Governor Garcia invited to eco forum in Russia

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia had been invited to St. Petersburg, Russia for the 2024 Economic Forum in June.

The invitation will also serve as an opportunity for her explore the possibility of renewing its sisterhood pact with the Russian city.

Russian Ambassador to the Philippines Marat Pavlov personally invited the Governor during his visit at the Capitol last Friday.

St. Petersburg and the Cebu provincial government’s sisterhood pact already expired after it was first signed in 2009, according to the provincial government’s official news network, Sugbo News.

It was during Garcia’s second term in office that the Cebu Province and St. Petersburg signed a five-year sisterhood agreement to expand their cooperation in the fields of tourism, socio-cultural, and economic development.

St. Petersburg is Russia’s second most important economic, scientific, and cultural center after Moscow.

Ambassador Pavlov told Garcia that in 2023, St. Petersburg conducted an economic forum where a proposal on reviving and strengthening its cooperation with Cebu Province was raised.

“The proposal is very, very simple: to renew this agreement, to resign this kind of document. St. Petersburg authorities are ready to receive you and your visits,” said Ambassador Pavlov.

Garcia responded positively especially in renewing ties with St. Petersburg.

“I would be very, very interested, Your Excellency, in renewing ties with St. Petersburg because there is much that we can benefit from, both ways, both for St. Petersburg and of course for Cebu,” Garcia said.

The two officials also discussed the possibilities of establishing direct flights from Cebu to St. Petersburg and vice versa; and to engage in people-to-people exchanges.

The Russian ambassador was accompanied by Russian Honorary Consul Armi Garcia and his fellow Russian delegates.

Both parties exchanged locally-produced products, which included a Russian doll figurine and vodka from the foreign delegation; while the Capitol gifted the ambassador with a basket of Cebuano products, among others.

Last year, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama was also in Russia, but in another city, Vladivostok.

Rama also attended an economic forum while formally establishing its friendship city agreement. (CEBU NEWS)