SMART CITY MASTER PLAN. Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez (2nd from right) leads the city’s department heads during a benchmarking and immersion activity at the Aboitiz Data Innovation headquarters in Singapore on Nov. 20 to 23, 2023. The northern Negros city is collaborating with the data science and artificial intelligence company in crafting a smart city master plan. (Photo courtesy of Victorias City PIO)

BACOLOD CITY – The City of Victorias in Negros Occidental is crafting a smart city master plan with the assistance of Aboitiz Data Innovation (ADI), a Singapore-based data science and artificial intelligence (AI) company.

As part of the initiatives, its department heads attended a three-day workshop with ADI that will end Thursday at the Victorias City Resort, following a benchmarking and immersion activity with Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez at the ADI headquarters in Singapore on Nov. 20 to 23.

“It has been quite a journey for all of us, learning directly from experts and fortifying our partnership with ADI in our shared vision for a smart, sustainable, and inclusive future Victorias City,” Benitez said in a statement.

The immersion activity focused on smart city road mapping to equip the department heads in crafting the “Smart Victorias City Master Plan” while the benchmarking activity was aimed at closely aligning the local government unit’s development and planning goals.

The city’s collaboration with ADI was formalized last Sept. 28 during the contract signing for the scope of work proposal for the smart city master plan between Benitez and ADI Public Sector Head Carlos Streegan.

Under the partnership, Victorias City will be able to offer streamlined operations, improved governance, and upgraded public services through data-driven decision-making.

For its part, ADI has committed to providing transformative AI consulting, data-driven IoT (Internet of Things), and sustainable solutions.

IoT refers to the collective network of connected devices embedded with sensors, software, and connectivity that enables them to collect and share data.

Also enclosed in the economic growth roadmap of the scope of work proposal are smart co-working spaces, waste management, and mobile telemedicine clinics. (PNA)

(The article was originally published by Nanette Guadalquiver on the Philippine News Agency.)