DAVAO City on Thursday morning, July 15, forged a sister city agreement with Zamboanga City.
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and Zamboanga City Mayor Beng Climaco signed the agreement at the Zamboanga City Hall.
During the signing, Zamboanga City Vice Mayor Rommel Agan said in his speech that the sister city agreement aims to form a relation between two cities in promoting "mutual cooperation and deeper understanding" between two parties in the field of tourism and culture, agriculture, and trade and commerce.
Agan said both cities have always sought potential local partners for development and mutual cooperation.
"Davao City and Zamboanga City intend to create and fortify an open communicative atmosphere to induce a heightened exchange of ideas," Agan said.
On April 9, 2015, Climaco and former Davao City mayor, now President Rodrigo Duterte, signed a pledge toward forging Sister City ties between the two cities.
The Davao City Government received a letter from Climaco on February 19, 2018, inquiring as to the status of the sister city proposal.
Climaco, in her speech, thanked the Davao City Government for materializing the partnership between two cities.
Duterte-Carpio said the signing of the sisterhood agreement would boost the two cities’ thrust in tourism and culture, agriculture, and trade and commerce.
“Now we are writing history between Zamboanga and Davao by signing this Sisterhood Agreement. Our two cities are strong but we are stronger together,” Duterte-Carpio said.
The Davao City mayor said there is a need to establish linkages and build connections with other cities, especially in Mindanao where they share the same issues and challenges.
"With today's signing, it is my hope that we may begin the executing work ahead and boost our respective city's thrust in the areas of tourism and agriculture, trade and commerce," Duterte-Carpio said.
The Davao mayor said she has been friends with Climaco since January 2020 when both of them participated in the International Visitor Leadership Program organized by the US Department of State.