1. Executive Summary
My Proposed Governance Agenda outlines the programs that I will vigorously pursue for the next three
years if given the mandate by the People of Iligan.
The overall goal of the Proposed Governance Agenda emphasizes my personal belief and the core of
my advocacy that government should not be a burden to the people but rather the people should be
the burden of government. The initiatives I am proposing shall become the focal point of my
development-oriented legislative agenda in the Sangguniang Panlungsod and shall be my guide, if
elected, in the next three years to ensure that the socio-economic activities in Iligan City will be more
vibrant.
My Proposed Governance Agenda covers three critical aspects, Agriculture, Environment and a
Balanced City Budget that I believe will make Iligan a safe and socially responsive community and make
the local economy more vibrant.
Sustained Agricultural Development
It has become imperative today to create and develop long-term solutions for our agricultural sector
vis-à-vis our hinterlands. It is to the greatest interest of the City of Iligan economically, socially and
politically to improve the socio-economic status of our hinterland barangays through increased,
sustained agricultural production and improved delivery of basic social services. This can be done
through the Integrated Area Development Concept. The IADC is envisioned to have the following
components, as follows:
• Adequate Economic Support Infrastructure
• Technical Support Services
• Social Services
• Institutional Development
Environment Protection and Conservation
Because of the tragic event that befell Iligan due to Typhoon “Sendong”, it has become crucial in the
city’s development planning to pursue more seriously mitigating measures that shall ensure the non-
recurrence of calamitous incidents in the future. Sustainable and long term programs should be
initiated and implemented to protect and conserve the remaining forest cover and rehabilitate the
denuded and deforested areas as protective cover for the vulnerable lowlands from natural disasters.
It view of this, I will personally ensure that the following programs shall funded and implemented, as
follows:
a) Vigorous and sustainable Reforestation Program in the hinterlands
b) Restoration of the Mangrove Forest in the Coastal Areas
Balanced City Annual Budget
The Annual City Budget should be an instrument for the socio-economic development that should
give top priority to basic infrastructure, social services, economic development with a particular bias
towards agriculture and environment protection. Put in place pro-active and fiscally sustainable socio-
economic development plans and programs to boost business and employment opportunities and
enhance access of the poor to critical services such as health, education, and infrastructure, thus, will
ultimately reduce poverty. This will enhance our chances of becoming a truly modern local government
unit.

2. GOVERNANCE AGENDA
ADVOCACY : AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION &
CONSERVATION and BALANCED ANNUAL CITY BUDGET
BATTLECRY : “JOJO BOZA - ANG TINGOG SA AGRIKULTURA UG KINAIYAHAN”
“AGRIKULTURA UG KINAIYAHAN PAGLAUM SA DAKBAYAN”
AGRICULTURE:
• Agricultural Sector Profile
Iligan City has historically been proud of its industrial strength. Iligan City experienced rapid
urbanization for almost five decades due to industrialization. But the “former” industrial city of the
South have fallen to hard times with the collapse of the giant National Steel Corp. in 1999 and a
few other manufacturing industries. And it caused unemployment and many of the residents of
Iligan City out-migrated to look for better opportunities in other cities and abroad. Along with the
demise of Iligan’s industrial strength, the purchasing power of people’s money without doubt led to
lower consumption, affected business profitability, deferred the expansion of businesses, and
reduced overall production.
Iligan City relied too much on industries and did not maximize the full potential of other
Sectors, especially in agriculture.
Iligan City has long had an agricultural crisis that is characterized by backwardness and low
productivity. There are vast idle lands for agricultural development. Consider these facts;
Existing Land Use, 2008
Land Use Area (in has.) % to Total
1. Forestal 45,224.0 55.6
2. Agricultural 30,232.0 37.2
3. Mineral 581.0 0.7
4. Residential 4,464.0 5.5
5. Commercial 32.0 0.0
6. Industrial 591.0 0.7
7. Institutional 175.0 0.2
8. Others 38.0 0.1
Total 81,337.0 100.0
Source: CPDO/See Annexed Map
Significantly, the City of Iligan failed to recognize the potentials of the vast agricultural lands
available for development, no significant investments or businesses were established in the
agricultural sector. This fact cannot be belied because in a report on the business registration in
2005 of the City Treasurer’s Office showed that businesses registered in agricultural sector is only
0.15% of the 7,351 registered business establishments all micro enterprises (capitalization of 1.0
Million or less), no business enterprises were registered in the small-size category (capitalization of
over 2.0 Million), medium-size (capitalization of more than 5.0 Million or over) and large-size
category (capitalization of over 50 Million).
SUMMARY OF BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENT
Nature of Number of
MICRO % SMALL % MEDIUM % LARGE % %
Business Establishments
Service 1,933 26.93 80 57.55 7 41.18 6 35.29 2,026 27.56
Trading 4,902 68.29 50 35.97 8 47.06 3 17.65 4,963 67.51
Manufacturin
g 332 4.63 9 6.47 2 11.76 8 47.06 351 4.77
Agriculture 11 0.15 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 11 0.15
Grand Total 7,178 100% 139 100% 17 100% 17 100% 7,351 100%

3. Source: City Tracks Record (As of March 7, 2005)
Grinding Poverty
According to the 2007 survey on the Minimum Basic Needs among the 57,179 households by the
CPDO indicated that approximately 54% of Iligan City’s residents are living below the poverty line
and almost 8.5% are living in absolute poverty. What is significant is that poverty incidence in the
Upland Barangays (21) is 63%. And in Coastal Barangays (12) is 58% and Lowland Barangays (11) is
41%.
The declining economic growth, soaring cost of living and increasing unemployment do not bode
well for the worsening poverty in the City of Iligan, especially in our agricultural production areas.
Food Insufficiency
The continuing neglect of the agricultural sector has given rise to another problem, Iligan City
cannot feed its growing population despite the vast agricultural lands, in short, and the City of
Iligan is not food self-sufficient. The City at the present time is totally dependent for its food supply
from outside. As per Agri-Situationer Report in 2007, the following facts were gathered on the
selected agricultural products sold in Iligan City.
Agricultural Products Sold in Iligan City
PRODUCTS Source Iligan (in Outside Iligan (in PRODUCTS Source Iligan Outside Iligan
%) %) (in %) (in %)
Vegetable Grains
Carrots 13.3 86.7 Premium Rice 0 100
Potato 0 100 Ordinary Rice 0 100
Cabbage 0 100 Corn 0 100
Ampalaya 60 40
Garlic 0 100
Tomato 57.1 42.9
Eggplant 78.6 21.4
Squash 63.6 36.4
Pipino 62.5 37.5
Ginger 14.3 85.7
Onion 0 100
Pechay 83.3 16.7
Meat Legumes
Beef 33.3 66.7 Monggo 0- 100
Pork 53.3 46.7 Beans 100
Chicken 33.3 66.7
Poultry Fruits
Egg 50 50 Mango 14.3
Papaya 100
Avocado 33.3
Lemon 50
Orange 0
Banana 100
Water Melon 0
Apple 0
Fish
Class A 0 100
Class B 0 100
Data source: CPDO, City Agriculture Office
• Lessons Learned

4. Local government officials have never learned their lesson well and are not looking at ways to avoid
another major economic disaster in the future. Many experts say that the economic storm that hit
the City of Iligan in the ‘90s has long been anticipated, it has been made more potent by the
incompetent and bungling of local government officials’ wrong priorities in the last two decades.
What is new is that these are happening all at the same time in the context of record joblessness,
worsening poverty, and crime.
It is safe to say that things are bound to get worse before they get better. Much like a house built
on shaky ground, Iligan's economy is bound to “collapse” in the next economic crises.
The City Government should realize that it has to adjust its development approach that was
previously too focused on industries and it should realign its development strategies to widen its
economic base and reduce the City’s vulnerability to industrial shocks.
Iligan’s agricultural sector has to be developed to widen the City’s economic base and diversify the
City’s income and employment sources.
• Development Challenges and Future Directions
It has become imperative today to create and develop long-term solutions for our agricultural
sector vis-à-vis our hinterlands. It is to the greatest interest of the City of Iligan economically,
socially and politically to improve the socio-economic status of poor rural communities in the
hinterland barangays through increased, sustained agricultural production and improved delivery
of basic social services. This can be done through the Integrated Area Development Concept. The
IADC is envisioned to have the following components, as follows:
1. Economic Support Infrastructure
a) Irrigation Systems
b) Farm-to-Market Roads
• Kiwalan-Kabacsanan-Bunawan-Hindang-Manit-Digkila-an Loop
• Puga-an-Dalamas –Tipanoy Loop
• Hinaplanon-Upper Hinaplanon-Mandulog-Dulag-Kalilangan Loop
• Abuno-Upper Sta. Elena-Upper Tominobo-Suarez Loop
• Digkila-an-Rogongon-Panoroganan-Kilalangan Loop
2. Technical Support Services
a) Agricultural Extension Services (technical support farmers)
b) Rural Livelihood Skills Training
c) Agricultural Credit Support
3. Social Services
a) Primary Health Care Services
b) Water Supply
c) Community Housing
4. Institutional Development
a) Community Organization and Training Activities
ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION, PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION:
• Forest Cover Profile
As of 2008, 45,224 hectares or 55% of Iligan City’s land area is forest land. It is classified by CPDO
as the Productive and Protected Forest lands, Agro-Forest Lands and Mineral lands. These are

5. all in the rural and hinterland Barangays namely Panoroganan, Kalilangan, Rogongon, Dulag,
Bunawan, Bonbonon, Lanipao, Digkila-an, Mainit, Hindang, Kabacsanan, Mandulog, Tipanoy,
Abuno, Puga-an, part of Ma. Cristina, Upper Tominobo, Suarez, Kiwalan, Ubaldo Laya.
Existing Land Use, 2008
Land Use Area (in has.) % to Total
1. Forest land 45,224.0 55.6
2. Agricultural 30,232.0 37.2
3. Mineral 581.0 0.7
4. Residential 4,464.0 5.5
5. Commercial 32.0 0.0
6. Industrial 591.0 0.7
7. Institutional 175.0 0.2
8. Others 38.0 0.1
Total 81,337.0 100.0
Source: CPDO/See Annexed Map
Likewise, the City of Iligan is situated within the two major watersheds covering the city, namely:
Iligan River Watershed and Mandulog River Watershed.
Large-scale logging in the past have caused deforestation and denudation reduced the water
storage and absorptive capacity of the soil in the upstream and the resultant soil erosion has
caused the sedimentation of Iligan’s river systems. In addition, today, unabated small-scale mining
operations, short-term agricultural production and other human activities in and around the two
watersheds including the remaining natural forest, has aggravated the situation.
• Lessons Learned
The present state of our Forestlands and the degradation of our Watershed areas in Iligan City
require that the local government unit should initiate and implement sustainable and long term
programs to protect and conserve the remaining forest cover and rehabilitate the denuded and
deforested areas as protective cover for the vulnerable lowlands from natural disasters. Likewise,
we have to preserve and manage the biological diversity and the natural forest resources.
Recent events like the disastrous floods caused by the unusually heavy rains brought about by
Typhoon Sendong should make us realize that we cannot ignore anymore the continued ruin of our
forest lands.
• Development Challenges and Future Directions
In view of the recent disastrous events such as the “Sendong” tragedy it has become imperative
that we pursue more intensely the following actions among other mitigating measures that shall
ensure the non-recurrence of calamitous incidents in the future, as follows;
c) Vigorous and sustainable Reforestation Program in the hinterlands
d) Restoration of the Mangrove Forest in the Coastal Areas
CITY ANNUAL BUDGET
• Budget Preparation Profile
In our study and analysis of the City Annual Budget it is apparent in the budget documents (FY
2006, 2007, 2008 & 2009) that the city annual budget is rehashed budget year-in and year-out and
is done in an AD HOC BASIS, without any indication of adequate planning. It lacks a coherent policy
and consistent track for socio-economic development. At best, it gave us the impression that short

6. term political expediency agenda (“pa pogi points”) is given more importance over long term socio-
economic development program.
• Lessons Learned
The City Government of Iligan, it is safe to assume, is totally dependent on the Internal Revenue
Allotment (IRA) because the locally generated revenue from the local taxes are at best,
undependable.
Systemic weaknesses coupled with inefficiency within the principal tax-collecting units and revenue
generating enterprises are a major cause of the anemic local tax revenue generation. Systemic
issues such as weak institutional capacity brought about perhaps by under-trained staff, difficulty in
dismissing underperforming employees, weak data bases and not to mention corruption.
In our review and analysis of the of the budget documents indicated 76 % of the city annual budget
is expended to maintain the local bureaucracy. Much of the expenditures are in Personal Services
that includes payment of salaries & wages, allowances and benefits of regular employees and
MOOE (Maintenance & Other Operating Expenses) that includes travel expenses, office supplies,
gasoline & oil, postage, telephone (landline & mobile), repairs & maintenance, etc. And the rest of
the annual expenditures are allocated for debt servicing at 13 %. The City Government of Iligan
allocates an average of P 100,000,000 for the servicing of its public debts. And only 11 % is
allocated for projects/programs that are developmental in character.
MOOE
38%
Public Debt
Servicing
13%
Capital Outlay
11%
Personal Services
38%
% Share of the Annual Expenditures-CY 2009
Based on the data reviewed, it is evident that the City Government is spending more or less Three
Pesos for every Peso earned in terms of local taxes and spends Eight Pesos for a One Peso worth of
basic service delivered to the citizens of Iligan.
• Development Challenges and Future Directions
Tackling a broad reform and development agenda is clearly difficult and implementation will
require a broad-based approach alongside a focused and strong political commitment to sustain a
process of change and nurse the city back to financial health. In the short to medium term, it is
critical that the City Government prioritize and focus on the initiation of concrete steps, especially
on:
Performance-based allocation of resources. In crafting the annual budget, the performance of
each department over recent years should be evaluated, reviewed and analyzed. The department’s
capabilities in the utilization of the allocated funds to deliver much-needed results should be

7. analyzed. This performance-based approach should be the guide to ensure the judicious allocation
of our resources, ensuring that our taxpayers’ money count to the last centavo.
The annual preparation of the budget should be in guided with the principle that ensures constant
evaluation and review of the efficiency and effectiveness of the implementing department’s
utilization of the allocated resources to the project/activities.
Improve the Accountability of the Operating Departments. The city government departments
should be held accountable for attaining the targets that are funded and laid out in the city annual
budget. All city government departments should deliver on the goals, programs and projects
contained in the budget and should be their commitment to the people of Iligan.
In keeping with this budgeting approach, funds shall be carefully allocated to each individual
department in accordance with the priorities as well as to those that have proven efficient in
utilizing their funds.
Continue to invest in long-term priorities. The annual budget being an instrument for the socio-
economic development should give top priority to basic infrastructure, education, housing and
health, agriculture and environment protection. Put in place pro-active and fiscally sustainable
socio-economic development plans and programs to boost business and employment opportunities
and enhance access of the poor to critical services such as health, education, and infrastructure,
thus, will ultimately reduce poverty. This will enhance our chances of becoming a truly modern
local government unit.