Treñas to lead Metro Iloilo-Guimaras Leaders Summit
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas is convening a summit of leaders from Iloilo City and the Metro Iloilo-Guimaras area where they can share ideas and actions on how to make the city and region a premier place of the future.
Calling it the Metro Iloilo-Guimaras Leaders Summit, Treñas said there are a lot of ideas on how to make use of the various opportunities to proper the growth of the region but what is needed is for its leaders to come together as one and synergize all plans and programs, and maximize all energies and resources for the improvement of the quality of our lives.
"There are a lot of opportunities around us waiting to be tapped to propel our growth. Private sector and civil society organizations have been very supportive of government efforts. Infrastructure development offers more prospects for economic expansion. Our tourism industry is earning more attention, creating more investments and jobs for our people," Treñas said.
Treñas, also the chair of the Metro Iloilo-Guimaras Economic Development Council (MIGEDC) and the organizations supporting the summit recently launched a website, www.iloiloguimarassummit.com, to announce plans and activities for this historic event.
Convenors of the summit include MIGEDC, Iloilo City and the Department of Interior and Local Government, with the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) as presentors.
Under the theme "The Power of One," the summit is set on December 14, 2007 at the Sarabia Manor Hotel and Convention Center.
"The Metro Iloilo-Guimaras Leaders Summit, as what I want this event called, is also a celebration of leadership. Our city and region has been leading in the application of innovative knowledge on how local governance should work, and this is an added factor in our quest for sustainability. Our leadership is this field has gained the attention of the nation and we must be proud of this," Treñas added.
Treñas noted that Iloilo City's Dinagyang Festival is already considered as best practice on public-private partnership on tourism development and a multi-awarded tourism event in the country. He also cited environmental initiatives like the Clean Cities Program and its involvement in the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) which has brought Iloilo City to the global conservation map.
Guimaras, for its part, has been awarded with the Galing Pook Award for its exemplary partnership program for tourism development.
"We have also been attracting big investments in real estate development. Just recently, we broke the ground for the development project of Megaworld at the old airport site where it will build business process outsourcing, condominium units, a hotel, a convention center, a themed commercial center, a recreation area, and a skills training center. We can also see similar development in areas that have become accessible due to infrastructure development," the mayor said.
Treñas also took pride of the completion of a comprehensive infrastructure and tourism plans for the Metro Iloilo-Guimaras region. "These plans are among our many legacies to our constituents as we work as one region," he said, noting that these should serve as inspirations in doubling all efforts for the greater glory of Iloilo City and the Metro Iloilo-Guimaras region.
"I urge every leader from the government, non-profit, private, labor and academe to work together on improving our local economy, developing skilled manpower, and pooling quality human resources for good governance and sustainable development," Treñas said.
He added: "Let us all work as one region. It is time to turn our ideas into actions, and address issues and problems that hinder our growth. Let us muster all our individual ideas and actions so we can act on them as one. The power of one lies in us. Let us use it."