Valenzuela, Narvacan town now sister cities

To promote what local officials call a “favorable partnership,” the city of Valenzuela and Narvacan town in Ilocos Sur have forged a sisterhood agreement that will enable them to share their “best practices” in several areas.

The memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed recently by Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian of Valenzuela and Mayor Zuriel Zaragosa of Narvacan.

The MOA was strengthened through Resolution No. 173 authored by 1st District Councilor Marlon Alejandrino of Valenzuela.

Gatchalian said the newly forged partnership was a “powerful venue to activate intangible assets that were made sedentary over time.”

The agreement aims to improve the two LGUs’ performances in four critical areas: cultural heritage preservation, technical exchange facilitation, sustainable development, and the general welfare of constituents.

It places a premium on tourism, education and waste management.

Local officials said that both LGUs can learn from each other regarding waste management issues using as model Valenzuela’s “Segregation on Wheels” program in which garbage personnel separate recyclable materials from nonrecyclable items, as well as Narvacan’s “commendable” municipal dumps.

Valenzuela also hopes to share with Narvacan its “Library Hub Project,” a project that aims to encourage reading among students by deviating from the traditional library setup of books placed on shelves and categorized by subject and author.