LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – A 6-man delegation from the municipal government will be out of the country until January 20, 2020 to establish friendship ties with officials of two cities in Malaysia to further enhance its international linkages.
Mayor Romeo K. Salda led the delegation composed of Councilors Guilier Galwan, Arthur Shontogan, Ted Walang, John Botiwey and Apolinario Bagano, Jr.
The La Trinidad delegation will be have their first stop at Miri City, Malaysia where they will be sealing the friendship ties between the municipality and the said city.
Miri is a coastal city in northeastern Sarawak, Malaysia which is located near the border of Brunei, on the island of Borneo. The city covers an area of 997.43 square kilometers and is located 798 kilometers northeast of Kuching and 329 kilometers southwest of Kota Kinabalu.
Miri is the second largest city in Sarawak with a population of 234,541 as of 2010. The city is also the capital of Miri district of the Miri division.
After the signing of the friendship ties with the officials of Miri, the La Trinidad delegation will proceed to Kuching for the establishment of another sisterhood relationship with the officials of the said city.
Kuching is the capital and the most populous city in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia. It is also the capital of Kuching division. The city is situated on the Sarawak river at the southwest tip of the state on the island of Borneo and covers an area of 431 square kilometers with a population of about 165,642 in the Kuching north administrative region and 159,490 in the Kuching south administrative region or a total of 325,132 people.
Kuching was the third capital of Sarawak in 1827 during the administration of the Bruneian empire. In 1841, Kuching became the capital of the Kingdom of Sarawak after the territory in the area was ceded to James Brooke for helping the Bruneian empire in Kuching a rebellion particularly by the interior Borneo dweller land Dayak people who later became his loyal followers after most of them being pardoned by him and joining his side.
Mayor Salda expressed optimism that the city officials of the two Malaysian cities will return the compliment by visiting the municipality during the conduct of the highlights of the town’s Strawberry festival in March with the expectation that officials of the other sister cities and municipalities of La Trinidad, both locally and internationally, will be invited to join and witness the festivities lined up for the festival.
According to him, the municipal government will continue to aggressively establish local and international linkages to help entice foreign and domestic tourists to visit the municipality and contribute in efforts to pursue the development thrusts that will bring La Trinidad to greater height.
The 6-man delegation will be arriving in the country on January 20, 2020 in preparation for the town’s upcoming festivities to ensure their preparedness in welcoming the expected influx of local and foreign tourists following the month-long Baguio Flower Festival which will be immediately followed by the town’s Strawberry Festival in early March.
By HENT
