THE City Government of Danao is stepping up efforts to build stronger linkages with Asean neighbors after conducting a benchmarking mission in Vietnam aimed at expanding cooperation in tourism, environmental protection, education and trade.
Led by Mayor Ramon “Nito” Durano III and Vice Mayor Ivy Durano, the Danao City delegation visited Lao Cai Province in northern Vietnam from Feb. 25 to March 3, 2026, to explore potential partnerships that could support Danao’s growing ecotourism and adventure tourism sectors.
The delegation held meetings with officials from Lao Cai Province, including Vice Chairperson Nguyen Thanh Sinh, and local leaders in Sa Pa Ward to exchange best practices on sustainable tourism, environmental protection and cultural preservation.
City officials said the visit forms part of Danao’s broader strategy to strengthen international cooperation and position the city as a gateway for investment and tourism in northern Cebu.
Collaboration
During the meetings, both sides discussed possible collaboration between their tourism industries and business communities, including joint tourism promotions, adventure tourism exchanges and travel partnerships.
Vietnamese officials also proposed expanding cooperation in education, language training and cultural exchanges to strengthen people-to-people ties between the two localities.
Lao Cai Province, which welcomed around 10.5 million visitors in 2025, including about 1.5 million international tourists, is widely recognized for its mountain tourism industry centered in Sa Pa, home to terraced rice fields and Fansipan Peak — the highest mountain in Indochina.
Site visits
The Danao delegation also conducted site visits to several tourism infrastructure projects in Sa Pa, including the Fansipan mountain tourism complex and a high-altitude glass bridge attraction, to study visitor management systems, safety standards and environmental protection practices.
Durano said the exposure will help the City evaluate possible adaptations for Danao’s own mountain tourism destinations, including potential development around Mt. Manghilao under the Department of Budget and Management’s Green Green Program.
“Visits like this allow us to learn global best practices that we can translate into concrete programs for environmental sustainability and tourism development in Danao,” the mayor said.
Danao, which has five mountain peaks and growing adventure tourism activities, is also exploring green infrastructure projects such as electric vehicle charging stations in northern Cebu as part of its climate action initiatives.
The city has recently hosted an investment forum focused on economic recovery and digital transformation, while also organizing an international ultra-trail running event to promote adventure tourism globally.
The mission was facilitated with support from the Philippine Embassy in Vietnam, led by Ambassador Francisco Noel Fernandez III, which helped arrange meetings and engagements with Vietnamese officials.
City officials said the visit also comes at a significant time as the Philippines and Vietnam mark 50 years of diplomatic relations, providing a platform to strengthen cooperation between local governments within the Asean region.
Both sides expressed optimism that the dialogue will lead to deeper knowledge exchange, reciprocal visits and potential formal partnerships aimed at strengthening tourism, protecting the environment and expanding economic opportunities. / KOC