N. Sulawesi Governor Receives Philippines Presidential Award

Manila, Filipina - North Sulawesi Governor Sinyo Harry Sarundajang received the Presidential Citation Award from the Philippines president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, at Malacanang Palace in Manila on Friday, Antara reports.

The award was presented to Sinyo because of his meritorious services in improving cooperative relations in various fields between Indonesia and the Philippines, particularly between the Philippines` South Mindanau and Indonesia`s North Sulawesi provinces, Aroyo said.

Also at the award ceremony was Indonesian Ambassador to the Philippines Irzan Tandjung, and the Philippines presidential adviser on the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East Asia Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) cooperation, Gen Efran Abu.

Separately, Sarundajang said the cooperative relations had been initiated in the establishment of North Sulawesi`s Bitung and South Mindanau`s Davao sister-city relationship (in 1993) followed by a Bitung-General Santos sister-city relationship (in 1994) and BIMP-EAGA cooperation in the same year when he was mayor of Bitung municipality.

Sarundajang said a student exchange program between Bitung and Davao, as well as General Santos, and direct trade between North Sulawesi and the two Philippines cities, were part of the cooperation.

"This award was achieved through the hard work of the North Sulawesi people, and therefore the Presidential Citation really belongs to the people of the province," the governor said.

Indonesian Ambassador to the Philippines Irzan Tandjung said it was the first time the Philippines government had presented the prestigious award to a foreign provincial governor. (dre)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com (3 April 2009)
Photo: http://www.sulutlink.com

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