ILOILO – Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. is open to delivering his first State of the Province Address (SOPA) since becoming governor in 2019.
According to Defensor, he is thinking of delivering a SOPA for Ilonggos to be aware of the plans of his administration.
He may focus on the direction of the province based on his development thrust.
But Defensor also said, “I think we have already communicated with our people on how we intend to move forward, kon ano ang priorities because that development thrust is our direction.”
The development thrust of the Defensor administration includes:
* maximizing agricultural production; create a value chain for agriculture, products, and, in the process, generate employment and business for the province’s agricultural-tourism industry
* developing growth areas that shall serve as investment centers for the information and communication technology and light industries and, in the process, generate employment and business for the province’s service and manufacturing sectors
* creating a strong middle class in the province who shall be financially capacitated clients and customers of the province’s service industry and commercial establishments
These, Defensor explained, align with the plans of the Regional Development Council 6 and the national government, particularly on infrastructure with projects such as the Iloilo-Capiz-Aklan Expressway, the development of Dumangas Port, the expansion of Iloilo Airport, and the completion of the Jalaur River Multi-Purpose Project Stage II.
“We plan based on what we have; we maximize while taking note of the things that can happen, like Dumangas Port Development, which we know can happen,” added Defensor.
This development trust is anchored on MoRProGRes Iloilo, or Movement for a Robust, Progressive and Globally-competitive and Resilient Province of Iloilo, which has the following specific goals:
* to increase investments and employment opportunities
* to attain food security
* to provide accessible health and social services
* to promote public safety
* to protect and manage the resources and assets of the province
* to provide effective, efficient, and transparent government administrative services.
MoRProgGRes also encompasses food security, tourism, and climate change resilience. Here are the objectives:
* to promote the production of high-value crops in various agricultural settings for food security
* to blend ornamental gardening, landscaping, and high-value crop production
* to create an agri-tourism destination for tourists, especially Ilonggo weekenders
* to create green agri-tourism destinations that promote the use of recycled or upcycled materials
* to contribute to the province’s climate change response/PN
