ILOILO CITY – Gov. Arthur “Toto” Defensor Jr. is eyeing to establish a smart and green government center in Iloilo province.

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (standing behind) greets (from right) Iloilo Gov. Arthur ‘Toto’ Defensor Jr., Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas, and Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo ‘Albee’ Benitez. (Arnold Almacen/CMO)
The governor presented this plan to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. during the Regional Development Council-6 meeting hosted by the Iloilo provincial government on Thursday, Feb. 13.
The proposed government center in Santa Barbara town will “serve as a one-stop shop for national government agencies offering frontline services and will provide easier access to government facilities among the transacting public.”
In the closed-door meeting, Defensor disclosed that Marcos was receptive to the facility that aims to streamline services of national government agencies in Western Visayas.
This will address the growing need for national government agencies to find bigger offices outside the regional capital Iloilo City.
Defensor said that the Iloilo provincial government requested an initial funding of P500 million from the Office of Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr. Sen. Bong Revilla Jr. reportedly pledged to allocate P100 million.
The four-story government center will be constructed within a 5.56-hectare property owned by the Iloilo provincial government. There will also be additional facilities such as a training center, sports area, an eco-park, and commercial spaces.