San Juan City to share education practices with Cebu local governments

CEBU, Philippines — As San Juan City formalized sisterhood agreements with Cebu Province, Cebu City, and Talisay City, Mayor Francis Zamora highlighted education as one of the key governance practices he hopes to share with Cebu.

Zamora said he hopes Cebu's local governments can draw lessons from his city's education initiatives after the signing of sisterhood agreements on Wednesday, July 15.

Speaking after the ceremonial signing at the Cebu Provincial Capitol, Zamora said the partnership is intended to encourage local governments to exchange successful programs instead of working in isolation.

He said education is among the areas where San Juan has achieved measurable results and one that his administration is prepared to share with its Cebu counterparts.

Zamora said San Juan currently ranks first among the country's highly urbanized cities in terms of functional literacy, posting a 95 percent rating based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.

"This is something that I'm very, very proud of. San Juan is number one amongst all highly urbanized cities in the Philippines when it comes to functional literacy rate. Our rating is 95 percent," Zamora said.

He attributed the city's performance to sustained investments in public education rather than a single program.

According to Zamora, all 13,000 public school students in San Juan have been provided with individual tablets, while classrooms are equipped with fiber-optic internet connections and 55-inch smart televisions to support technology-based learning.

He added that students also receive free school uniforms, physical education uniforms, customized rubber shoes, and emergency go-bags.

The city government has likewise provided one laptop for every public school teacher, while educational assistance is extended to students and their families.

Cash incentives are also given to honor students, graduates, and public school teachers, he said.

"What has this resulted to? San Juan is number one in functional literacy rate amongst all highly urbanized cities in the Philippines because our public school students need not worry about other things," Zamora said.

He said the city's education strategy reflects its decision to prioritize funding for schools and the welfare of learners.

"It's a matter of really allocating your funds to where your priorities are. Our priority is public education because we believe that a good education will give our youth a bright future," he said.

Zamora said local governments should continue strengthening education because today's students will eventually become the country's future leaders and workforce.

He added that modern education already requires greater use of technology, making digital learning tools an important investment for local governments.

Beyond education, Zamora said the sisterhood agreements allow participating local governments to exchange effective policies and governance practices that may be adapted to their own communities.

"In school, it is a no-no to copy. But in governance, it is good to share best practices," he said.

He said no mayor or governor can claim to have all the answers in governance, noting that local executives often gain practical ideas simply by talking with fellow officials.

Zamora said his visit marked his fourth trip to Cebu in the past eight months, during which San Juan also forged partnerships with other local governments, including municipalities in Cebu's 7th District, Camotes Island, and Bantayan Island.

He said San Juan is equally interested in learning from Cebu's governance initiatives and hopes to adopt programs that have proven effective in the province and its cities.

Governor Pamela Baricuatro, meanwhile, described the partnership as an opportunity for local governments to learn from one another in governance, public service, tourism, culture, disaster resilience, digital transformation, and economic development.

She said progress becomes more meaningful when LGUs choose collaboration over competition and expressed hope that the agreement would result in concrete projects and long-term partnerships benefiting their respective communities.

"I have always believed that no local government succeeds alone. Progress becomes faster and more meaningful when we listen to one another, exchange ideas, and become partners in solving common challenges," she said.

Moreover, Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony Gullas Jr. said the sisterhood agreement goes beyond the exchange of policies and government programs. He emphasized that it also creates lasting relationships among local leaders that could strengthen collaboration in the future.

Gullas said local government partnerships are traditionally viewed as platforms for sharing strategies and best practices.

However, he believes their greater value lies in building trust and friendships among officials who face similar governance challenges.

"If we can forge a bond and forge friendships with fellow leaders, that is of added value to this sisterhood agreement," Gullas said.

For Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival, the partnership opens opportunities for collaboration in governance, economic development, cultural exchange, and innovation.

Zamora, who also represents the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), also paid a courtesy visit to Cebu City Hall, where he and Archival discussed future projects on digital governance, smart city initiatives, and public service innovation.

Archival recalled, in an interview with reporters yesterday, that his earlier conversations with Zamora touched on tourism promotion and peace and order, which eventually inspired the sister city proposal.

The agreement comes at a time when local chief executives under the LCP and the League of Provinces continue to engage the national government on programs such as the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF).

Zamora, being on top of the LCP, according to Archival, has been instrumental in discussions with Malacañang on the city’s LGSF. The fund has two components—the rice program for the poorest 20 percent of households, with a P145 million budget, and infrastructure projects.

With the Cebu-San Juan partnership now official, both cities look forward to strengthening cooperation and sharing best practices that will benefit their constituents. — Preciosa Bacalso/MRM (FREEMAN)