The local government of Naga City has secured approval from the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) for a P6.7-million grant to implement the country’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) City Planner.

The innovative system, titled “AI-Empowered People-Centric Sustainable Transport and Land Use Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation System for Naga City,” aims to enhance city planning through AI-driven solutions that support sustainable transport, land use management, and urban monitoring.

“This brings us closer to our goal of an Open, Digital, and Participatory Naga by 2028,” said Naga City Mayor and former Vice President Leni Robredo, emphasizing the project’s potential to improve public services and planning efficiency.

DEPDev Project Development Officer Trish-Marie Albeus confirmed the approval in an official letter, noting that the proposal demonstrated innovative approaches aligned with the National Innovation Agenda and Strategy Document 2023–2032.

The grant, totaling PhP 6,793,000 was awarded following a competitive evaluation process.

With this initiative, Naga City becomes the first local government unit in the Philippines to employ artificial intelligence for comprehensive urban planning, signaling a major step toward smarter, data-driven city management.