Sister-cities Dumaguete and Yeongdong-gun of South Korea bolster trade ties

CEBU, Philippines – The “sister cities” of Dumaguete in Negros Oriental, Philippines and Yeongdong-gun in the Republic of Korea on Friday reiterated their commitment to strengthen not only friendly relations but economic ties as well.

This developed during a Friday meeting at a hotel in Dumaguete City between officials of the two cities.

The 12-member team of Koreans comprising the Yeongdong-gun Council (equivalent to the Philippines’ City Council) was headed by its chairman Yeo Cheol Gu, arrived in Dumaguete for a one-day visit to join the ongoing Buglasan Festival of Negros Oriental.

The Yeongdong-gun officials were accompanied by a Korean interpreter who spoke English to facilitate a smooth exchange of updates and discussions on various matters over lunch.

Dumaguete Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria had invited the Yeongdong-gun officials over, in behalf of the city, in reciprocating a visit by Dumaguete officials to that South Korean county last year as part of the sisterhood agreement.

The discussions centered on student exchange programs and possible bilateral trade arrangements, of which both cities will be directly selling to each other certain commodities.

City Legal Officer Neil Ray Lagahit presented a background of the Sister City Agreement after Sagarbarria gave his welcome remarks and message.

During the meeting, Ed Du, president of the Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry, raised a proposal that Dumaguete will sell “moscovado” or brown sugar to Yeongdong-gun, whose officials said they will strongly consider the offer.

Yeongdong-gun, which is promoting its wine industry, sees Dumaguete at its potential buyer of the beverage, Du added.

Also, the Korean visitors invited their Dumaguete counterparts to visit Yeongdong next year during the fruit festival in August and the wine festival in October.

The Yeongdong-gun officials joined Sagarbarria in the Buglasan Festival street dancing parade Friday afternoon.

Also present during the luncheon meeting were the members of the Dumaguete City Council headed by Vice Mayor Woodrow Maquiling Sr., City Tourism Officer Woodrow Maquiling Jr. and provincial chief of the Department of Trade and Industry, Javier Fortunato Jr., among others.