Councilors demand public hearing on city hall new loan

TWO Iloilo City councilors called for another public hearing on the revised plan of the new City Hall by Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog.

City Councilors David Jamora and Jeffrey Ganzon questioned the additional P260-million bank loan of Mabilog from the Land Bank of the Philippines.

Business sector joins product discount program

HARDWARE stores join the weeklong product discount program called the “Labor Day Product Sale” that will run from April 30 to May 5.

The event is organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Iloilo Provincial Office, and now on its 4th year.

Towns with good governance index named

THE National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) recently released the 2008 Good Governance Index (GGI) of municipalities and provinces of Western Visayas showing remarkable improvement of measures in good governance in three years.

The municipality of Malay in Aklan made it to the top among the most improved municipalities in the region for the measured results in 2005-2008.

New City Hall has no setback area

ILOILO City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog admitted that the new seven-storey City Hall building currently being constructed at its old site fronting Plaza Libertad has no setback area.

Mabilog said the City Council passed a resolution in 2009 allowing no setback area for the new City Hall since the building will be constructed with seven storeys in more than 1,000 square meters lot.

Government employees to contribute for green city

SOME 4,000 City Government employees are mandated to plant trees, especially fruit-bearing trees, along the roads and vacant areas of Iloilo to help make the city "green".

Barangay officials and youth council will also participate in the tree planting activity, said Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog.

Lawmaker to bring back Pagasa office to Iloilo

LONE city district Representative Jerry P. Treñas assured the public a permanent Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) office in Iloilo City.

Treñas said he is going to bring Pagasa back to Iloilo after the weather bureau office packed up three months ago and transferred to Cebu due to financial problems and lack of assistance from its national office.

Mayor to suspend boundary ordinance if strikers go berserk

ILOILO City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog will not hesitate to suspend the implementation of the Perimeter Boundary Ordinance (PBO) for two days should strikers violate the terms of non-violence in their proposed "Untat Biyahe" transport strike on May 2-3.

16 traffic accidents per day in Iloilo

THE Transportation Management and Traffic Regulation Office (TMTRO) and Iloilo City Police Office (Icpo) said the city has an average of 16 cases of traffic accidents per day.

The National Statistics Coordinating Board (NSCB) collated the traffic accidents report, showing that from 2008 to 2010, traffic accidents and casualties are fluctuating.

New city hall to self-liquidate bank amortization

PORTIONS of the new Iloilo City hall will be leased out to private businesses and other government agencies, and income generated will be used to pay the monthly bank amortization, Mayor Jed Mabilog said.

Mabilog said the third floor, half of the ground floor, and the food court area are leasable spaces.

More infrastructure projects for Iloilo this year

A SECOND batch of major infrastructure projects amounting P276 million for Iloilo City was included in this year's regular budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Congressman Jerry P. Treñas said the projects he submitted will help the city become more competitive and investment-friendly.

Trillanes questions P5B yearly fund for RH

SENATOR Antonio Trillanes IV is questioning the automatic appropriation of P5 billion yearly for reproductive health and responsible parenthood bill.

Iloilo readies for transport strike

ILOILO City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog said the City Government is prepared for any contingency that may arise during the transport strike slated May 2 to 3.

Mabilog said services of the City Government will go on despite the strike, as contingency measures are put in place.

Dinagyang group raises funds for US trip

ILOILO City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog set April 30 the deadline for Dinagyang’s Tribu Pan-ay to solicit funds to be used for their participation in the Philippine Independence Day celebration in June in New York, USA.

The group needs P3.5 million for their US trip.

New City Hall will have leasable spaces

THE eight-storey new Iloilo City Hall building will have leasable spaces that can give the City Government additional income.

Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog said the whole third floor, half of the ground floor and the food court area will be leased to interested individuals or offices.

Iloilo mayor assures peaceful Holy Week

ILOILO City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog assured his constituents of a peaceful Holy Week celebration.

Mabilog said priority areas for security include the Ortiz and Fort San Pedro ferryboat terminals, as thousands go to Guimaras Island for the "Ang Pagtal-tal" celebration.

P260-M loan for new city hall approved

THE Iloilo City Council confirmed on Tuesday the additional amount of P260-million loan from the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) to complete the construction and furnishing of the new city hall.

The special session came after Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog requested the council to tackle the signed loan agreement with LBP.

Iloilo airport now included in open-sky policy

THE airport in Cabatuan, Iloilo will now allow international airplanes to land and receive passengers for other countries.

City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog said President Benigno Aquino III assured him last April 1 that the Iloilo airport will be included in the Department of Transportation and Communications-Civil Aeronautics Board open-sky policy.

Public-private partnership eyed for railways revival

THE government is eyeing a private-public partnership (PPP) in the proposed P16-billion revival of Panay railways after the Regional Development Council (RDC) approved the project as one major infrastructure development in Panay Island.

Iloilo town wins national fest tilt

MANILA – Tribu Pantat of the municipality of Zarraga, Iloilo won first runner-up Saturday in the national festival competition, Aliwan Fiesta here.

“We are very happy with this new development, a first-time that brings our town to national consciousness. Pantat (catfish) is not only a poor man’s foodfish but it is our way of life and the honor it brings will add more enthusiasm for us to produce more catfish not only as food but also as a major tourist attraction,” Zarraga Mayor Gregorio Brazas said.

City to buy lot beside new city hall

THE Iloilo City Government plans to buy a 3,000-square-meter lot just beside the newly constructed city hall.

Water utility ex-administrator slams interim board

A FORMER administrator of the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) challenged the agency and the Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD) to show any proof that it has power to appoint any member of the board.

"They are in it again by appointing a very highly irregular interim board. I challenge them to show proof because nowhere in the law shows that LWUA has the power to appoint," said Lorenzo Jamora.

Jaro Plaza rehabilitation kicks off

MAYOR Jed Patrick Mabilog has started the rehabilitation and beautification of the Jaro Plaza in Jaro district as a premier plaza in Iloilo City and the entire Western Visayas.

Signature drive vs water district on hold

ILOILO City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog put on hold the signature campaign for the abolition of Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD) after the Court of Appeals (CA) dismissed the petition for certiorari and prohibition filed by the MIWD board of directors against the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA).

The CA decision promulgated on February 28, 2011 also emboldens the LWUA to appoint a five-member interim board of directors for one year effective April 1, 2011.

2 Iloilo towns ban birthing at home

TWO towns in Iloilo passed ordinances banning the deliveries of babies at home and ensuring penalties to violators, such as the mother and the person assisting her to deliver the baby at home.

In the ordinance approved by the Municipal Council of Dingle town requires expectant mothers to deliver in health facilities under the care of skilled health attendants. The ordinance imposes penalties to medical health practitioners and traditional birth attendants who perform home deliveries.

Pangilinan to look over new investments in Iloilo

ILOILO CITY – Businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan was invited by City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog to speak before the Ilonggo business community in the Iloilo Business Summit on July 2011.

Mabilog said the president of Manila Electric Company (Meralco) and Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), as well as First Pacific Holdings Co. and TV5, showed interest in buying out businesses in Iloilo than setting up a new one.

Mayor spells out projects for Iloilo

ILOILO CITY – Congressman Jerry P. Treñas has zeroed in on various infrastructure development projects amounting more than P300 million for the first three years of his term.

Treñas said these development projects are his legacy to the city that will help in a race for Premier City status by 2015.

First army woman general an Ilongga

ILOILO CITY – The first lady general in the history of the Philippine Army promoted by President Benigno C. Aquino III at Malacañang last April 4 is a native of the municipality of San Dionisio.

A 54-year-old mother of three and married to a Filipino-Chinese businessman based in Iloilo, General Ramona Palabrica Go holds the distinction as the first lady general regular officer of the Philippine Army who did not come from the technical service such as doctor or nurse or from the Philippine Military Academy.

Recall election an exercise in futility

ILOILO CITY – A recall election, if pushed through next year against incumbent city mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, will not benefit the mayor’s political opponents in the 2010 elections, according to former Justice secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr. and businessman Larry Jamora.

Both Mabilog’s political opponents in the last mayoral race are vocal in not supporting the move initiated by lawyer Romeo Gerochi, saying the move is an exercise in futility and untimely.

City to buy lands for informal settlers

ILOILO City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog is set to buy lands for relocation sites for the city’s thousands of informal settlers, reiterating there will be no demolition if there is no relocation site available.

Mabilog said the City Government is set to start land banking this year in order to accommodate the informal settlers as all relocation sites owned by the city are already occupied.

Mayor: No deal with Gerochi

ILOILO City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog admitted he has talked with former critic lawyer Romeo Gerochi last week over the issue on the Barbecue Park owned by City Councilor Edward Yee.

However, the city mayor said he has not made any promise or a deal with Gerochi over the issue but he said he respects the sentiments of the lawyer.