PIA Press Release
Monday, January 02, 2012

Chief executives vow more high impact projects for 2012

ILOILO CITY, January 2 (PIA) -- The city government is launching major infrastructure projects before the term of President Benigno Aquino III ends in 2016 by intensifying public-private partnerships (PPP), according to Iloilo City Mayor Jed Mabilog.

In his New Year message, Mabilog said that these projects are on top of the road infrastructures currently on-going and those already completed.

These projects include the Jalaur-River Multipurpose Project II for adequate potable water supply, the five-storey Iloilo central market building to bring back the glory of the Iloilo Central Business District and the the Guimaras-Iloilo Ferry Terminal at the Rotary Park.

Furthermore, with the help of the national government through Sen. Franklin Drilon, other projects are undertaken like the Iloilo River Esplanade, city slaughterhouse, Iloilo-Negros terminal at the PPA port area and some 2,500 housing units for relocated informal settlers.

Aside from infrastructures, Mabilog said they are making the city business-friendly through the reduction of the number of days to release the business permits from one month to 15 days.

On the other hand, in his New Year message, Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. reported that from the P650 million worth of completed projects, no commissions have been received by any provincial government employee.

He also said that the National Greening Program had been strongly implemented with an overshoot of over 200,000 from the 1 million trees target.

The governor also said that the provincial government has started the rehabilitation of the district hospitals at the cost of P120 million. He added that the hospital enhancement program will also start this year with a P500 million budget, P200 million of which are for the eight district hospitals and the remaining P300 million will be for the four flagship hospitals.

According to Defensor, the provincial government has also embarked on the restoration of the old provincial capitol building to make it a symbol of the historical path of Iloilo.

Both Mabilog and Defensor vowed to live up to the Seal of Excellence awards, which they have been bestowed upon by the national government through the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

“We will do our best to garner more awards for excellence in governance as our performance reflects that of the national government,” Defensor said. (JCM/ESS/PIA-6)