When I had a chance to engage Iloilo City Tourism Officer Junel Ann Divinagracia in a long tête-à-tête at New York City’s Madison Square Park after the 120th Philippine Independence Day parade, organized by the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc., the first thing I asked was “Where was Department of Tourism-Region VI (DOT-6) director, Atty. Helen J. Catalbas?”

With two flashy regional festivals, Iloilo City’s Dinagyang and Guimaras’ Manggahan, along with the Iloilo Trade Mission and Investment Forum, taking place along the east coast of the United States, Catalbas should have been in the entourage, Divinagracia explained. However, with recently-appointed DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat taking the reins nationally, the regional director assumed she had to keep in constant communication with her colleagues and stayed behind, the Iloilo City official surmised.

Divinagracia pointed out Catalbas has been “very supportive” of their programs, both tourism and business-related activities, especially when Iloilo City hosted the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation ministerial meeting in 2015.

I missed Divinagracia’s predecessor, Ben Jimena, who first accompanied the Tribu Panayanon in the 2013 parade, which was led by then-Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog.

Meanwhile, as I have asserted several times before, Iloilo City Hall should bring one representative from the Public Information Office (PIO) on the next trade mission and investment forum. City PIO head Lucy Montealto-Sinay, or a representative, would be able to help sustain the publicity effort day to day.

In addition, Iloilo City Mayor Jose Espinosa III talked at length about Iloilo City’s peace and order during the open fora.

It won’t hurt if, on the next trade mission, the Iloilo City Police Office chief or a representative speaks on peace and order in order to assure potential investors of their security.

There were also other Ilonggos in the delegation, who worked silently and were hardly mentioned in the media, but, in one way or another, made gigantic contributions to the success of the first-ever privately-initiated trade mission and investment forum.

***

I didn’t have a list of the entire Iloilo delegation members, but I spotted Iloilo City Councilor Plaridel Nava, who came with his family. Nava talked about the Iloilo City ordinance on noise pollution in the EduCare for Early Childhood Education talk in Fairfax, Virginia.

His wife also helped models with hablon cloths in the fashion show.

Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Exhibitors’ Committee-Iloilo chapter chair Alma May Tayo was also active during the New York, Virginia, and Washington DC legs of the trade mission, along with the New York City Independence Day parade.

Iloilo City Tourism Operations Officer Florence King Haro Erlano and Iloilo City Tourism and Development Office staff member Sheena Julienne Galon accomplished amazing reinforcement tasks during the parade and the trade mission.

In addition, Executive Assistant Jojo Castro, “Iloilo City’s Bong Go,” was with Iloilo City Engineer Bobby Divinagracia; Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation chair Ramon Cua Locsin; and Iloilo City National High School principal and Tribu Panayanon manager, Dr. Blesilda V. Floro.

Iloilo City Mayor’s Office staff member Rosita Celiz served as a factotum for Iloilo City First Lady Gina Sarabia-Espinosa and secretariat chief Florence Hibionada.

The rest of the team, including Philippine Council of Management Research Institute, Inc. president and project coordinator, Dr. Emily Noserale; Executive Assistant and Commercial Diplomat Rex Aguado; Local Economic Enterprise Officer Ariel Castaneda; Iloilo City Planning and Development Office Coordinator Jose Roni Penalosa; West Visayas State University College of Mass Communications dean, Dr. Carmencita ‘Menchie’ Robles; Iloilo Business Park-Megaworld Sales Director Carla Margarita Perez; StackTrek Enterprises, Inc. founder and CEO Billy Shung Hei Yuen; University of the Philippines Visayas Vice Chancellor Mary Ann Gumban; Eon Group of Companies founder and Iloilo Trade and Investments Board co-chair Felicito Tiu; and journalists Tara Yap of the Manila Bulletin and Herbert Vego of Panay News, contributed to the Herculean effort in promoting Iloilo City as an ideal and perfect hub for business, tourism, education, and investment./WDJ