Former Mandaluyong City Mayor Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos, Jr. was welcomed by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) as its new chairman.
Abalos replaced the late General Danilo Lim, who passed on January 6, after testing positive for COVID-19.
Abalos is the son of former Commission on Elections and MMDA chairman Benjamin Abalos, Sr. He is married to Carmelita Aguilar-Abalos who currently serves as the Mandaluyong City Mayor.
Before undertaking the top MMDA post, Abalos was a member of the Metro Manila Council, the policy-making body of the MMDA.
Abalos is more known for the industrial and commercial development of Mandaluyong City during his leadership as mayor of the Philippines’ Tiger city for 15 years. He started his period in the office in 1998 to 2004, succeeding his father, and served again in 2007 to 2016 for his second term.
He functioned as the president of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) and the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) from 2007 to 2010.
Abalos is known as a multi-awarded mayor with innumerable awards under his name. It was on 2015 when he was awarded the United Nations Public Service Award for his Project TEACH initiatives–a program that provides free services and intervention to indigent children with special needs.
He 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 Rights and Welfare.
“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,” MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia said in a news release.
Images from Facebook.com/MMDAPH
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