Daly City reaffirms sister city ties with Quezon City

Consul General Neil Ferrer and the Philippine Consulate General officers and personnel pose for a photo with the Daly City-Quezon City street sign in the background. Photo from San Francisco PCG

DALY CITY, Calif. – As Daly City raised the Philippine flag in honor of Philippine Independence Day on Friday, the “Pinoy Capital” of the US, also reaffirmed its sister city ties with Quezon City.

During the flag-raising ceremony at City Hall, Daly City Mayor Juslyn Manalo presented to Consul General Neil Ferrer a proclamation declaring June 14 as Philippine Independence Day in the city.

The proclamation, signed by all the councilmembers, also highlighted the sister city ties between Daly City and Quezon City, which aim “to foster an awareness of Filipino culture, encourage the integration of Filipino residents of Daly City into the civic life of the city and to encourage trade and commerce.”

The 10th Philippine flag-raising ceremony at City Hall was hosted by Daly City and the Pilipino Bayanihan Resource Center (PBRC), which was recently named the 2024 Nonprofit of the Year for California Assembly District 19.

Leading the ceremony were Ferrer and PBRC founder Perla Ibarrientos, who initiated the very first Philippine Independence Day flag-raising at City Hall in 2014.

In his remarks, Consul General Ferrer thanked the City for hosting important Fil-Am events, including the Philippine Independence Day celebration and the “Kasayahan sa Daly City” for Filipino American History Month, which provide a venue for the community “to take pride in their unique culture, history and identity.”

Consul General Neil Ferrer and Pilipino Bayanihan Resource Center founder Perla Ibarrientos lead the hoisting of the Philippine national flag. Photo from San Francisco PCG

“I recognize the diversity and dynamism of the Filipino-owned businesses in your city and I offer a special mention to Fil-Am Cuisine, which was recently inducted into the inaugural class of Daly City’s Legacy Business Recognition Program,” Ferrer said.

Ferrer said he looks forward to working with the city government in forging closer relations between the Philippines and the United States through programs such as the sister city cooperation between Quezon City and Daly City.

More than 30 percent of Daly City’s total population are of Filipino descent, the highest concentration of Filipinos and Fil-Ams in the United States.

University lecturer Benito Vergara Jr. chronicled the history of the vibrant Fil-Am community in the city in his 2009 book, “Pinoy Capital: The Filipino Nation in Daly City.”

Other dignitaries in attendance included California State Senator Scott Wiener, San Francisco Board of Supervisors Member Catherine Stefani, Japanese Deputy Consul General Hajime Kishimori, Fil-Am Daly City Vice Mayor Rod Daus-Magbual and Councilmembers Glenn Sylvester and Teresa Proaño.