Carvalho visits Kaua‘i’s newest sister city

LIHU‘E — Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. — with an entourage of 25 people — returned about four weeks ago from a two-week trip to Kaua‘i’s newest sister city in the Philippines, bringing back a few ideas and some omiyage.

The Kaua‘i County Council on Jan. 26 unanimously approved a resolution to enter into a sister-city relationship with the city of Laoag, province of Ilocos Norte, Philippines, after the Filipino city invited Kaua‘i to enter into the relationship, based upon common history and heritage shared with descendants residing here.

“After meeting and connecting with many wonderful people in the Philippines, we’re delighted that some of our new friends will be visiting us soon,” Carvalho said in a press release, adding that he met approximately 15 governors, vice-governors and mayors, and numerous residents.

A week after Carvalho and his contingent returned from Philippines, the county announced that Laoag Mayor Michael Farinas would be coming to Kaua‘i in April.

“Building relationships with other government officials is important. It provides us with the opportunity to exchange ideas and to look at things from a global perspective,” Carvalho said.

Urbaneta Mayor Amadeo Perez IV has also made plans to visit Kaua‘i before the end of 2011. Urbaneta is another sister-city of Kaua‘i.

A group of Filipino travel agents is also making plans to visit Kaua‘i on a familiarization trip, according to the release.

San Luis Mayor Annabelle Tangson — who Carvalho met in Philippines — invited Carvalho to be a featured speaker in April on O‘ahu at the Conference of Local Governments in Asia-Pacific.

The trip, Carvalho said, inspired him to focus more on fostering Kaua‘i sister-city relationships.

“I now understand the connectivity of sister-cities — the hearts of people and what they value — and I’d like to enhance these relationships,” Carvalho said. “We can share ideas that have worked well for us, and I’m sure there’s a lot we can learn from them as well.”

During the visit to Laoag, Carvalho presented to Farinas the council resolution establishing the sister-city relationship between Kaua‘i and Laoag City, according to the release.

Carvalho also met with leaders of Kaua‘i’s existing sister-cities, including Mayor Ryan Seares Luna of Bangued Municipality in the Province of Abra, Mayor Jesus Bueno III of Santa Municipality in the Province of Ilocos Sur, and Perez of Urdaneta Municipality in the Province of Pangasinan.

County spokeswoman Beth Tokioka said Carvalho had plans to meet with Philippines President Benigno Aquino III. But instead, the president arranged for Carvalho to meet with members of his cabinet.

“Although the mayor was disappointed, he was very appreciative of the time he spent with these high-ranking officials,” Tokioka said.

Progressive thinkers

Carvalho said many leaders he met in the Philippines were young, progressive thinkers ranging from 30 years old to late 40s.

“There’s a strong green movement in the Philippines,” Carvalho said. “They’re striving for energy efficiency and clean, environmentally friendly towns just like Kaua‘i. They’re facing the same issues that we are — infrastructure, transportation and energy.”

Some of the renewable energy projects that Carvalho saw included a large wind farm capable of providing electricity for about half of Kaua‘i, a hydroelectric plant and an elementary school that only utilizes photovoltaic energy.

“We also saw the other side of the economic spectrum where people use caribous to plow their fields and water hoses instead of irrigation systems,” Carvalho said. “What really struck me about these farmers, however, was that they worked together as a strong family unit and seemed very content with their lives. It reminded me of what Kaua‘i was like about 30 years ago.”

Carvalho attended a livestock auction and a slaughterhouse operation, which he called very interesting.

“We plan to share what we learned with our local cattle ranchers, who are looking at developing something similar on Kaua‘i,” Carvalho said.

Similarities and dissimilarities

The Philippines Department of Tourism says on its website that Laoag is an “anchor tourist destination.” The city, despite “bustling with business,” has retained an unhurried, laid back style.

With tourism a major economic driver, Laoag — which means light or clarity in Ilocano — had been recently selected as the number one tourist destination in Region 1 and among the top 10 in the country.

The official Laoag City government website states that the city is the “Northern Gateway of the Philippines,” because Laoag International Airport opens its doors for tourism, business and industrial opportunities.

Despite many similarities with Kaua‘i, Laoag seems to have quite a few different standards when posting help wanted ads.

The Public Employment Service Office, apparently a government branch, had an extensive list of vacancies listed on Laoag’s government website in January.

The vast majority of help wanted ads put restrictions on age, height, marital status and education level.

Most ads seeking sales associate, bookkeeping and management opportunities require a four-year college degree.

Applicants for McDonald’s “service crews” should have “at least college level” education, and could not be over 23 years old.

Bare & Bloom department store was looking for a massage therapist who is “female, single and 20-29 years old, with a pleasing personality.” The same store also was looking for a female patient-care supervisor, who had to be single and between 24 and 30 years old.

Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel was looking for food service attendants, male or female, between 20 and 27 years old, “preferably single.” Male applicants shorter than 5 feet, 4 inches would not qualify. Females had to be at least 5 feet, 2 inches tall.

The majority of the stores and resorts would not hire anyone who is married, over 25 years old and shorter than the heights aforementioned.

However, there was a housekeeping job available at Fort Ilocandia Resort that had no height or marital status requirements. But applicants couldn’t be over 35 years old, and had to “posses analytical thinking.”

California Clothing, billed as Guess USA, raised the bar, literally. Males applying for sales associate positions had to be at least 5 feet, 7 inches tall, and females seeking the same position had to be at least 5 feet, 3 inches tall. They also had to be “preferably single, not over 25 years old,” and have a “pleasing personality.”

All positions at Guess USA required applicants to be “preferably single,” and had gender and height restrictions. Males were not allowed to apply for cashiers, management trainees or store managers.

More

In Quezon City, Carvalho presented a medical equipment donation to the East Avenue Medical Center, which will be used by critically ill, indigent children, stated the release. The donation of two ventilators, 20 laryngoscopes and 100 endotracheal tubes were made on behalf of the Rotary Club of Po‘ipu and the Evslin Family Foundation of Stowe, Ver.

“They were so grateful to receive the equipment,” Carvalho said. “I’d like to continue to support this type of donation and maybe expand it to include older medical equipment that is still functional.”

Carvalho also visited an orphanage, and several cathedrals and universities.

He said the pursuit of higher education is very important in Philippines, and had the idea to explore the possibility of developing a nursing and teacher exchange program between Kaua‘i and Laoag.

“I have been in discussion about this with Dr. James Dire, Kaua‘i Community College Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, who joined us at Urdaneta City University,” Carvalho said.

In Manila, Carvalho and Economic Development Director George Costa attended the Philippine Travel Agencies Association’s 18th annual Travel Tour Expo, the largest annual gathering of travel agencies, tour operators, local and international tourism organizations, hotels, resorts, airlines and suppliers of travel-related products and services in the Philippines.

Exhibitors from all across Asia, the Middle East, North and South America, South Africa and Europe were present at the event, the release stated.

“George (Costa) and I spoke to a lot of people who stopped by the Hawaiian Airlines booth at the expo. The place was packed with people standing shoulder to shoulder,” said Carvalho, who sang Beautiful Kaua‘i on the main stage while a hula dancer performed.

Throughout his visit to the Philippines, Carvalho and his contingent were greeted in every town with a banner welcoming them, the release stated.

At the end of the trip, a TV show similar to Good Morning America interviewed Carvalho. The released stated that thousands of viewers watched as Carvalho encouraged them to visit Kaua‘i.

Cost

Tokioka said 25 people participated in some or all of the trip.

“There was a core group of 17 who made the entire trip with the mayor,” she said.

The trip cost the county approximately $11,300, according to Tokioka.

The Mayor’s Office used about $3,300 from its funds and about $8,000 from a county grant to Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau for tourism promotions.

Tokioka said the county and KVB funds covered travel expenses for Carvalho, Costa, County Attorney Al Castillo and sister-city program coordinator Kaui Tanaka. The county funds also covered about $700 in VIP gifts and omiyage.

“All others who traveled — including the mayor’s wife — paid their own expenses,” Tokioka said.

• Léo Azambuja, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or lazambuja@kauaipubco.com.