𝐆𝐎𝐕. 𝐏𝐀𝐌 𝐂𝐔𝐓𝐒 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐏 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐓, 𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐒 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐀𝐒 𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐌 𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐘𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐍𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐒
FUJIAN, China — “Cebu, I’m coming home.”
After a productive first day in Fujian, China, Gov. Pamela Baricuatro announced this morning that she is cutting her official overseas mission short to return to Cebu ahead of the approaching Tropical Storm Basyang.
The governor said her decision came despite a successful program of engagements in Fujian, which included a visit to a pioneering national Waste-to-Energy facility, described as a national model that was initiated during President Xi Jinping’s term in Fujian, and a meeting at Fujian Medical University.
There, Cebu and the university reaffirmed and strengthened a Memorandum of Understanding, with particular emphasis on continued knowledge transfer in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for Cebu.
The day concluded with a meeting with the Governor of Fujian and his council to deepen cooperation, discuss the possible resumption of the direct Xiamen–Cebu–Xiamen flight, and mark the eighth anniversary of the Cebu–Fujian sisterhood.
“While I have full confidence in our team back home, knowing that the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, now operating with its new command center, is competent, prepared, and fully understands our protocols based on past calamities, I cannot continue diplomatic engagements here knowing that Cebu will be affected by a typhoon,” Gov. Baricuatro said, adding that she would return immediately.
The governor will miss a scheduled trade forum in Zhangzhou and offered her apologies to the Fujian Government and local partners. She named Board Members Stanley Caminero, Neneth Reluya, Malcolm Sanchez, and Mike Villamor as her official representatives for the remainder of the program.
This was the governor’s first overseas mission since assuming office.
“For this reason, I will not be able to attend today’s trade forum in Zhangzhou. I extend my sincerest apologies to the Fujian Government and our partners,” she said. “See you in a few hours, Cebu.”
According to PAGASA, Tropical Storm Basyang is expected to make landfall in Cebu tomorrow, Friday evening.
Gov. Baricuatro said the province’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, operating from its new command center, is activated and prepared to implement established emergency protocols.
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