Friday, 22 July 2022 17:05

ORO TIPC WELCOMES BRITISH EMBASSY WITH ACTING CITY MAYOR, COUNCILORS AND OFFICE HEADS

Written by Oro TIPC
THE BRITISH ARE COMING: The City of Golden Friendship came out in full force to welcome visiting British Embassy Political Counsellor Iain Cox (seated, leftmost) and Senior Political Adviser Kristine Borja (seated, rightmost), seated with City Councilor and Acting City Mayor Edgar Cabanlas (seated, center). Comprising the welcoming committee are (standing, from left) City Health Officer Dr. Rachel Dilla, Dr. Maria Magdalena Juan of the J.R. Borja General Hospital (JRBGH), City Councilor Suzette Magtajas-Daba, the Assistant to the City Mayor Sheila Lumbatan, Councilors Malou Gaane, John Michael Seno, Alam Lim, and Imee Rose Moreno, Legal Adviser to the City Mayor Atty. Melanie Mae Cabanlas, Assistant Department Head II of the Cagayan de Oro Trade and Investment Promotions Center (Oro-TIPC) Raelita E. Legaspi, City Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office (CTCAO) Offier-In-Charge Chedilyn Aissa P. Dulguime, Oro-TIPC International Relations in-charge Imma Rae D. Gatuslao, and Vonette Y. Go of CTCAO. THE BRITISH ARE COMING: The City of Golden Friendship came out in full force to welcome visiting British Embassy Political Counsellor Iain Cox (seated, leftmost) and Senior Political Adviser Kristine Borja (seated, rightmost), seated with City Councilor and Acting City Mayor Edgar Cabanlas (seated, center). Comprising the welcoming committee are (standing, from left) City Health Officer Dr. Rachel Dilla, Dr. Maria Magdalena Juan of the J.R. Borja General Hospital (JRBGH), City Councilor Suzette Magtajas-Daba, the Assistant to the City Mayor Sheila Lumbatan, Councilors Malou Gaane, John Michael Seno, Alam Lim, and Imee Rose Moreno, Legal Adviser to the City Mayor Atty. Melanie Mae Cabanlas, Assistant Department Head II of the Cagayan de Oro Trade and Investment Promotions Center (Oro-TIPC) Raelita E. Legaspi, City Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office (CTCAO) Offier-In-Charge Chedilyn Aissa P. Dulguime, Oro-TIPC International Relations in-charge Imma Rae D. Gatuslao, and Vonette Y. Go of CTCAO.

20 July 2021, Cagayan de Oro City – Cagayan de Oro Trade and Investment Promotions Center (Oro-TIPC) Assistant Department Head Raelita E. Legaspi and International Relations in-charge Imma Rae D. Gatuslao accompanied Acting City Mayor Edgar Cabanlas who, with local legislators and department heads, met with British Embassy Political Counsellor Iain Cox and Senior Political Adviser Kristine Borja on an official visit to Cagayan de Oro, July 20.

Mr. Cox and Ms. Borja were here to gain insight on key issues such as COVID-19 mitigation efforts, the recently concluded elections, and other local political, environmental, and economic developments with the end view of strengthening UK-Philippine relations and forging links between the British Embassy the City Government of Cagayan de Oro.

  

During the meeting that ensued, Acting City Mayor Cabanlas, standing in for City Mayor Rolando “Klarex” A. Uy who was in Manila to attend an in-person orientation course for newly-elected officials, called upon his fellow members of the City Council and the heads of some departments to brief the guests on specific areas of concern, to wit:

  • City Health Officer Dr. Rachel Dilla for COVID-19 response updates;
  • Oro-TIPC Assistant Department Head Raelita Legaspi and International Relations in-charge Imma Rae D. Gatuslao on the Sister Cities Program, which the city leverages as avenues for cultural, academic, and economic partnerships;
  • City Councilor Suzette Magtajas-Daba, Chairman of the City Council Committee on Education, on the thrust of the local education programs and how these dovetail with the Sister Cities Program;
  • City Councilor Imee Rose Moreno, Chairman of the City Council Committee on Women and Family Relations, discussed local legislation and protective services to combat trafficking;
  • City Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office Officer-In-Charge Chedilyn Aissa P. Dulguime on the city’s multi-modal and multi-nodal climate adaptive Project: Lunhaw; and
  • Dr. Maria Magdalena A. Juan of the J.R. Borja General Hospital (JRBGH) on the city’s work in building sustainable hospitals and healthcare facilities.

In response, Counsellor Cox explained that one of the reasons for their visit is his government’s advocacy of protective services for women and children. They have, he said, been working with “Kaabag sa Kalamboan pinaagi sa Kabtangan sa Katilingban (KKKK),” a civil society organization based in Cagayan de Oro City, through ChildFund Philippines, a global organization focused on helping and protecting disadvantaged children.

He also expressed his government’s interest in sustainable infrastructure projects, the prospect of twin city ties with a focus on sustainable transportation, climate change, and disaster risk management, and introduced the prospect of promoting Chevening, the UK government’s international scholarships and fellowships program, in Cagayan de Oro and Mindanao, as well as the possibility of partnerships in education with the British Council.

Also present at the meeting were Sangguniang Kabataan Federation President and ex-officio City Councilor John Michael Seno and Executive Assistant to the City Mayor Sheila Lumbatan.