COOPERATION. Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (center) leads the meeting with the delegation from Tahara City, Japan, headed by Yasuo Matsumoto and Sugiura Fujiko at the Government Center on Tuesday (Sept. 19, 2023). “They came here proposing to become a sister city. They are looking for additional collaborations,” he said. (Photo courtesy of Bacolod City PIO)
BACOLOD CITY – This city is exploring a sisterhood agreement with Japan’s Tahara City, the home of Toyota Motor Corp.’s plant for the upscale brand Lexus, for cooperation in the water and energy supply and human resource sectors.
Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez received the delegation from the Japanese city headed by Yasuo Matsumoto and Sugiura Fujiko at the Government Center on Tuesday.
“We have visitors from Japan. They came here proposing to become a sister city. They are looking for additional collaborations,” Benitez said in a press briefing.
He said that to jumpstart efforts, a delegation from Bacolod would have to visit Tahara, located in the Aichi Prefecture, and the city government would also organize a Japanese language and culture course to prepare the city’s manpower for eventual deployment in Japan.
“What will happen first within this year is the language classes. Knowledge of English would not be enough. The first requirement is for them to be able to speak the Japanese language,” he added.
Frances Mae Llamas, head of the Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion Office (LEDIPO), said the proposed exchange would be built on various options.
One area is for a water purification project and collaboration for identified communities, and another is for bioethanol production using pineapple and cassava peels as raw materials for a company based in Tahara.
“We will be working closely with local government units that can help us with the plantation side so we can supply the need for pineapple and cassava skins for the bioethanol plant,” Llamas said.
Another option is the partnership for human resource engagement that will enable residents here to secure employment in Tahara.
“That is really promising. Their need is in the health and allied areas such as caregiving and skilled workers set for driving,” she added. (PNA)
