On separate occasions, two Georgian mayors and one governor took turns to praise Honorary Georgian Consul Thelmo Cunanan Jr for his efforts to develop and strengthen Philippines – Georgia relations and to aid and assist in the development of Georgia.

Consul Cunanan officially visited Rustavi City Mayor David Jikia to present the latter with the signed “sister-city” documents of Rustavi with Santiago and Cauayan Cities in the Philippines. The official relationship of Rustavi with the two Philippine cities, in a unique tripartite relationship, is a project of Consul Cunanan. These are Georgia’s FIRST sister-city relationships with the Philippines and with the entire Asia. In a formal letter, Mayor Jikia, who is also President of the League of Municipalities of Georgia, thanked Consul Cunanan for his instrumental role and “great effort” in establishing Rustavi’s sister-cityhood with Santiago and Cauayan and organizing the visit of Rustavi’s official delegation to Cauayan’s 275^th anniversary last October 2015—the first visit by a Georgian LGU to the Philippines and Asia.

Consul Cunanan also paid an official visit to Kvemo Kartli Governor Paata Khizanashvili on the occasion of the signing of the Sister-Province Agreement between Kvemo Kartli and Isabela in the Philippines, the FIRST province-level agreement between Georgia and the Philippines and Georgia and the entire Asia. This was another landmark initiative of Consul Cunanan, who witnessed the signing at the Governor’s office in Rustavi City. In a press conference, Governer Khizanashvili commended Consul Cunanan for his role in cementing official ties between Kvemo Kartli and Isabela and for his other many endeavours to help Georgia, which include projects in sports and athletics, culture and arts, environment, and community building.

On the occasion of the inauguration of the Georgia-Philippines Friendship Park, which was built by Consul Cunanan and his partners, Tbilisi Mayor David Narmania expressed deep gratitude to Consul Cunanan for the project and his hard work for Georgia.

Addressing television, radio, and newspaper reporters, Mayor Narmania said: “This park would not have been possible without the effort of Consul Cunanan in the Philippines. As we know, this is just one of his many projects for Tbilisi and for Georgia and we are indeed very fortunate to have good friends like him to help us.”