Iloilo reaps eight EXCELL Awards from DILG
The province of Iloilo bagged eight awards under the 2025 Excellence in Local Governance Awards by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) – Western Visayas.
Iloilo reaped awards in the following governance areas:
* Excellence in Disaster Preparedness – Purok Resilience Program
* Excellence in Health Compliance and Responsiveness – Road to Zero: Movement for a Rabies-Free Province of Iloilo
* Excellence in Sustainable Education – Bulig Eskwela sang Probinsya – Development of Learning Hub
* Excellence in Business-Friendliness and Competitiveness – Institutionalizing Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion: The Iloilo LEDIPO Association Model
* Excellence in Safety, Peace and Order – Search for the Best Performing Municipal Anti-Drug Abuse Council (MADAC)/City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC)
* Excellence in Environmental Management – Tanum Iloilo Towards a Forest Province: Ridge to Reef (R2R) Commitment
* Excellence in Tourism, Heritage Development, Culture and Arts – Namit! Celebrating Culinary Specialties in Iloilo Province
* Excellence in Youth Development – A PARTNER IN PURPOSE, A FORCE FOR YOUTH RESILIENCY: The Iloilo Province’s KaTUWAng Program
Beyond these recognitions, Iloilo has also been making waves nationally and regionally with its broader achievements:
Iloilo City posted a 10.5% GDP growth in 2023, reaching ₱160.28 billion compared to ₱145.07 billion in 2022. This positioned Iloilo as the fastest-growing economy in Western Visayas and gave it the highest per capita GDP in the Visayas at ₱337,805.
With a strong investment climate and increasing economic activities, Iloilo is envisioned to become a premier business hub in Western Visayas, attracting property developments, retail expansions, and infrastructure projects.
Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. emphasized Iloilo’s social justice agenda for, focusing on equitable distribution of opportunities, efficient program implementation, and poverty alleviation. This roadmap aligns with the province’s commitment to inclusive growth and sustainable governance under its Governor Defensor’s development mantra MoRProGReS Iloilo (Movement for a Robust, Progressive, Globally-competitive and Resilient Province of Iloilo).
Despite inflationary pressures and agricultural struggles, Iloilo continues to demonstrate economic resilience, balancing rapid urban growth with rural development initiatives.
The EXCELL Awards, together with these economic and governance milestones, underscore Iloilo’s reputation as a model province in Western Visayas, combining strong local programs with national-level competitiveness.
