ILOILO CITY — Investors who poured in big projects in Iloilo City are now working hand-in-hand with the local government unit (LGU) here in terms of disaster preparations.

On Monday, the Heva Development and Management Corporation represented by Carlos Legara signed the deed of grant of usufructuary rights with the city government represented by Mayor Jerry Treñas for the use of a 375-square-meter parcel of lot at the Iloilo City Center in Mandurriao district as site of the disaster risk reduction and management command center and traffic intelligence system.

The deed of usufruct is good for 25 years and renewable for another 25 years.

“This center is very significant not only because of the location but we all know that this is the next growth center of Iloilo City. And it is very necessary that it is at the center so we can immediately respond when needed,” Treñas said in an interview.

The mayor also expressed his appreciation to mall tycoon Eddie Gaisano and his family for allowing the city government to utilize a portion of their property for the project.

The proposed five-story center is complete with a police car, an ambulance, and a fire truck.

The center that will be named Henry Gaisano Iloilo City Action and Response Center (ICARE) in honor of the father of Eddie Gaisano, the mayor added.

Treñas hoped that the target PHP38-million budget that will be sourced from the general fund will already be included in the Supplemental Budget No. 3 to be passed by the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP).

The center will be complemented by two-story center that will be established in various districts of the city. The first satellite center will be located at the Juntado Subdivision in Molo district, which was allotted with a PHP10-million fund, to be followed by Jaro district in Barangay Sambag.

“We hope to find also property in Lapaz and Arevalo so we can spread the ICARE,” the mayor said.

Legara noted the Gaisano family is “very thankful” for the “opportunity that they have enjoyed” in Iloilo.

He said Gaisano has 15 stores all over Western Visayas.

Meanwhile, this highly-urbanized city was also chosen by the Alliance Global Group (Inc.) as its adoptive city under the National Resilience Council (NRC) Adopt-A-City program for climate and disaster resiliency.

On Aug 30, 2019, Treñas also signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Resilience Council (NRC) represented by its convener Ambassador Roberto Romulo and President Ma. Antonia Yulo, and AGI chief executive officer and chief strategy officer Kevin Tan.

AGI, through its real estate company Megaworld is currently developing a 72-hectare Iloilo Business Park in Mandurriao district.

The mayor said AGI, through the National Resilience Council (NRC), will extend PHP8 million for the capacity building, equipment, and sensors to be identified by the NRC.

Also part of the MOU is the capacity building of five city hall employees who will be sent to Taiwan on September 8.

During the training, they will also have the opportunity to visit Taiwan’s command center. (PNA)

SOURCE:
Lena, P. (2019, September 2). Investors boost Iloilo City’s disaster preparations. Philippine News Agency. Retrieved from https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1079293

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