Iloilo is set for transformative growth as two landmark initiatives move forward—the near completion of the Jalaur River Multi-Purpose Project (JRMP) II and the approval of a record-breaking P4.1-billion city budget for 2025.
The Jalaur River Multi-Purpose Project (JRMP) II in Calinog is scheduled for completion in 2025, with full operations expected by 2026. The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Western Visayas reported a 76.48 percent completion rate, with only minor works remaining.
The Jalaur Dam reservoir has already stored 203 million cubic meters of water, just shy of its 250-million-cubic-meter maximum capacity. This milestone ensures the project’s readiness to provide irrigation and water supply to farmers and residents in Iloilo.
Construction is ongoing for the project’s irrigation components, particularly the 80-kilometer high-line canal and its main lateral canal, which will distribute water to agricultural fields. Once completed, these canals will significantly boost the province’s agricultural productivity.
Meanwhile, the Iloilo City Council has approved its highest-ever annual budget allocation for the city of P4.134 billion for 2025, reflecting a 14.83 percent increase from 2024’s P3.6-billion allocation.
This budget, the largest since 2021, will draw 57-percent from local sources, 42-percent from external sources, and 17-percent from the National Tax Allotment Share. The surge in local revenue is attributed to increased real property tax collections.
The 2025 budget aligns with the city’s strategic framework RISE—Responsive Governance, Investment in People, Sustainable Growth, and Excellence. It will fund key programs, infrastructure projects, and additional health services, along with the first tranche of Salary Standardization Law 6.
It also supports the full implementation of the newly established Data Assessment and System Management Office and other initiatives aimed at fostering growth.
Additionally, the council approved a special account of P81.9 million for Local Economic Enterprises, based on projected income.
With the JRMP II nearing completion and a robust budget in place, Iloilo is poised for significant growth, enhanced livelihoods, and sustainable development in the years ahead.
