City starts long range plan for expansion

ILOILO City Government leaders here are putting into action a long range plan for Iloilo City expansion in the next 30 years with a new vision as this southern city starts an unprecedented development to grow.

City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog said development pacing of the city is very fast and city residents must have a sense of ownership in reaching for a city premiership by 2015 and protect the city development initiatives.

Mabilog said a team of city officials went to Singapore and Malaysia last week to gather inputs and best practices of growing cities in Asia.
Funded by the United States Agency for International Development, (USAID), the trip proved beneficial in drafting a long range plan for expansion and a new city government center to go with the development pace.

The city mayor said the plan will include purchase of 20 to 25 hectares of property along the new highway earmarked for the new city government center in the next 25 years. A new vision for the city will gather the best practices and incorporate it in the city comprehensive plan.

The Iloilo City team went to see the new government center in Putrajaya, Malaysia, a former palm tree plantation converted into a growing center for commerce and investments, education, tourism, government center and other social services.

Mabilog said the city team underwent a short training program with the Malaysian Investment Authority that will pave the way for the plan to be doable in Iloilo City.

Among the plans are the creation of a credible investment portfolio and the establishment of a trade and investment and tourism satellite offices in Metro Manila that will hire people to promote Iloilo City for national and international investments and promotions.

When the investors come to Iloilo City, there must a board organized under a public private partnership concept that will meet and discuss the investment potentials of Iloilo, the city mayor said.

Mabilog said he is also eyeing a two storey building at the senior citizens site in Plaza Libertad for the construction of the trade and promotion board office.

Iloilo City is the recognized education and economic center of Western Visayas and there is an urgent need to instill and strengthen disciple among the youths. Most youths caught for vandalism recently are not residents of Iloilo City but from other provinces and municipalities.