ILOILO City – This city has a land area of 78.34 square kilometers.
If the metro is to further attract investments and progress, it has to increase its land area, according to Mayor Jerry Treñas.
But how?
Through land reclamation.
Treñas is eyeing 200 hectares of reclaimed land.
“We will pursue this. If we do not have additional land, ang development makadto sa iban,” he said.
He did not say where the reclamation will be carried out.
Iloilo City is coastal. Five districts face the Iloilo Strait – Jaro, La Paz, City Proper, Molo, and Arevalo.
“I’m not saying nga indi dapat magkadto (ang development) sa ila (towns in Iloilo province). Pero we don’t want to happen to us ang sa Manila. Naubos na ila duta for development, nagkadto na sa Makati, sa Quezon City kag sa iban,” said Treñas.
“If we have more lands, ma-sige sige pa ang aton development,” he added.
In 2017, a local real estate developer proposed to the city government P45-billion project that will reclaim 365 hectares of land from the Iloilo Strait that is separating this city from the island province of Guimaras.
Marikudo Real Estate Development Corp. (MREDC) proposed to build two man-made islands in the Iloilo Strait to expand this city’s land area, stimulate the local economy and generate more jobs. Island A would be approximately 115 hectares while Island B about 250 hectares. Seven bridges will connect the islands to mainland Iloilo City.
The city mayor then was Jed Patrick Mabilog. Nothing came out of the plan./PN
