ILOILO City – A bold step toward transforming mobility in Metro Iloilo has begun, with the Metro Iloilo-Guimaras Economic Development Council (MIGEDC) commissioning Sweco International AB to craft a comprehensive master plan for an integrated public transport system.
The P33-million feasibility study, funded through a grant from Swedfund International, aims to reshape how residents and commuters travel across Iloilo City, its neighboring municipalities of Pavia, Santa Barbara, Cabatuan, Leganes, Oton, and San Miguel, as well as Guimaras province.
Iloilo City’s Mayor Raisa Treñas, MIGEDC chairperson, said the initiative goes beyond physical infrastructure, emphasizing its impact on sustainability and quality of life.
“By streamlining routes, improving connectivity, and modernizing our transport services, we are setting the stage for a more inclusive, sustainable and people-centered urban mobility network. This integrated system will not only ease traffic for our commuters, but also strengthen our economic competitiveness, reduce environmental impacts and improve the overall quality of life in Metro Iloilo,” Treñas stressed.
The study will chart out phased implementation of a transport network plan, focusing on merging current urban bus services with future routes, modern public transport options, and possible bus rapid transit corridors.
Other existing transport modes may also be considered, along with proposals for new infrastructure investments.
According to MIGEDC executive director Velma Jane Lao, the project will run for one year — eight months for the study and four months for finalization.
“In six to eight weeks from now, they will come back to present their inception report. Their initial draft will come out eight months after, and the full study will be out after a year,” Lao explained.
Treñas formalized the partnership with Project Urban/Regional Planner Alexander Cochrane of Sweco in a contract signing ceremony attended by MIGEDC member municipalities, Guimaras representatives, and Sweco Project Transportation Engineer Dejan Pijetlovic./PN
