MAYOR Michael Rama was able to secure the commitment of members of the Filipino community in British Columbia, Canada to donate around P100 million to help fund the completion of one floor of the still-incomplete Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).
This was what lawyer Collin Rosell revealed to reporters on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022, six days after Rama and other city officials made an official trip to Canada.
During a press conference, Rosell, who is Rama’s secretary, told reporters that aside from the financial pledge, members of the Filipino community in Canada also agreed to help the CCMC by providing new medical equipment.
“They are not saying that it’s too much, but what they said to us is CID or Consider it Done,” Rosell said, recalling Rama’s meeting with the Filipino community during the trip.
Rosell said the Filipino community there also expressed support for Rama’s plan to make Cebu City the next Singapore and vowed to coordinate with other communities in Canada to help contribute to the mayor’s cause.
Friendship city relations
Aside from the pledges, Rosell said the city government of Vancouver, British Columbia expressed interest in establishing “friendship city” relations with Cebu City.
City Councilor James Anthony Cuenco, who accompanied Rama during the trip, said they are targeting to finalize the agreement within the year and have it signed by officials of both city governments in January.
Cuenco, who chairs the City’s sister city committee, said Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart was enthusiastic to sign the “friendship city” agreement with Rama.
But Cuenco said he still has to draft an agreement that he will present before the City Council for approval.
Cuenco said that while “friendship city” ties are less formal than that of sister cityhood, it was a step towards a more lasting relationship between the two cities.
He said Stewart was particularly interested in Cebu’s shipbuilding industry that is based in Balamban and Rama hopes to connect him with the western Cebu town for a sharing of technologies and ideas.
By invitation
Rosell clarified that Rama’s official trip to Canada was due to an invitation from the Filipino community in Agassiz, British Columbia to attend the enthronement of the Sto. Niño de Cebu there.
Agassiz, which is 150 kilometers from Vancouver, has a shrine in honor of the Sto. Niño de Cebu.