Danao City, Ilocos Norte enter sisterhood pact

BAGUIO CITY — Danao City in Cebu and Ilocos Norte have officially established a sisterhood partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) last March 7.

Ilocos Norte Gov. Matthew Marcos Manotoc and Danao City Mayor Thomas Mark Durano led the MOA signing at the provincial capitol auditorium in Ilocos Norte along with government officials from both local government units.

“This is more than a sisterhood agreement. It is a friendship and a strong everlasting bond between families and now one that has culminated in this official MOA signing,” Manotoc said.

“This is an earnest and hopeful invitation for you to come back anytime because Danaoanos will always be most welcome in Ilocos Norte. May both the Province of Ilocos Norte and the City of Danao prosper," he added. 

The partnership between Ilocos Norte and the City of Danao signifies a commitment to solidarity, friendship and shared progress, as both government units strive to transform and develop the Ilokano and Cebuano communities.

Durano also commended Ilocos Norte provincial government’s progress.

“There is so much to learn from Northern Luzon’s next commercial hub, our country’s gateway to East Asia. We come on a mission to learn and apply to our LGU your province’s best practices, especially in the field of investment promotion, tourism management, and environmental protection," he said. 

"We also hope to deepen our ties through the sisterhood agreement between the province of Ilocos Norte and City of Danao. This is our commitment to be Ilocos Norte’s partner in Cebu, as well as their ambassador in the Visayas," he added.

This sisterhood agreement seeks to share the programs and best practices in local governance across multiple sectors of both government units, particularly in investment promotions, tourism management, and environmental protection.

Ilocos Norte provincial government department heads led by Manotoc himself conducted a benchmarking activity in Cebu City and Danao City earlier on February 27 to 29 as part of the provincial government’s “commitment in continuously improving the standard of service delivery and best practices utilized in local governance.