Ormoc, Hawai'i county sign sisterhood pact

ORMOC CITY, Philippines – Economic, cultural, technology and education exchanges were among the salient provisions in the sisterhood agreement between the County of Hawai’i of Hawaii State (USA) and Ormoc City. 

Hawai’i Mayor Billy Kenoi, representing the county, and Mayor Eric Codilla, for the Ormocanons, formally signed the agreement in a ceremony held inside the New Ormoc City Hall on March 26.

In the covenant, the two government units agreed to have an exchange of at least one goodwill mission between them within five years. Each trip will be participated by “appropriate community, civic and service organizations,” it said.    

Another provision is the regular exchange of documents to facilitate interaction and communication such as, “but not limited to, constitutions and charters, data books, annual reports, newsletters, various codes, special studies and reports.”

Both governments—utilizing educational resources from the University of Hawai’i in Hilo, the Philippines’ Department of Education and other participating schools—agreed to initiate and pursue “a student exchange program” whenever feasible.

Further, Kenoi and Codilla vowed to bolster and share “any other interaction in the form of education, cultural, technical, trade, political, industrial or professional ideas” between their governments.

After affixing their signatures, Codilla and Kenoi expressed their optimism and hope that economic opportunities will be mutually available for their government units and their constituents.

On June 16, last year, the Ormoc City Council approved Resolution Nos. 2011-112 and 2011-113, providing for the establishment of a sisterhood agreement between Ormoc City and the County of Hawai’i.

Eventually, Codilla and some city officials went to Hawai’i for an official visit, which in turn opened the way for Kenoi and his party to come to Ormoc for the signing of the documents that sealed the sisterhood agreement.

Kenoi led the 14-member Hawai’i County delegation that arrived Ormoc on Monday for a 3-day official visit.

Among those who witnessed the formal signing of the agreement were: Hawai’i County Research and Dev’t. director Randy Kurohara, Executive Secretary to the Mayor Paulette Cainglet, immigration specialist Rose Bautista, Country Energy coordinator William Rolston, Geothermal Working Group co-chairmen Richard Ha and Wallace Ishibashi.

Others were Hawai’i County Councilor Angel Pilago, Congress of Visayan Organization president Jane Clement, Hawaiian Electric Light Company president Jay Ignacio, Puna Geothermal Venture manager Mike Kaleikini, Parker Ranch president Neil Kuyper, Dr. Bruce Mathews, acting dean of the University of Hawaii at Hilo College of Agriculture, Hawaii Filipino Community leader Dr. Sonny Genio and other Ormoc City officials.  - THE FREEMAN