HARMONIZE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

Need for master plan for city, province cited

By Francis Allan L. Angelo and Lydia C. Pendon

THE city and province of Iloilo can harmonize growth and development through the crafting of a master plan for development.

Iloilo Gov. Arthur D. Defensor Sr. voiced the development master plan during the Infrastructure Summit mounted by the Iloilo Business Club and Research, Education and Institutional Development (REID) Foundation, Inc. at Amigo Terrace Hotel Wednesday.

Defensor said the city and province are intertwined in many areas such as transportation, infrastructure, garbage, power and water.

The governor in particular cited the inadequate services of city-based transport terminals that cater to passengers from the province such as lack of shelter from elements and muddy location.

“Progress in the province depends upon how the city treats us,” Defensor said.

Defensor cited that most of the people working and doing business in the city are from the province.

“We must sit down and identify our basic needs and problems like power, garbage, drainage, sidewalk vendors, traffic, water, etc.,” Defensor said.

Defensor said he is willing to sit down with Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, who was also present in the summit, to seriously talk about formulating a master plan.

In his response, Mayor Mabilog said he accepts the invitation of Defensor to craft the plan and thresh out issues in the city that affect residents of Iloilo province.

Mabilog said the conference between city and provincial officials will be held soon to draft the joint master plan detailing the aspirations and programs of both local government units.

Mabilog cited the development plan submitted by a transport terminal operator to improve its facilities in Jaro district.

Mabilog said new partnerships are essential to the city’s growth.

“The goal of this gathering is to identify productive, high impact roads that will contribute to economic development within Iloilo City and its immediate environs. Offhand, I should say the number and quality of our roads - and those of our neighboring municipalities, if I may add - are not one of the proudest features of our city,” he said.

Ma. Lea Victoria Lara, IBC executive director, said the club can facilitate the crafting of the master plan for the city and province.

The IBC in partnership with REID foundation have been identifying crucial infrastructure projects that will spur growth in the city and province of Iloilo.

The Asia Foundation and US Agency for International Development are also part of the undertaking.

City, province line up infra investments

THE city and province of Iloilo have set infrastructure investment priorities for 2010-2013 focused mostly on road networks.

The projects were presented during the Infrastructure Summit spearheaded by the Iloilo Business Club and supported by the Research Education and Institutional Development Foundation Inc (REID) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Wednesday.

The city government headed by Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog presented four priority infra projects amounting to more than P2.6 billion endorsed by the Regional Development Council in 2004.

The projects include the:

- P1.9-billion C1 alternative road of 14 kilometers and five bridges from the Iloilo-Antique road and to the Iloilo coastal road;

- P281-million Jaro-Leganes road covering 3.1 kilometer road from Jaro corner Leganes road to end at Calle Progreso of Leganes;

- P280-million 3.5 kilometer radial 4 bypass road passing the Jaro floodway and to start from McArthur Drive and to end at Calle Progreso in Leganes; and

- P174-million Dungon Bridge starting from the Jalandoni Bridge to end at the diversion road.

Iloilo Provincial Administrator Raul Banias presented the infrastructure priorities of the province amounting more than P18 billion for 2010-2013.

Aside from road networks of the province, the high impact projects include

- hospital reforms enhancement programs worth P828.8 million;

- improvement of provincial roads amounting to P355.3 million;

- improvement of bridges, P48 million;

- heavy equipment acquisition, P252.8 million;

- small scale irrigation projects, P45.7 million;

- sports infra upgrading program, P84 million;

- rural water supply and sanitation project, P17.8 million;

- information technology park, P380 million;

- provincial government training center and student center, P120 million;

- Iloilo government center, P500 million;

- tourism development program, P11 million;

- integrated rice processing complex, P147.4 million;

- Jalaur river Multi-purpose project Stage II, P15.2 billion.