A TURKISH official proposed a sister-city agreement with Cebu City in a visit to the City Hall last Monday.
Newly installed Turkey Ambassador to the Philippines Esra Cankorur made a courtesy call to Mayor Michael Rama and opened the proposal of a sisterhood agreement between the city and Izmir, Turkey.
“We will be very pleased to see you in Izmir to sign the agreement,” Cankorur told Rama, as an invitation to go to the Turk city within the year.
Rama said he might be available to fly to Turkey in October.
Rama believes a sister-city agreement will improve the business relationship between the two cities.
Izmir is the third largest city in Turkey and has a strong industrial sector.
“A sister-city agreement brings two countries to be not too exclusive and it would bring an enhancement of diplomatic ties,” Rama told reporters in a press conference yesterday.
Some of Cebu City’s sister-cities are Haarlemmermeer of The Netherlands, Xiamen in China, Yeosu in Korea and Kaohsiung in Taiwan.
CCMC
Cankorur was accompanied by Ambassador Frank Benedicto.
Earlier, Rama requested Cebu’s ambassadors and consuls to help rebuild the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) by tapping the resources of the countries they represent.
But Rama chose not to burden the newly appointed Turk ambassador.
“Masobraan unya (We might get more than we need),” Rama said in jest.
This, as Miss Cebu 2014 Cheriemel Diane Muego worked as Cebu City’s ambassador during her trip to the US.
The trip was Muego’s prize for winning Miss Cebu, but it took on a different meaning since Cebu City was hit by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake last Oct. 15 and super typhoon Yolanda last Nov. 8.
Cinbeth Orellano of the Cebu City Tourism Commission said a fund-raising last May 25 at Las Vegas, Nevada earned $2,800 or P122,220 for the rebuilding of CCMC.
The Philippine Bisayan Society of Nevada, also pledged to adopt the entire second floor of the planned 10-storey CCMC.
Marian Pearson, the organization’s president, identified the Philippine Medical Association of Nevada and Kalahi Folkloric Ensemble as among the willing donors that will adopt the construction of the pedia ward of the city hospital, which will be located in the second floor.
Muego, accompanied by Orellano and Sinulog Foundation Inc. Executive Director Ricky Ballesteros were in the US from May 16 to June 8.
The trip took them to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas and New York.
Another project that Muego spearheaded in the US is the “Balik Balay” or the initiative to build 100 huts for Camotes Island to benefit super typhoon Yolanda survivors.