A Bacolod City delegation is attending a series of high-level international events in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, taking place from Tuesday to Thursday, August 12 to 14.
These events are the ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation Forum (ASUF), the ASEAN Governors and Mayors Forum (AGMF), and the meeting of governors and mayors of ASEAN Capitals (MGMAC).
Councilor Caesar Distrito is attending on behalf of Mayor Greg Gasataya, along with Dr. Mary Jean Ramos, head of the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO), and Dr. Anna Laarni Pornan, head of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO).
The events are being held as part of Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship.
The forums are focusing on the theme “ASEAN Future Cities and Regions: Inclusivity and Sustainability,” highlighting sustainable and inclusive development for cities in the region, Distrito said.
The Bacolod delegation is scheduled to participate in various activities, including a site visit to the Enviro Park, which features a landfill, eco-park, and power plant, he said.
They will also attend sessions on empowering city leaders for disaster risk reduction and climate finance.
A key part of their visit will be a presentation on the city’s 3R and Sanitary Landfill Management under the Bacolod Integrated Recovery and Recycling Techno Hub (BIRTH) Project.
The airfare and other expenses for the delegation are sponsored
by the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).
Distrito said “I am honored to represent Mayor Greg Gasataya and the people of Bacolod in this important ASEAN platform. This is an opportunity to learn from other leaders, share our city’s best practices, and build partnerships that will help us plan a more inclusive and sustainable future.”
Distrito, Ramos, and Pornan have previously represented the city at a similar international gathering in Germany, also sponsored by UCLG and GIZ.
The Kuala Lumpur events are organized by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) Malaysia in collaboration with URBANICE Malaysia.
They are co-convened by UCLG Asia Pacific (UCLG ASPAC) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), with support from the ASEAN Secretariat.*