Garcia to visit Russia in June

GOV. Gwendolyn Garcia is set to travel to Russia from June 1 to 7, 2024 for a number of official engagements.

This was announced during a meeting between Garcia and Russian Honorary Consul Armi Garcia on Monday, Jan. 29 at the Capitol.

The governor will be attending the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, which is set to take place in the well-known Russian city from June 5 to 7.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to attend the event.

According to Garcia, the occasion will kick off business talks between Cebu Province and St. Petersburg Region and will also renew their sisterhood agreement.

A five-year sisterhood agreement between Cebu Province and St. Petersburg was inked in 2009, during the governor’s second term in office, to expand their cooperation in the fields of tourism, socio-cultural and economic development.

When the governor exited in 2013, the deal was no longer renewed.

After Moscow, St. Petersburg is the second-most significant economic, scientific and cultural hub in Russia.

During her visit, Garcia will also meet with Russian airport authorities to discuss the creation of direct flights from Cebu to St. Petersburg and vice versa.

She will also visit a children’s hospital in St. Petersburg to examine their best practices that can be adapted to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), particularly in the area of cancer care.

The governor is anticipated to be joined at the final two sessions by representatives from VSMMC and the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority.

“We need to encourage tourism in our countries for them to better understand our culture, our destination that we are promoting, and also for them to understand the Filipinos better,” Consul Garcia told the Cebu Provincial Government’s official media arm.

“Likewise, as they come here, there will be more interaction, and we will also understand the Russians better,” the consul added.