DAGUPAN City Mayor Benjamin S. Lim and Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat found a lot of things in common about their cities as the two formally forged a sister cityhood pact on February 24 in Zamboanga City in time for its charter day.

“If Dagupan City is the Bangus Capital of the World, Zamboanga is the sardines capital of the Philippines,” Lim said. Lobregat, for his part, added that both Dagupan and Zamboanga are sports and trading centers in which their respective populations double during the day.

Lim thanked Zamboangueños on behalf of the Dagupan delegation, composed of Vice Mayor Alvin Fernandez and all Dagupan councilors, for the red carpet reception they received from the City of Flowers.

Vice Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco, all Zamboanga City councilors, 98 punong barangays, various city hall departments and non-government organizations warmly welcomed the Dagupan delegation.

Lim pointed out that the secret ingredients of a successful sister-city relationship are faith, trust, and sincere caring and sharing for one another.

While Dagupan and Zamboanga actually have foreign sister cities, Lim stressed the importance of local partnerships in which all local leaders join hands in elevating the lives of their respective constituents.

Lobregat, on the other hand, commended Lim and the city council for making Dagupan less dependent on the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) and increasing its local income.

He said that from the annual budget of P250 million when Lim assumed office, P160 million Came from IRA, while the P100 million was from the local revenue. In just a few years, the P250 million annual budget climbed to P360 million, he noted.

“This political will in Dagupan City serves a challenge and inspiration for us Zamboanguenos to do the same,” he stated.