The Institute of Contemporary Economics (ICE) and the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) co-hosted the Pagtalupangod: The Iloilo Economic Forum and Roundtable Discussion at the UPV Little Theater, Iloilo City campus on June 11, 2024.
The forum was organized to provide an overview of the performance of the local economy and its prospects moving forward. ICE and UPV seek to promote and create an environment where the economic growth experienced by Iloilo and Western Visayas is sustained.
The program was attended by business sector leaders, personnel of local government units and national government agencies, members of the academe, and the local media.
The resource persons included ICE Executive Director Joseph Ladrido; Mr. Niel Parcon, Vice President of the Energy Sourcing and Regulatory Affairs of MORE Electricity and Power Corporation; Mr. Angelo David Berba, Chief Operating Officer of the Metro Pacific Iloilo Water; Asst. Prof. Jessica Dator-Bercilla, Co-principal Investigator of the Coastal Cities at Risk in the Philippines Project; and Mr. Alexander Pama, Senior Resilience Advisor of the National Resilience Council and retired Philippine Navy Vice Admiral.
The topics included the economic performance of Iloilo and Western Visayas; the supply of power and water in Iloilo; and climate change and resiliency.
Chancellor Clement Camposano moderated the roundtable discussion, which included a panel composed of the said resource speakers, with the addition of panel reactors — Ms. Velma Jane Lao, Head of the Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion Center, Iloilo City Government; Mr. Fullbert Woo, President of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry — Iloilo chapter; Mr. Ariel Castañeda, Executive Assistant to the Governor of Iloilo; and Atty. JC Bangoy of the Metro Pacific Iloilo Water.
Earlier in the program, the Chancellor and Mr. Artemio Pama, ICE Chairman, gave their messages on the partnership between the University and the Institute, while Mr. Rani Rodriguez, ICE President, gave his message to formally close the forum.
