THE Cagayan de Oro City Council wants to expand the functions of the Investments and Promotions Office (IPO) to include strengthening the relationship between Cagayan de Oro and its sister cities.
City Councilor Ian Nacaya, chairman on the committee of economic enterprises, said with the creation of the “sisterhood office,” the city and its sister cities could undertake concrete projects that would eventually lead to investment opportunities.
The expanded office will now be called Investments, Sisterhood, and Promotions Office.
"The activities that were conducted in line with the celebration of the sisterhood anniversary, were just mere appearances and visits of both officials, there's no prominent joint project that both cities are involved. There was no further activity to strengthen our relationship," Nacaya said.
Nacaya said the city should also show its commitment to its sister cities and remain true to what is stipulated in the signed agreement, which is to carry out exchanges and cooperation in various forms in the fields of economy, trade, science, technology, culture, sports, education, health, tourism, personnel, among others, to enhance mutual development and prosperity.
"For instance, Harbin in China, has provided us a space in their city, the products and pictures, and even the history of Cagayan de Oro and all other sister cities of Harbin, they placed it in a building called Sister Cities and Museum of Harbin, this is because Harbin has a commission for all sister cities," he said.
"This commission facilitates all the networking and the entire sister cities, not only documentations and legal issuance, but also facilitates the hosting of every sister city in their coming to the City of Harbin," he added.
With the office, the city can readily initiate events and hold business engagements with Harbin's city officials, or any other sister cities of Cagayan de Oro.
Councilor George Goking, chairman of the trade and commerce, said the new office would also set up possible arrangements of investments between the two cities.
"It would be really easy for us to establish a business relationship, because we already have the connection. For example, if they intend to invest in our city, the said office could give them tax holidays and other similar benefits, so that when it comes to the city council, the agreement is already arranged," Goking said.
In 2007, Harbin City in the People’s Republic of China became a sister city of Cagayan de Oro while in 2008, Cagayan de Oro became the 7th sister city of Norfolk, Virginia.
In August 2017, the City of Yantai, China, also forged a “sisterhood relationship” with Cagayan de Oro City.
