THE Iloilo City Government and the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) signed a memorandum of agreement on May 4, 2026 to formalize Project 3: Heritage as Public Policy: Preserving and Promoting Iloilo Calle Real Buildings.
The partnership, under the UP CIDS Local Regional Studies Network and UP CWVS Panay Weaving and Culinary Heritage Program, frames heritage conservation as public policy and governance.
It will engage building owners, heritage advocates, and local institutions through consultations, field research, and forums to strengthen preservation efforts along Calle Real.
Mayor Raisa Treñas said the agreement is timely as the City works to revive foot traffic and attract new businesses in the city proper, noting ongoing refurbishments at SM Delgado and SM Jaro.
She added that three Calle Real buildings have been submitted to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) for redevelopment and repainting, with work expected to begin this year.
UPV Chancellor Clement Camposano emphasized that heritage must be pursued within a governance and stakeholder framework, ensuring preservation serves communities rather than simply “beautifying” the past.
He also outlined forward‑looking initiatives, including halal culinary offerings to expand Iloilo’s tourism market and a proposal to develop the Iloilo River as an ecotourism “living classroom.”
Dr. Rosalie Alacala Hall of UP CIDS, project leader Dr. Mary Rose Rebueno, Emmanuel Gemora of the Iloilo City Cultural Heritage Conservation Council, and Ar. Wilfredo Sy Jr. signed the agreement.
Members of ICCHCC and the secretariat of the City Planning and Development Office were also present to witness the ceremony. (PR)
