The Quezon City government said on Thursday, June 15, that it started exploring the "15-min city" concept in different barangays to deliver better and faster services to the city residents. According to the city government, The 15-minute city concept ensures that all essential services including healthcare, job opportunities, education, parks and open spaces are accessible to residents within a short walk or bike ride from their houses. It was introduced by Professor Carlos Moreno of Sorbonne University in Paris, France. It added the concept decentralizes the traditional city life services and brings them down to communities, thus boosting the local economy, cutting down car emissions, promoting urban biodiversity and inclusivity, and providing people with easy access to healthy food options and quality green spaces. The local government gathered a pool of researchers from the Office of the City Administrator (OCA), Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Department (CCESD), City Planning and Development Department (CPDD),City Architect Department (CAD), Parks Development and Administration Department (PDAD), Transport and Traffic Management Department (TTMD), and Barangay and Community Relations Department (BCRD) to learn more about the concept and see how it can be implemented in the city. It has also started mapping barangays through the centralized Geographic Information System (GIS) to visualize their geographic data and determine what basic services are most needed in each community. The city will also develop strategies and plans to improve the infrastructure in each community. CCESD head Andrea Villaroman said that after the study, the local government will engage with the city residents to collect data and identify the core elements that their community needs. "Apart from making services accessible to residents, the 15-minute city concept is also a way of conserving and protecting the environment. It supports the city's goal to reach carbon neutrality by 2050," Villaroman said. The city will also developed comprehensive strategies and plans, and improve the infrastructure in each community. It said that after the study and planning process, Quezon City will be the first city in the coubtry to adopt the concept that is in line with its goal to have a green, livable and sustainable city. "When we went to Paris for the Plastic Treaty Forum, we were amazed by their 15-minute city sites as all the basic services for the people are within their reach. We want to replicate this setup here in Quezon City to make urban development people-centered and to further improve the quality of life of every QCitizen," Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said. "People's participation plays a big role in the realization of the 15-minute city concept. Every effort from the residents, private sector, and other government agencies is vital towards our vision of building a liveable, sustainable, and climate-resilient city," the mayor added.