The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) welcomes the appointment of former Mandaluyong City Mayor Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos, Jr. as the new chairperson of the Authority.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte will administer the oath of office of Abalos at the Malacañang Palace on Monday afternoon. He succeeds late MMDA Chairperson Danilo Lim who passed away last week.
Abalos is the son of former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairperson Benjamin Abalos, Jr. who also served as MMDA Chairperson from January 2001 to June 2002. He is married to incumbent Mandaluyong City Mayor Carmelita Aguilar-Abalos.
Having a distinguished career in government service, Abalos served for 15 years as city mayor of Mandaluyong City, the Philippines’ Tiger City. He first became city mayor in 1998 to 2004, succeeding his father. He again served as mayor for the second time from 2007 to 2016.
He also served as president of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines and League of Cities of the Philippines from 2007 to 2010.
A multi-awarded mayor, Abalos also has innumerable awards under his name. Last 2015, he was conferred the United Nations Public Service Award as a recognition to his Project TEACH initiatives – a program that provides free services and intervention to indigent children with special needs. Abalos also received other recognitions as Mayor of Mandaluyong for 15 years, such as Outstanding City Mayor and Exemplary Humanitarian Service Award and Champion Activist of Children’s Right and Welfare.
He also represented his city and the country in various speaking engagements locally and internationally.
MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia said he looks forward to working with Abalos, who is known for the industrial and commercial development of Mandaluyong City. Abalos was previously a member of the Metro Manila Council, the policy-making body of the MMDA.
“The MMDA welcomes the appointment of former city mayor Benhur Abalos as our new chairman. We vow to support his leadership, plans and programs in the pursuit of efficient and quality public service,” said Garcia.
(MMDA-PR)
