DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 26 Jan) – The relationship of Davao City with two sister Chinese cities proved useful not only during economic boom but also in the time of health crisis as these provided support to the local government in its coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response.
April Marie Dayap, chief of the Davao City Investment and Promotions Center (DCIPC), said that the city government received 8,000 face masks from Nanning Municipal People’s Government and 500 infrared thermometers, and 3,000 pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) from Jinjiang.
Aside from this, Panpan Food Company based in Jinjiang sent 1.1 million face masks.
The sister city agreement of Davao with Nanning was signed in 2007 when President Rodrigo R. Duterte was still mayor, and was automatically renewed when it expired in 2017.
Mayor Sara Duterte signed Davao’s sister city agreement with Jinjian in 2018 to foster bilateral cultural and economic exchange and promote tourism between two cities.
Dayap said that Chinese sister cities were prompt to send medical and personal protective equipment, adding that Davao benefited from these strong ties “during the early stage of pandemic.”
The city government also received donations from Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian and the Davao Fil-Chinese Multi-Sectoral Association, Inc., consisting of 20 respiratory machines, additional 1,200 infrared thermometers, 10,020 protective septic suits, 2,000 face shields, 600 protective goggles, 9,660 N95 masks, and 37,500 pairs of gloves.
Dayap said the city government shared the donated supplies to 19 medical and emergency facilities in the city and around the region, including the Davao Regional Medical Center in Tagum City, Davao Oriental Provincial Hospital in Mati, Davao del Sur Provincial Hospital in Digos, Compostela Valley Provincial Hospital in Montevista, IGACOS General Hospital in Samal, Davao Occidental Provincial Hospital, and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Council in Sta. Cruz in Davao del Sur.
She added that their “thoughtful gesture has truly reaffirmed our mutual commitment, which is to boost cooperation in all possible areas, especially when assistance is badly needed.”
Davao has existing friendship city agreements with Uijeongbu and Incheon in South Korea; sister city agreements with cities in the Philippines such as Baguio, Manila, Quezon City, Cebu City, Bayugan, Cotabato, Zamboanga City, Legazpi in Albay, Bacoor in Cavite, San Juan and Marikina in Metro Manila; and sister city agreements with Jinjiang in Fujian and Nanning, China; Manado and Pekanbaru in Indonesia; Koror in Palau; Montevideo in Uruguay; Panama City in Panama; Vladivostok in Russia; Keelung in Taiwan; Kauai Country in Hawaii and Tacoma in Washington in the United States.
As of January 25, the Department of Health (DOH)-Davao Region reported 193 new cases, bringing the total cases to 16,2098, with 2,631 active, 13,019 recoveries, and 648 deaths in the region.
Out of the total, Davao City, which reported the highest COVID-19 cases in Mindanao, tallied 11,067 cases, with 1,490 active, 9,065 recoveries, and 512 deaths. Davao de Oro reported 831 cases, Davao del Norte with 2,280, Davao del Sur with 1,174, Davao Occidental with 175, and Davao Oriental with 771. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
