Revival of Iloilo-Guam sisterhood pushed

ILOILO – Fourth District Provincial Board member Domingo Oso pushes for the revival of the sisterhood agreement between this province and the US territory of Guam to open employment, tourism and investment opportunities in both areas.

Oso, vice chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan committee on tourism, was one of the delegates in the First Western Visayas Agriculture, Trade/Investment, Tourism and Cultural Mission to Guam held from Sept. 10 to 16.

Iloilo and Guam established a sisterhood relationship in 1989 by virtue of Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) Resolution No. 91, Series of 1989 under then governor Simplicio Griño and Vice Gov. Ramon Duremdes.

Oso said with recent developments in Iloilo and in Guam, it is high time that the sisterhood agreement be revived to open new opportunities.

He said there have been initial talks between Iloilo’s Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. and Guam’s Gov. Lourdes Leon Guerrero and both of them are amenable to the plan.

“There is a construction boom in Guam and with us having a good relationship with Guam we can send Ilonggo workers there thus creating employment opportunities for our people,” Oso said.

Oso noted that Filipinos comprise around 40 percent of Guam’s population and there are many Ilonggos working and living there.

The four-day business mission introduced Western Visayas as a viable vacation destination for Guam residents, as well as Guam-based US military servicemen and their families.

Oso together with Provincial Tourism Officer Bombette Marin and other Iloilo delegates presented the current economic developments in the city and province of Iloilo which could attract more investors. They also promoted the various heritage and tourism destinations in Iloilo that Guam residents could visit.

Oso added they are also pushing for the waiver of visa requirement for Filipinos going to Guam so that Filipinos could easily visit their relatives and friends there. 

He said the visa waiver could boost the chances of opening the direct flight from Iloilo to Guam and vice versa which is being pushed by the American Association of Western Visayas./PN

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