Urban-Act pilot cities strengthen gender equality, disability, and social inclusion in stakeholder engagement for sustainable urban development
The Urban-Act Project pilot cities in the Philippines are taking another step toward integrating Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) lens into local stakeholder engagement and planning processes.
Photo 1. Clean Air Asia team together with Tagbilaran City participants of the Inclusive Stakeholder Engagement for Sustainable Urban Development training
Throughout June 2026, Clean Air Asia conducted a series of “Inclusive Stakeholder Engagement for Sustainable Urban Development” trainings in the cities of Antipolo, Bacolod, and Tagbilaran. This equipped city government representatives and key stakeholders with practical knowledge and tools to organize, facilitate, monitor, and evaluate GEDSI-informed stakeholder engagement activities. It also strengthened their capacity to identify inclusive strategies that can be integrated into current and future planning and decision-making processes.
Photo 2. Clean Air Asia team together with Bacolod City participants of the Inclusive Stakeholder Engagement for Sustainable Urban Development training
The series forms part of Clean Air Asia’s implementation of the Stakeholder Engagement Guide (SEG) for Local Government Units in the Philippines developed under the Urban-Act Project, which aims to strengthen the capacity of city governments and local stakeholders to design and implement more inclusive and participatory engagement processes.
The SEG is a document developed by Clean Air Asia which serves as a framework for implementing contextually grounded, inclusive, participatory and GEDSI-informed engagement for the pilot cities for their Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) updating process and beyond.
This document was a fruit of the series of stakeholder engagement activities with the pilot cities from July 2024 to February 2025 to assess their strengths and weaknesses in climate-sensitive urban planning, as well as of their existing community engagement activities through targeted focus group discussions.
Foundations of inclusive stakeholder engagement
“You cannot plan for us without us.” This was one of the recurring messages throughout the training series.
Over the two-day sessions, participants were introduced to the core principles of GEDSI by exploring its three pillars: gender equality, disability, and social inclusion. The discussions also examined concepts such as power, privilege, and intersectionality, and how they shape stakeholder engagement, particularly in local governance.
During the session on gender equality, Patricia Lloren Tuano, GEDSI Expert of Clean Air Asia, introduced participants to concepts ranging from sexual orientation and gender identity to gender expression. She explained how societal norms and cultural contexts shape people’s lived experiences and why understanding these realities is essential for designing inclusive engagement processes.
Photo 3. Patricia Lloren Tuano, GEDSI Expert of Clean Air Asia, discusses the role of GEDSI in inclusive stakeholder engagement
“You might be wondering why we’re discussing gender and what it has to do with stakeholder engagement and facilitation. By understanding the nuances of gender, we begin to understand the lived realities of our stakeholders. And when we understand those realities, we’re better equipped to create environments where everyone feels seen, can participate meaningfully, and could influence outcomes,” Tuano explained.
She emphasized that gender equality in stakeholder engagement is not simply about ensuring equal numbers of women and men in the room. Rather, it is about creating conditions where everyone can contribute actively.
The discussion on disability, meanwhile, focused on identifying and removing the physical, social, institutional, and attitudinal barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from participating fully in and benefiting from society.
Participants also reflected on how language itself contributes to inclusion. The session highlighted the importance of using respectful, person-first language, such as “persons with disabilities” instead of simply “PWDs,” recognizing individuals before their disabilities and reinforcing a rights-based approach to inclusion. This encouraged participants to examine their own practices in engaging persons with disabilities and identify barriers they continue to encounter.
Photo 4. Lorna Cañete, President of the Association of Persons with Disability Workers in Tagbilaran City, shares the city's experience in engaging persons with disabilities
“At Tagbilaran City, we have the mechanisms where different sectors, including persons with disabilities, are included in conversations. But when we go outside the city, that’s where we find it challenging to find the same kind of support,” shared Lorna Cañete, President of Association of Persons with Disability Workers in the city.
Alma Gustillo, representative from Bacolod City Persons with Disabilities Affairs Office, reflected on how the session reinforced the importance of integrating accessibility and inclusion from the earliest stages of planning.
Photo 5. Alma Gustillo, representative from the Bacolod City Persons with Disabilities Affairs Office, shares insights on integrating accessibility and inclusion into local planning
“Given the current responsibilities that I have, this training has strengthened my commitment to making sure that persons with disabilities are not left behind in the projects, activities, and trainings we conduct. We want inclusivity to be part of everything we do, not only within our office but across different agencies. We will make sure that accessibility will always be a top priority for including persons with disabilities and senior citizens.”
This ultimately led to the broader concept of social inclusion where it was emphasized that an inclusive stakeholder consultation, especially in urban planning, requires creating environments where everyone—regardless of their gender, disability, age, economic status, social background, or cultural identity—has equitable opportunities to participate in and benefit from development.
By recognizing and addressing barriers to participation, city governments can move beyond consultation toward meaningful engagement, ensuring that urban planning and climate action reflect the needs and realities of all members of the community.
From principles to practice
Beyond introducing the principles of GEDSI, the training equipped participants with practical approaches to designing, facilitating, and evaluating more inclusive stakeholder engagement activities, which were anchored in the SEG.
Photo 6. Participants from Antipolo City partakes in an interactive activity during the training
They were guided through key considerations in organizing workshops and consultations—from selecting accessible venues and schedules to identifying participants, designing inclusive programs, and choosing facilitation methods that encourage meaningful participation. Throughout the sessions, it was emphasized that inclusion should not be treated as an afterthought but should be intentionally built into every stage of stakeholder engagement.
Another recurring question posed during the training was: Who is not in the room?
This challenged participants to look beyond those who traditionally attend consultations and consider which voices may be missing and why. Whether due to accessibility barriers, caregiving responsibilities, lack of information, or unequal power dynamics, participants learned that meaningful stakeholder engagement requires actively reaching those who are often underrepresented in decision-making processes.
This also prompted participants to reflect on the concept of power and how it influences participation.
“This training helped me realize the importance of shared power in achieving a truly participatory approach… Since I’m working in strategic communications, the learnings I got from the training will make me place greater emphasis on considering who the participants are, who the audience will be, and what communication tools and channels should be used,” shared Frence Boiser, representative from Tagbilaran City Mayor’s Office – Strategic Communications.
Photo 7. Frence Boiser, representative of the Tagbilaran City Mayor's Office – Strategic Communications, reflects on inclusive communication and participation
Participants also expressed their appreciation for how the training was delivered. While acknowledging that GEDSI can be a complex and nuanced topic, they noted that the facilitators presented the concepts in a way that was practical, engaging, and easy to understand, allowing them to better relate the lessons to their day-to-day work.
“I’ve been going in and out of venues for trainings for years, but this session here right now, Clean Air Asia made such a complex topic easier for us to understand, which will help us become more effective at work,” shared Anderson Silva, representative from Antipolo City Health Office.
Photo 8. Anderson Silva, representative of the Antipolo City Health Office, shares reflections from the training
More than introducing a new framework, the training demonstrated how GEDSI principles can be translated into practical stakeholder engagement.
Looking ahead
As the pilot cities move forward with their planning processes, the principles introduced during the training serve as a reminder that meaningful stakeholder engagement is not measured by the number of consultations conducted, but by whose voices are heard and reflected in decisions.
In her closing message during the Tagbilaran City leg, Dang Espita-Casanova, Associate Program Director of Clean Air Asia, emphasized that inclusive sustainable development is not a straight path, but a continuous process that requires commitment, collaboration, and the collective efforts of everyone involved. She reminded participants that while the Urban-Act Project serves as an important starting point, building more inclusive and resilient cities will require sustained action long after the training concludes.
Photo 9. Dang Espita-Casanova, Associate Program Director at Clean Air Asia, gives closing remarks
“Our partnership doesn’t end with putting our commitment on paper. We are here to work alongside you—as your partner and ally—as you continue advancing sustainable development, climate action, and clean air in your cities,” Espita-Casanova closed.
