PH Embassy Highlights Sister-city Relations Between La Trinidad And Minamimaki in School Presentation
The Philippine Embassy in Japan, represented by First Secretary and Consul Robert D. Quintin (standing, 5th from right), Agricultural Attaché Maria Alilia G. Maghirang (standing, 6th from right), Cultural Officer Attaché Ma. Alyssa Jo A. Bacongco (standing, leftmost), and translator/interpreter, Ms. Chihiro Watanabe (standing, rightmost), with the sixth-grade students and teachers from Minamimaki Elementary School, and Mr. Mr. Toshihiro Shimizu, Secretary-General of the Japan Agricultural Exchange Council, during the school’s visit at the Embassy on 08 October 2025.
TOKYO, 20 October 2025 – As part of the Philippine Embassy’s cultural education series under Sentro Rizal-Tokyo, the Embassy welcomed sixth-grade students and teachers from Minamimaki Elementary School, located in Nagano Prefecture for a morning of cultural exchange and presentations.
During the visit, Embassy representatives gave a presentation on its mandate and activities, Philippine culture, traditions, cuisine and must-see places, as well as a display of Philippine cultural items. A special highlight of the presentation was a discussion on La Trinidad, Benguet, the sister-city of Minamimaki. The exchange provided an opportunity to underscore the strong and vibrant friendship between the cities, and emphasize the importance of agriculture development and people-to-people ties.
Philippine Embassy officials highlighted the sister-city relations between La Trinidad, Benguet and Minamimaki, Nagano, as well as the agricultural cooperation between the two cities during the Embassy visit of the Minamimaki Elementary School on 08 October 2025.
“The Embassy hopes that through today’s presentation, you have learned more about the close collaboration between La Trinidad and Minamimaki, which is a testament to our countries’ enduring partnership, as we celebrate next year the 70th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Japan,” stated First Secretary and Consul Robert D. Quintin, speaking on behalf of Ambassador Mylene J. Garcia-Albano during the presentation.
The Embassy’s Agricultural Attaché Maria Alilia G. Maghirang also provided an in-depth insight into the ongoing initiatives between La Trinidad and Minamimaki. As a gesture of friendship, the Minaminaki students and teachers received tokens from the Philippines, including Philippine bananas, as souvenirs from their visit.
La Trinidad, renowned for its strawberry plantations, established sister-city relations with Minamimaki in 2014, a partnership that was renewed in 2024. Under the agreement, La Trinidad and Minamimaki have fostered cooperation in key areas such as agriculture, technical exchange and information sharing.
The Minamimaki Elementary School students and teachers, who were on a study tour in Tokyo on 08-09 October 2025, were accompanied by Mr. Toshihiro Shimizu, Secretary-General of the Japan Agricultural Exchange Council, during their Embassy visit.
