Advisories & News
Press Release
Philippine Consul General in Toronto calls on Kitchener City Mayor
2020-02-22
PR No. 09-2020
20 February 2020 – Philippine Consul General Orontes Castro in Toronto made a courtesy call on Kitchener City Mayor Berry Vrbanovic at the Mayor’s Office on 19 February 2020. Kitchener City, Ontario forms part of the western end of the Toronto-Waterloo Region Corridor, a 100 km. stretch which is the second largest technology cluster in North America.
During the call, Consul General Castro and Mayor Vrbanovic discussed issues of mutual interest, including the opportunity for Filipino students to pursue different courses in Kitchener’s universities and colleges, student and faculty exchanges between PH and Kitchener-based CA universities, Kitchener’s growing knowledge-based industries focused on technology and innovation that could employ IT workers including Filipinos, and forming partnerships in other areas.
Consul General Castro also conveyed to Mayor Vrbanovic the intent of Cebu City to renew its partnership with Kitchener City in areas such as city fire management and digitalization of HR and procurement systems, which were successfully implemented years ago. Mayor Vrbanovic replied that Kitchener would support such partnerships if the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), which sponsored the previous projects, or other government agencies would provide support for such programs. He also stated that Cebu City officials gave Kitchener City a city crest made from nacre or Mother of Pearl, which is prominently displayed at the city hall entrance.
Mayor Vrbanovic added that he has visited Manila years ago and continues to work with a Philippine local government official under the United Cities and Local Governments, an umbrella international organization of cities, local and regional governments and municipal organizations based in Barcelona, Spain. Consul General Castro also added that he looks forward to working with Mayor Vrbanovic in several fields including education, culture and people-to-people exchanges.
Mayor Vrbanovic was elected into office in 2014 and prior to that, he served as Kitchener City Councilor representing Ward 2 from 1994 to 2014. -END
