CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Local products from El Salvador City and Gingoog City may soon reach more buyers in Metro Manila after the two Misamis Oriental cities forged sisterhood agreements with San Juan City.
The partnerships aim to open new opportunities for local entrepreneurs, farmers, and tourism groups through stronger cooperation in trade, governance, tourism, education, and innovation.
San Juan City Mayor Francisco Javier Zamora, who also serves as National President of the League of Cities of the Philippines and President of the Metro Manila Council, signed separate memoranda of sisterhood with El Salvador City Mayor Edgar Lignes and Gingoog City Mayor Eric Cañosa on July 29.
Zamora said the agreements will allow cities to share successful programs and work together to create more opportunities for their communities.
“Ang sister cities dapat nagtutulungan, parang isang pamilya, para sabay-sabay tayong umunlad,” Zamora said.
He also assured local officials that funds under the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) have already been downloaded to the concerned local government units.
For Lignes, the partnership provides El Salvador City a chance to learn from San Juan’s programs while promoting its own strengths in tourism, culture, and local industries.
“This serves as the foundation for lasting cooperation in areas such as economic development, education, tourism, culture, and environmental sustainability,” Lignes said.
Meanwhile, Cañosa said the partnership shows that cities in Mindanao can be part of wider national development efforts.
“Nakita namin na kahit nasa Mindanao tayo, kasama tayo sa mga cities ng buong Pilipinas,” he said.
Zamora said one immediate goal of the partnership is to help bring Misamis Oriental products closer to Metro Manila consumers.
He cited plans to promote El Salvador City’s local products and faith tourism destination, the Divine Mercy Shrine, while helping market Gingoog City’s locally produced oolong tea at the Greenhills shopping district in San Juan.
He said wider market access could help increase the income of local farmers, producers, and small businesses.
The city officials said the sisterhood agreements represent a shared commitment to helping communities grow through cooperation and exchange of opportunities.
