MAYOR Francis Zamora on Wednesday said the visit of Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss to San Juan City on Wednesday would help boost their goal for digital transformation.
Zamora said that Fluss was excited to partner with the City of San Juan in terms of expanding digitalization and tech innovations, promoting historical tourism and enriching cultural development—the major thrusts the nation of Israel and the City of San Juan have in common.
“With our administration’s centerpiece program of making San Juan a ‘smart city’ in governance and public service, a partnership with the country of Israel can bring a major breakthrough for San Juan,” Zamora said. Israel, the mayor added, is a global center in technology whose homegrown innovations and developments continue to make an impact on a global scale. “From their famous Iron Dome missile and rocket interceptor, the only system of its kind in military defense, to medical technologies, agricultural innovations, up to USB sticks, firewalls and the popular Waze navigation device, indeed the nation of Israel and its people lead the pack,” Zamora said.
To show our Filipino hospitality, Zamora gladly toured the envoy to two of its famous historical landmarks in the heart of San Juan City: the Pinaglabanan Shrine, known as the “ground zero” of the Philippines’s fight for freedom; and the El Deposito underground water reservoir, one of the biggest remaining Spanish artifacts in the world.
“Again, thank you for your visit, Ambassador Fluss. We look forward to a fruitful partnership between Israel and our City of San Juan for technological innovations, historical tourism and cultural development to benefit our people. Mabuhay!”
Image credits: Contributed photo