The Cebu Provincial Government has institutionalized its efforts to strengthen domestic and international partnerships with the creation of a dedicated office for sisterhood and twinning programs.
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan approved the ordinance establishing the International & Local Sisterhood Linkages Affairs Office (ISLA) during its regular session on December 15, 2025.
ISLA will operate under the Office of the Governor and serve as the province’s central coordinating body for all partnerships with foreign and local counterparts, including sister-city and sister-province agreements.
The measure was authored by Board Member Malcolm A. Sanchez of the Lone District of Mandaue City, in response to the growing number of cooperative opportunities involving Cebu in recent years.
“Cebu has emerged as a key destination for both local and international collaboration, with opportunities in business, education, governance, tourism, climate resilience, and innovation expanding rapidly,” the ordinance stated.
Before ISLA’s establishment, the province’s sisterhood agreements were handled on an ad hoc basis.
The creation of the office provides a permanent institutional framework to manage these partnerships more effectively and sustainably.
ISLA will be responsible for initiating, formalizing, coordinating, and monitoring partnerships to ensure that agreements lead to concrete programs with measurable outcomes, rather than remaining symbolic.
The ordinance cited the 1987 Constitution and the Local Government Code of 1991 as legal bases, both of which allow local government units to enter into cooperative arrangements that promote culture, trade, tourism, education, and development.
The measure also aligns with a Department of the Interior and Local Government directive requiring LGUs to designate offices to oversee sisterhood programs.
The head of ISLA will be appointed by Governor Pamela Baricuatro, subject to the approval of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
The office will also have an assistant department head, program development officers, a liaison and protocol officer, and administrative and financial support staff.
Among its key functions is the maintenance of an organized archive of all memoranda of understanding, agreements, and official communications, addressing previous concerns over fragmented records and lack of continuity in partnership programs.
ISLA is also tasked with recommending partnerships that align with Cebu’s development priorities, offer mutual benefits, and have sufficient institutional support and feasibility for implementation.
Consultants and advisers with expertise in international relations may be engaged, subject to procurement rules.
Funding for the office will come from the provincial government’s budget and will cover personnel services, operational expenses, hosting of delegations, travel, and program implementation.
ISLA may also accept grants, provided these comply with existing accounting and audit regulations.
To ensure transparency and accountability, ISLA is required to submit an annual report to the Governor and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan every March 31, detailing partnership activities, outcomes, financial expenditures, and planned initiatives for the succeeding year. (SBA)
Photo from Cebu Province
