ILOILO City – Ilonggos have a special place in the heart of the late President Benigno Simeon Aquino III.
Proof: In his six-year term from June 2010 to June 2016, the then President visited this city and Iloilo province nine times despite his very busy schedule.
He even joked about it in a speech at the Iloilo provincial capitol during a two-day visit in June 11 and 12, 2015.
“Dapat mag-aral na akong mahalin ang La Paz batchoy dahil baka hindi na ho ako makakain ng tocino at hindi na ako pauwiin sa amin sa Tarlac,” he said.
That 2015 visit was probably his most memorable. He led the June 12 Philippine Independence Day celebration in Santa Barbara, Iloilo “to recognize the contributions of our countrymen in the Visayas to the fight for our freedom.”
A grand reception followed at the Casa Real de Iloilo (old Iloilo provincial capitol) in Iloilo City attended by ambassadors from various countries.
In his other visits, Aquino would check ongoing projects or inaugurate them.
He made his first visit to Iloilo City as the country’s Chief Executive on April 1, 2011 or 11 months after winning the May 2010 presidential election.
He inaugurated the 264-megawatt coal-fired power plant of Panay Energy Development Corp. in Barangay Ingore, La Paz district and also distributed cash grants to the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and PhilHealth cards at the Iloilo provincial capitol.
The following year, June 1, 2012 Aquino returned to Iloilo City to grace the conclusion of the 1st Philippine International River Summit held at the Centennial Resort Hotel and Convention Center in the city’s Jaro district.
The river summit was the first ever Philippine initiative seeking to provide a global platform for action on the various environmental, economic and social issues confronting rivers and river basins.
Later that day, Aquino led the ceremonial launching of the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project – Stage II, and inspected the Iloilo River Esplanade project (also known as the Iloilo River Development Project) in Mandurriao district.
He then proceeded to inaugurate Iloilo City’s new city hall. Inside, he distributed PhilHealth cards to several beneficiaries enrolled under the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
In 2013 twice Aquino returned to Iloilo. It was an election year. He was halfway through his term; the polls were a gauge of how his administration was faring.
Aquino was in Iloilo on Feb. 21, 2013 for rallies in the towns of Dumangas and Pavia.
He was back on April 10 for more rallies in Santa Barbara town and Passi City.
He endorsed Liberal Party candidates like then reelectionist Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. and runningmate Raul Tupas.
The following year, June 27, 2014 Aquino was in Iloilo City once more to check ongoing projects or inaugurate them such as the widened Diversion Road (Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. Avenue) and Iloilo Esplanade, both in Mandurriao district here, and the 14-kilometer Iloilo Circumferential Road.
He also turned over 1,000 housing units in the city’s relocation site in Barangay Lanit, Jaro district to informal settlers.
About a year after, on June 11, 2015, Aquino again returned to Iloilo, this time to unveil the markers of the two major national highways in the city named after his parents – the Pres. Corazon C. Aquino Avenue and the Sen. Benigno S. Aquino, Jr. Avenue
The Pres. Corazon C. Aquino Avenue, formerly the Iloilo Circumferential Road (C-1) is a new road opening with the total length of 14. 80 kilometers from Jct. Iloilo-Antique Road in Arevalo district and ending at Jct. Iloilo-Dumangas Coastal Road in Jaro District.
The project, costing P1.7 billion, involved the construction of a four-lane, two-way road, provision of bicycle lane and construction of five bridges.
Sen. Benigno S. Aquino, Jr. Avenue, on the other hand stretches 15.60 kilometers from General Luna in Iloilo City to the gate of Iloilo International Airport in Santa Barbara-Cabatuan, Iloilo.
The project involved widening of road from six lanes to eight lanes along the 5.84-kilometer Iloilo-Jaro Diversion Road, including bike lane, walk lane and service roads, construction of pedestrian overpass with elevators for persons with disabilities and the elderly, pedestrian underpass, from Iloilo Esplanade I to Children’s Park, passing under Iloilo Bridge.
During his visit, Aquino also inaugurated and walk-through the completed 51.0-lineal meter Dungon Bridge IV, which was one of the components of the widening of Sen. Benigno S. Aquino, Jr. Avenue.
Likewise, he inspected the construction of Muelle Loney (Drilon) Bridge along Iloilo City-Lapuz Road, with the length of 125.0 lineal meters.
Then just three months after, on Sept. 14, 2015 the President was back in the city, this time inaugurating the P700-million Iloilo Convention Center at the Iloilo Business Park.
Aquino’s last visit to Iloilo as President was on Feb. 9, 2016. He campaigned for his Liberal Party local and national candidates, particularly then Interior secretary Mar Roxas (running for president) and then Cong. Leni Robredo (running for vice president). A grand rally was held at the Freedom Grandstand.
In all these visits, what was President Aquino’s constant message?
He himself succinctly summed it up in his Independence Day speech in Santa Barbara, Iloilo on June 12, 2015:
“In my recent visit to Japan, many expressed praise for the reforms implemented under our watch, all within five years. However, theirs was a recurring question: How will we ensure that the reforms we set in place will be continued?
“My response to them: It is up to the Filipino people; they will continue the change, which they themselves started. They know what is right, from what is wrong. I am optimistic that they will choose the right leader, especially because they have seen what our agenda of good governance brings.
“Our nation has demonstrated this truth in EDSA in 1986, and we demonstrated this once more in 2010 when the Filipino people came together to put an end to the crooked ways of the past. Now that we are nearing the end of our term, I remember what those who stood up against Martial Law would ask to those who hesitated to stand up against the dictatorship: ‘If not now, when? If not you, who?’
“I am certain: Our Bosses will continue what we started. We know full well that, if you give them the right opportunities, the Filipino people will demonstrate excellence in every endeavor.
“The call to us today: Let us remain steadfast and unified in advancing the welfare of our fellowmen, especially those most in need. May we be guided by the past, and may we live out the lessons we have learned today, so that we may reach the destination that we have long desired as one people.”/PN
