Belgian city keeping ties with Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - Kortrijk in Belgium, a sister city of Cebu, is interested to continue its partnership with the Queen City of the South.

The City Council of Kortrijk last November 2013 decided to continue the cooperation for three years starting this year until 2016. However, a new memorandum of agreement (MOA) shall be crafted again between the cities of Cebu and Kortrijk.

In a letter dated January 23, 2014 addressed to Councilor James Cuenco, chairperson of the Committee on Tourism, Kortrijk Mayor Vincent Van Quickenborne said there is a necessity to continue the sister city-relationship to develop and sustain international benefits.

"Important action domains are citizen participation and climate change or solid waste management. We also want to involve civil society and citizens in international cooperation through youth exchange, internship, etc. and to improve the visibility of the cooperation," Quickenborne said.

A copy of the letter was furnished to the city council and was referred to the committees on laws and tourism Wednesday.

Kortrijk became Cebu's sister city by virtue of a partnership agreement signed in 2005. It has over two million residents.

Quickenborne pointed out that the cooperation is very essential as it strengthens the local government in both cities through meeting and exchange

"This resulted in interesting learning moments for both cities," the mayor said.

In August 2013, the city has evaluated the Kortrijk-Cebu cooperation particularly its impact to both cities if the partnership would be extended.

In the same year, Arnold Vandenbroeck also conducted an evaluation in Cebu City as to the terms and reference, efficacy, impact and sustainability of the international link or partnership.

Quickenborne pointed out that the expenses of the "twinning arrangement" were taken from the Municipal Development Cooperation Understanding via an impulse policy with the Flemish Government.

"This impulse policy will be able to stimulate municipalities so as to carry out both deepening and broadening and to formulate possible policy projects," he explained.

Based on their evaluation, of the total 399 personnel, city council, north-south board of Kortrijk, receivers, job seekers, young people and trainees, 235 (about 60 percent) agreed to continue the sister-city relationship. However, 56 (17 percent) disagreed while 108 had no opinion.

Most of those who agreed pointed to "open borders, learning from each other based on parity (openness works in an inspiring way and putting things in perspective), to make global topics more concrete and to make cooperation more tangible" as reasons.

They stressed that there would be vast opportunities, especially in education within the framework of cooperation, exchange and information distribution.

Meanwhile, others expressed disagreement because it may not be an essential and efficient to tie up with Cebu due to geographical factors and financial constraints.

"Over the past eight year, Cebu and Kortrijk have collaborated in a range of areas and deepened their relations. Citizens and organizations are setting up initiatives that give the twinning a broader and sustainable character," Kortrijk North-South Board said.

In Cebu, Vandenbroeck expressed openness and willingness to the partnership. At least 32 were interviewed from those who have been involved in the twinning.

The 32 affirmed that there is a need to "keep the sister city partnership focused on mutual learning, sharing, enhancing each other's uniqueness and particularities. The youth exchange is a very good investment to be continued because it builds relations among future generations of leaders and world citizens."

Vandenbroeck said the delegations from Cebu were unanimously positive regarding the "chances, the inspiration and the experiences on a range of diverse areas, the main ones being as, such as social housing, cycle paths and waste processing."

"The Cebu side of the twinning is certainly in favor of its continuation and it summed up around 30 points as possibilities for the broadening and deepening of the bond," he added. —(FREEMAN)