Overseas Filipinos in the United Arab Emirates will get the chance to meet the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos at the 9th edition of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition (PPIE). Get to know him more with these seven facts about him.
1. From 2021 to 2022, Abalos served as the former chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) under the Duterte administration, before stepping down in February 2022 to become the campaign manager for then-presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
2. Prior to his roles as MMDA Chairman and later as DILG secretary, Abalos served five terms as mayor of Mandaluyong City, and is the son of former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Benjamin Abalos. He also has previous experience as a congressman (2004-2007) and councilor (1995-1998) of the city.
3. Abalos is a seasoned lawyer, and obtained his history and political science degree from De La Salle University, as well as his Bachelor of Laws from Ateneo de Manila University. He also served as a lecturer at prestigious institutions including the University of the Philippines, National College of Public Administration and Governance, Development Academy of the Philippines, and Local Government Academy.
4. During his tenure as Mandaluyong’s local chief executive, Abalos also held concurrent roles as President of the League of Cities of the Philippines (2007-2010) and of the Union of Local Authorities in the Philippines.
5. Under Abalos’ leadership, Mandaluyong City earned several accolades, including the 2015 United Nations (UN) Public Service Award for his Project TEACH initiative, which was used as a template for other third-world countries and earned Galing Pook Awards in 2013. The city’s Garden of Life Park was also recognized with a Galing Pook Award.
6. Abalos’ dedication to public service has earned him the distinction of Most Outstanding Mayor, conferred by the Senate and House of Representatives as well as leading universities in the country.
7. He is best known for his trademark governance philosophy, “DEEDS NOT WORDS” (GAWA, HINDI SALITA), which he hopes will inspire other local leaders to prioritize genuine public service.
Meet Sec. Benhur Abalos at the annual Philippine Economic Investment Summit (PEIS) and the 9th annual Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition (PPIE).
Both free admission events will be held at Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek on May 12-13, 2023.
Abalos will provide insights to Philippines’ recent drives to enhance transparent governance, reliable infrastructure, and efficient public services to position the Philippines as an attractive investment destination in Asia. Investors will learn firsthand about DILG’s initiatives to boost investor confidence, bolster job creation and catalyze economic progress.
PEIS 2023 and PPIE 2023 are the largest gathering of senior government officials, CEOs/C-suite executives, Filipino investors and entrepreneurs, foreign investors (institutional and high net worth individuals), business councils, and successful professionals in the UAE.
To register for free, go to ppie.ae.
