GOVPH

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) announced its first-ever champions of the Philippine Smart and Sustainable Communities Award (PSSCA) during the closing ceremony of the National Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (2025 NSTW), in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.

The award recognizes the efforts of the local government units (LGUs) in developing their communities and improving the quality of life through science, technology and innovation-driven solutions.

Received entries were grouped into four thematic categories namely Human Well-being, Wealth Creation, Wealth Protection, and Sustainability.

The Human Well-being Award recognizes LGUs who have exemplified smart and sustainable solutions to ensure health and nutrition, food safety and security, access to clean water, clothing, shelter, and efficient transport systems.

Moreover, the Wealth Creation Award is for LGUs who have successfully generated economic growth by integrating smart solutions to create value-adding products, services and other solutions towards national and regional development.

For the Wealth Protection Award, it was given to LGUs who have deployed smart solutions that focus on enhancing resilience through climate-adaptive technologies and science-driven disaster preparedness to safeguard communities and resources from environmental risks.

Lastly, LGUs promoting environment stewardship and climate-resilient community were given the Sustainability Award.

After a thorough evaluation of the entries received, Baguio City bagged the Wealth Protection Award, Wealth Creation Award, and Sustainability Award.

“We are very thankful to DOST for recognizing the efforts and initiatives of the City Government of Baguio in awarding us the several champions of Smart City Components. This will be a big boost for us in trying to gain more and achieve more in terms of sustainability and smart city programs,” Baguio City Administrator VJ Cawis said in a chance interview with DOST.

Baguio City has implemented BMRSys: Building on a Health-Secure Baguio with Data, Dignity and Digital Compassion under the Human Wellbeing category; TERRA —a system that bridges technology and nature for resilient living under the Sustainability category; RAIN-GUARD—a smart rainfall and flood resilience system for real-time preparedness and climate protection; and WORKPASS—a digital leap in enabling jobs and regulating workforce mobility.

“We are, in a way, lucky in Baguio City because our constituents there, the level of literacy and acceptance in smart city initiatives has become easier recently. But at first, of course, there were birth pains. Like I said, in other LGUs, smart cities are not yet understood,” Cawis explained.

He added that when the Smart and Sustainable Communities Program (SSCP) was first introduced in the city, its constituents thought it was just an eye in the sky and CCTVs.

However, residents have gradually realized its benefits, like the air quality monitoring system that guides the city administration in deciding how to reroute traffic, and the like.

Meanwhile, Carmona City in Cavite declared as champion in the Human Well-Being category through its One Digitized Carmona: Building Smart, Inclusive, and Sustainable Communities Through Data-Driven Governance program.

Among the 29 nominees, DOST awarded Emerging SSC Award (Level 1); Expanding SSC Award (Level 2); Sustained SSC Award (Level 3); and Transformative SSC Award (Level 4) on November 21, 2025, at Centennial Arena, Laoag City.

According to DOST-Cordillera Administrative Region (DOST-CAR) Regional Director Nancy A. Bantog, entries were evaluated based on the level of maturity or readiness of technologies implemented and deployed in the cities.

However, Bantog said none of the nominees achieved the highest level of award, which is the Transformative SSC Award or Level 4. This means that none of the projects implemented in cities have influenced policy frameworks on a larger scale and have been replicated by other LGUs.

“Projects are evaluated according to their level of readiness and maturity in implementation. This is to ensure that LGUs at different stages of progress are given equal opportunity to be recognized.

The DOST-CAR heads the 2025 PSSC Awards secretariat.

Winning entries received a plaque of recognition and P500,000 worth of proposal-driven project fund.

As defined by the DOST, a ‘smart city’ is a community that leverages technology and innovation to enhance urban functionality, sustainability, and livability, making it more responsive to its inhabitants.

Smart city uses Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to improve the quality of life for citizens, enhance service delivery, foster a competitive economy, and promote a sustainable environment.

The Smart and Sustainable Communities Program (SSCP) is one of the many initiatives of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) aimed at providing science-based, innovative, and inclusive solutions across four strategic pillars: human well-being, wealth creation, wealth protection, and sustainability. These pillars embody the mantra OneDOST4U: Solutions and Opportunities for All. For more information, visit www.dost.gov.ph. (By Claire Bernadette A. Mondares, DOST-STII)