Seven councilors to visit sister city in California

CEBU, Philippines - Seven Cebu City councilors are set to travel to the United States next month to visit Cebu City’s sister city, Salinas, in California, on Nov. 6 and 7.

Salinas City established sister relations with Cebu City on May 18, 1964 through Salinas City Council’s Resolution No. 5233. Cebu City’s Salinas Drive in Barangay Apas is named after the city.

Members of the council will visit Salinas to “renew and enhance the sister-city relations and broaden their knowledge and perspective through gainful firsthand experience of some best practices in legislation and governance.”

The councilors whose travel was authorized by the city council last week are councilors Raul Alcoseba, Alvin Arcilla, Ronald Cuenco, Jose Daluz III, Edgardo Labella, Augustus Pe Jr. and Richard Osmeña.

“It is our hope that we would be given the chance to travel outside the country as we share your fervor to advance our knowledge and broaden our perspective in the furtherance of our capability as public officials,” the councilors told the mayor in their letter to the mayor asking for the approval of the official trip.

Mayor Michael Rama has approved the travel.

The council authorized to charge their expenses to the Legislative-Foreign Travel Fund which has almost P1 million in funds. 

Meanwhile, the City Council also authorized the payment of P360,000 for a one-year membership for the mayor, vice mayor and all 18 councilors with the Cebu Holiday Spa.

During last week’s session, the council authorized Rama to sign the contract with Cebu Holiday Spa for the annual membership fee of city officials amounting to P18,000 each.

At P18,000 a year or P1,500 per month, the city council is already entitled to full use of the fitness center’s facilities such as the gym, boxing ring, swimming pool, jogging track, wall climbing facilities and group exercise sessions.

They are also entitled to a free body fat analysis and fitness testing, free nutritional counseling, free use of the sauna, shower and the lockers.

They will also get a discount on massage services where they only have to pay P300 instead of P450 while a 10-percent discount is applied on other major services. The contract shall run from May 2011 to May 2012. - THE FREEMAN