ILOILO CITY, Iloilo, Philippines — Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. is making an appeal to the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP) for assistance in rebuild roads in the province.

“One very important concern of ours is the costal road crisscrossing Iloilo’s second district, which starts from Iloilo City and ending at Dumangas Port in the province’s fourth district,” Defensor told LPP national president, Mindoro Oriental Governor Alfonso Umali Jr.

Umali was in Iloilo recently to convene a meeting with other governors in Western Visayas including Carlito Marquez of Aklan, Victor Tanco of Capiz, Felipe Hilan Nava of Guimaras, and Alfredo Marañon of Negros Occidental.

Defensor lamented about said road being in “very” bad shape and which needs to be cemented.

“Sadly, the provincial government lacks funding,” he said, saying that the LPP can help the Iloilo provincial government in securing funds from the national government.

“The roads are crucial to the development and growth of the province,” Defensor emphasized.

The other major road network that also needs to be rehabilitated in Iloilo province is the Dumangas-Balabag road, which is also in a bad state.

Defensor said this particular road network is used to ship goods from the Dumangas Port to neighboring provinces of Aklan, Antique, and Capiz.

Roughly P150 million is needed for the rehabilitation of the two major road networks.

Aside from major roads rehabilitation, Defensor also brought to the attention of the LPP the urgent need for rationalizing Iloilo province’s health program enhancement efforts.