FOR FAR too long, we have seen how the absence of clear coordination has resulted in duplication, waste, and even outright project mishaps in Iloilo City. The proposal of Councilor Rex Marcus Sarabia requiring national government agencies to secure a Certificate of Coordination from the Iloilo City Government before implementing projects is thus both timely and necessary.
The recent quad committee hearing at the City Council revealed a telling pattern: infrastructure projects carried out by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) without proper guidance from city planners. The result? Roads dug up just months after being paved, drainage systems that fail to connect to the city’s master plan, and structures erected where they serve little purpose or, worse, cause inconvenience. Each error translates to wasted taxpayer money — resources that could have gone to much-needed services for the people.
Urban planning is not a matter of convenience; it is a discipline grounded in long-term vision and efficiency. Iloilo City has painstakingly crafted its development blueprint, from transport modernization to flood control measures, yet these efforts risk being undermined when national projects operate in silos. Coordination would ensure that all undertakings — whether locally or nationally funded — move in the same direction, avoiding costly overlaps.
Coordination must not be viewed as a bureaucratic hurdle. In fact, it strengthens accountability. When agencies are compelled to align their projects with city plans, the public can hold both local and national officials responsible for results. Without such a mechanism, the blame game continues whenever projects fail, with one side pointing at the other while the people suffer the consequences.
Iloilo City has long been proud of its reputation as one of the country’s most livable urban centers. Living up to that reputation requires discipline in governance and foresight in planning. National agencies must respect and support the city’s development priorities, not bulldoze through them with poorly aligned initiatives.
The call for stronger coordination is a call for good governance. After all, the ultimate stakeholder here is the public. Ilonggos deserve projects that work seamlessly together, not fragmented undertakings that cost more in the long run.
