Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. presented the plans policies, and vision of the provincial government in making Iloilo a livable and intelligent province during the Liveable Cities Local Lab forum entitled Enhancing Livability: Cultivating the Potential of Iloilo on July 12, 2023, at Richmonde Hotel, Iloilo City.
The governor introduced his development mantra MoRProGRes Iloilo or a Movement for a Robust, Progressive and Globally competitive and Resilient Province of Iloilo which sets the direction of the province in achieving development and progress.
Under MoRProGRes, the Defensor administration will maximize the potential of Iloilo as an agricultural province through the creation of a value chain for agricultural products, thereby generating employment and investment. Growth areas will also be developed which will serve as an investment center for information and communication technology and light industries.
Defensor said that making Iloilo Province livable would mean providing its people the capacity and ability to live a comfortable life. And this is by creating a strong middle class who shall be financially capacitated, customers.
The governor further presented an investment tool developed by the provincial government that shows the fundamentals of Iloilo’s economy, focusing on the four major sectors – power and energy, water, road connectivity, and telecommunications.
Defensor stressed that in achieving a liveable and intelligent community, local government units should start by fulfilling their obligation of providing the fundamentals of the economy through collaboration with the private sector.
“We are looking forward to more collaboration with the private sector in providing the fundamentals so that we can have a province or establish a community that can have people who can afford the basic necessities and spend for leisure. That is livability from the standpoint of the province of Iloilo,” the governor said.
Local Labs are organized by Liveable Cities Philippines in partnership with the League of Cities of the Philippines and Globe Telecom which aim to put a spotlight on LGUs in their pursuit towards enhancing their livability and becoming an intelligent community.