Vallejo, California celebrates Sister City ties with Baguio

Vice Consul Adrian Audrey L. Baccay addresses attendees at the Vallejo-Baguio sister cities gala. Seen in the background is Vallejo Mayor Robert McConnell. CONTRIBUTED

Vallejo celebrated its Sister City ties with Baguio City, Philippines with a black-and-white gala on Feb. 19, at the Vino Godfather Winery on Mare Island.

The gala was also a fundraising event for the Vallejo Sister Cities Association’s cultural and educational exchanges, and economic and humanitarian assistance to sibling cities.

The association’s president is William Kim and officer Dinah Villanueva-Ryan currently handles the committee for Baguio City.

Vallejo Mayor Robert McConnell attended the event. The city’s Vice Mayor Rozzana Verder-Aliga is the first Filipino American woman to be elected to public office in Vallejo and in Solano County. 

Vice Consul Adrian Audrey L. Baccay and Tourism Attaché Soleil P. Tropicales represented the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco. Baccay noted the strong ties between the Philippines and Vallejo, which has been home to generations of Filipinos and Filipino Americans dating back to early 20^th century.

Baccay also announced that the Philippines is now open for international tourists and encouraged fully vaccinated U.S. tourists — who are allowed to enter the Philippines visa-free for 30 days under certain conditions — to visit Baguio City and the other tourist spots in the country.