CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Cagayan de Oro is set to forge a sister-city partnership with San Juan City, a move expected to strengthen local governance, attract investments, and create more opportunities for collaboration between the two cities.

San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora announced the planned sisterhood agreement during his recent visit to El Salvador and Gingoog City, saying he looks forward to formalizing the partnership when he visits Cagayan de Oro later this month.

“I’m excited to establish a sisterhood agreement with Cagayan de Oro,” Zamora said.

The agreement is expected to be signed during the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) National Executive Board Meeting, which Cagayan de Oro will host from August 25 to 27. Around 70 city mayors from across the country are expected to attend.

The event will also include the LCP Mindanao Cluster Consultation Meeting, where local chief executives will discuss governance, development programs, and key issues affecting cities nationwide.

“The officers of the LCP will all be here, along with our Mindanao city mayors,” Zamora said.

Zamora, who also serves as LCP national president, has been promoting sisterhood agreements among local government units to encourage the exchange of best practices and stronger inter-city cooperation. 

During his Northern Mindanao visit, he also signed similar agreements with El Salvador City and Gingoog City.

For Cagayan de Oro, the planned partnership is expected to open opportunities for collaboration in governance, tourism, trade, investment promotion, and public service delivery.

The agreement comes as the city prepares to welcome thousands of visitors during the Higalaay Festival, which will also host major national events.

Sheila Lumbatan, co-chairperson of Higalaay Festival 2026, said the back-to-back gatherings provide an opportunity for Cagayan de Oro to demonstrate its capability to host large-scale national conferences.

Aside from local chief executives, business leaders, investors, and foreign diplomats are also expected to visit the city for the Mindanao Business Conference (MinBizCon) from August 11 to 13.

“A number of businesses from big companies will be coming over. There will also be ambassadors attending,” Lumbatan said.

The influx of delegates is expected to boost tourism, strengthen business networking, and create opportunities for future investments in the city.