By Hilda Austria (PNA)

BAYAMBANG, Pangasinan — The Environmental Protection Bureau of Zhejiang province of the People’s Republic of China and this town have signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to establish friendly cooperation, including on technology and environment.
Mayor Cezar Quiambao and Vice Mayor Raul Sabangan represented Bayambang town in the MOA signing on Oct.31, while it was Deputy Director Shan Jinyan, who represented the Zhejiang Environmental Protection Bureau.
“This is the first time the municipality signed an agreement with (an entity) from a foreign country,” Quiambao said in an interview Thursday.
The MOA aims to establish friendly cooperative relations between the two parties through the exchange of knowledge and technology in the area of environmental protection and disaster resilience, he said.
A statement issued by the Bayambang Public Information Office said Jinyan took note of the efforts of the municipal government’s Solid Waste Department.
“And (he) expressed surprise at Dr. Quiambao’s private initiative in re-greening the mountains of Pangasinan while providing jobs to locals through CSFirst Green AID Inc.’s ‘inclusive growth’ business model, which the mayor said he patterned after that of the County of Anji, China,” it said.
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of China.
Meanwhile, the MOA signing was witnessed by the municipality’s department heads, business sector representative, and representatives from the academe, such as from the Bayambang National High School.