Mayor rallies residents to fight fake news, propaganda

MAYOR BENG Climaco, who is running for congresswoman in District 1, has rallied Zamboangueños to fight black propaganda and fake news as she thanked residents for continuously supporting her various pro-poor programs and welfare project.

Climaco admitted being targeted by black propagandists and social media trolls, including her political foes because of their personal interest amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

She said the black propaganda also undermined the local government’s efforts and Covid-19 response which largely affected the public. “We tackled government distrust, fake news and Covid-fatigue with information campaigns to correct misconceptions. It is disheartening that amidst the pandemic, unfriendly political forces were unrelenting in their propaganda that distracted efforts and undermined public trust.”

“We aligned our responses based on realities and needs on the ground - to Heal the Sick and Feed the Hungry – Curada, Comida y Busca La Vida! Being the first LGU in the country to respond to President Duterte’s call and declare an early lockdown, we confronted the difficult challenge of balancing the economy and public health,” she said.

Climaco also called on her foes to set aside their personal interest and prioritize the welfare of the people.

“I’d like to emphasize now more than ever that our responsibility as elected leaders at this point in time, is that we allow the collective contributions of each other to rise above partisan criticism and political noise and focus on the real task at hand – to heal the sick, feed the hungry and unite the City,” the mayor said.

“We are now two years in our fight against the coronavirus disease and we need to continuously rise up to the challenge to do more for others and contribute rather than be noisy, politicking and putting personal interests above people’s interests and their well-being. We always have to be at our best, sommum bonum, because we owe it to the people who put their faith in us as elected leaders. Interes del Ciudad antes el interes personal,” she added.

Summum bonum is a Latin expression meaning the highest or ultimate good, which was introduced by the Roman philosopher Cicero to denote the fundamental principle on which some system of ethics is based — that is, the aim of actions, which, if consistently pursued, will lead to the best possible life.

Prayers

In one interview with Climaco in December, she told the Zamboanga Post that she always prays to God and asks nothing for herself, but the safety and welfare of the Zamboangueños and all the good things for the city. “I pray to God for our people to be able to be safe, healthy and happy. With God’s grace we become resilient learning from the struggles we have. Amidst the pandemic, we rely on God’s providence to win over all of life’s struggles,” she said.  

“Curada, Comida, Busca Vida y Vacuna. We look forward to 2022 to bring our beloved children back to school, families safely outdoors, and in prayer with the Holy Family, find hope, have faith in Love. We also pray for our country, for the people to choose the next leaders whom God will direct for us. And a world humble, grateful and good stewards of environment versus Climate Change,” Climaco added.  

And her prayers indeed were answered by God. The National Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Diseases has placed Zamboanga City under Alert Level and further opened more businesses and people to enjoy the new normal. 

When asked about her wishes for those who continue to hurl black propaganda against her, and for her detractors and political trolls, the mayor replied: “I pray for all…for them to be happy and healthy.”  

The 55-year old Climaco, who is a devout Catholic, spoke nothing ill against those who talked evil against her, but only praises to the Lord, saying “God watches over everyone.”  

Feats 

Climaco, a multi-awarded politician, remains popular among residents and is seen to win in the May polls.  

In 2018, Climaco was chosen as among “Top 5 World’s Best Mayors” by the prestigious City Mayors Foundation. She was named along with Valeria Mancinelli, Mayor of Ancona, Italy who is the Winner of the 2018 World Mayor Prize; Ros Jones, Mayor of Doncaster, UK; Nathalie Appéré, Mayor of Rennes, France; and Charlotte Britz, Mayor of Saarbrücken, Germany.  

In awarding Climaco, the City Mayors Foundation said it heavily cited the mayor for her commitment to offer Zamboanga harmony, security and prosperity. The City Mayors Foundation said “The World Mayor Prize and Commendations” awards are given every two years to mayors who have made outstanding contributions to their communities and have developed a vision for urban living and working that is relevant to towns and cities across the world.  

It noted that shortly after being elected in 2013, Climaco was confronted with an armed uprising by Moro rebels that left parts of Zamboanga City under siege for 19 days and by the time government forces had defeated the rebels, 183 people had died and more than 120,000 residents were displaced.  

“During her first term in office, Climaco made it her priority for the victims of the attack to receive justice and compensation. She has also been determined to heal any divisions between the city’s Christian and Muslim communities. The Inter-Religious Dialogue Council she convened has been successful in promoting peace.  

In a city, which was often perceived as violent, there have been no bombings or kidnapping incidents since 2016 when she won the mayoralty seat. And in 2017, Mayor Climaco’s administration won the award for the most improved local government,” said the philanthropic international research think tank.  

It said that in a series of personal essays, the finalists for the 2018 World Mayor Prize described the reasons that motivated them to enter politics, the challenges they face as mayors and how they envisage their towns and cities to develop and prosper in the future. They stressed the importance of women in politics and urged young women to always aim high.  

In her essay, Climaco describes how the values of family members formed her political and social beliefs. “My grandmother was a champion of Filipino women’s right to vote and it was from her, we all learned the value of community service,” she said.  

She also wrote that in times of crisis her faith in God sustained her. Climaco was also recognized as “Most Outstanding Mayor” by the Federation of Local Councils of Women in the Philippines in 2017. These awards and rankings were based on indicators and measurements such as economic dynamism, government efficiency, infrastructure and resiliency. These recognitions are feats never before achieved by any administration, including that of former mayor Celso Lobregat or even in the time of Manny Dalipe, the father of Rep. Mannix Dalipe. (Zamboanga Post)