When we think of cities, it’s easy to picture them as concrete jungles of roads, high-rises, traffic, endless construction. But I’ve always seen cities as more than that. To me, they are living, breathing communities. They pulse with the energy of millions of people, each carrying their own stories, struggles, and dreams.
That’s why I’ve always believed that sustainability and inclusivity are not separate ideas, but deeply connected truths. You cannot build a sustainable city without being inclusive, and you cannot build an inclusive city if it isn’t sustainable. One strengthens the other.
When I talk about sustainability, I don’t just mean solar panels or recycling bins. It’s about making choices today that protect our environment, balance growth, and keep our communities safe.
And when I talk about inclusivity, I’m thinking of the kind of city where everyone feels they belong. Where housing is affordable, where transportation is reliable, where parks and green spaces are open to all, where every voice matters, whether you’re a student, a street vendor, or a business leader.
The older I get, and the more I work in both land use and agriculture, the more I see how these sustainability and inclusivity are inseparable.
This isn’t abstract to me. I live near a flood-prone area of Quezon City. I know the sound of the sirens that tell us the water is rising. And every time it floods, I’m reminded: this isn’t just “nature.” Many times, it’s the result of poor land-use decisions where rivers were reclaimed, waterways were blocked, agricultural lands were converted without foresight.
I’ve seen the same in my work. As a land-use lawyer, I’ve watched titles change hands, land reclassified and developed, often without thought for the long-term consequences. As someone working in agriculture, I’ve met farmers who couldn’t sell their crops because markets and infrastructure weren’t designed with them in mind. These experiences have taught me that sustainability and inclusivity are not theories. They are about real people’s lives.
When we design cities with both sustainability and inclusivity at the center, we create places where people thrive. Growth becomes long-term, not short-lived. Investors and businesses are drawn to cities that live by these values because they see them as places of opportunity and stability.
But more than the economics, it’s about dignity. It’s about ensuring no one is left behind in the pursuit of progress.
For me, this all comes back to stewardship. Cities are not just spaces we live in. They are legacies we leave behind. Every zoning law, every building, every tree cut or preserved, it all ripples outward. We may not see the consequences today, but the succeeding generations will.
So when I speak of sustainability and inclusivity, I’m speaking of our shared responsibility to care for the land and for each other.
The future of our urban life depends on the choices we make today. And I believe we have still have the chance if we will do our duty to choose wisely everytime we need to make decisions.