Five sisterhood agreements for Davao in the works

The realization of at least five sisterhood agreements being finalized between Davao City and other foreign cities is expected to strengthen Davao’s economy even in the face of economic recession.

“We are presently following up at least five sisterhood agreements between Davao and other cities and we expect some of these to become final before the year ends,’ Council Committee on International Relations chairperson Rachel Zozobrado said.

These agreements, she said, do not only promote exchange visits and tourism opportunities but also investments between the two cities involved in the pact.

Zozobrado said they are in the process of finalizing the renewal or the forging of sisterhood agreements with the cities of Manado and Bitung in Indonesia, Mersin City in Turkey, Darwin City in Northern Territory, Australia, Uijeongbu City in Korea and Tacoma City in Washington, DC.

The city is confident that some of these sisterhood agreements will be renewed or forged before the year ends particularly the agreement with the cities of Manado and Bitung in Indonesia.
“We already have the additional terms requested by the Indonesia side as provided by Indonesian Consul General Lalu Malik Partawana who has recently been authorized by Indonesian officials to negotiate the sisterhood agreements between Davao and the cities of Manado and Bitung,” she said.

Davao City’s sisterhood agreement with Bitung and Manado has already expired and while the agreements are automatically renewed after expiration unless revoked by either parties, both Indonesia and Davao officials would like to introduce new provisions in the sisterhood agreement.

Zozobrado said “we have prepared the terms of the new sisterhood agreement but we are still enhancing the provisions so that the resulting agreement would be a dynamic one which would really make a difference in the development of Davao City and the cities of Bitung and Manado.’
The agreement has been scheduled for first reading and is subject to the approval of the Committee on International Relations.

She said Davao’s sisterhood agreement with Darwin City is moving at a slower but sure pace with the visit of a contingent from the city to Darwin during last May’s Arafura Games. There is also a plan to invite the Lord Mayor to visit the city during the 2010 Araw ng Dabaw.

She said prospects for the signing of an agreement with Uijeongbu is also high considering that both Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Uijeongbu Mayor Kim Moon Won have already signed a Letter of Intent that will pave the way for the sisterhood pact.