On August 14, U.S. Ambassador Philip S. Goldberg formally launched the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Strengthening Urban Resilience for Growth with Equity (SURGE) project. The five-year project will assist secondary cities outside Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao, become engines of inclusive growth.

“Today’s event demonstrates an enduring and a further deepening partnership between the U.S. government and the Philippines, a partnership that is grounded on a shared vision of development,” Ambassador Goldberg said.

Through USAID’s SURGE project, the U.S. government will help cities plan better, create more competitive business environments, link urban and rural centers so that more citizens benefit from rapid economic activity, and provide health and other social services.

SURGE is the flagship project of USAID’s Cities Development Initiative (CDI), a crucial component of the broader Partnership for Growth (PFG). Under the PFG, the Philippines and the United States are working to accelerate and sustain broad-based and inclusive economic growth. Part of this strategy includes the CDI, which works with committed local governments to advance development in second-tier cities that are ripe for growth.

The U.S. government will also work with participating cities to implement low-emission development strategies so that growth is economically and environmentally sustainable. While the Philippines has not been a significant contributor of carbon emissions relative to other countries, the U.S. noted that the Philippines has experienced the disastrous consequences of a changing global climate.

In line with CDI’s approach of providing a multi-faceted package of assistance, SURGE will leverage existing USAID projects in the economic growth, environment, energy and climate change, health, and education sectors.

Ambassador Goldberg launched SURGE together with USAID Mission Director Gloria D. Steele. They were joined by key government partners led by Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, and the mayors and officials of the CDI partner cities, namely Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno, Zamboanga City Mayor Beng Climaco, Puerto Princesa City Mayor Lucilo Bayron, Batangas City Chief-of-Staff Victor Reginald Dimacuha, and Ms. Jane Yap of Tagbilaran City. USAID aims to cover additional cities under CDI in the near term.

The International City/County Management Association (ICMA), a global organization composed of almost 9,000 city, town and county managers who work to professionalize local government management around the world, will support USAID by serving as the main implementing partner for SURGE.