Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas said the long-overdue modernization of the Iloilo Commercial Port Complex (ICPC) in Iloilo City will pave the way for export-quality products of Iloilo and the whole Western Visayas.
Treñas said the soon-to-be modernized port facility will unlock the export potentials of the region, especially the agriculture-based products to go international.
“Hopefully, together with (DTI and DA, we can come up with export-quality products which we can send abroad like dried mangoes and pineapple and other agri-based products.”
“Hopefully, together with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Department of Agriculture (DA), we can come up with export-quality products which we can send abroad like dried mangoes and pineapple and other agri-based products,” the mayor said.
Other products that can be developed for export are locally-made furniture.
Treñas, who also chairs the Infrastructure Development Committee of the Regional Development Council and has been leading the call for the modernization of the port complex, is looking forward to the realization of these opportunities after the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has finally awarded International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) a 25-year concession contract to develop and operate the port facility.
He said that he has already given instruction to the Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion Office (LEDIPO) through its head, Velma Jane Lao, to invite local economic development officers of all the provinces in the region for a meeting together with DTI and DA regarding these prospects.
“We can push the products of each province.”
“We can push the products of each province. Once the port’s modernization is complete, they already have developed their respective export products. The advantage is, there will be lesser shipment cost considering ships no longer have cargoes when returning to their respective origin,” Treñas pointed out.
He reiterated the big impact of the project not only for the economy of the city, but the province and the whole region as well.
“Daku bulig sa aton economy kay first wala na sang double handling wherein instead maagi pa sa Manila or Cebu, ma-diretso na sa aton. Another advantage is that the construction materials, agricultural inputs like fertilizer and other chemicals and agri products like bugas – mas barato ang presyo kay waay na double handling,” Treñas added.
Forward-looking, he is also hopeful for the privatization of the Iloilo International Airport in Cabatuan, Iloilo.
These and the completion of the multi-million Jalaur River Multi-purpose Project and the realization of Panay-Guimaras-Negros Bridge will all be game changers of region 6’s economic progress.
“As chairman of the Infrastructure Development Committee, we are pushing for all of these for the benefit of the region’s economy and our people,” Treñas concluded.
