Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation (MSEUF) is strengthening Sustainable Cities and Communities by co-creating with local governments, industry, and learners on projects that make cities legible, lovable, and easier to navigate. In 2024, the University’s College of Architecture and Fine Arts (CAFA) and College of Education advanced heritage-driven design, civic dialogue, and research that help residents understand their urban environment and advocate for accessible, inclusive spaces.
What MSEUF did
Reimagined the Lucena City scale model for the Museo de Lucena. In partnership with the Lucena Council for Culture and the Arts, CAFA faculty and students updated the city diorama to reflect new landmarks and current urban form—an intergenerational project that equips residents and planners with a shared, visual tool for discussing connectivity and growth (Dec. 19, 2024).
Signed an LGU–NGO–University MOU for Sariaya’s heritage district. MSEUF, the Municipality of Sariaya, and Herencia Sariaya agreed to collaborate on conservation projects, with CAFA providing cultural mapping and design guidelines for the heritage zone while the LGU ensures compliance with the National Heritage Act and Herencia coordinates stakeholders (signed Sept. 4, 2024; reported Sept. 6).
Led the concept for Sariaya’s Art Deco Welcome Arch. After technical review and community consultations, CAFA produced a context-fit gateway design that honors Sariaya’s Art Deco fabric while considering scale, durability, and pedestrian/traffic safety—turning heritage into a legible wayfinding landmark (Dec. 12, 2024).
Helped mainstream heritage-sensitive commercial design. CARD Bank adopted an Art Deco architectural scheme for its new branch inside the Sariaya Heritage District—signaling how private development can reinforce walkable, identity-rich corridors when guided by community standards (Dec. 18, 2024).
Surfaced community knowledge through student research. At the University-wide research colloquium, a Culture and Arts Education student’s paper on Indigenous Arts placed third—evidence that classroom inquiry feeds into broader cultural literacy and place-making conversations (May 25, 2024).
Why these actions matter
SDG 11 centers on convenient, inclusive access to the systems and places that knit a city together. MSEUF’s 2024 initiatives:
Give citizens shared planning tools (a city diorama) to see routes, destinations, and gaps;
Embed heritage-aware design rules through an LGU–NGO–university partnership, so public spaces and buildings support identity, legibility, and safe movement;
Translate policy into visible, accessible landmarks (welcome arch) and aligned private builds (bank branch) that respect scale and pedestrian experience;
Cultivate local knowledge via research that informs culturally responsive planning and education.
Together, these efforts help residents navigate and take pride in their city—key ingredients for advocating transit- and walkability-friendly improvements.
How this reflects MSEUF’s values
Grounded in Mindfulness, Service, Excellence, Unity, and Fortitude, MSEUF turns scholarship into public good: students learn by doing with city partners, designs protect heritage while improving everyday access, and research amplifies community voices. This whole-of-university approach makes sustainable, people-centered urbanism a lived experience for Lucena, Sariaya, and the wider region.
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