A Model Community

Iloilo province is now a model  of political unity, good governance and economic development, thanks to President Aquino' "daang matuwid" or straight path.

This was the message conveyed by Senate President Franklin M. Drilon in his remarks on the occasion of the celebration of the 117th year of Philippine independence in Santa Barbara town on June 12. President Aquino himself led the commemoration. "Iloilo has made giant leaps and strides. Iloilo is on the move," Drilon said.

The Senate leader cited the gains made in  reviving the dying Iloilo River. "We revived it. The river esplanade is now a prime tourist destination.The Iloilo River has become the pride of Iloilo," he said.

The Iloilo River Plains, where the 1,000 families living along the river banks have been resettled, is now a model resettlement site, Drilon said. Among the other projects implemented in Iloilo in the past five years are the  Iloilo International Airport and the Iloilo seaport.

Drilon also reported on the progress made in the Jalaur River Multi-Purpose Project. Authorized under Republic Act 2651 in 1960, the project was fully funded  with a US$208 million ODA loan from South Korea.

Once completed, the project will irrigate 32,000 hectares of land, benefit 783,000 farmers, increase annual rice production to over 300,000 tons, produce 6.6MW of electricity, and provide up to 86,000 cubic meters per day of good quality potable water. Another achievement of the province, Drilon said, is the world-class convention center which will position Iloilo as a prime convention destination. It will be the venue of the upcoming APEC meeting in October.

Also on track is the upgrading of the road network. The provincial government widened the existing Senator Benigno Aquino Avenue to make it a 10-lane road, complete with a red-tiled bicycle lane.  The 14-kilometer four-lane President Corazon Aquino Avenue around the city has opened new areas for land development. "In Iloilo, we have our own versions of NLEX and SLEX, but unlike the two expressways, ours is free of charge, " Drilon said.

"In Iloilo, we have proven that if we are united, and put our collective interest before individual interest, we can create change. In Iloilo, we are nurturing big dreams, and are working hard to realize these dreams," Drilon explained.

In conclusion, Drilon pointed out: "I know that in each and every Filipino, there is a longing to make a difference.  There is an innate capacity to rise to the challenges of the times. And there is a profound love for our country. However, the best way to honor their legacy is to unite and bring our beloved country to its development goals on the wings of good governance."

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