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Saipan to ink sister city accords with Davao, GenSan
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Posted on May 06 2009
Saipan will be forging next month sister city agreements with Davao and General Santos, two of the most populated cities in the Southern Philippines.
Mayor Juan B. Tudela said he is looking forward to establishing relations with these two cities.
Tudela had proposed the sister city relations with Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte via a letter dated March 30, 2009.
Tudela proposed the same agreement with General Santos City Mayor Pedro C. Acharon Jr. in a letter dated April 15.
“Indeed a host of opportunities accompany such an agreement, with emphasis on business endeavors benefiting both local economies,” Acharon said in a response letter on April 28.
General Santos is known as the birthplace of Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao.
In his response to the proposal, Duterte gave a brief background of the economic gains of Davao as well as its physical location and tourism potential.
Duterte said Davao is home to 1.5 million diverse peoples from 10 different indigenous tribes, who are both Islamized and Christianized, and migrant settlers from all over the Philippines.
He also noted a significant Filipino-Chinese population and an emerging international community of expatriates.
“You are most welcome to come and visit Davao anytime. We have festivities every year,” Duterte told Tudela.
The Davao Chinese New Year Festival is held in January-February at the world’s largest Chinatown district.
The Araw ng Dabaw and Charter Day is held in March, Living Arts Festival and Ocean Month in May, the world’s famous Kadayawan sa Davao Festival in August and the Pasko sa Dabaw in December.
