BAGO CITY -- Mayor Nicholas Yulo has expressed optimism in this southern Negros city’s potential ventures with a sister city in China following his participation in the China-ASEAN Mayors’ Forum (CAMF) 2018.
The forum, held in Nanning, capital city of China’s Guangxi region, on September 8 and 9, was attended by mayors under the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) headed by national president, Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan of Angeles City.
The gathering, where House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo delivered her keynote speech as head of the Philippine delegation, was highlighted by the signing of a memorandum of cooperation between the LCP and the Guangxi Association of Mayors.
In an interview here on Monday, Yulo said the agreement will pave way for the matching of cities for sisterhood partnerships.
“The sisterhood ties will surely enable us to take advantage of the export and investment potentials of China,” said Yulo, who was joined by Victorias City Mayor Francis Frederick Palanca as representatives from Negros Occidental.
The agreement aims for both parties to promote inter-city partnerships by engaging in “various forms of communication” and other means of cooperation towards the realization of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI); fostering mutual development especially in the development of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road; and regularly attending the CAMF to promote the event as a platform for inter-city cooperation.
Yulo said they can find markets for food products in China, but the city still has to further increase its food production to cater to export markets.
He added that Nanning City, which is only two hours by land travel from Vietnam, is positioning itself as the ASEAN gateway to China, particularly in terms of agriculture and food exports.
“We are looking at bigger potentials in exporting our handicrafts,” the mayor said.
He cited Tumandok Crafts Industries, an exporter based in Bago, as capable of expanding its markets to China.
The China-ASEAN Mayors’ Forum sought to build an exchange, cooperation and innovative development platform for cities and urban managers in China and ASEAN, serve the national BRI, and facilitate the participation of ASEAN and domestic cities in Belt and Road construction.
Yulo said the forum has given the participating cities like Bago a regional or international outlook.
“It has positively contributed to our bid in improving Bago’s regional or international image,” he said. (with reports from Erwin P. Nicavera/PNA)
