Ilocos Norte, Danao City ink sisterhood agreement

(From left) Ilocos Norte Vice Governor Cecilia Araneta Marcos, Governor Matthew Manotoc, Danao City Mayor Thomas “Mix” Durano, and Vice Mayor Ramon “Nito” Durano III. /Courtesy of Danao City PIO

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Less than a week after the key officials of the Ilocos Norte province paid a visit to the local government of Danao City in northern Cebu, the two LGus met again, this time in Ilocos Norte.

The visit to Ilocos Norte was Danao City’s venture to sisterhood with the said province at the Provincial Capitol Auditorium of Ilocos on March 7, Thursday.

Danao City officials and its department heads were present during the signing of the sisterhood agreement.

According to Danao City’s Public Information Office in its press release, Danao City Mayor Thomas “Mix” Durano and his delegation came “on a mission to learn and apply to Danao City the Ilocos Norte’s best practices especially in the field of investment promotions, tourism management, and environmental protection.”

READ: Danao City museum, new-look public market to rise soon

Meanwhile, Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Manotoc said that sisterhood with Danao City was beyond sisterhood, friendship, and partnership.

“This certainly feels more like family…Here’s to the continued friendship, the continued partnership and the continued family bond between the City of Danao and the Province of Ilocos Norte,” Manotoc was quoted as saying.

For Danao Vice Mayor Ramon “Nito” Durano III, their visit to Ilocos served as a “pilgrimage” to the birthplace of the late president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and his family, who inspired Nito’s father and contributed to the progress of Danao City.

Danao City Councilor and Committee Chair on Tourism Ivy Durano, for her part, aimed to “emulate” Ilocos Norte’s best practices in tourism, investment, environmental protection, and economic development.

READ: Housing project, satellite market soon to rise in Danao City

Also present during the occasion were Ilocos Norte Vice Governor Cecilia Araneta Marcos.

Furthermore, Danao officials also visited the City Government of Batac and the Municipality of Currimao for a benchmarking activity focusing on development projects, tourism, agro industrial, and investment initiatives, the PIO said.

Last January 29 and February 28, Marcos and Manotoc visited Danao City for their benchmarking activity with the LGU’s key officials, respectively.

During the February visit, Mix assured that Ilocos Norte “will always find a friend” in Danao City as well as a “reliable partner and a loyal ally.” /clorenciana

READ: Danao City always a ‘loyal ally’ to Ilocos Norte province — city mayor