A proposal a for government center in Brgy. Bolong Oeste, Santa Barbara, Iloilo is "in the works" as engineering plans for this complex made rounds on social media.
To be located on the lot owned by the Iloilo Province, the complex will house a multi storey main government center building with multi level parking complemented by commercial areas which includes BPOs, hotels or travelers inn and other shops.
The proposed government center will also complement the regional offices of several national agencies such as the Department of Health DOH, Department of Interior and Local Government DILG, Office of Civil Defense OCD and PhilHealth among others.
The DOH and DILG buildings are already halfway in their construction phase and others will follow suit.
DOH 6 Regional Office under construction
Also, adjacent to the area is an existing government building shared by DPWH and TESDA.
The lot is along the multi-lane Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr highway which connects Iloilo City to the Iloilo International Airport. The town is 16 kilometers from the city center or around 25 minutes drive. The airport is less than 10 minutes drive to the airport and 5 minutes to poblacion Sta. Barbara.
A hospital, the Western Visayas Sanitarium is located at he back of the lot accessible through a road beside the lot. The Provincial motorpool is located nearby.
There is no confirmation about the concrete plans for this complex but the source of the post says the current Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. and Santa Barbara Mayor Rema Somo are hoping for the realization of this massive project not only for the Santa Barbaranhons but for the whole province of Iloilo.
Years ago, there was a proposal of moving the Capitol and eventually the capital from the city to either the town of Pototan or Santa Barbara, Iloilo.
With the Iloilo Provincial Government owning the lot and the relocation of major regional offices in the area plus the burgeoning of commercial centers in the area, it is just right and fitting for the province to make use of its strategically located parcel of land to its advantage and eventually earn from it.
The historic town of Santa Barbara is the site of the 1st raising of the Philippine Flag outside of Luzon on Nov. 17, 1898 led by Gen. Martin Delgado that eventually led to the defeat of the Spanish forces in the city of Iloilo weeks later.
The town also hosts the oldest existing golf course in the Philippines - the Iloilo Golf and Country club, in the adjacent Brgy. San Sebastian. The Santa Barbara church and convent is both a National Historical Landmark and a National Cultural Treasure.