QUEZON CITY RENEWS SISTER-CITY AGREEMENT WITH GUAM                 source(www.dfa.gov.ph)

Vice Mayor Ma. Josefina "Joy" Belmonte-Alimurung of Quezon City (center) and Governor Eddie Baza Calvo sign the Sister City Agreement between the Quezon City Government and the island of Guam. Also in the photo is Councilor Jesus Manuel "Bong" Suntay, from the Fourth District of Quezon City

14 July 2012- The Quezon City Government recently renewed its Sister City Agreement with the Government of Guam in a signing ceremony held at the Guam Government House on July 12, the Philippine Consulate General in Agana reported.

Quezon City Vice Mayor Ma. Josefina "Joy" Belmonte-Alimurung and Guam Governor Eddie Baza Calvo signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that reignites the close relations between both local governments.

In 2000, Governor Carl Gutierrez signed a similar agreement with then Quezon City Mayor Ismael Mathay, Jr.

In his brief statement before the signing, Governor Calvo underscored the close friendship between the people of Guam and of the Philippines and the fact that Filipinos helped rebuild the island after the Second World War.

He recounted that his ancestors went to the Philippines and settled in Ermita and only came back to Guam after his father's great grandfather died there.

He also proudly mentioned that his own wife has her roots in Ilocos Norte.

Aside from having ties with the Philippines, Governor Calvo also mentioned that a lot of Guamanians now are going to the Philippines for medical treatment, particularly at St. Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City.

Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte, for her part, thanked the Governor for the opportunity to renew Quezon City's ties with Guam.

She also stated that the Quezon City Government is willing to explore more ways to further promote Philippine medical tourism in Guam and to assist in improving further the medical services being availed of in the Philippines by Guam's residents.

The ceremony was witnessed by members of the 18th City Council of Quezon City and by the various mayors of the villages in Guam, which comprise the Mayors' Council of Guam.

Also present during the ceremony were Mayors' Council Executive Director Angel Sablan, Director Alfredo Antolin of the Agency for Human Resource Development, Metro Manila Association of Guam President Emelio Uy and officers of the Philippine Consulate General in Agana, Consul Edgar Tomas Auxilian and Vice Consul Maria Paz Cortes.

(Front row, from left) Councilor Alex Herrera, Agat Mayor Carol Tayama, Councilor Eufemio Lagumbay, Councilor Jesus Manuel "Bong" Suntay, Councilor Raquel Malañgen, Consul Edgar Tomas Auxilian, Vice Mayor Ma. Josefina "Joy Belmote, Governor Eddie Baza Calvo, Councilor Candy Medina, Councilor Dorothy Delarmente-Bagiting, Vice Consul Maria Paz Cortes, Councilor Roderick Paulate, Councilor Marvin Rillo, Mr. Willy Onglao of Goodwind Development Corporation, and Executive Director Angel Sablan of the Mayor's Council of Guam. (Back row, L-R) Vice Mayor Robert Hoffman of Sinajana, Mayor Dale Alvarez of Sta. Rita, Director Alfredo Antolin of the Agency for Human Resources Development, Councilor Allan Reyes, Mr. Ranulfo Zabala Ludovica, Councilor Gian Sotto, Councilor Joseph Juico, Councilor Julian Coseteng, Councilor Vincent Belmonte, Councilor Don De Leon, Councilor Godofredo Liban II, Metro Manila Association of Guam President Emelio Uy, and (partly hidden) Mayor Paul MacDonald of Agana.