Reciprocal visits between Davao, Mersin City eyed

An exchange visit between the officials of Davao City and Mersin City in Turkey is being eyed in view of the sisterhood agreement being planned between the two cities.

Former Philippine Ambassador to Turkey Bahnarim Guinomla said Philippine Honorary Consul in Mersin Mr. Sukru Diyab recently met with the Metropole Municipality of Mersin Director of Culture and Fairs Department Mr. Suleyman Cengiz to discuss the procedures that have to be followed to make the sisterhood agreement between the two cities a reality.

“This is a welcome development considering that we have been trying to follow up the sisterhood agreement between the two cities for months now,” Council committee on International Relations chair councilor Rachel Zozobrado said.

She said it was Ambassador Guinomla who communicated to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte the possibility of forging a sisterhood agreement with Mersin City. However, she said, they have encountered some hitches in following up the agreement since Guinomla is now back in Davao City as the assistant secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs in Mindanao.

Zozobrado said Guinomla has been helping the committee in facilitating the sisterhood agreement.

“I was told that the procedure in forging a sisterhood agreement with Mersin City in Turkey could take about three to four months depending on how fast both sides work on it,” she said.

She said the possibility of exchange visits between the officials of Davao City and Mersin City was also mentioned during the meeting between Diyab and Cengiz. This, she added, will hopefully fast track the forging of the sisterhood agreement.

The Philippine Honorary Consul Diyab said October would be an ideal time for the Davao officials to visit Mersin City since it would coincide with the 2nd Logistics and Transport Fair of Mersin City. Zozobrado said the city could then invite officials from Mersin City during the Araw ng Dabaw 2010.

Zozobrado said the proposed sisterhood with Turkey aims to foster mutual understanding through people to people exchanges, tourism promotion as well as trade and investment activities.

Strong local governance cited as Dinagat
Islands seek sisterhood with Davao City

Davao City’s efficient local government and vibrant business sector is attracting a lot of cities and provinces, both locally and internationally, the latest of which is the Province of Dinagat Islands.

“The province has indicated their intention to form a sisterhood agreement with Davao City and we welcome this as another manifestation of Davao’s growth both socially and economically in the past years,” Council Committee on International Relations chair Councilor Rachel Zozobrado said.

Davao City has been active in forging sisterhood agreements mostly with international cities like Manado and Bitung, Darwin, Uijeongbu and with local cities like San Juan.

The Province of Dinagat Islands is virtually a neighbor as it used to be part of the province of Surigao del Norte’s First District. However, Republic Act No, 9355 or the Official Charter of the Province of Dinagat Islands paved the way for the separation of Dinagat Islands, which is now known as the country’s 81st Province.

Zozobrado said the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of the Province of Dinagat Islands formally informed Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte about the proposal, through Resolution No. 08-768 sponsored by councilor Merlinda Lagroma, which indicates their intention to establish a “sisterhood relationship and alliance to the City of Davao.”

“The resolution requested Dinagat Islands Governor Geraldine Ecleo-Villaroman to establish a sisterhood agreement and alliance with Davao City in view of the tried and tested local governance of the city,” Zozobrado said.

The resolution indicated that “the province craves for support on technological advancement on legislative approaches and executive management”, the formula of which seems to have already been tried and tested in Davao City under Duterte’s administration.

Zozobrado said the sisterhood proposal from the Province of Dinagat Islands should be a source of pride for Dabawenyos considering that it came from a neighboring province which was previously part of Surigao del Norte in Region Xiii, Northeastern Mindanao.

”This is actually a vote of confidence that the local government of the city has done its job well and continues to do so, for it to be able to inspire nearby areas to forge a sisterhood agreement with us,” she said.

The Province of Dinagat Island is historically known as the site of the Battle of Surigao Strait during the Second World War. It was on the shore of the Municipality of Loreto where the first American flag flew on the Philippine soil. And just like Davao City, It is known for its bountiful harvest of agriculture and marine resources.

Davao promoted as premier destination during Int’l. gab

The focus of the International Sister City Summit may have been Baguio City but the Davao delegation headed by Vice Mayor Sara Duterte, along with councilors Rachel Zozobrado, Susabel Reta and Louie John Bonguyan were able to promote the city as a premiere destination not only in Mindanao but in the whole country.

The three councilors, who were directed by Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to represent the city in the Baguio Centennial Sister City Summit last August 31, were able to meet with the different foreign and local sister cities of Baguio.

“The Davao delegation made waves during the presentation of the cities’ best practices as we took turns in presenting the beauty of the city and the reasons why they should visit the city,” Council Committee on International Relations chair Rachel Zozobrado said.

The local and foreign visitors to the Sisterhood Summit were however impressed with the landmark legislations of the city. Among the legislations presented by the councilors are the Firecracker Ban, the Watershed Code, Tourism Code, Women Code and the No Smoking Ordinance.

“Several local and foreign delegates expressed their desire to visit the city after they were apprised of the city’s peace and order situation,” she said.

It was really a learning experience for all of us, she added, not only because we were able to establish contacts with other local and foreign cities with which we could form a sisterhood agreement with in the future.

“We were even surprised that some of the fruits and vegetables being sold in Baguio supermarkets came from Davao City,’ she said.

Zozobrado said the Davao delegation including the vice mayor, who wore an authentic Matigsalog tribal attire, participated in the Centennial parade. Duterte was escorted by Bonguyan, also wearing a Matigsalog-inspired top.

Zozobrado says no to Watershed Code amendment

Times have changed and the priorities of the government may have changed but there is still a need to continuously protect Davao City’s watersheds.

This was the call made by councilor Rachel Zozobrado, who said the need to protect the city’s sources of potable water still exists despite the changing times. “Water is one resource that we can never bring back to its original state once destroyed and polluted,” she said.

Zozobrado walked her talk and led a tree planting activity at the Tamugan Watershed in Tamugan, Marilog District last month, together with the different mountaineering organizations in the city, the Barangay Council of Tamugan, the City Environment and Natural Resources Office and the City Engineers Office.

“I am not in favor of amending the Watershed Code; nothing has changed between the time it was unanimously passed by the city council and today because the Tamugan River still needs to be protected,” she said.

Zozobrado said she could not think of a justification that would support the amendment to the Code. On the other hand, she said, the current environmental crisis should be a learning experience for us and should teach us to be more careful and circumspect in out actions concerning the environment.

“When the Watershed Code was enacted it was precisely in response to the crisis and as its author, the city council believed that putting up structures within the protected areas would cause damage, thus the provision on its prohibition,” she said. Amending it now is like saying we were not thinking right when it was passed by the council.

Zozobrado said the Watershed Code is not even fully implemented so it does not make sense to even amend it.

She said there is still a lot to be done in terms of protecting the Tamugan River and planting trees is just one of those methods.

Among those who participated in the tree planting activity are: Steward of Nature (SON, Inc) from Toril District, Ateneo Mountaineering Club (AMC), Earth and Nature Mountaineering Club, LAYAK Outdoors from Calinan, SANDAWA-APO, Team 3/4 and Team EN ROUTE Mountaineering Organization.

Tree Planting At Tamugan Watershed

Councilor Rachel Zozobrado once again made a pitch for the environment as she led a group of various mountaineering organizations in Davao City for a tree planting activity last August 1, 2009 at the Tamugan Watershed in Tamugan, Marilog District. The activity was done in cooperation with the Barangay Council of Tamugan, the City Environment and Natural Resources Office and the City Engineers Office.

Among those who participated in the tree planting activity are: Steward of Nature (SON, Inc) from Toril District, Ateneo Mountaineering Club (AMC), Earth and Nature Mountaineering Club, LAYAK Outdoors from Calinan, SANDAWA-APO, Team 3/4 and Team EN ROUTE Mountaineering Organization.