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Saturday, October 10, 2020

Beng tackles Covid disinformation with world mayors

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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