All set for the 138kV Sta Barbara substation transmission line that will soon boost sufficient power distribution in Panay Island that will be sourced from the Global Business Power Corp. GBPC) plant in Ingore, La Paz, Iloilo City.

This was assured by Engr. Gil Altamira of the Panay Energy Development Corp. (PEDC), an affiliate of GBPC, and Engr. Christopher Paras of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) during the groundbreaking rites of the P346 million transmission line project on December 10, 2009 at the GBPC compound here.

Paras said the first coal fired power plant in Panay with 164 megawatts is more than enough to supply power in Iloilo City and the rest of Panay Island provinces and Negros Occidental.

Iloilo City, currently consuming from 70 to 75 megawatts, is expected to increase its power demand starting next year after several call centers and commercial hubs especially Megaworld Corp. are in place. Read more »

ILOLO CITY- More than rice scientists in the country congregate in this city to participate in the national evaluation of rice varieties in 14 rice locations in the Philippines.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) spearheaded the annual meeting of the National Seed Industry Council (NSIC) and the Seed Selection Board among members conducting the National Cooperators Test (NCT) on rice varietal improvement on April 29 to 30, 2009.

Vivencio Mamaril of the Bureau of Plant Industry and NSIC said the NCT is a science-based like a beauty contest among rice varieties that rice farmers will have to choose from.

The rice varieties underwent a two year test including 2 wet seasons and 2 dry season on top of some 8 to 10 years development by breeders before it is accepted in the NCT. Read more »

ILOILO CITY – The first commercially viable coal-fired power plant in Western Visayas will be commissioned by the last quarter of 2010 at its site at Brgy. Ingore, La Paz, Iloilo City. .

This was announced by Engr. Adrian Moncada, president of the Global Business Power Corp., proponent of the P16 billion power plant investments during the Power 101 power situationer report conducted by the Iloilo Business Club was April 17, 2009 at the Hotel del Rio here.

Moncada admitted that landfill development is currently ongoing in the 24-hectare site and actual construction will start by July or August this year. Read more »

ILOILO CITY – The city government will get some P50 million as its share in the initial partial release of P483 million Paglaum Fund and will be used for the dredging of Dungon Creek in Mandurriao district.

City mayor Jerry P. Treñas said the creek is an important waterway that absorbs surface water during the rainy season and must be rehabilitated and dredged to pave the way for surface water to pass through and go to the Iloilo River.

Rapid urbanization and the emergence of housing villages in the area have constricted the flow of water that led to flashfloods. Super typhoon Frank that occurred last June 21-22, 2009 had flooded for several days the downstream area including those along the diversion road. Read more »

ILOILO CITY – Political and government leaders in the city and province of Iloilo have ask the postponement of turn-over of the National Power Corporation’s Panay Diesel Power Plant 1 and Panay Diesel Power Plant 3, both situated in Dingle, Iloilo to a later date when additional sources of power will have been identified and contracted.

In a meeting of the Regional Development Council (RDC) Infrastructure Committee here March 13, 2009 and chaired by Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Trenas, Iloilo Governor Niel D. Tupas moved for a resolution to ask Power Sector Asset and Liabilities Management (PSALM) and the Department of Energy to delay the privatization and hold back the turn-over of the power plants slated on March 26, 2009 to private owner Salcon Power Corporation (SPC) and for the Napocor to continue operation of the two plants.

Out of its 5 plant units generating a total of 57 megawatts power (MW) for Panay Island consumers, only 14 MW are being generated as of March 13 as several units are undergoing major restoration and rehabilitation, according to Napocor Vice President Danilo Sedillo. Read more »

ILOILO CITY – The continuous supply of power to all electric power cooperatives, distribution utilities and directly connected customers in Panay Island having existing contracts with the National Power Corporation (Napocor) is now threatened due to the turning over of successfully bided diesel power plants in Bohol and Panay that will be turned over to its new private owners on March 26, 2009.

It was feared that the impending turn over of the diesel plants in Dingle, Iloilo would effect a shortage of about 54 megawatts in Panay alone and the shortage will happen during the time of highest demand especially during the summer months.

City mayor Jerry P. Trenas said that with the turnover of Panay Diesel Power Plant 1 and 3 to its new owners Salcon Corp., it was feared that the power supply will be greatly affected in areas receiving power from Napocor. Read more »

City Mayor Jerry Treñas expects the Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD) to fulfill their commitment to address the water needs of the city as thousands of visitors are expected to visit the city for the Dinagyang 2009 festival this week.

The MIWD cut-down the water supply in the city for three days last week to pave way for the bypass connection from the town of Cabatuan to its water basin in Sta. Barbara. “Before the bypass connection was made, there is still water supply in our house but now there is no water coming from our faucets,” Treñas said.

He said he is in constant communication with the MIWD officials in checking the update on the water supply in the city. The mayor said he was informed that the water basin in Sta. Barbara is full of silt and caused disruption on the distribution of water supply to its concessionaires. Read more »

Public Safety and Security

• Information Dissemination

A.I Fire Prevention Month Celebration
A.2 National Disaster Consciousness Month Celebration
A.3 Crime Prevention Week Celebration (preparation of flyers, posters, etc.)

• Improve Technical Capabilities

B. Services improvement
B.1 Radio communications training attended by committee member agency
B.2 Conduct seminar on Writ of Amparo

• Improve community participation

C.1 Best practices/models in Public Safety and Security (Search for the Best of the year

• Improve Coordination and Networking

D. Coordination and Administration
D.1 Quarterly meetings

Environmental Management Committee

• Creation of LGU’s Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO)

Meetings
Trainings/capacity-building for MENRO-designates
Establishment of MENRO as permanent positions Read more »

Urban Partnerships Program-Philippines (UPP-Philippines) Leadership Series.

Download UPPP’s Leadership Series, a learning tool for policy makers to promote understanding of pressing urban issues and encourage policy actions for urban sustainability.

Leadership Series No. 10: Bioregional planning
Leadership Series No. 9: Furnishing the Streets
Leadership Series No. 8: When Public Becomes Private
Leadership Series No. 7: Spokes in the City
Leadership Series No. 6: Urban Waterfronts: The Wave of the Future
Leadership Series No. 5: Breaking Free From the Concrete Prison
Leadership Series No. 4: Walking into a Greener Future
Leadership Series No. 3: The Gospel of Bioregionalism
Leadership Series No. 2: The Evolution of the Jeepney and Transit in Metro Iloilo
Leadership Series No. 1: The New Public Realm and the Sustainable City

Read more »

Presentation by Dr. Gary Davidson and Beate Bowron (Canadian Urban Institute) consultants.

CUI Urban and Regional Planning Program
Iloilo, September 7 – 16, 2008

Beate Bowron, FCIP, RPP, former Director of
Community Planning, City of Toronto

Dr. Gary Davidson, FCIP, RPP, former Director of
Planning and Development, County of Huron

Click link below to download
MIGEDC Focus For Action: Presentation by Gary and Beate (PDF)