Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 12) — The United Nations Secretary-General has appointed Makati City Mayor Abby Binay as a member of its advisory group on local and regional governments.
Binay is the lone Philippine mayor in the group. Other representatives of the assembly came from Colombia, India, Nigeria, and Spain.
In his letter to Binay, Secretary-General António Guterres said engaging local leaders would allow the United Nations and other countries “to localize and align efforts to achieve sustainable development goals,” which target to address social, economic, and environmental issues.
Guterres was hopeful that with the group, cooperation between national, local, and regional governments would improve.
“I pledge to be the voice of cities throughout Southeast Asia, ensuring that our unique and shared challenges and aspirations echo in the corridors of global decision-making,” Binay said.
Based on data from the Commission on Audit, the city of Makati was the second wealthiest local government unit in the country last year with total assets reaching ₱239.4 billion.
