Climaco would become a national figure during his first stint as Zamboanga City mayor. He would become known for his personal courage, as shown by his willingness to venture alone out to hotspots and personally confronting neighborhood toughies with threats of imprisonment. He maintained a similarly tough stance towards the citys policemen, once disarming cops he caught asleep at their posts during a surprise inspections. Climaco also maintained a harmonious relationship with the citys Muslim population, and cracked down on gambling.