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The Pasig City Government, in collaboration with residents and volunteers across Metro Manila in the Philippines, implemented low-cost tactical urbanism installations along A. Mabini Street to reallocate street space and promote safer, more accessible walking and cycling as part of the Sparking Active Mobility Actions for Climate-Friendly Cities (SPARK) Project.
9 April 2025 | Bonn, Germany / Pasig City, Philippines. On Wednesday, 26 March, Pasig City officially opened a newly reimagined A. Mabini Street, as a people-centered space. Throughout February, more than 60 volunteers — including community members and representatives from local organizations— came together every weekend to enhance the street by painting road murals and crosswalks, and installing street furniture. These efforts mark important first steps towards democratizing public roads and prioritizing pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly approaches.
Once a car-centric street that crowded out sidewalks and made walking or cycling a challenge, A. Mabini Street now features a shared pathway for pedestrians, cyclists, and people with disabilities, specifically those with limited mobility, including wheelchair users.
This collective effort was possible through a “tactical urbanism intervention,” designed to foster active mobility—walking and cycling—, providing safer and accessible urban environments, promoting healthier lifestyles, and contributing to reducing carbon emissions.
Tu My Tran, Head of Sustainable Mobility at ICLEI World Secretariat, said, “We are proud to collaborate with Pasig City, the local community, and national agencies to transform streets and public spaces through tactical urbanism intervention under the SPARK project. Building on the experience in Quezon City, we aim to strengthen strategies and policies through a community-based approach that showcases the power of multilevel action. Through these temporary interventions, we aim to spark long term collaboration, shift mobility behavior and inspire new urban planning approaches.”
This initiative is part of the “Sparking Active Mobility Actions for Climate-Friendly Cities” (SPARK) Project. The project utilizes tactical urbanism—short-term, low-cost, and scalable interventions—to test innovative ideas and share open data for long-term urban transformation.
In the Philippines, motorized transport is a major contributor to air pollution, accounting for roughly 30% of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. Prioritizing public transportation and active mobility can help cut emissions from transport fuel consumption by up to 25%, which also contributes to improved public health, equity, and green socio-economic recovery. Based on the 2017 Pasig City Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory, on-road transportation comprises 12% of the city’s total emissions.
Implemented by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) and the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), this 2.5-year project aims to increase active mobility’s role in building resilient, safe transport systems that contribute to national emission reduction targets and promote climate-friendly mobility behaviors through community-driven strategies in two pilot cities in the Philippines. In Quezon City, a tactical urbanism intervention was carried out from December 2024 to February 2025 — and now in Pasig City, the intervention is underway and will remain open until May 2025.
Victorino Aquitania, ICLEI Southeast Asia Regional Director, stated, “Through the SPARK project, Pasig City and Quezon City have shown that local governments can employ innovative, collaborative, and bottom-up strategies fighting climate change such as tactical urbanism in emissions reduction and urban planning. We hope more cities can learn from this and replicate similar efforts, as prioritizing active mobility is crucial in pursuing zero-emission development.”
Community members were actively involved during the project’s research, planning, and design phases. The Pasig City Government, led by its City Transport Development and Management Office (CTDMO), met with residents and other stakeholder groups within the community in a series of consultations from May 2024 to February 2025, to ensure that the tactical urbanism interventions met the community’s needs. Volunteers also helped carry out walkability and cyclability assessments in the area.
Maria Golda Hilario, ICSC Director for Urban Development, stated, “The SPARK Project in Pasig is a timely reminder that proactive collaboration and meaningful change can begin with small, community-driven action. Through tactical urbanism and the spirit of Bayanihan —communal unity and cooperation— the Pasig City Local Government Unit, volunteers, and civic groups are collectively working together to create safer, more inclusive streets for the elderly, people with limited mobility, and children. In doing so, they honor both our heroes’ legacy and the freedom to move with dignity, as we commemorate the National Day of Valor on 9 April.”
The installation also features a revitalized outdoor park at Plaza Familia, enhanced with displays on Pasig City’s historic role in the 1896 Philippine Revolution. In fact, the street is aptly named after Apolinario Mabini, the former Prime Minister known as the “Brains of the Revolution.
The project is supported by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) and the Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUV) through the International Climate Initiative (IKI). It is also endorsed by the Philippine Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
The Pasig City Government formally established its commitment to the SPARK Project through a memorandum of understanding signed in 2023 with ICLEI Southeast Asia and ICSC. Pasig City’s Engineering Office, Traffic and Parking Management Office, Cultural Affairs and Tourism Office, Parks and Playground Development Office, Public Information Office, and Clean and Green Office actively supported the project’s implementation.
Similar to the effort to increase active mobility in Quezon City last year, the SPARK Project tactical urbanism intervention in Pasig City will also be monitored and assessed for three months for their Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and socio-economic impacts. The project aims to use findings from the assessment to guide the local government and community members on potential long-term implementation and replication of similar initiatives, and the creation of people-oriented urban planning policies that promote active mobility and create safer, more inclusive public spaces.
For more information about the SPARK Project, visit https://sustainablemobility.iclei.org/spark/.
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NOTE TO EDITORS
Images available for publication: IMAGES FROM PASIG CITY DURING THE IMPLEMENTATION
Please credit: ICLEI and ICSC
CONTACT
For media inquiries, please contact:
Ariel Dekovic, Head of Global Communications
ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability
World Secretariat (Bonn, Germany)
Email: ariel.dekovic@iclei.org | Skype: ariel.dekovic.iclei
About ICLEI
ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (known as “ICLEI”) is a global network of more than 2,500 local and regional governments committed to sustainable urban development. Active in 125+ countries, ICLEI influences sustainability policy and drives local action for zero emission, nature-based, equitable, resilient and circular development. ICLEI Members and its team of experts work together through peer exchange, partnerships and capacity building to create systemic change for urban sustainability. For more information, visit: https://iclei.org/
About ICSC
The Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) is an international non-government group advancing fair climate policy and low carbon, climate-resilient development. Based in the Philippines, it is engaged with the wider international climate and energy policy arena, particularly in Asia. It is recognized for its role in helping advance effective global climate action and the Paris climate agreement. For more information, visit: https://icsc.ngo/about-icsc/