ILOILO CITY, (PNA)-– Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog has reiterated his interest in converting the railways right of way within Iloilo City as possible site for site development and housing project for landless families in the city.
The city mayor said he will seek intervention from Malacañang for possible Presidential Proclamation or conversion of the railways road right of way into relocation sites of the increasing number of informal settlers here.
Mabilog admitted that he was aware of the national government plan through former Dept. of Transportation and Communications and now Dept. of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas to convert the railways from Iloilo City to Roxas City, Capiz as an expressway or highway.
Roxas then maintained that the railway means of transportation in Panay Island is not feasible anymore due to many roads connecting the provinces of Iloilo and Capiz. The roads are the most economical, fast and with shorter way for land transportation in both provinces.
Earlier, Regional Director Ro-Ann Bacal of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) admitted that the Regional Development Council is still waiting for the submission of a public private partnership (PPP) proposal for the resuscitation of a P36 billion Panay railways project.
The project proposal includes P11.6 billion railway project from Iloilo to Roxas and some P24 billion from Roxas to Caticlan in the province of Aklan.
However, the railways renewal project in Panay Island was overtaken by the Roxas decision not to revive the railways anymore but the region must concentrate on new highways from Iloilo to Capiz.