Four countries seek sisterhood relations with Dagupan
AFTER BANGUS FESTIVAL 2023
AS a result of the just concluded 2023 Bangus Festival, four countries signified interests to make Dagupan a sister city of their respective cities to explore trade and investment possibilities for their mutual interests and benefit.
This was expressed by five of 17 diplomats led by Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Rev. Charles Brown who came to Dagupan on April 30 not only to observe the ‘Kalutan ed Dalan’ street party along Jose de Venecia Expressway Extension but also to tour Dagupan and exchange notes with its officials and people.
Mayor Belen Fernandez said that after her welcome speech during a luncheon she tendered for the 17 members of the diplomatic corps, four foreign ambassadors approached her to convey their keen interests in helping establish sisterhood relationship between Dagupan and their own cities back home.
Fernandez identified the four as Ambassadors Raduta Dana Matache of Romania, Hoang Huy Chung of Vietnam, Tull Traisorat of Thailand, Dato Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino of Malaysia.
The other foreign dignitaries who came to Dagupan, brought in by the Department of Foreign Affairs, were Ambassadors Folakemi Akinleye of Nigeria, Betty Palaso of Papua New Guinea, Sonexay Vannaxay of Lao People’s Republic, Megawati Dato PadukaHaji Manan of Brunei Drussalam, Marat Ignatyevich Pavlov of the Russian Federation; Charge d’ Affaires Joroslaw Roman Szczepankiewicz of Poland, C Harte d’ Affaires /Minister Counsellor San Tu Kyaw of Myanmar and First Secretary Obadiah Abbood Alshehhi of United Arab Emirates.
Mayor Fernandez was elated by this offer of friendship to Dagupan by the foreign embassy officials, a move that she said is in line with the city’s strategy to strengthen its ties with international partners that could hopefully bring about more economic and social developments to Dagupan City in the near future.
“We should start our friendship by selling to their respective countries our Dagupan bangus for the benefit of our local fish farmers, deboners and exporters,” said Fernandez in a news conference on May 3, just two days after the Bangus Festival.
Meanwhile, Fernandez said Dagupan is seeking to renew its sister ties with Milpitas City in California, U.S.A. established by then Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr., and Iwata City in Japan, that had a sisterhood relations with Dagupan in early 70s during the administration of then Mayor Cipriano Manaois.
The Dagupan-Iwata sisterhood relationship led to the establishment in the 70s of the Japan-Philippines Friendship Garden at Tondaligan Ferdinand Park in Bonuan. (Leonardo Micua)
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