DAVAO City Second District Rep. Omar S. Duterte called for concrete and measurable cooperation between the city and Hamamatsu City, Japan, as the two sister cities moved to translate their partnership into specific programs and projects.
Speaking during the Action Planning Meeting for the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding between Davao City and Hamamatsu, Duterte said the partnership should go beyond ceremonial visits and instead generate tangible opportunities for residents of both cities.
“This partnership should not simply be about exchanging visits,” Duterte said, stressing the need for exchanges that could lead to new business connections, investments, educational opportunities, cultural exchanges, knowledge transfer, jobs and better opportunities for the people.
The meeting brought together delegates from Hamamatsu City, Davao City officials, members of the business community, and representatives from the academic and other sectors.
Duterte highlighted the complementary strengths of the two cities. He described Davao as a growing economic center in Mindanao with strong agricultural resources, a young and talented workforce, a growing consumer market and significant potential for new industries and investments.
Hamamatsu, meanwhile, is internationally known for manufacturing, technology, innovation and industry.
“When we bring these strengths together, we create opportunities for both our cities to learn from one another and to grow together,” Duterte said.
He identified several areas where cooperation could be expanded, including student and professional exchanges, academic partnerships, trade, investment, manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, technology and innovation.
Duterte also said Davao could learn from Japan’s experience in advanced technology, efficient systems, sustainable development and high-quality manufacturing, while emphasizing that Davao likewise has much to offer Japanese partners.
He pointed to Davao’s strategic location as a gateway to Mindanao and the broader Asean region, as well as its natural resources, human capital and growing market.
The congressman stressed that the Action Plan should provide a clear roadmap by identifying priorities, responsibilities, timelines and measurable indicators of progress.
“I encourage everyone participating today to be ambitious, but also practical. Let us identify programs that we can actually implement and sustain,” he said.
The Davao-Hamamatsu sister-city relationship was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding signed in October 2024, with cooperation envisioned in areas including education, academia, economy and investment.
Duterte said the ultimate goal should be to build a partnership that would remain beneficial for generations of Dabawenyos and the people of Hamamatsu.
“Successful partnerships are built not simply through documents, but through trust, consistency and action,” he said.
He thanked the Hamamatsu delegation for choosing to strengthen its relationship with Davao and encouraged both sides to turn their partnership into opportunities for businesses, students, institutions and communities.
“Together, let us transform this partnership into opportunities for our businesses, experiences for our students, knowledge for our institutions, and progress for our communities,” Duterte said.
The partnership adds to Davao City’s growing network of cooperation with Japanese local governments. Davao already maintains sister-city relationships with Kitakyushu and Sennan, aside from Hamamatsu.
The meeting was held amid the 2026 Philippines-Japan Friendship Year, marking the 70th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries. PR
