ILOILO CITY–Teams from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund will be in Iloilo City for a learning visit and to explore possible areas of collaboration.
Mayor Jerry Treñas on Wednesday expressed elation after learning about the upcoming visit as they may offer development programs for the city.
“I am happy because, ultimately, they have seen our programs here in Iloilo City. World Bank usually visits because they offer initiatives to be developed. You don’t get World Bank to come here and just listen to us,” said Treñas in an interview.
In a letter addressed to the city mayor, task team leader, Senior Urban Development Specialist Narae Choi, requested a meeting with Treñas and those involved in urban planning, budgeting, and implementation, with a focus on local fiscal management and taxation and smart city investment planning.
Choi hinted at a possible collaboration to build urban resilience.
On the other hand, a team from the IMF will meet with the mayor and other city officials on Sept. 23 as part of the annual IMF Article IV Consultation Mission to the Philippines, the city government said in a statement.
The mission team, led by Elif Arbatli Saxegaard, aims to determine the drivers of and constraints to growth and to assess the potential impact of external developments on the business prospects of regional growth centers.
They plan to particularly meet with the local banking sector, business communities, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry, and relevant organizations from the renewable energy sector. (PNA)