Treñas upset over omission of city in dev't authority
Mayor Jerry P. Treņas
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas failed to hide his disappointment yesterday upon learning that Iloilo City is not included in the Panay Development Authority (PDA) which was mentioned by Presidential chief of staff Sec. Michael Defensor during the Awarding Ceremony for Best Public Sector Projects, 2005-2006 held at Sarabia Manor Hotel and Convention Center.
PDA is purportedly tasked to help promote Panay Island as tourism and investment destination as part of the Super Regions program of Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
As mentioned, PDA is composed only of four Panay provinces, namely, Antique, Aklan, Capiz and Iloilo.
"I feel very bad," Treñas blurted of the city's non-inclusion to the PDA.
"It seems that they don't recognize the help given by the city in terms of tourism and investment promotion," the mayor said.
"I hope it will be rectified otherwise they will not get any support from the city," Treñas added.
Assistant Secretary Salvador Sarabia of the Department of Tourism said he will move for the inclusion of Iloilo City and Guimaras province to the PDA.
Sarabia clarified that PDA was created by law during the time of the late Pres. Ferdinand Marcos which explains why Guimaras was also not included. Guimaras during the time was only a sub-province of Iloilo.
"I will move for the passage of a resolution to include Iloilo City and Guimaras to the PDA," Sarabia said.
In yesterday's presentation it was not clear if who are the officers of the PDA and what are the parameters of its functions.
To note, there is an existing Regional Development Council (RDC), now headed by Gov. Sally Perez of Antique, which is composed of all the cities and provinces of Western Visayas.
Interestingly, a document obtained by The News Today showed that the PDA was already abolished through Executive Order (EO) No. 817 of Pres. Marcos dated July 8, 1982.
The EO abolished certain "sub-regional development corporations which were established by special law but which were never organized."
The abolished government corporations include: (1) Catanduanes Development Authority, (2) Ilocos Sur Development Authority, (3) Mindoro Development Board, (4) Northern Samar Development Authority, (5) Southeastern Samar Development Authority, (6) Sulu Development Company, (7) Philippine National Iron and Steel Corporation, (8) Bicol Development Company (9) Coconut Investment Company, and (10) Panay Development Authority.