Manila, August 19 2012 — UN-Habitat condoles with the family of the late Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo. We mourn the loss of a true champion for good urban governance not just recognized in the Philippines, but also in the Asia-Pacific region as well the rest of the world.

Mayor Robredo will be remembered as a multi-awarded mayor.  With his leadership, Naga City’s e-governance programme was awarded by UN-Habitat the Dubai Award best practice in 2004.  The city also received the Gender-Friendly Award in 2004 given by the Regional Office for Asia-Pacific in Fukuoka, Japan.  Mayor Robredo was also the lead mayor and Naga City was the resource city for the Millennium Development Goal Localization Project, which became a nationwide programme.

More than his professional accomplishments, he will be remembered by the UN-Habitat team for his humility, humanity and inspiration.