ILIGAN City — A proposed local hospital, a college for agriculture and technology, and a ₱450-million fish landing facility are among the projects Kauswagan is pursuing, with residents waiting to see which plans will secure funding and move forward.
Mayor Sonia Altares Arnado and Vice Mayor Rommel C. Arnado outlined the municipality’s development priorities and legislative accomplishments during a joint State of the Municipality Address (SOMA) and State of the Legislature Address (SOLA) on Oct. 12.
The gathering at the Kauswagan International Organic Convention Center in Barangay Tacub drew more than 600 participants from government, farming communities, schools, civil society groups and security forces. It was the municipality’s first SOMA in more than a decade.
For residents, the plans touch on basic concerns: access to medical services, opportunities for students, better support for farmers and fishers, and jobs closer to home.
Hospital plans, college target
The municipality is prioritizing a ₱6.03-million diagnostic center intended to expand access to healthcare once it is completed, equipped and staffed. Officials are also exploring the feasibility of a local government-run hospital.
However, the administration has yet to specify when the diagnostic center will become operational or when a hospital could be built.
For students, the proposed Kauswagan College of Agriculture and Technology is being targeted to open in 2028, subject to the necessary approvals and resources. The local government is also pursuing a proposed Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology campus in the municipality.
Meanwhile, the Special Program for Employment of Students served 60 beneficiaries in 2026, up from 47 in 2025. The Kauswagan Manpower Development Center also continued offering technical-vocational training.
These programs could help residents gain skills and access employment, but the proposed educational institutions will depend on approvals, funding and implementation.
₱450M fish facility under study
Farmers and fishers are also among the intended beneficiaries of the municipality’s development agenda.
The local government reported supporting 48 organic farms, distributing vegetable seeds to 400 beneficiaries, and assisting farmers and fishpond operators.
A proposed ₱450-million fish landing facility, complete with an ice plant and cold-storage facilities, is also being pursued. Feasibility studies have been submitted to the World Bank for evaluation, but financing and other requirements remain outstanding.
If built, the facility could provide fishers with better storage and handling options. Its actual benefits, however, will depend on its final design, operating arrangements and accessibility to local fishing communities.
Flood control, jobs and tourism
The municipality is also revising its Comprehensive Land Use Plan for 2026–2035 and considering flood-control structures, safer relocation sites, a development corridor toward the Libertad Industrial Zone, and a proposed Kauswagan Livelihood and Economic Park.
Other plans for Inudaran–Paiton include a Peace Museum, memorial park, livelihood training center and farm-to-market roads.
The administration also cited waste segregation, mangrove protection and coastal cleanups, alongside efforts to revive local tourism through the Fisherman’s Wharf Food Park and Entertainment Center, Kauswagan Dream Adventure Park, and the return of tabo-tabo at the town center.
These initiatives aim to support local commerce and livelihoods, although the proposed infrastructure and development projects remain subject to feasibility studies, funding and required approvals.
Council reports hundreds of measures
Vice Mayor Arnado reported that the 19th Sangguniang Bayan approved 250 resolutions, 50 ordinances and 18 appropriation ordinances from July to December 2025.
From January to Sept. 28, 2026, the council approved another 524 resolutions, 63 ordinances and 20 appropriation ordinances.
Arnado said the value of legislation should not be measured solely by the number of measures passed but by their implementation and benefits to constituents.
The council is also pursuing a proposed “From Papers to Pixels” initiative to digitize legislative records and submissions, with the aim of improving access to information and making legislative processes more efficient.
Mayor Arnado said continuity in local governance should mean building on past achievements while finding better ways to serve residents.
“Continuity does not mean standing still. It means carrying forward our achievements while finding better ways to serve our people,” she said.
For Kauswagan residents, the next measure of progress will be whether the proposed hospital, educational institutions, fishery facility and livelihood projects receive the necessary approvals and funding—and translate into services and opportunities people can actually use.
