Seven Bohol towns to continue sisterhood agreements with Makati

By: Rey Anthony H. Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY , Bohol, July 13 (PIA) --- About seven towns in Bohol have recently renewed their sisterhood agreements with the City of Makati through the visit of the PHL Vice-President Jejomar Binay.

The towns of Danao, Bien Unido, Getafe , Baclayon, Loay, San Miguel and Tagbilaran City have forged sisterhood agreements with Makati in 2008, Binay’s turf then as its Mayor.

 “We are benefiting greatly from the exchanges and we want to continue,” said Danao Mayor Thomas Louis Gonzaga, in a chance interview at the MetroCenter Hotel with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) here.   

DANAO and Bien Unido mayors admitted that Vice President Jejomar Binay has been an inspiration to young Boholano mayors.

“We did the sisterhood agreement in 2008, firmly believing that we have a lot to learn from the management system of Makati as an inspiration to bring in a similar economic emancipation template in our 5th class towns,” mayors Gonzaga and Boniel admitted.

According to mayor Gonzaga the sisterhood agreement has exposed the local government officials to study Makati ’s systems in its project implementation.

Danao mayor who ventured into an untested extreme eco-adventure for his town said, the sisterhood with Makati has opened his mind to entrepreneurial activities and management of resources.

Binay’s political officer Erwin Maceda said Makati had been so blessed with excess wealth that it shared with other towns and cities in the country that they call “sister cities.” 

Specifically, Gonzaga shared that the health care benefits program of Danao and other towns in Bohol had been lifted from the Makati templates of experience.

Makati City offers 90 percent free health care services to its residents when they get to the Ospital ng Makati .  It also gives full PhilHealth coverage to all its residents.

When Binay assumed the top post in Makati , the city has a P40M economic deficit. Three terms later, Makati ’s wealth bloated from P300M to P11 billion, Maceda shared to this writer.

Now seated at the country’s second top seat and with an office budget lower than a senator’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), the office could still respond to rescue and relief operations using its meager funds, Maceda added.

Vice President Jejomar Binay has been invited to a marathon of events in at least two towns in Bohol and in Tagbilaran City including a visit to Cogon and Dao Central Public Market and dinner interaction with the mayors at the Peacock Garden . (PIA-Bohol/mbcn/rahc)