The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) strengthened their partnership during a High-Level Bilateral Cooperation Meeting held at the DHSUD Central Office, reaffirming their commitment to inclusive, climate-resilient, and sustainable urban development in the Philippines.

The meeting, which took place on 24 April, was graced by United Nations Under-Secretary-General and UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach, who led the UN-Habitat delegation alongside Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific Kazuko Ishigaki; Philippines Country Programme Manager Christopher Rollo; Regional Coordinator for Climate Change and Urban Environment–Asia Pacific Laids Cea; and members of the UN-Habitat Philippines team.

Undersecretary Yap, representing DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar, described the gathering as a celebration of the significant achievements realized through the collaborative efforts of DHSUD and UN-Habitat over the last two decades.

“Today’s meeting serves as both a celebration and reaffirmation of the robust, enduring partnership between the Philippine Government and UN-Habitat. Over the past two decades, our parties' collaboration has yielded tangible, and lasting outcomes,” said Undersecretary Yap.

Executive Director Rossbach lauded the establishment of DHSUD as a significant milestone in the country’s institutional landscape, calling it a “fertile ground for our renewed partnership.” She also shared updates on the finalization of UN-Habitat’s Strategic Plan 2026–2029, which is set for presentation at the UN-Habitat Assembly this May in Nairobi. The new Strategic Plan aims to focus on access to housing, land, and basic services, as well as the transformation of informal settlements to address the global housing crisis.

“We understand that by focusing on access to adequate housing, land, and basic services, and transforming informal settlements, we can help address three global challenges: climate change, poverty, and humanitarian crises,” Rossbach said.

She emphasized the importance of housing as the “roof over the Sustainable Development Goals,” with urban planning as their “backbone.” Rossbach advocated for participatory, community-led planning, and the integration of nature-positive and ecosystem-based approaches to promote spatial justice, urban biodiversity, and long-term environmental stewardship.

DHSUD also recognized its ongoing partnerships with UN-Habitat through key initiatives such as the TRANSCEND and SHIELD projects. These efforts are streamlining local government planning processes and integrating climate and disaster risk considerations into local development strategies. Tools like the Provincial Climate Risk Diagnostics Tool (PCRD) empower LGUs to make evidence-based, risk-informed decisions and develop resilient communities.