THE CITY of San Juan in Metro Manila forged sisterhood pacts with the Province of Negros Occidental and its 32 cities and municipalities — including the capital, Bacolod — on March 12.
The signing ceremony was held at the Capitol’s Social Hall.
Present for San Juan were Mayor Francis Zamora and his delegation, which included his councilor, Escalante City native and Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) star James Yap.
Representing Negros Occidental were Gov. Bong Lacson and the province’s 32 mayors, led by Association of Chief Executives (ACE) president and Cadiz City Mayor Salvador “Bading” Escalante Jr.
The ganap? Grandiose.
But many raised their eyebrows.
Then came the inevitable question: For what?
Eager for a scoop, members of the local press asked Mayor Zamora whether he intends to run for senator in the 2028 elections.
Mayor Zamora — currently president of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) — responded in a characteristically “twisty” manner, offering neither a clear yes nor no.
‘POLITICAL INGREDIENTS’
Still, if Mayor Zamora does decide to run for senator in 2028, it is undeniable that he possesses the “political ingredients” to win.
He has strong name recall, a relatively untarnished image, demonstrated leadership, intact integrity, and a well-oiled political machinery. Add to that his looks, his sports-celebrity background, and — perhaps most importantly — his unbroken credibility.
But let us give Mayor Zamora the space to refine his political aspirations.
After all, there is still ample time before the 2028 polls.
Should he choose to run, he would certainly be among the formidable senatorial contenders. With his current stature, he already stands as a viable national figure.
FOR COLLECTIVE GROWTH
Anyway, let us return to the essence of this piece — the sisterhood pacts.
At its core, Mayor Zamora emphasized that these partnerships between San Juan and Negros LGUs aim to foster collective growth.
The exchange of “best practices” among these “sister” local governments will take center stage.
San Juan, under Mayor Zamora’s leadership over the past seven years, has carried the banner of “Makabagong San Juan.”
The city has positioned itself as one of the country’s more digitized LGUs, earning recognition for its technology-driven services.
It has also been commended for strong fiscal accountability, based on reports from the Commission on Audit (COA).
Mayor Zamora himself has earned the moniker “Mr. Transparency” in Metro Manila.
With these assets, Negros mayors are keen to learn from his governance model — or perhaps even from his effective style of political messaging.
COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP
Mayor Zamora also underscored that, under these sisterhood agreements, San Juan is committed to providing free space for Negros products at the well-known Greenhills Shopping Center.
Nice.
Simply put, Negros products will enjoy free promotion and marketing in San Juan.
A smart move, indeed.
Call it collaborative partnership.
Seamless synergy follows.
And teamwork becomes the driving force toward lasting impact.
LIKE A ‘JAM SESSION’
Delving deeper into these sisterhood pacts, it seems as though Mayor Zamora envisions them as a kind of “jam session” with Negros leaders.
Like musicians playing in harmony, governance here becomes a shared rhythm.
From my perspective, Mayor Zamora appears to be building a social connection between San Juaneños and Negrenses.
Rather than chasing perfection in governance, the goal seems to be fostering trust, cooperation, and long-term gains with tangible benefits.
What a trajectory — born of both vision and strategy.
‘FLOODED’ WITH NOUN PHRASES
Candidly speaking, these sisterhood pacts can easily be “flooded” with glowing noun phrases:
* unwavering support
* collective commitment
* mutual empowerment
* deep solidarity
* greatness in unity
* strong connections
* enduring friendship
* combined strength
* focused synergy
What else?
Mayor Zamora, it seems, is nothing if not strategic.
Beyond politics, his plans, actions, and goals appear carefully architected — “webbed,” if you will — not just for personal advancement, but for the greater good.
Reflecting on this, I am reminded of what former president and now Pampanga 2nd District Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo once said:
“The power of one, if fearless and focused, is formidable; but the power of many working together is better.”
SAME ‘WEBLINK’
Mayor Zamora and Mayor Bading — based on my own experience observing the latter — seem to share the same “weblink” in politics and public service.
Both choose to build on friendship rather than provoke hostility.
Pushing for sisterhood pacts between San Juan and Negros LGUs is, without a doubt, a commendable initiative. One for the books, perhaps. Indeed, it promises benefits for both sides.
Kudos to these new “sisterakas.”/PN
