Cagayan de Oro became the 7th sister city of Norfolk in 2008. This city of “Golden Friendship and Golden Opportunities” in Mindanao, the second largest island in the Philippines. The venue of the official signing on June 18, 2008 between Mayor Paul Fraim and Mayor Constantino “Tinnex” Jaraula of CDO was the Gen. Douglas MacArthur square. It was fitting for this to happen at the “Liberator of the Philippines” final resting place. DCO’s 800,000 population plus four universities and several colleges compliment 40,000 Filipinos living in Hampton Roads and our educational facilities. From a historical viewpoint, Gen. MacArthur and his PT Boat crew that carried him from Corregidor landed in Cagayan de Oro, where he was whisked to nearby Bukidnon and then airlifted to Australia on March 17, 1942. On October 20, 1944 he fulfilled his “I shall return” promise to the Filipinos. Like Norfolk, CDO has a huge harbor. There is an imposing MacArthur “scrambled egg” cap-shaped kiosk in a small, beautiful park at the wharf and where Norfolk’s Mermaid “Golden Lady” can be viewed.
- Fund raising for Student Scholarship Fund for travel to Cagayan de Oro, January 2009
- Commissioned artist to create a Norfolk Mermaid to be sent to Cagayan de Oro, 2009
- “Golden Lady” Mermaid sent to Cagayan de Oro November 2010
- Membership Event featuring Food and Culture of the Philippines, November 18, 2010
- Cagayan de Oro Holiday social sharing Christmas traditions of the Philippines, December 8,2011
- Fundraising for Cagayan de Oro Relief for Flood Victims, featuring singer Stephanie Reese, January 19, 2012
- March 2012 Official out-bound delegation postponed to fall 2012 due to flooding disaster relief efforts
- October 2012 Filipino Dance Company performance
- November 2014 Safer River Piano Concert
- May 2016 hosted a ten-member delegation for two weeks. Most of the members were K-12 educators
- May 2016 provided a YGC program for students at the Academy of International Studies at Rosemont
- March 2017 Outbound to Cagayan de Oro to participate in 75th anniversary commemoration of MacArthur’s retreat from the Philippines
- June 2017 Hosted the Summer Membership Social
- July 2018 Six students and one chaperone inbound for two-week exchange
- July 2018 exchange students delivered a YGC program at Academy of International Studies at Rosemont
- November 2018 participated in international fair at Academy of International Studies at Rosemont
- November 2019 participated in international fair at Academy of International Studies at Rosemont
- June 2020 assisted in the development and delivery of a webinar on best practices in k-12 distance learning – in partnership with private schools association in Cagayan de Oro
- Summer 2020 outbound student exchange canceled due to COVID-19
- Summer 2022 Cagayan de Oro Young Artists Submissions have winning entries
- June 2022 First Norfolk celebration of Philippines Independence Day
- June 2023 Celebration of Philippines Independence Day
- July 2023 Pickle Ball Supplies Drive for the University of Science & Technology of Southern Philippines
- Summer 2023 Cagayan de Oro Young Artist submissions have winning entries
- December 2023 Prize Sponsor for City wide Pickle Ball Tournament held at Centrio Mall, Cagayan de Oro, Philippines
Cagayan de Oro in the News
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmipz9CciTI
https://pia.gov.ph/news (July 2018)
NSCA Delegation in Cagayan de Oro, unveiling of “Golden Lady” Mermaid (July 2013)
Upcoming Events
July 2018 High School Student Exchange
MACARTHUR REENACTMENT TOUR March 2017
Inbound Delegation from Cagayan de Oro (May 2016)
