Saitama eyes sisterhood agreement with Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - The Saitama Prefectural Government of Japan is looking at the possibility of establishing sisterhood agreement with Cebu Province.

Saitama group manager for International Strategies, Tsuyoshi Mikami, yesterday met with acting Cebu Governor Agnes Magpale at the Capitol.

Also present during the meeting were University of San Jose-Recoletos deans, lawyer Jonathan Capanas of the College of Laws and Dr. Virgilio Abellana of the College of Engineering.

“They plan to establish sisterhood agreement with Cebu Province starting with educational exchanges, cultural and maybe eventually they come to invest,” Magpale told reporters.

Mikami confirmed that they are looking for potentials in Cebu such as in the manufacturing industries.

He also visited locators at the Mactan Export Processing Zone in Mactan Island yesterday.

In the field of education, Capanas said that they have yet to have an agreement with Saitama except that during their visit in Tokyo last year, they were informed that they are very interested to come and visit Cebu and to have tie-up with the Province.  The visit of Mikami yesterday was already part of the plan.

Saitama is where the main factory and laboratory of Honda cars is located. It is 15 miles away from Tokyo.

Abellana said Filipinos should learn how Saitama run its government  when 33 percent of its budget is intended for loan to the people.

Abellana said that Saitama is supporting talents of the people until the person can make his own business out of the loan from the government.

“They are after for the development of their people,” Abellana said.

Capanas added that the visit of Mikami shows the interest of many Japanese to come and visit Cebu.—(FREEMAN)