Davao and Sennan Mayors sign MOI to pursue sisterhood agreement

Davao City Mayor Sebastian Z. Duterte and Sennan City Mayor Yamamoto Yuma signed a Memorandum of Intent signifying their commitment to pursue the sisterhood agreement between the two cities last November 29, 2022.

The MOI signing was done during Mayor Yamamoto’s courtesy call with Mayor Duterte. The Sennan Mayor and a 10-man delegation from Sennan and Osaka Prefecture were in Davao City from November 28-30, 2022.

“To promote friendship and understanding, Davao City, the Republic of the Philippines, and Sennan City, Japan, recognize the need to collaborate based on equality and mutual benefits.”

“The sisterhood ties are subject to the authorization of the Davao City International Relations Council (DCIRB) in so far as Davao City is concerned, both parties shall actively carry out exchanges and cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, tourism, health, sports, and culture,” the MOI reads.

During the courtesy visit, the two mayors discussed possible collaborations in education, investment, tourism, and the development of Davao into a smart city. Both mayors also expressed their goal of establishing a direct flight from Davao to Osaka shortly.

For their two-day official itinerary, the Sennan delegation composed of city officials, the prefecture representative, and entrepreneurs met with the Japanese Chamber of Commerce in Mindanao, the Consulate General of Japan in Davao, and visited some local Japanese businesses. They also visited the Davao City Council while in session, where they were formally recognized.

The sisterhood agreement between Davao and Sennan was approved by the DCIRB last November 15, 2022. The City Council will soon pass a resolution to authorize Mayor Duterte to sign the agreement.