creation of local group that will follow up sisterhood
pacts to strengthen Davao’s business, int’l. relations

The bid to create a local body that would map out plans and activities that would further Davao City’s sisterhood agreements is expected to strengthen the city’s business and international relations.

“The DCIPC has performed well in promoting the city but since it is more focused on investment promotions then there is a need to create a group that will be able to explore various linkages arising from these sisterhood agreements,” Council Committee on Tourism chair Susan Reta said.

Councilor Rachel Zozobrado, who is chair of the Committee on International Relations, has proposed a resolution creating a technical working group that would help follow up the sisterhood agreements entered into by the city.

“The body that would be formed aims to assist the Davao City Investment and Promotion Center in strengthening the city’s international relations,” Zozobrado said yesterday during a committee hearing on the said matter.

Most of the sisterhood pacts signed by the city have not really been explored and this is unfortunate considering that we can benefit from these agreements in terms of business, educational and other linkages, she said.

DCIPC officer-in-charge Bobby Teo said there were plans to join a Chambers’ forum in Naning last year but the local chamber desisted since the schedule coincided with the Christmas holidays. He said they are hopeful that more economic activities would be exchanged with Palau although it is a small market.

“Everytime we have a sisterhood we just stop there,” Reta said. I hope that with the formation of a body that will be tasked to follow through on these agreements, Davao will have more economic and tourism transactions with the areas where have sisterhood agreements.

Zozobrado clarified that the proposed group will not take over the work of the DCIPC but will instead act as a support group that will really look into what the city can do to explore these sisterhood pacts. “Hindi lang naman business linkages ang makukuha natin if we explore these pacts marami pang iba,” she added.