“We have to make a conscious effort in finding areas of synergy within the region.”
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas made the call yesterday as he announced his hosting of a meeting on Wednesday, June 10 among local government leaders and officials from funding agencies.
Treñas said that governors Eugenio Lacson, Arthur Defensor Jr., Florencio Miraflores, Rhodora Cadiao, Esteban Contreras and Samuel Gumarin have confirmed their participation.
Besides Treñas, Mayor Evelio Leonardia of Bacolod City is also attending the forum where resource persons from the NEDA, DBP, and Land Bank have also been invited.
Mayor Treñas noted that while the whole of Western Visayas is under the modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), regular ferry service between Bacolod and Iloilo has yet to start.
“If we are to jump-start the economy the local leaders should initiate confidence building measures,” Treñas said.
Meanwhile, the Iloilo city government will hasten implementation of approved projects under the internal revenue allocation (IRA) and the special education fund (SEF), according to the mayor.
He said the projects under the public-private partnership (PPP) are being pushed. These are for solid waste management, public markets and slaughterhouse.*
