Wish List 4
Aside from the norm of merely posting in tarpaulin the view of the planned infra project, the city can also maximize it as an opportunity to promote transparency and accountability to its citizens.
The wish list here is that, for every major city infra project, the city shall also post a really large QR-Code poster to be prominently displayed in each ongoing project of the city government.
Then, when citizens scan it (even from afar), the project profile can be immediately known to all, such as: the project description; the source of fund; the awarded project cost and contractor; the mode of implementation; the project duration and timetable; the percentage of completion to date and an up-to-date narrative of project accomplishments.
Other information for transparency purposes is the specific project item in the city’s Annual Investment Plan (AIP), then the current year’s APP and the PPMP.
In the project App, citizens can also make feedback reports about the project. It only needs a Rapid Online Project Monitoring App to complement every project. (Note: To hasten this wish list, this author volunteers to provide this QR-accessible Project Monitoring App for FREE within 3 days to the Iloilo City government, if requested. Email anytime at rizaldyharder@yahoo.com)
Exhibit 5. Bringing Business Renewals to the Next Level
Again, under Mayor JPT’s initiative, business permit renewal centers are now located at several malls in the city, thereby making it conveniently easy for city business taxpayers to renew their business permits.
This citizen-centric innovation is truly customer-friendly, convenient and efficient. It saves time, lessens stress, and makes this year-to-year drill a breeze than a burden.
Wish List 5
While this is good enough, the city can take it to another level of innovation and efficiency.
The wish list here is to make the process of business renewal to be a bi-annual event. Can business taxpayers be allowed to renew their businesses every two years, instead of only one year? Can this be done in a highly urbanized Iloilo City? Can the City BPLO hack it?
Cebu City has already done it! In December 10, 2019, Cebu City approved an Ordinance that allowed business permit renewal for every two-year cycle, instead of every year. This allowed the more than 30,000 business owners of Cebu City to conveniently renew their businesses only once every two years. And since 2020 to present, their business taxpayers are contented and happy with this innovation.
The two-year renewal of business permits reduced the massive queuing. It actualizes what a real business-friendly LGU is. This ordinance was authored by then SP Member Raymond Alvin Garcia, now Cebu City Mayor. (Note: To know and read more about it then search this in Google: “Cebu City two-year business permit validity”.)
If Cebu can do it, we can do it too and further improve on it. Maybe a three-year business permit cycle can be studied as an option. How’s that Iloilo City SP?
In Cebu City, that ordinance was a product of a collaborative public-private consultation. And just like Cebu City’s experience, this wish list needs a strong endorsement from their local Business Club and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, so Iloilo’s IBC and ICCI, let this be in your next agenda, please: Consider to review and recommend to the city government for a business permit renewal every two years, instead of every year.
Exhibit 6: The UFO Has Finally Landed
The long-awaited completion of the Ungka Flyover (UFO) Project, after repeated chaotic delays, is now a major milestone in Iloilo City’s development this 2025.
Its impact on mobility, convenience, efficiency and economic growth will be felt for generations. Kudos to the DPWH, contractors, to former Senate President Franklin Drilon, CongW. Jam Jam Baronda and the tempered vigilance of City Mayor Treñas, who was also the Chairperson of the Infrastructure Development Committee of the Regional Development Council of Region VI.
Wish List 6
Learning from the dynamics of this project, and with many legal hitches on the side, it is obvious that a legislative initiative must be undertaken. There appears to be no law that can be cited directly if a wrongful design of an infra project happens thus resulting to increased project cost, delays that border on economic sabotage and massive inconvenience to the general public.
The case of this controversial flyover project, now costing almost P1B after repair, passed thru many legislative inquiries, but no clear violation based on a given law was cited as basis to nail the culprits, whether it be the DPWH Design Division, the private third-party consultant, or the project contractors that implemented it. As to accountability, the case of this UFO moved in slow motion – from chaos to limbo to forgetfulness. For taxpayer-citizens, this is unacceptable.
Thus, the wish list here is that a project review be done in aid of legislation, so that an appropriate law applicable to such case be enacted to safeguard similar projects in the future.
Maybe, our representatives CongW. Jam Jam Baronda and Cong. Jojo Ang of Uswag Ilonggo can author the legislative version, if it was not yet legislated.
WITH THESE EXHIBITS OF PROGRESS and the accompanying WISH LISTS, Iloilo City is poised to continue its trajectory as a model highly urbanized city in the Philippines. The road ahead is paved with opportunities, and with steadfast governance and community cooperation, Iloilo City will continue to amaze many as it moves on to greater heights./PN
