Tabanda in the resolution recalled that as early as 1993, the City of Baguio expressed its intent to establish sisterhood ties with the City of Chicago as contained in Resolution 044, Series of 1933.
"During a dialogue on Learning Styles with the School for New Learning graduate students at DePaul, Chicago, Mr. Henry Tenedero, president of the Saint Louis Boys' High School Alumni Foundation, Inc., was able to touch base with Ms. Lois Weisberg and Atty. Robert Karr of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Honorary Chair of Chicago Sister Cities International to discuss the possibility of forging sister-city ties with the City of Baguio," the resolution noted.
The City of Baguio has historic connections with Chicago because both cities were designed by Architect Daniel H. Burnham, Chicago's pioneer urban planner and architect.
Moreover, Chicago is home to several important institutions, which have had relationships with the city, including the Field Museum of Natural History, which has an intensive collection of Northern Philippine artifacts dating from those early anthropological expeditions of the 1900s and the Art Institution of Chicago;
Worth mentioning is the fact that while Chicago is preparing for their celebration of the Burnham Park Plan Centennial in 2009, the City of Baguio is likewise preparing for its Centennial Celebration in 2009;
The sister-city relationship will greatly enhance growth and development for both cities in several areas, among which are urban planning, city/parks management and building infrastructure, whose establishment could be used as a vehicle for providing assistance to the city in its rebuilding efforts due to environmental destruction that has taken place as a result of rapid urbanization and population pressure; the City of Baguio in return can insure an exchange program in such areas as culture, education, arts, trade and economic development.
The kinship was recommended by the Philippines International Sisterhood and Twinning Association, Baguio City Chapter (Phista-BCC) in its Resolution No. 6, Series of 2008.
The city has for years established twinning ties with various cities and municipalities - both local and foreign - that are in enviable positions to open bridges for free exchange of tourism, social, cultural, economic, scientific, legislative, administrative and advanced communication technologies for the benefit of both sister-cities and their constituents. (APR)
