There is a saying in the vernacular that goes, “Ang indi makabalikid sa ginhalinan, indi makakadto sa palakadtuan”. We should learn and understand our past, to appreciate the present and prepare well for our future.

Heritage is about legacy, inheritance, tradition and custom. In our history subject, we have discussed the glory of the past including the time Iloilo was colonized as well as it being called the Queen of the South. It has been decades since then but Iloilo’s glorious past can still be seen and remembered through the stories of the heritage structures, buildings and houses that stood the tests of time.

One of the many ordinances I have authored, worked for, and passed in the City Council is the Ordinance adding incentives for houses, buildings and structures that have been declared or to be declared as heritage sites by the Iloilo City Cultural Heritage and Conservation Council (ICCHCC). This all started when Engr. Ramon Hechanova, one of the philanthropists who live in my home barangay MV Hechanova, talked to me in one of the events I went to. He mentioned that he and other people who have long lived in Iloilo City have opted to allow their homes and buildings as tourist attractions as they symbolize the rich culture and past of Iloilo City. The ICCHCC is given the mandate to recommend and to declare heritage sites the City Tourism Office (CTO) is responsible in the tourism promotion of the city. Engr. Hechanova added that he doesn’t live in the house anymore and is responsible for its preservation, reconstruction and maintenance and further asked if the city can possibly help him and others like him in their endeavor of making sure that structures that can be considered or are considered as heritage sites are preserved well. I told him that I will see what I can do. I then requested for a meeting with Dr. Kristin Trenas, the head of the ICCHCC and with the other members as well as the Iloilo City Planning and Development Office together with the City Tourism Office. We talked about what was presently happening, what would be the ideal and what they would suggest we can do about it. I also listened to the concerns of people working in the tourism industry as well as tourists who have visited the city in terms of the need to have more tourist attractions and destinations in the city worth visiting. I then decided to amend the existing ordinance on Heritage sites and to give an additional incentive to the owners of the declared and to be declared heritage sites by the ICCHCC as a form of support by the Iloilo City Government. Furthermore, I also talked to the City Treasurer’s Office, the City Assessor’s Office and the Office of the City Mayor as the ordinance deals with assessment and taxation. The incentive I proposed to be added was a 50% reduction on their annual Basic Real Property Tax on Structure. The amount was not that big to affect the collections, expenses and expected income of the city but it was good enough to support the owners of the structures to preserve, reconstruct and maintain as they usually do not use the structures anymore for residential or business purposes but mainly for heritage. In other cities, the local government units even give monetary support to maintain and preserve their heritage structures but checking with the Local Chief Executive that Iloilo City has a limited budget, we thought of making their basic RPT on structure as incentive instead.

It took about a year and six months before the ordinance was finally approved due to certain reasons but it was worth the work and the wait. I have already met with the stakeholders I initially talked to before I worked on the ordinance and even with the various groups who work on tourism promotion as well as the business groups. In the next weeks to come, I will be meeting with the ICCHCC as well as the owners of the heritage sites. This particular ordinance aims to to preserve heritage, boost our local tourism and further enhance the local economy of the City of Iloilo.

I would like to thank again all the stakeholders including ICCHCC, tourism focused groups, business groups, all the members of the city council (past 2007-2010 and present 2010-2013) for supporting my ordinance, the media, Engr. Hechanova for talking to me about the issue, my staff and the Lord for making this happen. It feels great to see a plan pan out until its final approval and implementation. Each and every ordinance that passes on final reading that I have authored or co-authored gives me a different feeling of fulfillment. In addition, since this ordinance talks about taxation, its collection with the additional incentive will happen during the next tax collection cycle which is next year.

I still have a number of ordinances that I am currently working on to be passed on final reading by the present council that deals with the environment, the attraction of more investors to choose Iloilo City, the moral guidance of young people in using the internet and for the safety and well being of the residents and guests of the city.

I will constantly listen to the people of the city and always observe on what we could possibly do to help make Iloilo City a better place to live in. I will do my part in the legislative body and even go beyond it by bringing innovative special programs and projects to the city with the help of the people of Iloilo City. I can’t do this alone. I continue to need the support of Iloilo City. When we are united, we can make great things possible.