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Together with the newly appointed consul general of the Philippines to Alaska, Jenny Gomez Strickler of Juneau, Reps. Cathy Muñoz and Bob Herron led Alaska’s first official trip to the Philippines last week.
The trip arose out of a visit that Vice Gov. Gabrielle “Billie” Calizo-Quimpo, the second highest ranking official in the Philippine province of Aklan, made to Juneau, when she met with city and state representatives. After that informal exchange, the provincial government invited the Alaska State Legislature to visit Aklan.
“It was a very full adventure, full of interesting meetings and great friendships,” said Muñoz Tuesday, shortly after arriving in Seattle. “We had a wonderful time.”
Muñoz, Herron, Strickler and three others, including Bartlett Regional Hospital nurse (http://bit.ly/QbpIia) and “in-country coordinator” Victoria Roldan, spent the first two days of their trip in Manila, the Philippines’ capital city.
While in Manila, Muñoz said, the Alaska delegation met with both American and Philippine officials, including U.S. Ambassador Harry Thomas and Rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr. of Quezon City, Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives.
The delegation had a request in to meet with President Benigno Aquino III, about which Muñoz expressed optimism last month (http://bit.ly/Wzo3pB). But Aquino was in Cambodia during the Alaska visit and so was unavailable.
A joint statement from the offices of Muñoz and Herron said a letter from Gov. Sean Parnell and other gifts were left with Marciano Paynor, United States consul general to the Philippines, to be given to Aquino.
Muñoz said the Philippines, in addition to being the home country of some 25,000 Alaskans, represents an ideal market for Alaska’s seafood exports. She suggested that the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute could hold a seafood exhibition in Manila in the future.
“The Philippines is one of the fastest growing economies in the Asia-Pacific, but it’s a market that is … not targeted for Alaskan products,” said Muñoz, adding, “The Philippines is a market that we haven’t really acknowledged.”
Muñoz and Herron also laid wreaths at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, the largest cemetery in the Pacific region for U.S. casualties of World War II.
The Philippines, then a U.S. territory, was in the process of becoming an independent nation when war broke out and it was occupied by Japan. It became a republic in 1946, after the war ended.
After their two days in Manila, the delegation traveled to Aklan, Calizo-Quimpo’s home province and the home province of about 800 Juneau residents of Filipino descent, according to Muñoz.
Muñoz said a large crowd met the Alaska delegation at the airport in Aklan, including some Juneau residents. Upon the Alaskans’ arrival in Kalibo, the provincial capital, they were greeted by hundreds of Ati-Atihan dancers, cheering crowds and a parade that required several blocks of the city center to be cordoned off.
“It was an overpowering experience,” said Muñoz of the greetings. “It was incomparable to anything I’ve ever experienced.”
Muñoz added, “It was really truly remarkable to see … the homeplace of so many of our Juneau residents.”
While in Aklan, Muñoz and Herron met with Calizo-Quimpo and Gov. Carlito S. Marquez, business leaders, and leaders of Aklan State University, who expressed an interest in forming an exchange relationship with the University of Alaska Southeast’s Fisheries Technology Program.
“I met with the president of the Aklan State University, and they are very interested in developing a relationship with our university’s school of fisheries,” Muñoz said.
Muñoz added, “The other area that we’re very interested in is developing a sister city or sister province relationship between the City and Borough of Juneau and the province of Aklan.”
The Juneau Sister Cities Committee last month tasked Geny Del Rosario with reaching out to officials in Kalibo to determine whether they would be interested in a potential sister city relationship with Juneau (http://bit.ly/TcSg8q). Juneau has a sister city in the Philippines, Camiling, but that relationship is long dormant.
Mayor Merrill Sanford said Wednesday that he is interested in ties with Kalibo. He said the Borough Assembly will need to follow up on the contact in the trip.
“We’re trying to open up those communications formally. Sometimes when you’re dealing with a complete different country, you have to go through these steps,” Sanford said. He added, “It would be neat for us to be able to move forward on an active sister city in the Philippines.”
After seven days in the Philippines and a trans-Pacific flight back to the U.S., Muñoz said she was “amazingly jet-lagged.” But she still offered high praise for the Philippines and the province of Aklan.
“Aklan’s a beautiful place to visit, and I would encourage Alaskans who are thinking about going to Asia to consider a trip to the Philippines,” said Muñoz. “The people are the most gracious that I’ve met anywhere in the world, and the country is beautiful.”
Herron and Strickler could not be reached for comment.
• Contact reporter Mark D. Miller at 523-2279 or at mark.d.miller@juneauempire.com.
Comments (12)
Add commentSounds like....
...a heck of a boondoggle for Munoz. I guess after so many years of putting up with people like me, she should get an interesting perk once in awhile. And if it opens up a market for our fish, so much the better.
It sounds to me as if some
It sounds to me as if some folks had a great time with public funds.
I think we need to explore
I think we need to explore brother cities, to be gender fair, in Belize, Honduras, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Greece, Turkey, Laos, Thailand, Borneo, Lets see where else would be fun to visit? Oooh Costa Rica!, Antarctica...
Who in CBJ or SOA do I contact for them to book my travel? I would certainly be humbled to take on the task of representing our fair city and/or state in this grand endeavor!
Fume
From what I can see these official events are not all that much fun. In any event they are necessary for public officials, and if someone aspires to be asked to go they should run for office so they can have fun every day.
I am proud that Representative Munoz went on this trip as Juneau has a large, important community of people with strong ties to the Philippines, and the Philippines and Alaska share a WWII history that must always be remembered. Also, foreign markets are important to Alaska.
WWII remembrance in the Philippines...
...is rapidly dying out. While living on Mindanao, I saw the transition through the generations of people I encountered. While driving a motorcycle to the city an old man in a napa leaf hat would stop his ox cart, stand up and salute me (a young civilian). He did this every day. Middle-aged people treated me respectfully but were a little more guarded toward a foreigner. Younger folks were friendly, but, viewed me as a "rich" Americano and kids would often flip me off with a "f*** you, Joe!" Over all, Filipinos are a warm and loving people as any people can be. But, they live in a caste type society with a socialistic government. America's role in their history as liberators from the tyrannical rule of the Japanese empire is lost on new generations as those who remember those atrocities die off. America's biggest influence on the Republic now is "greenbacks". Of course they would like to become sister cities.
Crossing my fingers
I hope some of Munoz's goals are followed through. Sounds like terrific opportunities.
Filipino American
As a Filipino, living in Alaska/America...I want say, Thank you Americans from all the wonderful things you have done for us, specially liberating us from the Japanesse. Thank you, to all the soldiers that fought for us and Thank you for their families because they too had suffer for their sacrifices for us Filipinos. Thank you! GOD BLESS AMERICA!
a tid bit
and lets keep in mind the spanish american war , with fat boy teddy roosevelt, and the invention of the U.S. army colt revolver specificlly designed to kill male children over the age of ten....who were considered enemy combatants....It really [filtered word] off Mark Twain at the time,and I think about that time american coporate interests completly deforested the whole country and everything else they could get their hands on. Isn't that a nice little tid bit for sunday morning.
a tid bit
American units fighting Moro guerrillas during the Philippine-American War using the then-standard Colt M1892 revolver, in .38 Long Colt, found it to be unsuitable for the rigors of jungle warfare, particularly in terms of stopping power, as the Moros had very high battle morale and frequently used drugs to inhibit the sensation of pain.[9] The U.S. Army briefly reverted to using the M1873 single-action revolver in .45 Colt caliber, which had been standard during the late 19th century; the heavier bullet was found to be more effective against charging tribesmen.[10] The problems prompted the then–Chief of Ordnance, General William Crozier, to authorize further testing for a new service pistol. ---------------isn't that nice.......
http://www.britannica.com/EBc
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/media/119477/Filipino-insurgents-sur...
what did this cost?
Apparently this trip paid for with State funds does not need to have the cost disclosed to the voters. Interesting!
In the last few year our politicians can find an infinite number of justifications to travel all over the world using State coffers. These are the same politicians who justify reductions in all kinds of programs and services as necessary austerity measures. Ironic isn't it?
How will exporting more of
How will exporting more of our fish allow our fishing grounds to rejuvenate?
This may help the Philippines rebuild their fishing grounds but what about ours?
Our fishing grounds are already exploited, in decline...