COTABATO CITY—Officials lauded the groundbreaking here of the China-Cotabato Friendship Technical School, a long-term social investment with the city’s young generation in foresight as principal beneficiaries.
City Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi said the proposed school will also serve as the city’s development nucleus in Barangay Tamontaka Mother, where an economic zone (Eco-Zone) is envisioned to evolve into a continuing area expansion program, about five kilometers south of the old town center.
The weekend imbedding ceremony of the time capsule was also graced by the delegation of Liu Yibin, representing the city’s Chinese conglomerate partner from a premier construction firm in Shenzhen, China, and by city officials led by Mayor Guiani-Sayadi.
“Fellow Cotabatenios witnessed the groundbreaking of the China-Cotabato Friendship Technical School, where young people could then easily avail of technical courses,” Guiani-Sayadi said.
The partnership project has been approved by the City Council, and was endorsed by its presiding officer, City Vice-Mayor Graham Nash Dumama.
Guiani-Sayadi, a lawyer, said any partnership with foreign entity for infrastructure and social development project is covered by the local government autonomous powers, under the Local Government Code (Republic Act 7160), for as long as any financing program involved would not require a sovereign guarantee for presidential approval.
“We are very much grateful for this gift from our Chinese family and friends. This is proof of the growing trust that foreign investors give to our city—proof that Cotabato City is worth investing in,” the mayor said.
Officials said they believed that education provides wide latitude of opportunities in the local fields of the war on drug that binds residents and officials into greater social responsibility.
Guiani-Sayadi said there were also plans for the establishment of the city’s new airport with the support of the Chinese government “Because we have shown them how genuine and sincere we are as a people, they promised us that they will help us all the way, as we try to reach our goal of a much better and brighter Cotabato City,” she said.