Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. enjoined the young leaders and the private sector to become active partners of the provincial government in achieving meaningful progress in the province of Iloilo through an accountable and effective governance.
The governor spoke before hundreds of changemakers and institutions during the Future Forward: The Western Visayas Impact Leadership Summit 2025 on June 24, 2025 at the University of the Philippines Visayas Iloilo City Campus. The event was organized by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Iloilo Chapter Inc. and co-presented by the Iloilo provincial government through the Local Economic Development and Investment Promotions (LEDIP) Center.
Defensor called for the active participation of the youth and the private sector in achieving the bottom-line of his administration under “MoRProGRes Iloilo” which is to protect and promote the welfare and interest of the Ilonggos.
“Good governance is not our goal; it is our standard. It is our way of doing things. It is the modality of MoRProGRes Iloilo. And that modality includes you, our youth and the private sector,” Defensor said.
The governor enjoined the youth to take part in the major programs of the province such as in agriculture, tourism, disaster risk reduction and management, and all other areas of governance.
“To our young entrepreneurs, we don’t need you in the future. We need you now. We need you in the mainstream of governance and public service,” he said.
He also underscored the role of the private sector in implementing his development thrust which is to provide equitable distribution of resources. “The role of the government is to take care of the fundamentals – water, electricity, road connectivity, and internet connectivity. And the rest is up to the private sector,” he said.
The Impact Leadership Summit is anchored on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and aims to bring together key players in developing programs that make an impact in the Western Visayas region.
#morprogresiloilo