Despite having major oyster festivals in common, it is unlikely that any twinning arrangement between Galway and Roxas City in the Philippines will take place.
A story appeared in the Philippino media and blogs this week, saying that the Philippino Ambassador to Ireland Ariel Y Abadilla had approached the Galway City Council with a view towards the twinning arrangement.
Roxas City hosts the annual Sinadya sa Halaran oyster-opening contest, which is similar to the Galway Oyster Festival. According to the report on www.mukamo.com, Mr Abadilla said if a twinning arrangement is approved “an appropriate government official and business delegation from this city will go to Galway in mid-September next year”.
The Galway City Council has confirmed to the Galway Advertiser that approaches have been made to it with a view to establishing a twinning arrangement.
“We are aware of this and tentative approaches have been made,” a spokesperson said, “but City Hall is not in a position to pursue it at the moment.”
It is understood City Hall will not be pursuing the proposal in the near future owing to the constraint on finances in the current economic climate.
Also the council is currently focused on maintaining and strengthen its current twinning arrangements with other cities, and developing the recently established ties with Qingdao in China.
