ILOILO City – With economic developments moving beyond the borders of Iloilo City, the Metro Iloilo-Guimaras alliance invites investors to look into the growing economies of these areas.
The Metro Iloilo- Guimaras Economic Development Council (MIGEDC), in partnership with the Iloilo Economic Development Foundation, Inc. (ILED), will hold in Manila its first investment forum on Nov. 20, 2023 at the Conrad Hotel.
Composed of Iloilo City, the island province of Guimaras and the municipalities of Cabatuan, Santa Barbara, Pavia, Leganes, Oton, and San Miguel, Metro Iloilo- Guimaras has a consolidated land area of 1,124 square kilometers with a rich pool of human resources in a population of 1,007 million. These human resources have competencies in a wide range of academic, scientific and technical skills.
“These areas provide opportunities to grow investments,” said Iloilo City’s Mayor Jerry P. Trenas, the MIGEDC chairperson.
Iloilo City and the surrounding municipalities are interconnected by excellent roads, among them the 15-kilometer, four-lane President Corazon Aquino Avenue commonly referred to as the circumferential road which has not only eased traffic congestion but has opened new areas for development.
Treñas and Guimaras’ Gov. JC Rahman Nava will present Metro Iloilo-Guimaras as an investment hotspot.
Meanwhile, former Ilonggo senator Franklin M. Drilon, who has been largely responsible for the huge investments in infrastructure in Iloilo city and province, and Iloilo’s Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr., will deliver the opening remarks.
Ryan Washburn, mission director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), will deliver the keynote address.
According to Local Economic Development and Investment Promotions Office (LEDIPO) head Velma Lao, who also sits as MIGEDC executive director, the local chief executives who compose the alliance as well as panelists from the private sector will speak about investment opportunities in ICT-BPM (Information and Communications Technology – Business Process Management), logistics, manufacturing, tourism, healthcare and real estate, among others.
“We want to showcase investable areas for the different municipalities outside Iloilo City. This will benefit not just the city and Metro Iloilo but all adjoining towns,” said Lao.
The metropolis has been cited as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, the first in the Philippines; and as the country’s cycling capital, will be hosting the National Bike Day Awards and Recognition on Nov. 24-26, the first time to be held outside of Manila.
The municipality of San Miguel, while they are one of the food baskets of Iloilo province, wants to go into agri-processing. They have a space viable for conversion into a mixed-use commercial area for Technology Park.
Leganes has a potential to have a developed economic zone with its 286 available land area consisting of 100 hectares of privately-owned and 186 hectares of local government-owned land.
Santa Barbara, on its part, envisions being a recreation and retirement hub. They also eye mixed developments with liveability and environment-friendly industries
Oton, on the other hand, is eyeing to have a waste-processing facility and ecological park as they sustain their local industries like the traditional weaving.
Cabatuan, where the Iloilo Airport of international standards is located, is targeting to become a logistics and inclusive food terminal hub while Pavia wants to further develop their town as an agro-industrial zone.
Guimaras, on the other hand, is more on agri and eco-tourism. However, they are also looking for a more stable power supply as they are targeting investments on cold storage facilities.
The MIGED investment forum is presented by Double Dragon Corporation and supported by First Gen Corp.; MORE Electric and Power Corporation; La Filipina Uygongco Group of Companies; Aboitiz InfraCapital; Carelon Global Solutions; Rockwell Land Corporation; IBC International Builders Corporation; Ayala Land, Inc.; Unionbank; Metro Pacific Iloilo Water; Panay Energy Development Corporation; and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Iloilo Chapter, Inc./PN
