The visiting Filipino local government delegation, the first from the Philippines, led by Honorary Georgian Consul Thelmo Cunanan and headed by Cauayan City Mayor Bernard Faustino Dy and Vice mayor Leoncio Dalin visited key tourism spots in Georgia, courtesy of sister-city Rustavi. These included the Gergeti Monastery in Kazbegi, the Ananuri Fortress, Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta and nearby Jvari monastery, and assorted sites in and around the capital, Tbilisi.
The Filipinos were in Georgia on a reciprocal visit, on the occasion of the city day of sister-city Rustavi. In October 2015, a delegation from Rustavi visited Cauayan for its 275th founding anniversary and co-sister-city Santiago. Both are located in Isabela province. The sister-city relationships are historic as these are Georgia’s first such relationships with the Philippines and the entire Asia. The sister-city partnerships are a project of Consul Cunanan.
