THE City Government of Davao has officially inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Hamamatsu City in Japan to strengthen the diplomatic and economic cooperations between the two regions.
The signing ceremony was led by Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte and Hamamatsu Mayor Yusuke Nakano on Tuesday afternoon, October 29, 2024, at the Matina Enclaves, Davao City.
The Sister City relationship reflects the two cities' common values, goals, and commitment to working together to create a more resilient and promising future.
In an ambush interview with the Davao reporters, Duterte expressed his positive outlook on the agreements, stating “This will generate [more] jobs and provide opportunities to Dabawenyos”. He said that this is not the first time a Japan city or other foreign region has vowed their interest in investing in the city considering that Davao’s growing economy and economic potential lie on the importance of these foreign investments.
Meanwhile, during the 2nd Davao City Council on International Relations Board (DCIRB) meeting on July 3, the proposal for the Sister City Agreement was approved, marking a significant step in strengthening the relationship between Davao and Hamamatsu cities.
Following the recent agreement, Davao City and Hamamatsu City will work together in the fields of education, academia, industry, investments, and manufacturing.
Similarly, Yamaha Music Philippines Inc. (YMPH), a sales subsidiary of Yamaha Corporation and Japanese manufacturer of musical instruments and audio equipment, also signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Davao City Department of Education with the goal of enhancing the quality of music education in the areas of music, arts, physical education, and health subjects among Davao City's elementary schools. The goal of YMPH's "School Project" is to increase the number of children who have access to musical instruments and music-related activities in public schools. DEF