Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu and Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) COO Mark Lapid lead the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing for a P17.6 million grant aimed at strengthening Iloilo City as a MICE destination.
Iloilo City has secured P17.6 million (US$1 million) in funding from the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) to strengthen its MICE sector, alongside a separate P150 million allocation for the redevelopment of key heritage plazas.
The MICE grant will be disbursed over five years and used to expand the city’s capacity to host large-scale MICE events.
TIEZA COO Mark Lapid said the investment reflects Iloilo City’s competitive advantages, including its geographic location, growing direct air links from major Asian markets, diverse tourism assets and a skilled service workforce.
He added that the initiative builds on a long-term MICE vision championed by former senator Franklin Drilon.
“The branding is already there – from being a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy to a cultural hub. Our job now is to promote and sustain it,” Lapid added. “Work becomes easier when everyone helps each other. With the private sector, the national government, and the city government all on board, nothing is hard.”
With its key convention centre booked out as early as January and with a year-long waitlist, Mayor Raisa Treñas believes the city is facing a “good problem”.
In 2025, the Iloilo Convention Center (ICON) hosted more than 150 events.
ICON is a TIEZA-owned facility with a seating capacity of 3,816. The city currently offers more than 5,100 hotel rooms and venues capable of hosting up to 25,000 delegates.
Beyond MICE infrastructure, TIEZA has committed an additional P150 million to support the redevelopment of Iloilo’s historic plazas in Molo, La Paz and Jaro.
In the first year of the MICE grant, the city’s MICE Centre, working with the local MICE Alliance, will focus on capacity-building initiatives, including stakeholder training, updating tourism inventories and directories, and targeted marketing to attract large-scale events. A dedicated project team will oversee implementation and monitoring to ensure long-term economic benefits for the local community.