Muntinlupa’s bid to formally establish relation with the international community began in 1992 with the passage of a Muntinlupa Council resolution expressing its desire to forge a sister city agreement with Gunma-machi, Japan. It was former Congressman Ignacio R. Bunye who presented to Mayor Kisaburo Shimura the resolution when he came here in 1992 together with officers of the Gunma Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the members of the Gunma Town Assembly who enthusiastically and favorably responded to the idea.

The Muntinlupa-Gunma sisterhood pact commenced on March 1, 1994, in a formal signing ceremony at the People’s Center of Muntinlupa in the presence of former MMDA chairman and Quezon City Mayor Ishmael Mathay Jr. The agreement commits to establish a sister city relationship in order to foster friendship between the two towns and to further the cause of world peace, through exchanges in education, culture, sports and economic activities.

The establishment of mutual relations between Gunma and Muntinlupa started when long-time Philippine resident Kiyoshi Osawa, a businessman-philanthropist and a native of Gunma-machi initiated the move to open the door for a tie-up between the two towns.

As a Japanese citizen who owes his 95 years of life to Filipino who save his life during World War II, Osawa has returned the favor with generous donations and contributions especially to the people of Muntinlupa. He has donated a fully equipped ambulance which is now being used by the Rescue Unit of the Public Order and Safety Office and continues to assist Muntinlupa through exchange programs like the Muntinlupa-Gunma Training Program which sends Muntinlupa residents to Gunma-machi for a one year on-the-job-training. A total of four batches totaling 42 trainees had undergone training. The Nagano Exchange Program has already sent four teachers and two principals from 1993 to 1995. They were given a one-week observation tour to elementary and secondary schools in Iida City. Two scholarship programs were established in 1994, one of which was the Gunma-Muntinlupa Bridge of Friendship Society with 97 scholars for a total of 138 poor but deserving high school students in Muntinlupa.

Every year, more productive endeavors will take place between the two cities and as sister cities, both commit to renew their partnership strong and lasting.