Not even the global health pandemic can stop the local government here from promoting this highly urbanized city (HUC) to investors, Mayor Jerry Treñas said on Wednesday.
He said the city government has appropriated PHP5 million for the branding and promotion of the metropolis. It was subjected to bidding and will soon be awarded to a firm based in Metro Manila.
“Look for any LGU (local government unit) that continues to promote itself during the pandemic. I think it is only Iloilo City. Your city continues to promote itself in spite of and despite the pandemic. You should be very proud (of) being Ilonggos. We are continuing the fight,” Treñas said in an open forum on the first day of the two-day investment forum.
The Tourism Board also provided an almost PHP10-million fund to brand Iloilo as a Bike Capital of the Philippines, he added.
He announced before business groups and participants of the forum three areas in the city where additional incentives will be given for investments made within three years.
These are areas at the coastal, at the circumferential, and at the radial roads.
“Investments there will be free of the business and real property taxes for three years graduated. This is where we want investments to be concentrated because these areas are still underdeveloped,” he said.
The incentives will be included in the city’s Business Recovery Ordinance, he said.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod, he said, has reclassified the areas as residential and commercial from agricultural, hence investors no longer have to apply for reclassification.
The city’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) is also being updated, he added.
“Iloilo City is gearing for new investment and in spite of and despite this pandemic, we know that it will be here to stay but as long as we follow all the protocols, we know that together with the private sector we will be able to move forward,” he said.
Treñas added that at the moment the city does not impose restrictions for guests coming from outside the region as long as they immediately undergo swab test upon arrival.
“We just want to make sure that everyone who comes here will be free from the virus. We all know that Christmas will be a time for family reunions, what is important is that we have to test and test fast,” he said.
Iloilo City has its Covid-19 molecular laboratory that can release result test as fast as 48 hours.
It is also building its own hospital to address the needs of its constituents as public hospitals are already congested.
The two-half day business conference organized by the Iloilo Provincial Government and the Iloilo Economic Development Foundation, Inc (ILEDF) was held in collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Tourism and Department of Interior and Local Government –Local Governance Regional Resource Center in Western Visayas.
Held via a combined component of an on-venue, online via Zoom, and live-streamed through Facebook, the “Investment Forum: Reimagining Iloilo’s Next” is part of the series of business conferences and meetings that will culminate with an international investment forum scheduled in March next year. (PNA)