MORE PREPARATION. Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. and Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas share their thoughts on the Balik Probinsya program of the national government during the “MugStoria ta!” program anchored by Assistant Secretary Anthony Gerard Gonzales of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) live-streamed via Facebook on Wednesday (May 27, 2020). The provincial and city governments of Iloilo need the help of the national government to prepare for the Balik Probinsya program. (Screenshot from “MugStoria ta!” program)
ILOILO CITY – The provincial and city governments of Iloilo still need to prepare for the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa program that seeks to decongest Metro Manila by encouraging people, especially informal settlers, to return to their provinces.
Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor and Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas shared their views during Wednesday’s guests of the “MugStoria ta!” program anchored by Assistant Secretary Anthony Gerard Gonzales of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) live-streamed via Facebook.
“I am in full support of any program to create growth centers outside of Metro Manila to decongest Metro Manila,” Defensor said, adding that the province looks forward to collaborate with the national government “to be able to lay down the foundation to accommodate more human resources”.
He said the provincial government will be asking the help of the national government in opening growth areas and creating more job opportunities.
“We have to work harder in developing the fundamentals, the economy of the province so that we are able to create more wealth for the province and the city and in the process create more job opportunities,” he said.
Currently, he said there is a need to develop the international container port in the municipality of Dumangas. He also said industrialized zones and other growth areas could not be established without a portal.
The province is also in the middle of the construction of the Jalaur Multipurpose II Project that can boost agriculture production in Iloilo. The project, which is the biggest dam outside of Luzon, can irrigate additional 33,000 hectares of rice land, provide electricity, and water for households.
Iloilo, he said, would like to maximize its potentials by creating a value chain for its agriculture products which, in the process, will create more jobs.
He added Iloilo must expand its airport and develop ports so it can do business with other provinces and the rest of the world.
Defensor said without the infrastructure, those who will avail of the Balik Probinsya program may find it hard to look for jobs because of limited employment opportunities.
Gonzales assured that OPAV, through Secretary Michael Dino, will bring the matter to the Office of the President so that the concerns of Iloilo province will be given priority.
The Balik Probinsya program, Gonzales said, is being pushed by Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go and institutionalized through Executive Order No. 114 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte.
On the other hand, Treñas has doubts if at this moment the city can accommodate recipients of the program.
“Just thinking allowed at the moment, with all the businesses partially opened, most of them are not yet normal; there’s a lot of people without jobs right now,” he said.
He enumerated concerns on housing and jobs if at this moment the program will be implemented in the city.
He said Iloilo City has also a lot of informal settlers although a housing program is being prepared for them.
“All the jobs that are available before the pandemic are no longer available. There are, I think, 50 percent or more of the workforce without jobs at the moment, which, I think, all of us will be asking the national government for availability of amelioration assistance for our residents during this time,” the mayor said.
He added that the city government is also observing austerity measures. For the first quarter of this year, it already has a shortfall of about PHP300 million.
Iloilo City sourced 58 percent of its income from local taxes.
“We are extremely worried how we can survive this year and possibly how we can survive next year,” he said.
Gonzales said OPAV is willing to sit down and listen to the concerns and ideas of local government units to help Panay island. (PNA)
