Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar (born September 7, 1966), also known as Beng Climaco, is a Filipina politician, and former mayor of

Zamboanga City Zamboanga City, officially the City of Zamboanga (Chavacano and es, Ciudad de Zamboanga, Tausug language, Tausūg: ''Dāira sin Sambuangan'', fil, Lungsod ng Zamboanga, ceb, Dakbayan sa Zamboanga), is a city in the Zamboanga Peninsula region ...

Mindanao Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

. Prior to this she was councilor of the city's 1st district for two terms, and its vice mayor. She is the second woman to become a mayor of Zamboanga City. She unsuccessfully sought for a seat representing the 1st District of Zamboanga City in the

2022 Philippine general election The 2022 Philippine general election took place on May 9, 2022, for executive and legislative branches of the government – national, provincial, and local, except for the barangay officials. At the top of the ballot is the election for succe ...

Early life and family

Beng Climaco is the daughter of former Vice Mayor Jose Climaco and the niece of Mayor

Cesar Climaco Cesar Cortes Climaco (February 28, 1916 – November 14, 1984) was a Filipino politician who served as mayor of Zamboanga City for 11 years over three nonconsecutive terms. A prominent critic of the martial law regime of Ferdinand Marcos, he w ...

Education

She is a graduate of

Parsippany Hills High School Parsippany Hills High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school in the township of Parsippany-Troy Hills, in Morris County, New Jersey, United States, serving students in ninth through twelfth grade as one of the two secondary sc ...

Parsippany–Troy Hills, New Jersey Parsippany–Troy Hills Township, commonly known as Parsippany ( ), is a township in Morris County, New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township’s population was 56,162, reflecting a 5.5% increase from the 53 238 enumerated a ...

, in the United States. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Education degree from

Ateneo de Zamboanga University , mottoeng = ''In the Service of God and Country'' , type = Private Research Non-profit Coeducational Basic and Higher education institution , established = , founder = Society o ...

and her Masters in family counseling from Ateneo de Manila University. She was a guidance counselor and taught English and Religion at the

. She was awarded with international scholarships, namely the International Visitor Leadership Program, the American Council for Young Political Leaders and the Hubert Humphrey Scholarship Program. Likewise,

Rotary International Rotary International is one of the largest service organizations in the world. Its stated mission is to "provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through hefellowship of business, prof ...

also recognized her significant contribution to civil society by choosing her to be part of the Rotary Group Study Exchange in

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

. She was awarded with a Rotary International Presidential Citation by the Rotary Club of Metro Zamboanga in her incumbency as club president. She became Head of the Delegation of the Philippine Council of Young Political Leaders to the International Exchange Program of the Australian Political Exchange Council in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

Canberra Canberra ( ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...

and

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, and also became the co-head of the Philippine delegation and a resource person to the 8th International Conference of AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) held in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Early career

In 1992, she became a reporter and then newscaster for

Golden Broadcast Professionals Golden Broadcast Professionals, Inc., is a broadcasting company based in Zamboanga City. It operates a radio and TV station affiliated with Quest Broadcasting Inc. and TV5 Network, Inc. The network was formerly affiliated with Intercontinental Br ...

. She became one of the co-anchors of the then-English version of ''Dateline Zamboanga'' until 1998 when she left to run for councilor, a race she won.

Political career

City Council stint, 1998-2004

As a councilor of

for two terms, she filed 858 council resolutions that advocated for women, family, youth, children, education, work and social welfare. One of her pieces of legislation, the creation of the Multi-Sectoral Anti-AIDS Council, presently brings various awards to the city. One is the Trailblazer Award of the country's prestigious Gawad Galing Pook. Another legislative measure is the Child Internet Protection Ordinance which protects minors from the influences of pornography on the Internet and as well as the introduction of the

Gender and Development Gender and development is an interdisciplinary field of research and applied study that implements a feminist approach to understanding and addressing the disparate impact that economic development and globalization have on people based upon their ...

Program and the Implementation of R.A. 7192 in Zamboanga City.

Vice-mayor, 2004-2007

In 2004 she won by a landslide, garnering the most votes, more than any other candidate in the history of the City of Zamboanga, making her the youngest and first elected woman vice mayor of the city. On her watch, the city council of Zamboanga was named the Second Most Outstanding Council in the country.

City Representative, 2007-2013

;First term, 2007-2010 Because of her achievements as vice mayor in city council, the residents of Zamboanga City voted her representative of the 1st District to the 14th Philippine Congress in May 2007, where she became the first congresswoman to occupy the post. Despite being a neophyte member of the 14th Congress, she is vice chairman of the Committees on Women, Local Government, the Special Committees on East Asian Growth Area, and the Special Committee on Education and Welfare of Special Persons. She was one of the authors of the House Bill seeking the Magna Carta for Women in this Congress which was passed as a law August 2009. Likewise, she also spearheaded the Lady Legislators of the 14th Congress, in launching Pink October, the first-ever

breast cancer Breast cancer is cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipple, a newly inverted nipple, or a re ...

awareness and prevention campaign in the House of Representatives. ;Second term, 2010-2013 In her second term, Representative Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar was elected as House Deputy Speaker for Mindanao.

City Mayor, 2013-2022

In 2013, Climaco was elected as Mayor of Zamboanga City. However barely three months in office, Salazar was beset by lawless MNLF elements attacking the city proper in September 2013 crippling the city's economic and social life. Climaco also promotes the

Chavacano language Chavacano or Chabacano is a group of Spanish-based creole languages, Spanish-based creole language varieties spoken in the Philippines. The variety spoken in Zamboanga City, located in the southern Philippine island group of Mindanao, has the hi ...

as part of Zamboanga's culture. The Dia de Fundacio Chavacano, an annual June 23 celebration aims to promote the language through the launch of new Chavacano books such as dictionaries and grammar books and quiz bees for local schools.

Personal life

On February 28, 2009, Beng wed Retired General Trifonio Salazar. Her wedding coincided with the birthday of her late uncle Mayor Cesar C. Climaco to honor the influence has had in her life.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Climaco, Beng 1966 births Living people People from Zamboanga City Mayors of Zamboanga City Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Zamboanga City Women members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines Filipino city and municipal councilors Liberal Party (Philippines) politicians Deputy Speakers of the House of Representatives of the Philippines Ateneo de Manila University alumni Women mayors of places in the Philippines Parsippany Hills High School alumni People from Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey