OUR HEARTFELT APPRECIATION FOR THE GRACIOUS HOSPITALITY OF SUISUN CITY OFFICIALS (Copy of email sent to Mayor Pete Sanchez)
Dear Honorable Mayor Pete Sanchez:
Thank you for accommodating Mayor Abe Rimando of Naguilian, La Union, Philippines and his entourage, on a hot Monday afternoon, July 6, 2009, in your lovely City of Suisun. Refining the arrangement of our short noticed informal visit facilitated by Mr. & Mrs Oswald Joven, our fellow Naguilianders who live in Solano County, we're particularly proud of you gathering your Vice Mayor, Council Members, City Manager, City Officials and Staff to honor our presence.
Respecting your vision and mission for a better Suisun City, we enjoyed the flexibility and hospitality of your officials who made our visit fun and memorable. The walk to the sites of the nearly completed new museum and nearly completed Hampton Inn and Suites (prestigious member of the Hilton Hotel families) gave us a glimpse of your administration's revving up for a bright future by your unbelievable array of cultural, historical, recreational and economic development programs. Both the new museum and the hotel will add to the mantle of sophistication of the city's improved waterfront district. As a courtesy, we will inspire and encourage our Naguilian network of friends and relatives to reservations for functions and accommodations at the Hampton Inn as soon as it's launched.
In addition, we applaud your leadership and the remarkable maturity of your city officials and staff to take the high roads towards making your admirable city in the global map. We are optimistic that the sister city relationship of Suisun and Naguilian celebrates our accomplishments, culture, history, and heritage.
Sincerely yours,
Weveline V. Aragon
Secretary, "Annak-Ti-Naguilian"
*********************************************************************************
The short presentation of "Annak" during Suisun's Flag Day made a positive impact with the Mayor and City. Now, we received another invitation from the Suisun's Event Coordinator, Anita Skinner, for the 4th of July Celebration, and we had to turn her down, because we were not ready. We assured her, however, that the Sister-City Naguilian will be represented annually in one of their functions. The appropriate event will be determined to best benefit the Sister-City.
Naguilian Booth by Suisun Bay- June 14th, 2008
The event lasted about 5 hours, with a stream of visitors satisfying their curiosity and browsing around each booth, while the Air Force Band played in the big tent behind us. My conservative guestimate was 150 people came by the booth wanting to know what was all the display about, with the bulk of people showing up between 11:30 and 1:30. That was all the time our tray of lumpias lasted. The mayor of Suisun, Pete Sanchez, visited our booth twice, and for a while, he greeted some of the people and passed lumpias to the citizens, while the rest of us, Wevy, Vilma & Pete Ferrer & I, were busy talking to other people. Pete & Vilma Ferrer came with the proper attire-Barong. It was perfect attire for a positive impression. Thank you Mngs Pete & Velma. About 25% of the visitors were Filipinos, or Filipino descent, and majority were white. In hindsight, we believe we have accomplished what our mission was: To introduce Suisun's Sister City-Naguilian, and to promote an awareness of the Sisterhood to the its' citizens. We felt that our presence was well received by Suisun and it's citizens. A big "Thank You" to the City of Suisun for allowing us to participate in a commemorative Flag Day of the city. Wevy handed Mayor Pete a letter from Mayor Abe Rimando, a copy of our brochure handout prepared by our NAN Pres Delia Vita, and a Philippine Flag. We would also like to extend our 'Thank You' to Oswald & Aurelia Joven for their support and help during set up and at close down, and especially facilitating the involvement of "Annak Ti Naguilian" with the City of Suisun, City Official-Scott Corey, and event planner-Anita Skinner.
Long-Live Nagy-Sui !
Pete & Vilma Ferrer, Wevy Aragon,& Ed
With a Filipina Reporter to the local newspaper.
Recall Yes..In green shirt. These were Mayor Pete's opposition. They were trying to get 2000 signatures to recall the mayor, and two councilmen, for voting Walmart to come to Suisun.
********
"Annak Ti Naguilian" is preparing to represent Naguilian in Suisun City during a celebration of Flag Day along the Suisun Bay on June 14th, 2008. Our presence at this event will introduce Naguilian to the citizens of Suisun City, the only sister city of our town Naguilian. We planned to show a map of the Philippines and where Naguilian is. We will show some of the products that we produce, like Basi and straw broom.
To capture the people's interest, we will be serving free lumpias, just so people have a reason to stop at our booth for 2 minutes. The event starts at 10AM and ends about 4PM.
************
September, 2007
Visit of Newly Elected Naguilian Honorable Mayor Abe Rimando to our Sister City- Suisun City. Also a newly elected mayor, Honorable Pete Sanchez gave a warm reception and a cruise tour to the Mayor Abe, and First Lady Denia, and entourage. Among the entourage were Joya Dumpit, wife of the newly elected Congressman of La Union, Tom Dumpit,Jr., and Mayor's children Geraldine, Denabea and Ringo.
Mayors-Abe Rimando and Pete Sanchez.Presentation of gifts made in Naguilian, such as bottles of Basi-fermented from sugar cane.
Incumbent Mayors Abe Rimando of Naguillian and Pete Sanchez of Suisun City
Witnessed by attendees on both sides. Front- Manning Ojascastro (looking down), Oswald Joven, Pete Ferrer, Ador Aragon, Ringo Rimando. Standing- Wevy Aragon, Cora Ojascastro, Vilma Ferrer, Aurelia Joven, Norma Malimban, a City Official, Joya Dumpit, Denia and Abe Rimando, Pete Sanchez, and the rest were City Officials and Council Members of Suisun.
*************
Signing of a Sisterhood- Suisun City and Naguilian, Official Welcome and Cruise Tour of the bay, 2006
Background-Suisun City
On May 16,2006, at the joint city council and redevelopment agency meeting in Suisun City, California, USA, the city council officials headed by Mayor James P. Spering, overwhelmingly passed the adoption of Resolution No. 2006, authorizing the Mayor to execute the Memorandum of Agreement establishing the sister city relationship between the Municipality of Naguilian, La Union, Philippines and the City of Suisun. Suisun City officials were Vice Mayor Pete Sanchez, Council members- Jane Day, Mike Segala, Sam Derting, and City Manager Suzanne Bragdon.
A delegation from Naguilian came to Suisun City, headed by Mayor Bobot Flores and wife Niere, Councilwoman Tessie Dumaguing and husband, for this historical event.
All of this would not have happened without the initiation, coordination and leadership of Aurelia Joven, and Vice Mayor Pete Sanchez, and the subsequent help of Suisun City's Project Coordinator Scott Corey.
The following photos were taken during the signing, during the short dinner-dance celebration provided by the city at the Nelson Community Center in Suisun, and a cruise tour of the North Bay/Sacramento waterways. The two-day event was graced and witnessed by many, including our NAN officials Paul Nonog and Delia Vita, local Naguilian Chapter members from Vallejo, Sacramento, Bay Area and 'Annak ti Naguilian'. Among the present were Aurelia and Oswald Joven, Pete and Vilma Ferrer, Manning and Cora Ojascastro, Clarita and Teddy Sacote, Wevy and Ador Aragon, and Dr. Cita Rimando. The cruise tour with sumptous lunch were provided by Solano Yatch Club, with Commodores Dennis Garridel and John Burton, and Fleet Captain Donna DaBeck.
Formal handshake of two mayors.