Tacloban upbeat on renewed ties with Fukuyama City

TACLOBAN CITY, June 5 -- The city government has strengthened sisterhood ties with Fukuyama City in Japan after a week-long visit of city legislators to the second largest city in the Hiroshima Prefecture.

Vice Mayor Jerry Yaokasin emphasized on Monday the need to renew partnerships with Fukuyama in Japan after two cities forged sisterhood in 1980.

Neither city was doing as much as they once had to strengthen that tie although there was an attempt to revive it in 2009, according to the city’s second highest official.

On May 18 to 24, Yaokasin and councilors Eden Pineda, Rachelle Erica Pineda, Edward Frederick Chua, Evangeline Esperas, Jose Mario Bagulaya, Raissa Villasin, and Aimee Grafil visited Fukuyama.

“After the visit, we are optimistic of reviving our ties and exchange of cultural relationships,” Yaokasin told PNA.

“Our mission was to renew our sister cityhood ties with Fukuyama and foster international understanding and cultural exchange. We also hope to promote trade and tourism between the two cities,” he added.

Yaokasin met with Fukuyama Mayor Naoki Edahiro and the City Assembly Chairman Masakazu Ogawa who hosted a welcome luncheon and dinner for Tacloban and other sister cities.

A marker, located along the city’s Rizal Avenue, was erected to symbolize the sisterhood of the two cities.

When super typhoon Yolanda struck Tacloban in 2013, Fukuyama officials were among the first to send assistance to the survivors of one of the world’s strongest typhoons to hit inland.

During their visit in Fukuyama, their local counterparts entertained them with cultural presentation of Rose Festival, which is now on its 50th year, and is considered as one of its major attractions.

The festival was held as a way to help the residents of Fukuyama recover from the destruction caused by World War II. (Lizbeth Ann A. Abella/PNA)