Mayor leaving behind lasting legacy

ZAMBOANGA CITY - Multi-awarded Mayor Beng Climaco is leaving her office soon after serving nine straight years, but she is also leaving behind a legacy of good governance which Zamboangueños shall forever remember.

 

Despite her last days in office, Climaco never waives in her usual routine as she continues to work hard, day and night, to ensure that all local government projects will benefit her constituents, especially the poor. This is on top of her pro-poor programs which benefited hundreds of thousands of people since she became mayor. 

Climaco has literally inspected every ongoing project to ensure the smooth turnover of all of them to the next administration. Just recently, Climaco was spotted inspecting the ongoing road project that would connect three villages. 

She ordered engineers to fast track the completion of the Tugbungan-Putik-Boalan Road to help decongest the worsening traffic in those areas. Once completed, the road project will serve as an alternative route for motorists coming from the eastern coast. 

The funding for the P49.89 million road project is part of the 2022 Annual Budget and is being undertaken by private contractors and strictly supervised by the City Engineer’s Office. 

The mayor said she wanted all local government projects completed soon. 

People’s money 

Climaco said the nine years of her administration has put in good use the “people’s money” that resulted in a progressive Zamboanga with a vibrant economy – a legacy she will leave behind when she steps down after serving three consecutive terms.

She said under her administration, the local government invested a “historic” amount of over P2.3 billion for the security and safety of Zamboanga and its people which was more than 200% higher - in terms of appropriations on the city’s peace and order program - compared to the nine years of the previous Celso Lobregat administration.  

During Lobregat’s time, much of the government money was just deposited in banks instead of using them for various projects. Lobregat defended his decision to deposit the money in banks, calling it “good financial management.”  

She said her administration practised and engaged the community - Christians, Muslims and indigenous people - who contributed to the safety of Zamboanga. Human security, according to Climaco, is her priority right from the start not just for a safer and crime-free Zamboanga, but the local government envisions a city enjoying economic growth and opportunities for all people to embrace.  

“Today, crime volume has smashed one record after another, as it goes down every year in significant percentages because we never let our guards down. We achieved zero bombings, zero kidnappings and zero piracy which was never before done by the past administrations,” she said, acknowledging the strong support of the police and military and other law enforcement agencies.  

“With all our development work, the infrastructure projects we have poured in and our enhanced peace and order situation – we have seen an influx of businesses and investors coming to Zamboanga the last nine years and creating an unprecedented increase of jobs and livelihood opportunities for our people. Mucho trabaho por causa que manada maga negocio el ya abri aki na de atun ciudad,” the mayor said, citing local economic data showing an exponential business growth under her incumbency.  

“Our economy has grown exponentially from 8,397 registered businesses in 2013 to more than 12,000 businesses in 2021 and we are projecting more growth this year and the years to come. Zamboangueños now enjoy a wide range of options from local, national and international brands. Even amid the Covid-19 pandemic, we have seen an avalanche of new restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores and other establishments sprouting up all over the city,” she added.  

Climaco said the KCC Mall de Zamboanga, the biggest in Mindanao; the CityMall Tetuan and SM-Mindpro opened under her administration. CityMall is constructing another branch in Barangay Guiwan and SM Zamboanga is also opening a bigger mall in Mayor Vitaliano Agan Avenue. All these businesses, she said, only show the confidence the investors have in Zamboanga under her administration.  

She said the improved peace and order situation and the volume of infrastructure projects she has accomplished - compared to the past administration - attracted not only investors, but the attention of the national government and the many awards Zamboanga reaped.   

“It is during our administration that we opened KCC Mall de Zamboanga and even after the (MNLF) siege (of 2013). CityMall in Tetuan also started operating and is now constructing another branch in Guiwan. The first SM branch in Zamboanga Peninsula also opened under our term. The SM Mindpro is now serving our people and the surrounding provinces in the (Zamboanga) Peninsula and BASULTA (Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi),” the mayor said.  

“We are also excited to announce that soon to rise is another SM mall – the SM City Zamboanga along Mayor Vitaliano Agan Avenue which is bigger than its current mall in La Purisima Street and the Filinvest Condominium - the first high rise residential project in the region. Indeed, through leaps and bounds, we have transformed Zamboanga City. Un Nuevo Vida na Ciudad de Zamboanga lleno de Esperanza, Seguridad y Prosperidad para na todo!” she added. 

Climaco said she has proven herself to be a leader for all Zamboangueños. “Reflecting on this as I leave City Hall, ustedes querido compueblanos de Zamboanga will be the judge on how our City has grown and expanded – by almost every measure, Zamboanga is a better, stronger place than it was before when we started,” the mayor said, citing the exponential growth of the economy under her administration. 

“For five consecutive years, we were a finalist in the Most Business Friendly LGU Award by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation Inc. with our Business One Stop Shop as our flagship program for a faster and more efficient business registration and renewal process including electronic payments of taxes,” Climaco said. 

Aside from the award, Climaco said The Manila Times also recognized the local government as an Education Hub Awardee in the Model City Awards. “This is an integral part of our formidable legacy on education. The Manila Times recognized us in the Model City Awards as an Education Hub Awardee,” she said, citing the P1.5 billion in education initiatives as part of her priority the past 9 years.

The mayor was referring to the oldest extant English-language newspaper in the country, The Manila Times, which was founded in 1898. She said under her administration, the education expenses for various infra projects and other support programs even surpassed that of the previous whole nine-year administration of Lobregat.

“Como antes un maestra, grande tambien fondo el ya dale kita na educacion. We have invested a total of P1.5 billion in education which is 89.84% higher compared to the previous administration’s nine-year term,” the mayor said.

The multi-awarded Climaco said the education budget built at least 62 climate resilient buildings and rehabilitated and improved 23 more school buildings. 

She said infrastructure projects are continuing to further boost the education program of her administration which will benefit the children whom she referred to as future leaders of Zamboanga. “We are also constructing a P79.9 million worth of college building for the Colegio de la Ciudad de Zamboanga – our new local city college which is our baby project under our administration,” she said. 

In addition to school buildings and infrastructure, the mayor said the local government also placed a premium in the development of educational materials for students of all grade levels, including key resources aimed at the preservation and promotion of the Chavacano language. (Zamboanga Post)