Leyte town mayor speaks at UN General Assembly

TANAUAN, LEYTE, Philippines — Mayor Pel Tecson of this town represented the Philippines to speak on Community-led Development during the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, USA, yesterday.

Tecson, in a statement, said he was invited to the UN-led “panel discussion on Community-led Development: Key to Achieving the Sustainable Development Goal SGD,” on which he was slated to “speak about the role of Community-Driven Development in helping achieve the quick recovery and rebuilding efforts in Tanauan.”

And as a key stakeholder in the implementation of the country’s development program, the mayor’s presence at the UN event will help “enrich the quality of discussion and provide the perspective on how CDD links with local governance.”

Tecson said he was honored to be invited to speak at the UN, under the sponsorship of the Asian Development Bank. His being invited to speak before the UN was apparently in recognition of his governance toward the fast recovery of Tanauan town from the Yolanda devastation.

Tanauan was one of the most hard-hit towns in Leyte. It had been a recipient of the support, recovery and rehabilitation aids from the government and non-government organizations.

Accordingly, as a side event of the UN General Assembly, the CDD discussion also showcased the experiences and best practices from member states, NGOs and donors. It also called for action in prioritizing community-led development in development planning and action.

Joining Tecson in the panel discussion was Cindy Huang, vice president of Millennium Challenge Corporation and Asa Skogstrom Feldt, president and CEO of the Hunger Project.  — Lalaine M. Jimenea (FREEMAN)