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The Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) partnered with ABS-CBN TV 10 Iloilo in holding a roundtable discussion to answer the following:

  1. What are the impacts of the various local economic development initiatives of Iloilo City to the various sectors of the community public? Which programs and projects are effective and which are not? What are the main challenges and difficulties encountered and how did you respond to these?
  2. What is your economic vision of Iloilo City? What changes in our economy do you foresee in the next five years?

Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation chair Ben Jimena (3rd from left) explains an idea during the roundtable as co-discussants (from left) Director Edwin Trompeta of the Department of Tourism and Iloilo City Councilor Merci-Drilon Garcia and host Jobert Peñaflorida (right) listen.

Thus, the activity “Sikat Ka Iloilo! A Roundtable on WHO DOES WHAT? In Achieving Iloilo City’s Vision of A Premier City by 2015” was born. The discussion followed the format of ABS-CBN’s morning talkshow Sikat Ka Iloilo! (You’re Famous Iloilo!) hosted by lawyer Joebert Peñaflorida.

Held on 27 February 2006 at the Iloilo Grand Hotel and hosted by Peñaflorida himself, the roundtable gathered 10 discussants. They were:

The roundtable started at 2:00 p.m. and ended at 4:30 p.m. Nerissa Pedreso, Peñaflorida’s assistant host in the morning talkshow that airs over ABS-CBN TV 10 Iloilo from 6:30-7:00 a.m., moderated questions from the floor.

Attending the roundtable were at least 50 participants coming from various government offices and agencies, non-government organizations and the academe.

From left are discussants Jane Jaspe of ICCB, Ma. Victoria Leah Lara of IBC, Engr. Diosdado Cadena of DTI, Director Edwin Trompeta of DOT, Iloilo City Councilor Merci Drilon-Garcia and Benito Jimena of IDFI. At extreme right is moderator Joebert Peñaflorida, host of Sikat Ka Iloilo!

 

Sikat Ka Iloilo! host Joebert Peñaflorida (extreme left) and discussants (from left) Rinand Escuban of CPU, Nielex Tupas of Kalipi, Michael Vincent Palacios of WVSU and Sedfrey Cabaluna of USA listen to a question from the floor.

 
Iloilo City Planning Coordinator Jose Roni Peñalosa airs his views as the discussants entertains questions from the audience.
 

Iloilo told to put investors under one roof

The country in general may be reeling from speculations of instability but Iloilo City is reeling from so many potential investments that all it has to do is put them all together under one big umbrella of cooperative efforts for greater impact.

This was the overall perspective of the panelists in a roundtable discussion organized on February 27 by the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) and ABS-CBN TV 10, with funding assistance from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) .

Dubbed “Sikat Ka Iloilo! A Roundtable on Who Does What? In Achieving Iloilo City’s Vision of a Premier City by 2015," it was moderated by lawyer Joebert Peñaflorida. It followed the format of Peñaflorida’s morning TV talkshow Sikat Ka Iloilo! (You’re Famous, Iloilo!) which airs over ABS-CBN TV 10.

The forum sought to identify the on-going impact programs which are contributing in making Iloilo a hub for tourism, economic and social development activities in the region. It also tackled the issues on how effective these programs are, how do agencies and sectors respond to the programs being pushed and what are the challenges the sectors are facing.

The views from both the panelists and the other participants from the audience pointed to the fact that Iloilo has so many mechanisms and programs that boost both tourism and economy, for one, the Dinagyang Festival, which undeniably had brought Iloilo to the attention of the world community.

The forum participants, likewise, believed that factors like education, information, and communication technology and all the other relevant policies are pushing Iloilo nearer its 2015 vision. Added to this, is the effort at connecting the tourism and economic development goals of Iloilo and Guimaras.

They, however, believed that partnerships and linkages have to be strengthened and effectively forged, and that a single big body should be able to put all the initiatives and the proponents together for sustainability.

CUI Advisors Terry Boutilier and Patricia MacPherson both believed Iloilo has the capacity to pursue its vision and it has to start by being able to put in place measures to see its direction clearly.

Penaflorida, the program host, underscored the role of the local media in helping Iloilo achieve its goal. That forum was just among the initiatives, he said.

( Note: The article above, written by Elsa Subong of the Philipppine Information Agency (PIA) in Iloilo City, was taken from the PIA website where it first appeared. Subsequently, it was also carried by local newspapers in Iloilo City.)

Programme

I. Overview of Forum and Introduction of Discussants

II. Roundtable Discussion

III. Reactions from Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) Advisors

  • Terry Boutilier, MCIP, RPP
    Brownfield Coordinator and Senior Planner (Special Projects)
    Development and Technical Services Department
    City of Kitchener, Ontario
  • Patricia MacPherson, BES, MCIP
    Canadian Consultant for Economic Development

IV. Wrap-up

  • Atty. Joebert Peñaflorida
  • Nerissa Pedreso

 
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