The Province of Davao Oriental is set to sign a sisterhood agreement with Hau Giang province, the biggest rice-producing province in Vietnam.
President and Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam, Vuong Dinh Hue, expressed strong support for the proposed sisterhood agreement as he held a special meeting with Davao Oriental Governor Corazon Malanyaon in Manila recently.
Hue believes it would help bolster trade and collaboration that will significantly benefit both territories.
Aside from Hau Giang Province, he also offered other provinces in Vietnam to become sister provinces with Davao Oriental, noting that this would also benefit all territories involved, particularly in expanding businesses to cater to the growing international markets.
Malanyaon warmly welcomed the proposition, noting this would be an opportunity for the provinces involved to expand their markets and strengthen ties.
“I believe that with the opening of our country and provincial economies post-COVID, we should be aggressive in pursuing economic cooperation so that we can complement and supplement each other for development.”
“I believe that with the opening of our country and provincial economies post-COVID, we should be aggressive in pursuing economic cooperation so that we can complement and supplement each other for development,” the lady governor told Hue.
She thanked the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for the opportunity for sisterhood as it would help improve the local economy and make a massive dent in the province’s poverty incidence.
“Davao Oriental has always admired Vietnam because of its fast-growing economy and many innovations, especially in agriculture.”
Malanyaon said her province has always admired Vietnam because of its fast-growing economy and many innovations, especially in agriculture.
She recently sent Provincial Agriculturist Dr. Edito Sumile to Vietnam, facilitated by Chinese businessman Donny Yeung, to explore potential areas where the provinces can cooperate.
Some areas for cooperation identified include exchanges on experiences on economic development, agricultural products trade and agricultural investments cooperation, and cultural and educational cooperation.
With Vietnam’s competence and technical experience in agricultural development, it has a promising capacity to help develop Davao Oriental’s vast potentials and competitive advantages.
These potentials include its strategic location in the Southeastern most of the country, making it the gateway to the Pacific. It has a resource-rich provincial economy with diverse agricultural resources such as rice, coconut, cacao, coffee, banana, and abaca.
It has the longest coastline and is strategically located along the tuna highway, which makes it abundant in marine resources.
It is also blessed with natural tourism sites ranging from white sand beaches, mountain ranges, majestic waterfalls, caves, lakes and rivers. And one of its mountain ranges, the Hamiguitan Mountain Range is a UNESCO-declared World Heritage Site for its diversity of flora and fauna. It also has the beautiful Pujada Bay, along with two other bays declared recently as one of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World.
Malanyaon believes that more investments and economic partnerships are needed to develop the full potential of these resources.
“We hope that the sisterhood agreement will be a step toward the mutual development and growth of the two provinces of Davao Oriental and Hau Giang,” she said.
The Provincial Government of Davao Oriental and the Hau Giang Province in Vietnam are set to formally sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to cement the agreement.
