CAUAYAN CITY, ISABELA- Despite being positioned in a rural setting, Cauayan City, an agro-industrial hub in Northern Luzon, is now the first ever Smart City in the country.
The concept of Smart City is aimed at making cities future-ready by using latest technologies and innovations to make cities more connected, resilient and digitally enabled. This will support the growth of the city economically and will put them at par.
"This partnership with the City of Cauayan is more than just connecting and activating consumers and customers. It's all about engaging them and providing them with customized solutions and services that will address their specific needs in their lifestyle", said Head of Consumer Sales, Smart Communications Mr. Alejandro Caeg.
According to Cauayan City Mayor Bernard Faustino M. Dy, the Local Government Unit has already embraced and acknowledged that technology can improve the lives of their citizens. In fact, as early as 2013 when he started as City Mayor, they launched the free WiFi in 65 Barangays in the City, the Citizen ID and the Cauayan City App that will make citizen's lives more convenient.
"After recognizing Cauayan City as first ever smart city in 2015, it has given us a big challenge to prove and show everybody in the entire country that if we can do it in Cauayan in a rural setting, there is no reason for other cities not do it... we are also in part of the vision to create more cities in the Philippines to follow this smart and sustainable framework", he said.
"This will really change the landscape of our country. This is one way of showing to the world that even we are in a third world country, once we do and embrace technology, we will be at par with the rest of the world", he further added.
Aside from the mission of Smart City in making key public services more accessible, convenient and citizen-focus, Mayor Dy is also happy and more excited in helping the farmers uplift their lives and increase their productivity through Digital Farmers Program (DFP).
Through DFP, which will run for three (3) years, the youth will engage in three courses: DFP 101, 102 and 103- focusing on capacitating and empowering the farmers with basic digital tools and technologies particularly social media, climate and weather monitoring and e-farming applications. This will equipped the farmers to become active players of the sectors and entice the youth to be more involved in agriculture.
DFP is a partnership and joint inititave between Agricultural Training Institute and Smart Communications, Inc. Public Affairs Group.
"It is very rare to see collaboration between the private sector, big businesses, academe, national and local government worked hand in hand to really uplift the lives of our farmers", said Mayor Dy.
"We believe that by devoting more resources to Cauayan and to the rest of Isabela, we are not only uplifting the quality of life in the city but also doing our share in helping address the current challenge in agriculture sector" sai SME Relationship Management Head of PLDT Enterprise Mr. Benedicto Perez in his message.
PLDT and SMART Communications, Inc. Chiefs, Isabela State University Faculty and Staffs and other provincial and local officials graced the Ceremonial MOA Signing earlier today. It was held at Hotel Sophia, Airport Road, this city.
A press conference was held after the MOA Signing. (JL Auman)