Iloilo leaders support Marcos’ LGU clearance directive

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu said it is essential for national infrastructure projects to secure clearance from local government units before being declared “completed.”

“This is a very important safeguard because it ensures first coordination with the local government unit,” she said in a statement supporting President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s move to reinstate the policy.

Treñas-Chu noted that while coordination with LGUs is required under the Local Government Code, it is often overlooked in practice.

By restoring this requirement, she said LGUs can ensure that projects are not only completed on paper but are also functional and beneficial to communities.

She emphasized that the policy acts as a safeguard before a project is formally accepted and turned over to the LGU.

“We, in the local government, are the ones who maintain these facilities after the turnover, so it is only right that we are given the authority to formally accept projects before they are considered finished,” she said.

Treñas-Chu cited the Jalandoni Street pumping station, which was turned over to the city by the Department of Public Works and Highways despite being defective and non-functional.

She said the city had to spend an additional PHP 10 million to make the facility operational.

The mayor added that Marcos’ directive will help prevent substandard turnovers, reinforce accountability, and ensure infrastructure projects are ready for actual use.

Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry–Iloilo President Fulbert Woo also voiced support, citing the importance of transparency in public infrastructure.

“It is very fair enough because I think we need transparency. If he believes that involving the LGU is part of transparency, the business sector will also support that,” he said.

Woo emphasized that transparency helps the business sector understand the purpose of government projects.

“[We need to] make sure that the business sector has a good business community […] I think the ecosystem will be better if the transparency is there,” he added.