CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City’s sister cities have extended more funds for the rebuilding of the Cebu City Medical Center.
Mayor Michael Rama said the city received over P1 million from officials of Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands; Yeosu City, South Korea; Seattle City, Washington, USA; Salinas City, California; Sabrosa, Portugal; Kaohsiung City, Taiwan; and Xiamen, China during their visit to witness the Sinulog.
When he went abroad to “collect” funds from the sister cities for the reconstruction of the city hospital, Rama said he invited them to witness the Sinulog.
On top of the donation, Rama recalled that Xiamen donated ¥100,000 or P600,000 and Kaohsiung City in Taiwan has extended $10,000 or P460,000 to the city.
Xiamen has been Cebu City’s sister city by virtue of an agreement signed on October 26, 1984 during the term of then mayor Florentino Solon.
Kaohsiung became Cebu City’s sister city in 1969 and from then on, the city has received a lot of help, including over a hundred used busses donated to the city government.
Sister cities have the advantage of a direct link between them through which they can conduct exchange programs of any nature, including academic exchange, cultural exchange, trade, etcetera.
City Treasurer Diwa Cuevas earlier said that the city has raised over P30 million from the fund drive, including the P12.6 million shelled out by the Association of Barangay Councils.
The amount is on top of the P13.6 million and the $36,000 (P1.58 million using an exchange rate of P44 to a dollar) donations.
The P13.6 million includes the P1-million donation from Vriendschapshand of Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands and around P70,000 from Elizabeth Hotel Cebu, Kaohsiung City in Taiwan ($10,000 or P460,000), Xiamen (¥100,000 or P600,000), among others.
The total amount raised, however, is still not enough to fund the P1.5 billion project. But Rama said they will find ways to raise more funds. (FREEMAN)