Naga City has received approval for a ₱6.793-million grant from the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) to build what is expected to be the country’s first AI-empowered city planning, transport, and land-use monitoring system.
The notice of approval, dated Nov. 17 and addressed to Naga City mayor Leni Robredo, confirmed that the city’s proposal — “Naga City AI City Planner: AI-Empowered People-Centric Sustainable Transport and Land Use Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation System” — passed the national competitive evaluation for the 2025 Innovation Grants.
The project aims to help Naga modernize and streamline urban planning through advanced data analytics, real-time monitoring, and community-centered decision-making tools.
Robredo welcomed the approval in a Facebook post, calling it a major step toward the city’s digital transformation agenda.
“Our application for a P6.7-M grant for an AI City Planner has been approved! This will help us do a more effective, people-centric transport and land use planning, monitoring and evaluation that’s AI-empowered. It will be the first in the country,” she said.
She added that the initiative is aligned with Naga’s long-term vision. “This brings us closer to our goal of an Open, Digital and Participatory Naga by 2028.”
According to DEPDev, Naga’s proposal “offers innovative solutions with the potential to unlock new opportunities and advance the National Innovation Agenda and Strategy Document 2023–2032.”
The agency said it will coordinate with the city’s project team on final terms and next steps prior to the release of the grant.
Once implemented, the AI City Planner is expected to support a more efficient transport system, improve land-use decisions, and enhance public participation through data-driven governance — positioning Naga City as a national trailblazer in AI-enabled local government planning.
