Makati mayor Binay named to UN local governments advisory body

Makati City Mayor Abby Binay has been appointed to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ Advisory Group on Local and Regional Governments.

In a letter, Guterres said he expects Binay and the other members to contribute to the field of multi-level governance “to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the New Urban Agenda.”

The 20-member advisory group includes the mayors of London, Paris, and New York City, and at least one other Filipino: former Interior undersecretary Marivel Sacendoncillo.

Apart from creating opportunities to strengthen cooperation between national and local and regional governments and the UN Country Teams, the Advisory Group is expected to create a set of recommendations with strategic guidance ahead of the Summit of the Future in September 2024.

The Advisory Group will be working over a one-year period and meet with Guterres on three occasions to advise on local and regional governments’ dimensions for consideration in preparation for the Summit of the Future.

Binay accepted the appointment, as she stressed the important role of local governance in global sustainable development.

“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, driving meaningful change for a sustainable future for all,” she said in a statement.

Binay joined the first hybrid meeting of the group, presided over by Guterres, on October 6.

Last April, Binay reported that the city was on its way to full recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic following the recorded growth in its total revenue collection.

Binay said the city has achieved 72% of its full-year revenue target of about P17.84 billion in the first quarter after its total collections reached P12,925,503,905.76 as of the end of March. — Jamil Santos/BM, GMA Integrated News