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1st CDO Adult Exchange Program Group departs for Norfolk

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Delegates to the  1st Cagayan de Oro-Norfolk City Adult Exchange Program to be held May 14-28 at Norfolk City, Virginia, USA with Mayor Oscar S. Moreno prior to their departure. The group will be led by Local Economic Investment Promotion Officer Eileen E. San Juan and Local School Board Exec. Dir. Ma. Dulce T. Potenciano. (photo supplied)

 

A nine person delegation from Cagayan de Oro departs for the United States next week as the 1st group for the Cagayan de Oro-Norfolk City Adult Exchange Program.

 

Jennifer Priest, executive director, Norfolk Sister City Association (NSCA), said the purpose of the visit is to learn more about the public and private education systems of Norfolk City, Virginia. Particular emphasis will be placed on curriculum development and implementation of English and Mathematics.

Delegates to the  1st Cagayan de Oro-Norfolk City Adult Exchange Program to be held May 14-28 at Norfolk City, Virginia, USA with Mayor Oscar S. Moreno prior to their departure. The group will be led by Local Economic Investment Promotion Officer Eileen E. San Juan and Local School Board Exec. Dir. Ma. Dulce T. Potenciano. (photo supplied)

Delegates to the 1st Cagayan de Oro-Norfolk City Adult Exchange Program to be held May 14-28 at Norfolk City, Virginia, USA with Mayor Oscar S. Moreno prior to their departure. The group will be led by Local Economic Investment Promotion Officer Eileen E. San Juan and Local School Board Exec. Dir. Ma. Dulce T. Potenciano. (photo supplied)

Side group day trips include a tour of Williamsburg and a visit to Washington, D.C. that will highlight a stop at the Philippine Embassy headed by Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr.

 

The delegation is the initial step in the process that will lead to a summer exchange of high school students, Ms. Priest added.

 

“As a USAID pilot city, we need to get closer to the USA,” said Mayor Oscar S. Moreno. “Norfolk’s historical link to the Philippines, especially to Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental, is very strong. Both are coastal cities. Both are regional cities.”

 

The city’s chief executive sees an uptick in the cultural, tourism and educational exchanges between the sister cities following the conclusion of the 1st Adult Exchange Program.

 

The Cagayan de Oro delegation will be headed by Ms. Eileen E. San Juan, Local Economic Investment Promotion Officer with Local School Board Executive Director Ma. Dulce T. Potenciano and elementary and secondary school teachers and administrators Metzie P. Balandra, Suzette Caeline R. Maandig, Ramonette L. Olandesca,  Ma. Isabel C. Salcedo, and Darlene D. Tulang.

 

“This is an offshoot of the  Norfolk-Washington DC visit last November 2014 with city officials and businessmen headed by Mayor Moreno,” Ms. San Juan said. “ In fact, as a result also of that visit, we had a medical-dental mission headed by the Washington DC Filipino Nurses Association in February 2015 that held clinics and surgeries at the JR Borja Memorial Hospital.”

 

Joining the delegation as business delegates are Architect Ma. Linda E. Escaba and Rene Michael D. Baños, freelance writer and journalist.  All delegates are shouldering their own travel expenses under the program.

 

The Norfolk Sister City Association was founded in 1976 and is a member of Sister Cities International, based in Washington D.C. The Association is a non-profit civic organization which coordinates the activities of Norfolk’s sister cities program. Its aims to foster international understanding, friendship and cooperation through people-to-people exchanges and long-term partnerships between Norfolk and its international sister cities.

 

The association aims to involve a broad spectrum of the community in citizen diplomacy and to be a catalyst for linking counterpart organizations in Norfolk with its sister cities to enable them to conduct exchanges of mutual interest.

 

“We strive to build global cooperation at the municipal level, promote cultural understanding and stimulate economic development,” said Cheryl Penat-McGarrigle, Chair for Cagayan de Oro City Committee, NSCA.

 

The Oro delegation arrives in Norfolk on May 14 and will be treated to a welcome reception at Jo Solinap’s residence. Accommodation for delegation participants will be provided by home stay with host families in Norfolk. NSCA Board members and families from St. Patrick’s Catholic School will serve as hosts.

 

This will be followed on May 16 by a visit to the Norfolk Public School Admin office & City of Norfolk Tour.

 

A salient point of the tour will be the group’s participation in the NSCA Young Global Citizens program at Rosemont Middle School on May 17. Here the delegates will interact with some 50 students to introduce the geography, culture and history of the Philippines and Cagayan de Oro, in particular through interactive games and other creative activities.

 

The delegation is also scheduled to meet with the Norfolk Economic Development Program office headed by Ms. Sandra Choi to discuss areas of economic cooperation including possible investments, Ms. San Juan added.

 

 

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