The city governments of Baguio and San Jose, Nueva Ecija recently entered into a sisterhood agreement to realize creative avenues geared towards mutual growth through the sharing of executive, legislative, administrative, technological, cultural, and economic developments unique to each of the local governments involved.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong and Mayor Mario C. Salvador signed the agreement.
Under the agreement, both cities bound themselves to expansion of official and non-governmental exchanges, and friendship through the promotion of peace, stability and prosperity.
Among the agreed fields of exchanges are tourism and culture, social and persons with disabilities welfare, health and environment, education and sports, indigenous peoples’ welfare, and agriculture.
For matters not mentioned in the agreement, the local government units will decide through friendly negotiations under the conditions of mutual understanding and friendship.
The signing of the sisterhood ties is a realization of San Jose’s request in 2022 through San Jose Councilor and Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative Lucia I. Naboye who expressed the city’s desire for partnership in the fields of culture, arts, and tourism.
In a letter dated Aug. 15, 2022, Mayor Salvador expressed his gratitude to Magalong for his generosity and for warmly welcoming their team during their visit to Baguio City on July 2, 2022.
The city government of Baguio formalized forging sisterhood in a letter dated March 15, 2023 addressed to Salvador.
On April 4, a team composed of members of the sister cities executive committee and secretariat and members of the Baguio City Council visited San Jose City to determine the commonalities and possible areas of cooperation between the two cities. – PIO release
