Dumaguete City Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria has slammed critics for claiming that he violated the law by signing a sisterhood agreement with the City of Alameda in California without authority from the City Council.
Speaking to reporters last week, Sagarbarria showed a copy of the agreement he signed in the United States.
It was a Memorandum of Understanding that he entered into with the City of Alameda.
The document showed that the MOU was to pave the way for the establishment of a formal sister-city relations.
Under the MOU, both parties will further promote mutual friendly visits between their people, actively carry out in-depth and extensive mutual friendship activities, and work towards the goal of establishing formal sister city relations, based on the principle of equality and mutual benefit, common development, and enhancement of mutual understanding and friendship.
The MOU is good for a five-year period.
Sagarbarria led a delegation of Dumagueteños to the US last month, on invitation of the Alameda City Government.
With the Mayor on the trip in their official capacities were City Legal Counsel Bimbo Lagahit, City Tourism Officer Woodrow “RR” Maquiling Jr., and Councilor Dan Leon.
Also with the Dumaguete delegation were Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce & Industry President Edward Du, businessman Elsie Lee, Silliman University President Dr. Ben Malayang III, and the Mayor’s wife Maisa, who all travelled on their personal accounts.
Sagarbarria said the formal signing of the Sister City Agreement between Dumaguete City and Alameda City will be held in Dumaguete, when Alameda City officials come to visit in November this year. (SGR)
