Ceremonial Turnover of Funds for PH Hosting of 60th World Planning Congress
Held in The Hague
THE HAGUE 27 March 2024 – Preparations for hosting the 60th World Planning Congress (WPC 60) in New Clark City (NCC) this September 10-13, 2024 are now gaining momentum. Philippine Ambassador to The Netherlands represented Tarlac Governor Susan A. Yap and ceremonially handed over the Congress fee symbolic check to the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP) Secretary General Frank D’hondt and President-elect Elisabeth Belpaire, as President Pietro Elisei virtually stood witness in ceremonies held on March 20 at the Embassy.
ISOCARP selected and approved NCC, located in the towns of Bamban and Capas in Tarlac as the Congress venue of this event for its “Diamond Edition.” It is the site of the facilities proposed by ISOCARP Member EnP Haydee Jacklyn M. Quintana Malubay and now Local Organizing Committee (LOC) Chair. She and Governor Susan Yap, together with the individual and institutional members of the LOC, virtually participated in the ceremonies from Bonifacio Global City in Metro Manila.
In her speech, Governor Yap reaffirmed the hosts’ commitment to ensure the Congress's success, highlighting it as an opportunity to showcase NCC as a model of comprehensive planning, inclusivity, resilience, sustainability and other initiatives aligned with the proposed theme of “Circularity and Adaptive Reutilization of Resources.”
WPC 60 will address traditional urban planning issues and, for the first time, explore challenges facing "new (regenerative) cities," with delegations from all over the world who are expected to participate in this significant planning event. The hosting underscores the commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, emphasizing sustainable cities and communities.
Online participants included Chairman Delfin N. Lorenzana of the Bases Conversion Development Authority, LOC’s Architect Royal Pineda of Royal Pineda + Architecture. Design, and Mr. Jose Noel Mendoza, among others.
The Netherlands-based ISOCARP, founded in 1965, has membership emanating from over 90 countries. It produces the annual WPC Congress covering urban regeneration, land and water planning, creative economy, and low-carbon cities. Post-pandemic and recent host cities include Toronto, Brussels and Doha. END
For more information, visit https://www.thehaguepe.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHinTheNetherlands/.