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By Vincent P. Grecia

Western Visayas generally showed an impressive growth rate a year after the COVID 19 pandemic lockdowns according to the Regional Development Council (RDC) 6.
During the RDC 6’s 2nd Quarter Regular Meeting held in Iloilo City on June 28, it was revealed that the growth rate of Western Visayas in the year 2022 hit the P955 billion mark or 9.3 percent.
RDC 6 chair and Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, who was also recently elected chair of the National Economic Development Authority Board-Regional Development Committee, Visayas Area Committee (NB-RDCom VAC), said the growth rate in Western Visayas is impressive despite the challenges the region faced in 2022.
“Kudos to the efforts of the governors, the mayors, the regional line agencies and of course, the private sector,” Benitez said during his opening message.
Although inflation rate was at 6.6 percent on average, the highest among the regions, Benitez reasoned that it is natural for inflation to hit due to fast growth rate.
During the meeting, the RDC members unanimously endorsed the Top 30 priority
projects for allocation of the national government.
Topping the RDC 6 priority list is the Panay-Guimaras-Negros (PGN) Inter Island Link Bridge with a total cost of P 187.53 billion and is expected to be completed by 2030.
This 32.47 km PGN Island Bridges Project is classified by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) as a rural expressway with two sea-crossing bridges, connecting roads and interchanges that will connect the three main islands of the region, seen to boost commerce and tourism in the covered areas.
“The Panay Guimaras Negros bridge should be the legacy of this council to make it happen in the years to come,” Benitez told the members of the council. (Report from PIA6)

By Vincent P. Grecia

The Environmental and Social Monitoring (ES) Team of the Korea Exim Bank – Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) officially commenced their due diligence mission to Iloilo’s biggest irrigation development project – Jalaur River Multi-Purpose Project Stage II.

This monitoring activity is a regular/quarterly activity of the funding institution of JRMP II in compliance to the Safeguard Policy of EDCF and the Loan Agreement between the Governments of the Philippines and South Korea.

JRMP II Project Manager Engineer Jonel Borres welcomed the team and assured them of the Project Management Office’s usual and full support to the activity.

The due diligence mission concluded on July 3, 2023 which covered onsite inspections, thematic meetings, and focus group discussions with various stakeholders and partners in project implementation.

Korean firm Daewoo Engineering and Construction is building the biggest dam and irrigation project outside Luzon with a project cost of PhP 11.2 billion.

Its major components are the Jalaur High Dam, Jalaur Afterbay Dam, Alibunan Catch Dam and the 80-kilometer highline canal.

Borres reported that as of May 23, 2023 the project’s physical accomplishment is at 66.71 percent.

The JRMP II project is expected to be completed by September 2024 and could be operational by the first quarter of 2025.

Once operational, JRMP II will surely boost the development of the agriculture sector in the Province of Iloilo.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has launched the extension site of its One Town, One Product (OTOP) hub in the Province of Guimaras on June 26, 2023.

The OTOP Hub Guimaras Extension is located at Jordan Wharf in Rizal, Jordan where the products displayed are proudly made in Guimaras.

DTI-Guimaras OIC Provincial Director Mutya Eusores graced the event with her presence.

Governor JC Rahman A. Nava, MD was represented by Mr. Lino Galea, Executive Assistant III.

The OTOP Hub Project of the Department of Trade and Industry is a one-stop retail store where market-ready products offering of a local community can be found and caters to the general mainstream market of both local buyers and tourists.

This is one of the flagship market access program of the DTI in partnership with the local government units (LGUs) that aims to help the micro, small, and medium enterprises in the country to level up their products and encourage inclusive economic growth.

Iloilo City’s sanitary landfill in Brgy. Calajunan, Mandurriao will be converted into a waste to energy project soon.

A ceremonial signing of joint certification of successful negotiation between the city government and Metro Pacific Water (MPW) for the Iloilo City Integrated Solid Waste Management Facility (Waste-to-Energy) or the WtE project (ISWMF) was held on Tuesday with Mayor Jerry Treñas and MPW president and chief executive officer Rogelio Singson as signatories.

“With the Calajunan sanitary landfill nearing the end of its life span in just three short years, the urgency to find alternative waste management solutions cannot be overstated. The introduction of a WtE facility not only provides a sustainable and efficient solution for managing the city’s waste but also presents a remarkable opportunity for Iloilo City’s economic growth,” Treñas said in his message during the short ceremony.

In a follow-up interview, Treñas said the proposal of the MPW will be subjected to a competitive or Swiss challenge.

The Swiss challenge is an alternative selection process wherein third parties or challengers shall be invited to submit comparative proposals for a project as defined in the Integrated Public-Private Partnership Code of Iloilo City. The system’s objective is to discourage frivolous projects or to avoid inflated project costs.

Treñas said the project would clear the 23-hectare sanitary landfill that could be repurposed to boost the city’s economic activity.

Singson, in his message, said they would like to complete this project in Iloilo so they could have a good model to be replicated all over the country.

“It’s the same problem all over the country. This project will kickstart Iloilo City’s growth to sustainable solid waste management goals, solidifying the city as a leader and good model for sustainable waste management in the whole country,” he said.

In an interview, Singson said they chose to propose the project in the city because of its existing water project.

“This to me is an ideal model for cities where we have water, bulk distribution, and wastewater under one roof,” he said.

The proposed WtE facility can process up to 470 tons of non-recyclable wastes as potential fuel a day and produce around 2.4 megawatts of energy.

A press statement released by the MPW Tuesday evening said the ISWMF would treat, recover, and convert the city’s waste into refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and biogas, considered renewable energy sources by the Department of Energy.

“It will significantly reduce the waste that ends up in Iloilo landfills, conserving natural resources, and minimizing environmental impact. The project is also estimated to result in a reduction of 129,000 metric tons per year of CO2 (carbon dioxide) equivalent,” it said.

Engineer Neil Ravena, head of the Iloilo City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), said the project would address all kinds of wastes as its mechanical biological treatment facility would cater to organic wastes with high-moisture content, an anaerobic treatment facility for other non-organic wastes, and RDF for plastic wastes.

“We will close Calahunan (sanitary landfill) and rehabilitate through bioremediation to bring it back to its old state where there are no more wastes, leachate, and methane gas. Calahunan is now being considered as a prime lot,” he said in an interview on Wednesday.

The city generates 370 tons of solid waste per day, he said. (PNA)

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has launched the extension site of its One Town, One Product (OTOP) hub in the Province of Guimaras on June 26, 2023. The OTOP Hub Guimaras Extension is located at Jordan Wharf in Rizal, Jordan where the products displayed are proudly made in Guimaras. Photo shows DTI-Guimaras OIC Provincial Director Mutya Eusores, Governor JC Rahman A. Nava’s executive assistant Mr. Lino Galea and other officials during the launching ceremony. (Guimaras province)

In a positive turn of events for residential consumers in Iloilo City, electric distribution utility MORE Power announced a significant reduction in the average residential rate for the billing months of May to June 2023.

The new rate stands at P12.2990 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), reflecting a noteworthy decrease of P0.9522 per kWh from the previous month’s rate of P13.2511 per kWh. One of the primary factors contributing to this decrease is the lower generation cost.

For this month, the generation cost has decreased to P7.1182 per kWh, marking a reduction of P0.5362 per kWh. Several factors have contributed to this decline.

First and foremost, the addition of Energy Development Corp’s geothermal power in the power supply mix has had a positive impact. Geothermal power, a renewable energy source, is known for its cost-effectiveness and environmental benefits.

Moreover, the lower exposure to high spot market prices in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market has played a significant role in reducing generation costs.

Lastly, a decrease in coal prices has also contributed to this decline. Furthermore, the entry of a renewable energy supplier into the supply mix has yielded an additional advantage by reducing the value-added tax (VAT) on generation.

As a result, there has been a reduction of P0.1613 per kWh in VAT charges. Notably, the transmission charge has also decreased, further benefiting consumers.

The charge has dropped by P0.1831 per kWh, from P0.9057 per kWh in the previous month to P0.7226 per kWh this month.

This decrease is primarily attributed to the lower ancillary service charge and increased kWh billing determinant. The peak demand for this period has been recorded at 127.24 MW.

The positive trend of decreasing charges extends to the system loss charge as well. The system loss for the previous month was 7.00%, while the 12-month average system loss stands at 6.49%.

This reduction in system loss aligns with the decrease in generation and transmission charges, offering additional relief to consumers.