ILOILO City – “Exhaust all possible ways for economic bounce-back. For businesses to recuperate. For us to cope with the work set-up in the new normal. To reassure investors that there is a bright future for them in Iloilo and Guimaras.”
Mayor Jerry Treñas of Iloilo City issued this exhortation to stakeholders during a June 2 forum of the Metro Iloilo-Guimaras Economic Development Council (MIGEDC) in a bid to revitalize the economies of the two blocs areas as coronavirus pandemic restrictions are being relaxed further.
Stakeholders present included local chief executives, national government agencies, entrepreneurs, and the academe, among others.
MIGEDC is composed of the metropolis and surrounding towns of Oton, Pavia, Leganes, Santa Barbara, Cabatuan, and San Miguel, and Guimaras island province.
Treñas called for collaboration and harmonization of available resources.
A keynote speaker, Gordon Alan Joseph – president of Cebu Leads Foundation and chairman of Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board (MCDCB) Research Program and Organizational Development (RPOD) – said Iloilo is in the right track, citing the latter’s urban planning geared to stimulate business competitiveness, drive investments and create more jobs.
“You are grabbing the bull by the horns. And you know what? Don’t stop. Because this crisis that the world faces…are not going to go away. They might even worsen. But you need to ready,” he told the audience.
He added that Cebu looks up to Iloilo.
“You are an inspiration to us. We have seen how fast you guys move,” Joseph added.
He also stressed the need for political unity.
“A lot of our problems in Cebu are caused by the fact that many politicians are not talking to one another. This is something I don’t see here in Iloilo, something that you should be proud of,” the Cebu business executive added./PN
