FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                        December 12, 2006

Release No. M-136-06          

HANNEMANN WELCOMES PHILIPPINE MAYORS

TO HONOLULU

In formal ceremonies this evening at Honolulu Hale and the Mission Memorial Auditorium, Mayor Mufi Hannemann will welcome mayors and senior officials from five cities and two provinces in the Philippines who are here for the Philippine International Trade Expo.

 The visiting dignitaries include Manila Mayor Jose “Lito” Atienza Jr., a one-time Honolulu resident. Also present will be representatives of three other cities with sister-city ties to Honolulu: Laoag City, represented by Ramon Formantes, and Vigan, represented by Victor B. Savellano, vice governor of Ilocos Sur.

 Also participating will be Bacarra Mayor Philip Velasco and Vice Mayor Marcelo Andaya; Pasuquin Mayor Oscar Aguinaldo, and Ilocos Norte Vice Governor Wendell Chua.

“We are grateful indeed that so many dignitaries from the Philippines have accepted our invitation to come here for the expo,” said Hannemann. “We extended the invitations when I visited the Philippines a year ago, and this is the result. Having this kind of high-level delegation on hand is a fitting climax to the year-long celebration of the Filipino centennial in Hawaii.”

Tonight’s program  kicks off the Philippine International Trade Expo, which will be open to the public Thursday through Sunday at the Hawaii Convention Center. In addition to the expo Honolulu is also hosting tomorrow’s International Summit of Filipino Chambers of Commerce.

Tonight’s program will include Mayor Hannemann presenting certificates of appreciation to Miguel B. Varela, chairman of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Ramon D. Escueta, chairman of the Philippines-USA Business Club.

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Contact:

            Bill  Brennan, 527-6928

            Mark Matsunaga, 527-5767