Mayor
Makati City, Philippines

Southeast Asia Representative to the ICLEI Global Executive Committee
Chair, Innovative Finance Portfolio

Click HERE for her profile.

Mayor
Municipality of Del Carmen, Philippines

Chair, Biodiversity Portfolio

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Mayor
Hang Tuah Jaya Municipal Council, Malaysia

Chair, Sustainable Energy Transition Portfolio

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Mayor
Makati City, Philippines

Makati Mayor Abby Binay is now on her third term as chief executive of the Philippines’ financial center and premier investment hub, having been re-elected in the May 2022 elections.

Driven by her vision of Makati as a Smart City that is progressive, inclusive, and sustainable, she jumpstarted the city’s digital transformation through public-private partnership (PPP)-led initiatives, most notable of which are the Makatizen Card, Makatizen App, and Makati Public Wi-Fi System. Makati also consistently improves and innovates its initiatives in disaster risk reduction and management to make resilience a way of life for all its citizens. From 2013 – 2022, Makati served as Co-Lead of the Disaster Cluster of CityNet: The Regional Network of Local Authorities for the Management of Human Settlements. In 2022, Makati became the Disaster Cluster Lead for 2023 - 2026 with the aim to ensure stability in the cluster, maintain commitment of local government members, sustain and continue building the cluster’s progress, and ensure the realization of the importance of DRR work. To jumpstart its leadership, the city hosted the 15th CityNet Disaster Cluster Seminar with the theme “Rethink Resilience, Resilience in Action” to align with the advocacy of UNDRR Global Assessment Report 2022. In 2023, Makati City became one of only five cities globally to be certified by the World Council on City Data for ISO 37123: Indicators for Resilient Cities. Furthermore, Makati is part of the Executive Committees in The Regional Network of Local Authorities for the Management of Human Settlements, World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization, and United Cities and Local Governments Asia-Pacific.

A champion of resilience and sustainability, Mayor Abby declared a climate emergency in 2022 to mobilize multi-stakeholder climate action. Makati was subsequently proclaimed by UNDRR as the first-ever Resilience Hub in Southeast Asia and second in the Asia Pacific Region. She is currently serving as COP28 President’s Advisory Committee and UN Secretary General Advisory Group for Local and Regional Government.

Mayor
Municipality of Del Carmen, Philippines

Over the past 15 years, Del Carmen Mayor Alfredo Coro II has actively engaged in environmental policy development and advocacy at both the local and regional levels. He played a pivotal role in the development of the Siargao Island Protected Landscapes and Seascapes (SIPLAS), among other local initiatives that saw him working with various stakeholders, including government agencies, non-profit
organizations, and community groups, to champion environmentally sustainable policies and practices.

Under his leadership, Del Carmen has also instituted several climate resilience-linked projects in the health and education sectors. For the former, this includes the Seal of Health Governance (SOHG), a health governance program responding to all the Department of Health (DOH) programs and local initiatives needed to address key health targets. SOHG has bagged various recognitions from national award-giving bodies, including the 36th Philippine Council for Health Research and Development, Zuellig Family Foundation, and Champions for Health Governance by Merck Sharp & Dohme, Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership, and the Jesse Robredo Foundation with the support of the Department of the Interior and Local Government. For the latter, this includes Project EQuIP (Education Quality Improvement Program) which aims to address educational gaps, produce globally competitive students from early childhood to college, and provide special skills education. Both SOHG and EQuIP have been instrumental in Del Carmen's recovery after Super Typhoon Odette which struck in December 2021.

Mayor
Hang Tuah Jaya Municipal Council, Malaysia

Datin Sapiah binti Hj. Haron has served as the Mayor of Hang Tuah Jaya Municipal Council, Melaka since 1 February 2023, having previously served as the President of Jasin Municipal Council in 2018. Her involvement in urban management and sustainability started with her appointment as Deputy Mayor for Hang Tuah Jaya Municipal Council back in 2012. As she returns to Hang Tuah Jaya, she has underlined a vision to strengthen and continue the sustainability agenda for the city and realize the target to be a low-carbon city by 2030, as well as the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals at the local level. The city has developed initiatives, strategies, and action plans to support this vision in the sectors of environmental protection, crime prevention, community health, safety, and low-carbon development. She is also pushing for gender equality and planning for elderly citizens as new agenda points for the city.

In line with SDG 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities, Hang Tuah Jaya City has committed to providing a sustainable environment for all stakeholders in the city despite the needs and pressures of urban development. It has committed to ensuring that communities have adequate access and spaces for recreational, leisure, and social activities. Specifically, the city has adopted guidelines that require current infrastructures to have 0.2 hectares of open space and new developments to have a minimum of 10% open space. There is also a focus on developing an efficient transport system in the city, introducing eco-mobility lifestyles, and lowering the carbon footprint of the transport sector.