Mayor of the Month December 2018

Empowering Society through Promotion of Security, Health and Education

MARIA Isabelle Climaco-Salazar, also known as Beng Climaco is the Mayor of Zamboanga City, the Philippines. Zamboanga City is a first class highly urbanised city and the sixth most populous in the Philippines, with a population of 861,799 people. The city is the commercial and industrial centre of the Zamboanga peninsula, with the revenue of USD 51,945,543.64 in 2016. As a Mayor, she has marked her achievements since elected in 2013, particularly in Security, Health, Education (S.H.E) programme and also her action in overcoming a humanitarian crisis.

In the field of security, Mayor Beng Climaco has identified ways to make Zamboanga City a peaceful city. Among many, Mayor Beng has continuously looked into the needs of the policemen and the military in order to maintain the security of Zamboanguenos and the city in general.

In terms of health, Mayor Beng has also ordered a smooth coordination for the distribution of medicines in the Barangay health centers. The coordination is made to monitor and ensure the needy get access to the medicines. Besides, one of her health programme also includes provision of assistance for senior citizens.

In the field of education, she has sponsored various activities on trainings and workshops for professional development of teachers. She has also prioritised the building of schools and ensured sufficient classrooms and chairs. Mayor Beng has

not only put priorities on the building of facilities but has also listened to students’ requests. She has continuously made time to talk to students in every activity she attended.

Among many other achievements, her leadership and action responding to the outbreak of the Zamboanga City Crisis three months after her term as Mayor, has also earned her the Fr. William F. Masterson SJ Award, through Building Back of a Better Zamboanga City, a recovery programme to build back the city after a separatist movement led by the Moro National Liberation Front in 2013. The crisis lasted for 19 days, displaced 120,000 people, and destroyed 10,000 homes. The initiative has made more than 90% of the displaced returned to permanent shelters and Zamboanga City was named the most improved city for 2017.

Mayor Climaco is a member of the International Network of Women Mayors, an advocate for women’s and children’s rights and the importance of security, health and education. As a councillor for Zamboanga in 2001 she co-authored a proposal for the creation of the Zamboanga Multi-Sectoral Anti-AIDS Council. This programme has since received numerous awards and UNPAN recognition best practice.