Iloilo City: The city government and the Iloilo Tourism Foundation Inc. have formalized a partnership to enhance the local tourism industry by signing a memorandum of agreement (MOA). This initiative includes updating Iloilo’s tourism development plan and revising the tourism code that has been in place for over a decade.

According to Philippines News Agency, Maria Lea Victoria Lara, the director of the Iloilo City Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibition (MICE) Center, stated that the agreement focuses on collaborative tourism initiatives. These efforts aim to align local tourism strategies with the national Philippine Tourism Plan and incorporate recent developments such as the new MICE Ordinance.

The signing of the MOA was attended by Mayor Jerry Tre±as and Lara, representing the city, while the private sector was represented by Foundation president Joseph Del Rosario and vice president Sandra Gomez.

Lara pointed out that the current tourism code, established in 2013, is no longer adequate, especially in areas like tour circuits and culinary tourism. The partnership aims to update the development plan within the year, followed by necessary amendments to the tourism code.

In conjunction with the MOA signing, Mayor Tre±as issued Executive Order No. 40, series of 2025, which revitalizes the Iloilo City Tourism Council. The council’s responsibilities include crafting a strategic tourism plan, overseeing local tourism activities, recommending development programs for tourist sites, regulating tourism-related businesses, and promoting investment in the sector.