Dagupan City is set to sign a Sister City Agreement with Zamboanga City during the special session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) at the city hall on Tuesday.

City Tourism Officer Dea Que said the signing of the agreement was arrived at after the SP passed a resolution two weeks ago declaring Dagupan City’s intent “to forge sisterhood relationship with the City of Zamboanga.”

“Zamboanga City, popularly known as the ‘Lungsod ng mga Bulaklak (City of Flowers),’ being a prototype local government unit classified as ‘highly urbanized city’ may well serve as a model for our city to emulate in terms of local governance and urban development,” the resolution said.

Zamboanga City officials led by Mayor Celso Lobregat are scheduled to arrive in the city at 4 p.m. today. They are also here to attend the opening of this year’s Private Schools Athletic Association national games in Lingayen on Monday.

The city government led by Mayor Benjamin Lim will tender a welcome dinner tonight for the Zamboanga delegation at the Star Plaza Hotel, where they will be billeted.

Under the Sister City Agreement, both cities will collaborate for the mutual benefit of their communities by exploring educational, economic and cultural opportunities, and by sharing technology in the fields of commerce and industry.

In addition, the two cities will support and encourage opportunities for mutually beneficial practical exchanges in the fields of business, arts and culture, health, science, education, sports, tourism and local governance.

“We agree to exchange ideas and best practices in local governance to increase both cities’ knowledge and understanding in effectively managing various facets of city governance,” the agreement said.

At present, Dagupan City has an existing sister city relations with Santiago City in Isabela, Iwata City in Japan and Milpitas City in California.