THE Provincial Government of Bohol and the City Government of San Juan in Metro Manila have formally signed a sisterhood agreement, establishing a partnership between the two local government units (LGUs).
Bohol Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado, together with members of the Provincial Board, and San Juan City Mayor Francisco Javier “Francis” Zamora signed the agreement during the Sandugo Festival celebration on Sunday, July 26, 2026.
Aumentado said the signing was fitting as it coincided with the Sandugo Festival, which symbolizes friendship, making it an appropriate occasion to formalize the sister-city relationship with San Juan.
He said the partnership reflects the importance of Bohol as a province and its growing ties with other LGUs across the Philippines.
He added that Cebu Province is expected to sign a similar sisterhood agreement with Bohol next week.
Under the partnership, the two LGUs will share best practices in governance and development, which Aumentado said will help strengthen tourism and boost their local economies.
The agreement covers cooperation in 10 key areas: tourism; trade, commerce and industry; science and technology; culture and the arts; urban planning and development; education; youth and sports development; environmental protection; public health; and social services.
“Now that Bohol has become a prime tourism destination, we need stronger connectivity with other provinces such as San Juan. In our discussions with Mayor Zamora, we agreed that San Juan can help promote Bohol, especially our tourist destinations, to encourage more local travelers to visit the province,” Aumentado said in Cebuano.
For his part, Zamora expressed happiness over San Juan’s new sister-city partnership with Bohol.
He said he has also studied Bohol’s best practices, particularly the Sandugo Festival, noting that it shares historical similarities with San Juan’s own celebrations.
Bohol annually commemorates the Blood Compact through the Sandugo Festival, while San Juan celebrates the Wattah! Wattah! Festival (Basaan Festival) and the Kultura at Sining sa Kapaskuhan sa Makabagong San Juan festival.
According to Zamora, these festivals help showcase each locality’s culture while promoting tourism.
He also shared that he enjoys going to the beach and praised Bohol for its beautiful coastlines.
“As you know, Bohol is truly famous for its tourism sites. I’ve visited Bohol several times, and I always make it a point to visit its beautiful beaches. Honestly, I really love the sea, and Bohol has so many stunning beaches,” Zamora said in Tagalog.
Zamora also pledged to promote Bohol’s tourist destinations and local delicacies in San Juan. (AYB)
