By Mar-Vic Cagurangan
Variety News Staff

A LARGE delegation of mayors and vice mayors from Guam and the CNMI is heading to the Philippines this weekend for the first general assembly of the newly formed Association of Pacific Island Local Governments, or APILG, which will be held in Manila.
The creation of APILG seeks to establish a “sister city” relationship among cities and municipalities of the Philippines, Guam and the CNMI and strengthen their ties through cultural, business and economical exchanges, according to the group’s preamble, which will be signed during the assembly.
“For nearly two years, Guam, the CNMI and the Philippines have held several meetings to lay the foundation for the association. This truly has been a collaborative effort,” said Mayor Paul McDonald, who heads the delegation that will leave on Saturday.
It wasn’t known as of press time how many delegates from Guam and the CNMI are flying to Manila for the weeklong trip that also involves meetings with Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Manila Mayor Lito Atienza and officials of the Philippine Department of Tourism.
It wasn’t clear if the trip would be funded by government money but a memorandum issued by Sinajana Vice Mayor Robert Hoffman, who is coordinating the tour, indicated that “each delegate will be charged a transportation assessment.”
McDonald, meanwhile, noted that every elected office has a national association such as the National Governors Association and the Attorney Generals Association. “Unfortunately, for Guam mayors and vice mayors, the membership and dues for the National U.S. Mayors Association is too costly and can be as high as $3,000 per year for each district. This is just too expensive and we don’t really have the same issues that the U.S. mayors have to deal with,” he said.
McDonald said Guam mayors and vice mayors have linked up with their counterparts in the CNMI and the Philippines and agreed to work to form a regional association.
He said city and village chief executives have agreed that “most of the issues and problems we deal with are very similar in our localities, such as the issues of educational opportunities, labor and economic growth, health care, the environment, and disaster relief.”
“We all felt that a union with each other and the other islands would be beneficial to our residents and constituencies. It gives us a chance to make a difference in our communities since we are all on the front lines of public service,” McDonald said.
“This will be a great exchange of cultures and ideas and a constant open line of communication between our governments, our residents, and our leaders,” he added.
McDonald said APILG intends to invite the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Palau and other islands in Oceania to join the association.
“The head of states and chief executives have many things to deal with locally and internationally. Through this association, we can help each other achieve our objectives using our resources wisely and learning from each other,” the mayor said.
According to its preamble, APILG has the following objectives:
• To establish a network in areas of education, health care, agricultural and commerce and disaster assistance and other good will missions;
• To encourage greater business and investment endeavors for both countries, and establish a mutual collaborative and harmonious relationship;
• To assist in affordable, quality health and other medical services that are beneficial to patients and their families while receiving care in the Philippines and the Mariana Islands;
• To embrace the cultural and historical closeness of our countries and preserve the dignity of their people;
• To improve and re-establish communication with lost families and friends from both the Philippines and the Mariana Islands; and
• To provide for the assistance, cooperation and coordination of disaster relief and aid and to enjoy the reliability of an early warning system for the safety and good of the people.