Report on the Provision of Component 1 Technical Assistance, September 2016

Agency for International Development (USAID) to the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). The period of performance is five years from July 27, 2015 to July 26, 2020. The SURGE Project is an activity in support of USAID/Philippines' Cities Development Initiative (CDI). The CDI project is a crucial component of the broader Partnership for Growth (PFG), a White House initiated "whole government" partnership between the U.S. Government (USG) and the Government of the Philippines (GPH) whose aim is to shift the Philippines to a sustained and more inclusive growth trajectory at par with other high-performing emerging economies. The SURGE Project's development hypothesis is that second-tier cities serve as engines of growth and contribute to improved welfare of both urban and rural populations. USAID aims to promote more balanced and resilient urban growth, reduce economic disparities, and improve socio-economic conditions for highly urbanized second-tier cities and their surrounding areas. This activity will assist cities and adjacent areas plan effectively, guarantee basic public services, reduce business transaction costs, promote competitiveness, support sustainable development, and reduce disaster risks while ensuring inclusive and sustainable growth. The SURGE Project, through Component 1, seeks to address the root causes of these issues through four objectives: (1) strengthen local capacity in urban development, taking into account disaster risk reduction and preparedness; (2) improve climate-resilient land-use planning and development following international best practices; (3) improve local climate-resilient infrastructure planning, financing, and implementation; and (4) increase access to sustainable water supply and sanitation services. The SURGE Project's technical assistance (TA) activities for Year 1 focused on the formulation of Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUP) and Comprehensive Development Plans (CDP) for CDI cities. The TAs were provided upon the request of the CDI cities and aimed to strengthen their capacity in urban development, climate-resilient land-use planning, and infrastructure planning. The technical assistance activities were undertaken in two CDI cities, Batangas City and Tagbilaran City. In Batangas City, the current state of the CLUP/CDP was assessed, and planning technical assistance was requested to improve the plan's quality and relevance. The assistance included the development of a comprehensive land use plan, which aimed to promote sustainable development, reduce disaster risks, and improve the city's economic competitiveness. In Tagbilaran City, the current state of the CLUP/CDP was also assessed, and planning technical assistance was requested to improve the plan's quality and relevance. The assistance included the development of a comprehensive land use plan, which aimed to promote sustainable development, reduce disaster risks, and improve the city's economic competitiveness. The SURGE Project's technical assistance activities also focused on water and sanitation, and climate change adaptation-disaster risk reduction (CCA-DRR). The activities included the development of a water and sanitation plan, which aimed to improve access to sustainable water supply and sanitation services, and a CCA-DRR plan, which aimed to reduce disaster risks and promote climate-resilient development. The SURGE Project's technical assistance activities have contributed to the improvement of the CDI cities' capacity in urban development, climate-resilient land-use planning, and infrastructure planning. The activities have also promoted sustainable development, reduced disaster risks, and improved the cities' economic competitiveness.