Bacolod joins ASEAN sustainable urbanisation forum in Malaysia

BACOLOD CITY — Bacolod City has been invited to attend a series of high-level international events in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from Aug. 12 to 14, 2025, including the ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation Forum (ASUF), the ASEAN Governors and Mayors Forum (AGMF), and the Meeting of Governors and Mayors of ASEAN Capitals (MGMAC).

Councilor Atty. Caesar Distrito will represent Mayor Greg Gasataya and will be joined by Dr. Mary Jean Ramos, head of the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO), and Dr. Anna Laarni Pornan, head of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO).

The events are part of Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship.

The gatherings will revolve around the theme “ASEAN Future Cities and Regions: Inclusivity and Sustainability,” focusing on forward-looking visions for sustainable and inclusive development in ASEAN cities.

The Bacolod delegation will join a site visit to the Enviro Park, which features a landfill, ecopark, and power plant.

They will also attend the “Empowering City Leaders on Disaster Risk Reduction and Access to Climate Finance” session, official meetings, dialogues, open forums, training sessions, city programs, and technical visits.

Bacolod will present its 3R and Sanitary Landfill Management initiatives under the Bacolod Integrated Recovery and Recycling Techno Hub (BIRTH) Project.

Airfare and other expenses for the Bacolod delegation were sponsored by United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).

“I am honored to represent Mayor Greg Gasataya and the people of Bacolod in this important ASEAN platform,” Distrito said. “This is an opportunity to learn from other leaders, share our city’s best practices, and build partnerships that will help us plan a more inclusive and sustainable future.”

Distrito previously represented then Mayor Albee Benitez in Germany at a similar international gathering with Dr. Ramos and Dr. Pornan, also sponsored by UCLG and GIZ.

The Kuala Lumpur events are organized by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) Malaysia in collaboration with URBANICE Malaysia and supported by the ASEAN Secretariat.

They are co-convened by UCLG Asia Pacific (UCLG ASPAC) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).