San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom enjoyed a week-long visit to the Philippines, participating in a host of activities organized by the Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT). “This is a…
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom enjoyed a week-long visit to the Philippines, participating in a host of activities organized by the Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT). “This is a most significant visit by top government officials and leading executives of private companies in San Francisco,” said Philippine Tourism Secretary Joseph Durano during a luncheon.
“It just shows how serious they are in fostering stronger relations and cooperation between San Francisco and Manila, its sister city,” Durano added.
On the third day of Newsom’s 140-man cultural and trade mission to Manila, the DOT prepared a cultural program to showcase the historical attractions of the city, particularly Fort Santiago, Bahay Tsinoy and the Light and Sound Museum in Intramuros.
Other socio-cultural activities included a beach excursion at Punta Fuego, Batangas and a performance by the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, as well as more luncheons and dinners hosted by the Tambunting Group, Concepcion Industries, Inc., Philippine Airlines, ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp, Citigroup and Malacanang Palace.
The delegates also witnessed the wreath laying ceremonies held at the Rizal National Monument in Luneta and the groundbreaking of the Dewey Monument at the Manila Baywalk. They enjoyed a day tour of the historic Corregidor Island, a women leaders forum, business meetings coordinated by the Department of Trade and Industry as well as an education forum and investiture ceremonies.
A pet project of Dennis Normandy, chair of the San Francisco-Manila Sister City Committee (SFMSCC), the mission aims to deepen the historical and close friendship that has defined the centuries-old relationship between Manila and San Francisco.
Only 140 delegates were booked for this trip, although many more were interested in participating. The delegates included city government officials and the leading executives from the private sector, including travel and tourism, food and beverage, real estate, education and human resources, insurance, construction, law, trade and investment, banking, health, electronics and communications, non-government and peoples’ organizations, and mass media, among others.
According to Secretary Durano, the visit was also a good opportunity for the PDOT to inform every delegate of the Grand Tourism Campaign for North America, which is aimed at encouraging North America to visit and experience modern-day Philippines and its 7,107 tropical islands.
Mayor Newsom was so excited about his visit to Manila that he took time off from his extremely packed schedule to join the briefing for delegates held at the Lake Street Mansion of the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco.
