The Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) of Iloilo recently held a consultation meeting with the PPDO of Antique to align strategies and strengthen co-management initiatives for inter-provincial collaboration.
During the discussions, both provinces identified several priority areas for integration under a shared protection framework. Among these are the biodiversity management corridor within the Panay Mountain Ranges, as well as the ancestral domains jointly shared by the Municipalities of Calinog, Iloilo and Valderrama, Antique with emphasis on preserving the culture of Indigenous Communities of Iraynon and Panay Bukidnon. They also highlighted the importance of watershed and delta management, particularly with Mt. Baloy serving as the headwater source of vital watersheds.
The meeting further underscored the anticipated infrastructure developments that may affect settlement patterns, such as the Panay East-West Lateral Road linking Lambunao, Iloilo and Valderrama, Antique and the road network from Tubungan, Iloilo to San Remigio, Antique. These projects are expected to spur linear development and thus require careful planning to manage projected growth of settlements. In addition, both provinces emphasized the need for co-management of shared coastal resources between San Joaquin, Iloilo and Anini-y, Antique, which the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has designated as part of Fisheries Management Area No. 4.
Both Iloilo and Antique expressed their strong commitment to integrate these concerns into the ongoing formulation of their respective Provincial Development and Physical Framework Plans (PDPFPs), with the goal of ensuring sustainable, inclusive, and well-coordinated development for the two provinces.
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