LABELLA TO VISIT RUSSIA FOR TRADE, CULTURAL EXCHANGE

CEBU City officials led by Mayor Edgardo Labella and members of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry will visit Russia’s Samara region in May 2020 for a trade and cultural interaction that will tackle matters on transportation, health and technology.

Russian Federation Ambassador to the Philippines Igor Anatolyevich Khovaev and the delegates of the Samara region visited Labella on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019 to extend the invitation to observe the health, transportation and technology programs of Samara, the ninth largest city in Russia.

Also present during the visit was the Philippines’ Honorary Consul to Russia Armi Garcia, the first Filipino to be accorded the prestigious Order of Friendship

by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“There will be an exploration in their area, especially on their systems and technology in transportation,” said Labella.

Samara region is considered as one of the major transport hubs in Russia.

The interaction will also be a way to open and explore business possibilities, said Labella, as the Russian Ambassador assured that they will share their business knowledge with Cebu City.

Labella said the trade and cultural interaction will allow both governments to assess the things that need to be improved in Cebu City and the assistance that can be provided by Russia.

Aside from learning about Samara’s transportation system,

Labella also wants to study the advance health program of the region which, he said, can be applied to the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).

CCMC is set to open its first three floors during the first quarter of 2020.

Aside from some CCCI members, Labella plans to bring City Attorney Rey Gealon, former councilor and now Commission on Tourism chairman Joy Pesquera, former councilor James Anthony Cuenco, and Councilor Renato Osmeña Jr. committee on trade, commerce and entrepreneurship chairman, to the trip.

“We are interested because Russian culture is interesting,” said Labella. /