating cities was helped in part by the support of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), which endorsed the OPC program to its member cities.
The LCP’s endorsement has been instrumental in spreading awareness and encouraging more cities to join the program, demonstrating the power of collaboration in driving sustainable urban development.
Since 2015, WWF-Philippines has been implementing the global WWF OPC program and its flagship One Planet City Challenge (OPCC) – a biennial, global challenge that assists cities to act as transformation catalysts, implementing integrated and inclusive plans in line with the 1.5°C, while ensuring urban climate resilience and unlocking individual and collective climate actions. OPCC is the longest and largest friendly competition since 2011, engaging a total of 900 cities all over the globe.
“A decade into the OPC journey in the Philippines, we are inspired by the continued commitment of our partner cities and we are proud to witness more cities stepping up to lead climate action. Urban areas are significant in the reduction of carbon emissions while fostering collaboration with stakeholders and governments, which is vital in driving inclusive, adaptive, and science-based climate solutions at the local level,” said Imee Bellen, Project Manager of One Planet Cities.
For OPCC, all participating cities will report their climate actions, strategies, and data through a standardized international platform, which is reviewed by WWF and compared against good-practice, climate-action-planning criteria guided by the OPCC Assessment Framework.
Each participating city will then receive a tailor-made “Strategic Feedback Report,” which shows the city’s climate journey, its alignment with the Paris Agreement, the alignment of the city’s goals and targets versus their actual initiatives and providing further recommendations on the most effective actions to meet such targets.
A “Localized Feedback Assessment Report” that takes into consideration the national context, including policies, geographical location, and financial viability, will be provided by WWF-Philippines, with the assistance of the ICLEI Southeast Asia Secretariat (ICLEI-SEAS).
A key addition to this 2025-2026 cycle is the launch of WWF’s Strategic Support Program (SSP)—a new initiative designed to provide cities with structured learning opportunities and guidance to strengthen their climate strategies.
Through a dynamic mix of webinars, practical guides, and group-based coaching, the SSP will equip cities with tools and insights to help them develop, communicate, and track science-based climate action.
