MANILA — Climate Change Commissioner Albert Dela Cruz Sr. commends Iloilo City for its remarkable achievement and calls upon other local government units (LGUs) and their leaders to take inspiration from this success.

Iloilo City recently received international recognition as the sole Philippine city to present its local climate action at the 8th United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Bridge for Cities forum held in Vienna, Austria.

Commissioner Dela Cruz received reports about Iloilo City’s impressive feat, where the city’s mayor was invited to participate in this prestigious event, attended by 650 delegates from over 136 cities spanning 67 countries.

“I am delighted to have had the opportunity to showcase the initiatives undertaken by the Iloilo City government on an international platform. We demonstrated that Iloilo is at the forefront in front of mayors, ministers, governors, and administrators from around the globe,” emphasized Mayor Treñas.

During the Mayors Dialogue 2 at the forum, titled ‘Advancing Innovation and Partnerships for a Net Zero Transport,’ Iloilo City’s mayor shared the city’s inclusive and sustainable urban and industrial development initiatives as a panelist.

Reflecting on the experience, Mayor Treñas said, “As a panelist, I had the privilege to highlight the innovative programs and initiatives that make our city shine. It’s truly inspiring to witness cities worldwide collaborating to drive progress and sustainability.”

In response, Commissioner Dela Cruz expressed enthusiasm, underscoring that Iloilo City’s achievement illustrates that with determined efforts, LGUs can effectively address the adverse impacts of climate change and global warming.

“What Iloilo City has accomplished here sets a precedent for our LGUs to follow, enabling us to build resilience and sustainability. It is only through sound management and the conversion of policies into reality that we can fulfill our commitments to the 2015 Paris Agreement and assist our nation in mitigating and adapting to climate change,” he emphasized.

(ai/mnm)