ILOILO CITY — Senator Franklin Drilon, an Ilonggo, claimed to have brought an estimated P30 billion worth of projects to the city and province of Iloilo in the last 15 years.
“I’m proud of that kay aton gina-palangga ang aton mga kasimanwa (I am proud of that as we love our fellow Ilonggos),” said Drilon during the grand rally of Vice President Leni Robredo in the city on Feb. 25.
Last year, Drilon announced that he would be retiring from politics and reiterated this to the more than 40,000 people in attendance at the Iloilo Sports Complex.
“Mga kasimanwa, bisan ma-retire na ako, buligan ta si Leni. Kon si Leni ang madaog, tuloy-tuloy ang progreso sang Iloilo (My fellow Ilonggos, let us help Leni even if I retire. If Leni wins, the progress of Iloilo will continue),” Drilon added.
Drilon has been instrumental in lobbying for Iloilo’s key infrastructure projects that paved the way for more growth and development over a period of more than a dozen years.
It includes the new Iloilo Airport in the towns of Cabatuan and Sta. Barbara that would later operate international flights.
In Iloilo City, Drilon’s pet projects include the river park known as the Esplanade; the bike lanes; the Iloilo Convention Center; the Iloilo Hall of Justice; and the numerous road expansion projects.
Drilon is also instrumental in having the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project (JRMP-II) approved which is a P11.2-billion mega dam project in the town of Calinog.
The Ilonggo senator also convinced multinational corporations to invest in both the city and province of Iloilo.
Drilon was appointed labor secretary by former President Corazon Aquino. He later became justice secretary and executive secretary or the “Little President”.