ZAMBOANGA MAYOR Beng Climaco joined local executives around the world in a recent virtual conference to tackle the division and disinformation linked to the coronavirus disease.
Hosted by the Strong Cities Network (SCN), Climaco joined other speakers - Mayor Mohamad Al-Saudi, of Saida in Lebanon; Mayor Andy Berke, of Chattanooga in the United States; Mayor Maksim Dimitrievski, of Kumanovo in North Macedonia; and Rebecca Skellett, head of the SCN.
Officially launched at
the United Nations in September 2015, the SCN - comprised of more than 140
cities across 45 countries - is the first ever global network of mayors,
municipal-level policy makers and practitioners united in building social
cohesion and community resilience to counter violent extremism in all its
forms.
The SCN builds collaboration between mayors, political actors and
frontline teams to tackle polarisation, hate and violence in local communities
in every major global region. The network catalyses, inspires and multiplies
community-centric approaches and action to counter violent extremism through
peer learning and expert training.
It operates with a set of fundamental principles, agreed by all
members that protect and promote human rights and civil liberties in all
aspects of its work to prevent violent extremism.
SCN’s call for support highlighted the extraordinary challenges
faced by cities and communities in the face of a public health crisis, as well
as economic and social fall out, and called on the international community to
counteract and prevent critical threats from taking hold at community levels
brought about by dangerous disinformation and coordinated exploitation of fear.
Statement
Climaco and the other mayors signed a document and below is the full
text of this:
“As we continue
to respond to COVID-19, cities, towns and urban areas are at the eye of the
storm. Not only are our communities facing a public health crisis of historic
proportions, we are also dealing with the devastating economic and social
fallout of this pandemic.
This situation
poses fundamental questions for local leaders about how we sustain cohesion as
we struggle at the same time to deliver economic inclusion or social services. Moreover,
as we navigate these extraordinary challenges, our efforts are threatened by a
proliferation of dangerous disinformation, the aim of which is the deliberate
and sometimes coordinated exploitation of fear, threatening the health of our
citizens and fostering suspicion and hatred between communities.
If left
unchecked, this could seriously undermine our democratic values and contribute
to fresh waves of polarisation and extremism. As the mayors, governors and city
leaders of a network founded five years ago with a central mission to
counteract and prevent these critical threats from taking hold at community
levels, we are on the immediate frontline in responding to this crisis.
Now, more than
ever before, our efforts require support and commitment from our partners on a
global basis. Just as we commit to redoubling our efforts at the community
level to tackle hate, polarisation and extremism, we call on our partners to
recognise the urgency of the challenges we face at this critical moment.
If we are to
tackle these challenges to the cohesion, peace and security of our communities
we must call on the international community to: Recognise the unique role local
leaders play around the world in building resilience and preventing the spread
of hate, polarisation and extremism; Commit support to efforts that
comprehensively track dangerous disinformation, sharing analyses with partners
to inform and empower grassroots, civic and local-level responses to
international threats;
Improve
cooperation and collaboration between national and local governments to enable
coordinated, effective and sustainable prevention and resilience efforts; Equip
mayors, governors and city leaders with the means, resources and capabilities
these threats and circumstances require.”
Climaco
- who was among the panel of global leaders and speakers tapped to share their
experiences in leading local government efforts on the ground - also reaffirmed Zamboanga's
commitment to fight extremism and radicalisation by strengthening communication
and the roles of families, women, and youth in grassroots communities in a
virtual side event of the SCN at the United Nations General Assembly.
Impressive biography
The ZamboangueƱa mayor’s impressive political biography below is also posted on the SCN website.
“Maria Isabelle “Beng” Climaco finished her Secondary Education in New
Jersey, USA. She is a Teacher by profession and holds a Master’s Degree in
Family Counselling from the Ateneo de Manila University. She holds a rank of
Lieutenant Colonel as a Reservist in the Philippine Army. She is a volunteer in
the Stress Debriefing program for Filipino soldiers. Amongst them is the Scout
Ranger Battalion- the liberators of the recent Marawi Siege. She was also a
Resource Person on Crisis Management for newly elected Mayors of the country.
She served as a top-notch City Councilor for
two terms and Vice Mayor. In 2007, she was elected member of the House of
Representatives and headed the delegation to the Australian Political Exchange.
She was one of the principal authors of Republic Act 9710, the Magna Carta of
Women. She then became the youngest and only woman Deputy Speaker in the 15th
Philippine Congress. These roles enabled her to continue her grandmother
Isabel’s legacy, who was a suffragist in championing the Women’s right to vote.
She became the 2nd Lady Mayor of Zamboanga
City. Three months into her leadership, she faced her biggest challenge, the
2013 Zamboanga Siege, a humanitarian crisis as declared by the United Nations.
She rallied the City, and led a unified effort towards its rebuilding and
rehabilitation- building back a better Zamboanga.
In 2016, she was appointed by President Rodrigo
Duterte as Chairperson of the Regional Peace and Order Council IX. Under her
watch, Zamboanga, one of the largest cities in the country with almost a
million people, was adjudged as the Most Improved City in the country. In 2017,
Mayor Climaco was recognized as the Most Outstanding Mayor in the Philippines
by the Federation of Local Councils for Women. Security, Health and Education
are her priorities.” (Zamboanga Post)
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