Baguio, Dingalan renew sisterhood ties
A NIGHT OF GLOBAL UNITY. Baguio City officially welcomed its sister cities from Vaughan (Canada), Taebek and Gongju (South Korea), San Antonio (Texas), San Jose (Nueva Ecija), and the Municipality of Dingalan (Aurora) on February 28, 2026, at the Cordillera Convention Hall, Baguio Country Club.
The evening was marked by a historic milestone as Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong and Dingalan Mayor Aurora Guzman-Taay formalized their bond by signing a sisterhood agreement during the welcoming dinner, further strengthening the ties between the two municipalities. Photos by Neil Clark Ongchangco
The local governments of Baguio and Dingalan, Aurora, recently renewed their sisterhood relationships with the signing of the requisite memorandum of understanding (MOU) during the Welcome Dinner for the sister City delegations that visited the city in time for the highlights of the 30th edition of the Panagbenga flower festival last Saturday at the Baguio Country Club (BCC) Cordillera Convention hall.
The MOU was signed by Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong, representing the city, and Mayor Aurora Guzman-Taay, representing Dingalan, Aurora. Rep. Mauricio G. Domogan and some members of the city council and other Dingalan municipal officials witnessed the MOU signing between the parties involved.
Under the MOU, the two local governments binded themselves for the better cooperation leading to the realization of reciprocally planning and sanctioning programs towards the development or improvement and enhancement of government administration, tourism, cultural preservation, arts, environment protection, agriculture, trade and commerce, education, technology and the holding of various endeavors which are mutually beneficial to both parties and promote each other’s assets by exchange of brochures and other tourism collaterals in each other’s locality; encourage tours of each other’s places of interest and reciprocal visits during festivals and other special pursuits.
Earlier, Dingalan municipality passed Resolution No. 2018-700 that signified the town’s willingness to establish sisterhood with Baguio City, headed by former Mayor and now Rep. Mauricio G. Domogan.
On the other hand, the city government is conscious of the positive implications mutually beneficial to the local government involved, approved Resolution No. 347, series of 2018 that expressed gratitude and accepted the offer of the municipal government of Dingalan, Aurora for the forging of a sisterhood/twinning relationship with the city ‘|Government of Baguio.
The MOU stated that similar qualities and opportunities in tourism, environment protection and good governance can be found in both Baguio and Dingalan, Aurora, thus, a sisterhood tie between the city and the said municipality shall realize the exploration of creative avenues geared towards mutual growth through the sharing of executive, legislative, administrative, technological, cultural and economic developments unique to each local government.
In her message, Mayor Taay claimed that Dingalan had always looked to Baguio as a model in tourism promotion, environmental protection, and cultural preservation, among others, that had greatly contributed to formulating their programs, projects, and activities that are related to the said endeavours.
She assured that Dingalan, being a tourism town in Aurora, will continue to learn a lot from Baguio’s best practices in aggressively promoting their place as a preferred destination in the said area that will contribute to spurring growth and development in the future. By Dexter A. See
