Secretary's Corner

ATTY. BENJAMIN "BENHUR" DE CASTRO ABALOS, JR.

Honorable Benjamin "Benhur" C. Abalos, Jr., is the secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government. He has served as the Chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and as Mayor and Congressman of Mandaluyong City.

While serving as the local chief executive in Mandaluyong, Abalos also served, in concurrent capacity, as President of the League of Cities of the Philippines from 2007-2010 and of the Union of Local Authorities in the Philippines.

He was also a lecturer at the University of the Philippines, National College of Public Administration and Governance, Development Academy of the Philippines, and Local Government Academy.

Under his helm, Mandaluyong received numerous awards such as the prestigious 2015 United Nations Public Service Award in recognition of his initiative, Project TEACH. The program was used as template for other third-world countries which also bagged Galing Pook Awards in 2013 along with the city’s Garden of Life Park.

The city has received the Presidential Award for Most Child Friendly City in the Philippines in 2011 and was conferred the Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance as top regional awardee in January 2016 both by the Council for the Welfare of Children. Mandaluyong was hailed as the Most Business-Friendly City in the Philippines. Also, the city ranked No. 2 in Top Performing Cities Based on Locally Generated Revenues in the 2010-2011 Comparative Report of the Department of Finance-Bureau of Local Government Finance.

In 2014-2015, the city was conferred the Seal of Good Local Governance by the DILG for passing all criterion the Core and Essential Components: Good Financial Housekeeping; Social Protection; Disaster Preparedness; Business-friendliness and Competitiveness; Environmental Management; and Peace and Order.

The city also received the Nutrition Honor Award – the highest award conferred by the National Nutrition Council to an LGU that has consistently achieved the CROWN Award. (Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition).

The Kabalikat Award for Local Government Unit was also awarded to the city by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) NCR.

Pioneering Leader in Green Building Program was also given by the International Finance Corporation World Bank and adopted by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Incoming Interior Secretary Abalos is also awarded Most Outstanding Mayor conferred by the Senate and House of Representatives and leading universities in the country.

Not only is he the guiding force of the city, he is likewise the source of inspiration to serve for every MandaleƱo. The man behind the slogan: DEEDS NOT WORDS (GAWA, HINDI SALITA) – a trademark governance that he hopes would inspire other local leaders in providing genuine public service.