Here is a copy of an email I sent to Vice Mayor Jed Mabilog of Iloilo City dated May 30, 2008 concerning a few planning issues in the city.
Hi again,
Forgive my bluntness last night, I didn’t realize I was talking to the Vice-Mayor. Yeah maybe we did or didn’t meet before, it doesn’t matter. You’re an Ilonggo and a Jaycee, that’s two things in common between us. I hurriedly read some articles from the web about you after I received your reply, and I must say I’m impressed.
Anyway, I’m based in China (Suzhou, Shanghai, Chengdu) and have been here 6 years as an architect. I’m probably one of those few who’ve seen how fast a country can grow when the government has a strong pro-active system aimed at courting foreign investment. What does China offer that makes it so attractive compared to other Asian countries?: excellent economic infrastructure (roads, telecoms, power, water, transport facilities) at the lowest possible rates; cheap labor; tax breaks for the first 5 or so years of operation; comprehensive planning of economic zones including environmental protection; and relatively strict adherence to the city’s master plan especially in the industrial parks.
As an architect, let me just give you a few thumbnails about Iloilo that can possibly be improved since my fingers are already all over the keyboard:
1. We need concerted effort to set up an agro-industrial or hi-tech park accessible by land, air & sea with which to channel big-time outside investment, and of course a good honest administrator to run it;
2. The old airport area should be master planned and all new buildings controlled in terms of use and height, even materials and color, not just a hodgepodge like the one we have now called Smallville;
3. Our new airport is excellent but the roadsides from Sta. Barbara to Iloilo City Proper are starting to look like the Central Market, they must be carefully rehabilitated and maybe landscaped. First and last impressions on tourists and investors always last;
4. Our old heritage buildings shouldn’t be demolished just because somebody got hit in the head by a loose moulding and died, they should instead be renovated and maybe converted to museums, NGO / NPO offices, specialty shops and the like;
5. There should be an agency responsible for managing investor visits, a careful program for introducing Iloilo must be in place, with thorough and systematic trips to relevant places and institutions. We also need a decent scale model of Iloilo City as well as the Province of Iloilo at the Provincial Capitol for visual reference;
6. There are no strong tourist destinations in Iloilo City or province that would really compel people to come except probably Boracay nearby and maybe our food and hospitality, so why not develop on that and start looking at a comprehensive plan to turn our diversion roads, riversides and breakwaters into proper parks, pub streets and food avenues Iloilo style;
7. Our relationship with Guimaras Island is largely neglected. If there was a bridge linking the two provinces together it could be the start of a real estate boom between us;
8. We don’t have proper landscaped parks for our children to enjoy, our plazas in front of the churches are so commercialized and so shabby nobody wants to go there.
I guess I’m already abusing your time. I’m just a concerned citizen and I have a hundred issues more if you’re willing to listen, but I think that’s all for now. Thing is, most of these concerns can be handled by a “proper” Planning Bureau, not just an agency whose task is to sign building permits. I think our city is in a big mess right now. You might say it’s still better than other cities in the Philippines and we have no money to do all these things. But you know we don’t need a great big jolt to realize what we’re missing. If Subic Bay and Cebu City could do it why couldn’t we? I’m sure our people have the money and the business acumen; they just need a good strong leader to follow. Speaking of which, that could be you.
Jayceely yours!
John Carlo
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