SISTERHOOD. Mayor Ester Hamor of Sorsogon City (left, seated) and Mayor Noel E. Rosal (right, seated) of Legazpi City sign a sisterhood agreement to foster a partnership that will mutually benefit the two localities. The agreement was signed on Wednesday (Nov. 27, 2019) at the Sangguniang Panlungsod session hall of Sorsogon. (Photo by Emmanuel Solis)
LEGAZPI CITY -- Mayor Noel E. Rosal of this city and Mayor Ester Hamor of Sorsogon City on Wednesday signed a sisterhood agreement to foster a strong partnership that will be mutually beneficial for the two localities.
The agreement was signed at the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) session hall of Sorsogon during the special joint session of members of both cities' councils.
The pact materialized through Sorsogon council’s Resolution No. 202 series of 2019 authorizing Hamor to enter into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Rosal for the establishment of a twinning partnership between the localities.
Legazpi City also passed Resolution No. 15-0151-2019 authorizing Rosal to sign and enter into an agreement with Hamor, recognizing the importance of fostering friendship and understanding with Sorsogon.
During the signing, Rosal showcased the best practices of his administration to the officers of Sorsogon City as one way of sharing ideas to pave the way for the proper implementation of programs and projects of their sister city.
“I am sharing with you our good practices in governance because we wanted our other sister cities to become more progressive and prosperous localities,” he said.
Rosal advised the local officials of Sorsogon to always follow the rule of law and properly implement local ordinances.
In running a local government unit (LGU), there should be strong and strategic leadership to make sure the implementation of programs and projects are in the right direction, he added.
Rosal urged all the SP members of Sorsogon to enact more important ordinances and adopt some resolutions for the benefit of all the people in the community.
"A shared responsibility between the government and the private sectors including other stakeholders, are very important in running government office," he said.
Rosal said the sisterhood agreement will help the two local governments improve their initiatives in the areas of science and technology, culture and arts, education and sports development, environmental protection, public health, and social services, tourism development and planning and urban development.
He added he will encourage other investors to put up businesses in Sorsogon to improve the economic activities of the place and give employment to the people.
Rosal also said he will help Sorsogon in the automation of all the transactions of the city government.
Hamor, on the other hand, said the pact is only the start of the sharing of best practices between the two localities that will benefit their constituents.
She expressed optimism that Legazpi City’s contributions in the areas of good governance and tourism development will help Sorsogon become a progressive locality.
Legazpi City, the capital of Albay province, was recently declared by the National Competitive Council (NCC) as the champion in infrastructure development and 4th most competitive component city in the country.
It obtained high scores from the NCC in terms of government efficiency, economic dynamism, and infrastructure development.
Legazpi was also named by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) as one of the recipient LGUs of a Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG).
Sorsogon City, on the other hand, is a 3rd class city and the capital of Sorsogon province.
The city was created by the merging of Bacon and Sorsogon towns through Republic Act 8806 signed on Aug. 16, 2000. (PNA)
