Cebu City forges sister-city ties with San Juan City

CEBU, Philippines - In order to strengthen cultural and commercial ties, the city of Cebu and San Juan City in Metro Manila are now official sister cities.

The Cebu City government and San Juan City government forged a sister-city agreement last July 22 to establish friendship, cooperation and to create an avenue for mutual economic and community development for both cities.

“Establishing a sister city relationship will serve to promote and foster mutually beneficial exchanges between the two cities… and will in turn further the causes of city to city collaboration and strengthen the bond of friendship and understanding between the parties,” read the two-page memorandum of agreement.

The main signatories of the “protocol agreement,” which signifies commitment to deepen the sister city relationship, are Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and San Juan City Mayor Guia Gomez.

Rama told reporters yesterday that he was thankful to the City Council, mentioning Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, for being cooperative with the effort.

“I am also happy of the huge number of delegation from San Juan City and that brought that evening’s affair very historical and memorable because… department heads and other important personalities are seated with each other that the whole line was [seen] with interaction and sharing,” he said during the teleconference.

Also present during the signing of agreement were former Cebu City representative Antonio Cuenco and Senator Joseph Victor Gomez Ejercito, son of the San Juan City Mayor and a “good friend” of Rama.

Moreover, the two-page agreement stipulated that both cities should endeavor to lend mutual help and support to advance the welfare of the constituents of both cities.

“The parties shall endeavor to create programs, projects and activities that will promote fellowship between the parties and will effectively and continuously foster improvement and development, particularly in fields of trade, economy, tourism, social and cultural affairs, local government services, education, sports, environment protection and other fields of common interest to both parties,” it read. —/ATO (FREEMAN)