Strengthening Urban
Resilience for Growth with Equity (SURGE)
Performance Evaluation

SURGE

Background

Over the past decade, the Philippines’ economic growth has been highly concentrated in three metropolitan areas—Metro-Manila, Cebu, and Davao—leading to high population growth and congestion there. This concentration has also caused inequities and inequitable access to economic opportunities between urban and rural areas. To address this concern, USAID developed the Cities Development Initiative (CDI) to promote economic growth in other well-governed, highly urbanized and secondary cities. The increased economic growth in these other cities would help equalize income distribution across the Philippines.

8 Cities covered by Cities Development Initiative (CDI)

SURGE’s development hypothesis is that second-tier cities can be developed as engines of growth. The primary goal of SURGE is to provide highly innovative, creative, and cost-effective solutions that set conditions for broad-based, inclusive, and resilient economic growth, which in turn will foster increased investment, economic opportunities, and productive employment for a critical mass of cities and surrounding areas outside Metro Manila.

SURGE assists cities and adjacent areas to plan effectively, provide basic public services, reduce business transaction costs, promote competitiveness, support sustainable development, and reduce disaster risks while ensuring inclusive and sustainable growth. SURGE promotes efforts to: 1) improve local capacity in urban development; 2) increase local economic development by fostering business enabling measures; and 3) expand economic connectivity and access between urban and peripheral areas.

Tasks under SURGE focus on three key areas

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SURGE Results Framework

Figure 1. SURGE Results Framework View Full Image

SURGE’s development hypothesis is that second-tier cities can be developed as engines of growth. The primary goal of SURGE is to provide highly innovative, creative, and cost-effective solutions that set conditions for broad-based, inclusive, and resilient economic growth, which in turn will foster increased investment, economic opportunities, and productive employment for a critical mass of cities and surrounding areas outside Metro Manila.

As a flagship project under the CDI, SURGE’s logical framework links directly to the previous CDCS (2013–2019). This CDCS had three development objectives, and SURGE contributed to development objectives (DO) 1 and DO 3. Under DO 1, it contributed to two intermediate results: improved policy and regulatory environment (Sub-IR 1.1.1) and increased fiscal performance and transparency (Sub-IR 1.1.4). For DO 3, SURGE directly contributed to five intermediate results: increased disaster preparedness (Sub-IR 3.1.1), enhanced disaster prevention (Sub-IR 3.1.2), disaster mitigation measures implemented (Sub-IR 3.1.3), improved water supply and security (Sub-IR 3.2.1), and increased climate change resilience and mitigation (Sub-IR 3.2.2).

In the current CDCS, SURGE continues to contribute to the same outcomes with the former DO 1 re-grouped into DO 2, specifically: 1) IR 2.1 Regulatory Quality Improved, and IR 2.2 Government Capacity to Finance Self-Reliance Increased; and 2) those under DO 3 becoming IR 3.2 Sustainable Use of Natural Resources Strengthened, and IR 3.4 Capacity to Mitigate Risks of and Respond to Disaster Strengthened.

Figure 2. SURGE Theory of Change and CDCS Alignment View Full Image

DISCLAIMER

This report is made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of this report are the sole responsibility of Panagora Group and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or of the United States government.