Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo walked across the stage of the Peacock Theatre on July 24, receiving her Master of Science in Cities from the London School of Economics and Political Science. She hopes the degree will help her contribute to reshaping how cities like Metro Manila are designed.
A public servant and an opinion columnist, Lamentillo is a Karay-a scholar and longtime policy advocate. She focused her research on how the widely discussed 15-minute city model could be adapted for the Philippine capital. Her study proposes a phased approach to development that takes into account Metro Manila’s informal settlements, dense urban centers, and sprawling suburbs.
“Inclusion is not optional; it’s essential,” she said. “Urban planning must consider the lived experiences of people—elders, persons with disabilities, single mothers, and children. Technocratic solutions alone won’t work.”
Her proposal highlights context-sensitive strategies that prioritize accessibility and climate resilience, such as sponge cities and permeable pavements—ideas she believes are overdue for serious consideration in Philippine urban policy.
Lamentillo’s wide-ranging academic background demonstrates her systems-based approach to public service. She earned a law degree from the University of the Philippines in 2020, completed executive education at Harvard Kennedy School in 2018, and graduated cum laude from the University of the Philippines Los Baños with a degree in development communication. She is currently pursuing a second master’s degree in Major Programme Management at the University of Oxford.
She also leads NightOwl AI, a tech initiative that uses machine learning to help preserve endangered and morphologically complex languages.
LSE Cities, where she completed her recent degree, is an internationally recognized center for urban research and policy. For Lamentillo, the academic journey is a continuation of her efforts to bring inclusive, evidence-based solutions to the challenges of urban life—starting with Metro Manila.
