Mayor leads Baguio delegation to sister city events abroad

MAYOR Mauricio Domogan will lead the city’s delegation to three important sister city events abroad from Oct. 18 to Nov. 6.

The mayor flew to Hangzhou, China last Oct. 11 to attend the Hangzhou International Sister City Mayors’ Conference on City and Innovation 2017 upon invitation of Hangzhou Mayor Xu Liyi.

The conference which ran from Oct. 18-22 featured a forum on city and innovation and signing ceremonies on inno- vation initiative, friendship city agreement and sister city forest planting with panel discussions on electronic commerce, smart city and culture and branding.

“The conference will offer a platform for the global city operators, the business and academic representatives to meet up for brainstorming , dialogue and cooperation and we sincerely hope that through case studying and communicating, we could gather the wisdom of urban governance, share the innovation outcomes and bring more knowledge and opportunities for the participating cities,” Xu said.

With the mayor during the China leg were city administrator Carlos Canilao, Couns. Elmer Datuin and Mylen Yaranon, city building official Nazita Banez, city assessor Almaya Addawe and private sector representatives Dr. Virgilio Bautista, Alex Sia and Kane Chanbonpin, the mayor’s wife Rebecca Domogan and private secretary Ryan Mangusan.

From China, the mayor will proceed to Vaughan, Baguio’s sister city in Ontario, Canada to attend the activities for the 20th anniversary of twinning of the two cities from Oct. 24-29.

Filipino-Canadian Association of Vaughan under Erlinda Insigne said the celebration proper will be on Oct. 28 at the Patricia Kemp Community Centre which was leased to the association by the Vaughan city govern-

ment.

Recently, the Canadian government also granted the association a grant to install a Filipino-Canadian Friendship Parkette at the centre which will be inaugurated during the anniversary program.

Insigne said the association has been actively pursuing the sisterhood objectives of cultural, social and educational exchanges through official visits, donation of medical supplies, conduct of Filipino Day in Vaughan in line with the Independence Day celebration and others.

Last January, the Vaughan delegation led a trade mission to the country which included a visit to Baguio to explore aquaculture industry and magnetic energy.

For the third leg of the trip, the mayor will travel to Vallejo City in California USA on invitation of the Vallejo Sister Cities Association Inc. to participate in the finalization of the plans for the 25th anniversary celebration of the sisterhood in 2018.

Vallejo-Baguio Sister Cities Committee chair and official liaison officer Dinah Villanueva-Ryan said various talking points have been prepared including the exploration of other exchange programs.

With the mayor in the Vallejo tour are Councilor Faustino Olowan, city social welfare and development officer Betty Fangasan and assistant officer Edith Furigay, Sonia Daoas and Baguio Midland Courier editor-in-chief Harley Palangchao.

The mayor said he plans to discuss President Duterte’s agenda on federalism and the Cordillera Administrative Region’s quest for autonomy with both the Canadian and American expatriates during the tour.

Part of the mayor’s itinerary are dinner and fellowship upon invitation by the BIBAK-Toronto on October 27 and a picnic by Baguio Californians and Baguio City High School Alumni on November 4. The delegation is expected to be back on Nov. 7. In his absence, the mayor designated Vice Mayor Edison Bilog as acting mayor for the duration.