Through Resolution 448, s. 2023, the city council has declared July 10 to 16 as Amity Week between the City of Baguio and the City of San Antonio, Texas, United States.
The newly established friendship started in November 2021 through a letter from San Antonio City expressing its interest together with the Filipino-American community in developing a relationship with Baguio in the areas of trade and commerce, education, health care, socio-cultural endeavors, military and emergency management.
The invitation underscored the many commonalities between Baguio and San Antonio, particularly the designation of both as creative city by the Creative Cities Network of the Unesco and the presence of military installations in the cities, namely the Philippine Military Academy and the Joint Base San Antonio.
Noting the desired friendship as mutually beneficial and a stepping stone for expanding network of infinite possibilities in development to both cities, the officialdom of Baguio has sent its formal intention for the forging of sisterhood ties with San Antonio and was followed by a visit in October 2022 by a delegation to pursue and establish sisterhood ties.
This developed into the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Baguio and San Antonio for exploration, exchange, and collaboration opportunities as friendship cities.
On Dec. 12, 2022, the city council has approved Resolution 626, s. 2022 confirming the MOU and was also ratified by San Antonio on May 11 through a resolution that also authorized Mayor Ronald Adrian Nirenberg to execute sisterhood ties agreement.
Eventually, a delegation from the City of San Antonio led by Nirenberg visited Baguio for the official establishment and celebration of sisterhood ties and friendship.
In Resolution 449, s. 2023, Nirenberg was declared an adopted son of Baguio.
This fine gesture is for his efforts and role in bestowing the privilege and choosing Baguio as friend and partner of San Antonio in various fields of development.
Nirenberg, who stayed together with his delegation in the city for the celebration of July 10 to 16 Amity Week between Baguio and San Antonio, expressed his appreciation on the importance of developing a relationship with Baguio City in the areas of economy and tourism, health care, education, social and cultural, ecology and sustainability, and military and emergency management.
In the resolution, Nirenberg honored Baguio by intently leading his delegation to officially establish the sisterhood ties.
Also, Nirenberg’s continuous support to the Filipino-American community by recognizing their major contributions to the socio-economic development and cultural fabric of San Antonio has deepened the ties between the two cities.
The resolution added Nirenberg’s noble intention and effort towards visiting the city for sisterhood ties would surely open countless opportunities and will widen the promotion of Baguio among other highly urbanized cities around the world.
The resolution stated the recognition of Nirenberg is in honor of his outstanding leadership, unwavering dedication to public service, and significant contributions to fostering the sister city relationship.
In Resolution 445, s. 2023, the city council has requested the Commission on Audit-Cordillera to conduct a technical inspection/evaluation on the ongoing project worth P118 million along Kennon Road that includes the construction of a parking facility near the Lion’s Head and a road at Loakan area leading to a private residence.
In Resolution 431, s. 2023, establishments Baguio such as SM, Mercury Drug, fuel/gas stations, and the like operating as business branch were requested to submit to the city council a copy of their gross receipts for at least one year for information and appropriate legislative measure, particularly as possible basis for the proposed tax increase based on their gross receipts instead of an increase of 40 percent proposal from the executive department.
In Resolution 429, s. 2023, the council requested President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., as Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, for the early turnover of the Maharlika Livelihood Complex to the city government.
In Resolution 438, s. 2023, the city council commended Erson Kent Danao and Danielle Rose Gertrude Tan of the University of the Philippines-Baguio for garnering third place with their entry “Cordillera journalists fight against cyber libel” in the community studies category of the recently concluded Philippine Journalism Research Conference 2023 on May 5 in the UP-Diliman.
The Philippine Journalism Research Conference recognizes student excellence in academic research, investigative journalism, special projects and photojournalism, and this year’s event was participated by in-person attendees at the film studio of UPDiliman and on-line participants via social media platforms.
Out of hundreds of students from various universities across the country who submitted their research works for the six categories, the research of Danao and Tan was included in the nine finalists that garnered third place.
The resolution stressed the feat reaffirms that Baguio is indeed the educational capital of the north, and this pride and honor had been updated through the years by the performances of the students for showing skills and talents that were harnessed and nurtured by the educational institutions based in the city.
May 2, 2024
