ILOILO CITY — Construction of a P74‑million urban shading project along Diversion Road in Mandurriao district is now underway, transforming one of the city’s busiest thoroughfares into a “green tunnel” designed for cyclists, pedestrians, and tourists seeking a cooler, more walkable urban experience. Funded entirely by the Department of Transportation at no cost to the Iloilo City Government, the project broke ground on May 11, 2026, with a target completion timeline of 280 calendar days. Iloilo is only the second city in the country granted this infrastructure, following Marikina City.
Mayor Raisa Treñas led the groundbreaking ceremony at Esplanade 3 Skate Park, expressing gratitude to the DOTr, the Iloilo City Active Mobility Council, and the city’s cleaning, greening, and beautification teams. “We are very grateful for this project and ang commitment sang syudad indi lang nagatapos diri,” she said. The initiative reflects Iloilo’s broader shift from merely maintaining roads to creating an integrated mobility ecosystem. For tourism stakeholders, the project signals that the city is serious about making its urban landscape as inviting as its festival calendar and gastronomic reputation.
What the Green Tunnel Actually Delivers
The urban shading project is split into two sites along the Diversion Road bike lane. Site I stretches 378 linear meters in Cuartero‑Calubihan, while Site II covers 352 linear meters from Plazuela de Iloilo toward San Rafael. The structures will provide continuous shade along a corridor notorious for its high heat index, directly improving the experience of tourists who rent bicycles or walk the Esplanade network.
Beyond shading, the project includes a Stand‑Alone End‑of‑Trip Cycling Facility, a Short‑Term EOT Facility, and improved public transport stops. The EOT facilities—located at Esplanade 3 Skate Park and the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand—will feature secure bicycle parking, showers, changing rooms, and lockers to support commuters and tourists cycling to work, school, or sightseeing destinations. Architect Wilfredo S. Sy Jr. of the Iloilo City Active Mobility Council acknowledged the project’s timeliness. “It’s timely because of the crisis. But we’re showing also that the initiative was prior pa sa crisis, we’ve thought of this ahead na,” he said, adding that he expects one component to be completed ahead of schedule through a phased approach.
A Cooler, More Walkable Tourism Circuit
The green tunnel also strengthens Iloilo’s expanding tourism infrastructure. The city previously announced plans to plant 10,000 native trees along Diversion Road, with seedling retrieval from the DENR nursery in Tangalan, Aklan beginning May 29 and planting set for July. General Services Office head Neil Ravena emphasized that tree planting is the “long‑term and sustainable solution” to extreme heat. The green tunnel’s shade structures provide immediate relief while the trees mature, ensuring that the corridor remains usable even during peak summer months.
Combined with the Iloilo River Esplanade, the Living Heritage Museum Tour launched in May 2026, and the city’s growing network of certified ecotourism sites, the green tunnel adds a layer of active mobility infrastructure that connects Iloilo’s attractions physically and visually. A tourist who arrives for the Dinagyang Festival or the MAFBEX food expo in July will increasingly find a city designed for exploration by foot, by bike, and by shaded boulevard rather than by taxi alone.
