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.