San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria recently made headlines with a trip to the Philippines to strengthen economic, military, and cultural ties between the city and the island nation. Last week's visit, which included meetings with top business and military leaders, is a step towards bolstering San Diego's position as a Pacific Rim economic hub and celebrating its sizable Filipino-American community.

Home to nearly 215,000 Filipino-Americans, San Diego has some of the deepest Filipino roots in the United States. Mayor Gloria's Filipino heritage was key in facilitating discussions during his trip, which was designed to promote trade and investment between the regions. According to a report by the City of San Diego, Mayor Gloria met with representatives of the three largest chambers of commerce in the Philippines and secured commitments from business leaders to explore investment opportunities in San Diego.

In addition to boosting trade, Mayor Gloria is pushing for establishing a direct flight from San Diego to Manila, a significant move for family and business travel and a potential boon for tourism. As reported by the City of San Diego, discussions with Philippine officials indicated strong support for the initiative, which would be a win-win for both communities.

Military partnership was also on Mayor Gloria's agenda, as San Diego is a vital military city with a tradition of service and innovation. Mayor Gloria celebrated a multimillion-dollar U.S. Foreign Military Sales agreement, which supplied the Philippines Special Operations Forces with secure communications equipment from San Diego-based TrellisWare. The trip coincided with the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Manila, a historical juncture where U.S. and Filipino forces united, which Mayor Gloria commemorated at the Manila American Cemetery.