By Genalyn Kabiling
PORT MORESBY -- The city of Port Moresby is interested in forging a sisterhood agreement with Davao City, the hometown of President Duterte, according to a Filipino diplomat here.
(PCOO/ YouTube/ MANILA BULLETIN)
Philippine Ambassador to Papua New Guinea Bienvenido Tejano said Port Moresby Governor Powes Parkop was hoping to relay his proposal to deepen the relations between the two cities during the President's visit.
"He has been telling me, since we have known each other (for long), if there will be a chance for him to propose to the city of Davao to become a sister city of Port Moresby," Tejano said in an interview with Radio-Television Malacañang.
"Maybe it can happen sometime in the future. I will also express this to the president," he added.
The President arrived in Port Moresby Friday morning to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit this weekend to tackle regional trade concerns, including the development of micro, small and medium enterprises. The President’s first visit to Papua New Guinea has stirred excitement not only among the Filipino community but the government leaders including Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.
Tejano said the Port Moresby governor was among the government officials who were eager to meet President Duterte this week.
"The city governor of Port Moresby, we just had a meeting the other day and he was saying, please give me a chance to shake hands with your President. I said, 'Why?' He said, 'He's my idol,'" he added.
Davao City has forged several sister agreements with various cities, including most recently the cities in China and Hawaii.
Mayor Sara Duterte- Carpio recently signed a sister city pact between Davao City and Jinjiang City, China to enhance partnership in the areas of tourism and culture, trade and commerce, education, and science and technology. Davao previously entered a sisterhood agreement with Nanning City.
A sister city agreement between Davao City and County of Kauai, Hawaii was forged last September.