Iloilo City, a leader in sustainability, continues to demonstrate its commitment to nurturing green spaces and creating a livable community. Project TRANSFORM (Transdisciplinary Approach for Resilience and Sustainability through Multistakeholder Engagement) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has swiftly progressed from concept and theory to practical action in Iloilo, outpacing other local government units (LGUs) that launched it earlier.
This was made possible by agile leadership from the Iloilo City Government, regional offices of DENR and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and other stakeholders working together for ecosystem resilience.
“We come together, and we talk to the experts. But the most important thing of all is action,” said Mayor Jerry Treñas, who firmly emphasized the urgency of the situation. Iloilo City was identified as one of the priority areas for the project’s implementation in 2025–2026, alongside the provinces of Iloilo and Leyte in the Visayas.
To kick-start the initiative, P5 million was allocated from the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (CDRRM) Fund to support transformative actions, including the green-blue-gray initiatives addressing climate and disaster-related risks.
“Amo na kadasig ang core group because we felt the urgency to address the issue, and it is aligned with the vision of the mayor,” said City DRRM Officer Donna Magno.
In order that immediate and feasible solutions can be implemented, experts convened at the Knowledge Development Center in Central Philippine University on April 30.
Longtime champions of environmental protection and sustainable urban development were present, namely: Fiscal Jeremy Bionat, a well-known environmental advocate; Sanny Jegillos, former Senior Adviser for Disaster Risk Reduction at the United Nations Development Programme; Dr. Jurgenne Primavera, a renowned marine scientist celebrated for her contributions to mangrove ecosystem conservation; Dr. Leilani Suerte, a distinguished geologist, science research specialist, and current officer-in-charge of the Geosciences Division at the Mines and Geosciences Bureau Region 6; Prof. Jessica Dator-Bercilla, Science Resilience Fellow from the National Resilience Council; Engr. Noel Z. Hechanova, former Executive Director of the Iloilo-Batiano River Development Council; and Architect Tygrid Caipang from the City Engineer’s Office.
Key department heads and top officials from the City and Provincial Governments, DENR-6 and its attached agencies led by Regional Executive Director Raul Lorilla, and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 6 represented by Assistant Regional Director Engr. Jose Al Fruto also attended the said meeting.
“LGU, DENR, DPWH, and green-blue-gray experts bravely responded to tough questions that helped us understand what we’re dealing with and how we can move from concept and theory to practice — efficiently. More stakeholders, including Civil Society Organizations, People’s Organizations, the academe, and the private sector, will be on board soon. Sabay-sabay na matuto, sabay-sabay umaksyon,” said Dator-Bercilla.
Meanwhile, Jegillos emphasized the benefits of infrastructure approaches combining nature-based and traditional engineering solutions — such as reducing flood risk and urban heat, improving air and water quality, supporting biodiversity, and enhancing urban livability and climate resilience. “Every citizen would love to benefit from these,” he said.
A follow up meeting of the Technical Working Group (TWG) together with Mayor Treñas was held at Iloilo City Hall on May 2. The local chief executive earlier mandated the formation of the Iloilo City Task Force on Greening the Urban Spaces through Executive Order No. 23, in support of the National Greening Program.
“It’s important that we align and harmonize our work with the national government and the projects in the city with the initiatives and direction of the mayor,” said EnP Ronald Cartagena, City Planning and Development Coordinator and Task Force vice chairperson.
In mid-March, the city joined the Visayas-Mindanao leg of the Project TRANSFORM Lecture Series: Unpacking Disaster Risk and Resilience in Cagayan de Oro. By the end of the month, an exploratory meeting was held between the Iloilo City and Provincial Governments at the Iloilo City Action and Resilience Center (ICARE) Gaisano with DENR Region 6.
Project TRANSFORM is likewise implemented in Luzon, including Baguio City, Pangasinan, Isabela, Palawan, Masbate, and the provinces surrounding the Verde Island Passage. Zamboanga del Norte, Davao de Oro, Maguindanao del Norte, and Bukidnon are the areas in Mindanao selected for the project.
