ILOILO CITY — The Iloilo City government is moving to transform the Diversion Road stretch in Mandurriao into a “green corridor” as part of efforts to address rising temperatures and improve the city’s climate resilience.

Engr. Neil Ravena, head of the city’s General Services Office, said the project aims to plant around 10,000 native trees along the major thoroughfare, where high heat index levels are frequently recorded.

Ravena said the city’s cooling station initiative provided only temporary relief from extreme heat, stressing the need for a more sustainable solution.

“What is needed is something sustainable. We want to plant more trees because that is the long-term solution,” he said in an interview on Friday.

The planned green corridor will cover the stretch from Gen. Luna Street to Ungka in Jaro district, spanning about four kilometers.

Aside from providing shade, the project is expected to create a cooler and more walkable urban space while helping improve biodiversity, stormwater management and air quality. City officials also see the initiative enhancing pedestrian comfort and strengthening the city’s overall climate resilience.

Ravena said the local government has already identified native tree species suitable for the area.

Tree-planting efforts along Diversion Road began during the administration of former Mayor Jerry Treñas, with around 2,000 native trees already planted in the area.

The city now plans to expand the initiative further, particularly along bike lanes.

“One of our targets is the bike lane so that people can use it anytime during the day because there will already be shade,” Ravena said.

To support the greening program, the city government has requested 100,000 native and fruit-bearing tree seedlings from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for planting across Iloilo City, including along Diversion Road.

The seedlings are set to be retrieved from the DENR nursery in Tangalan on 29 May.

Planting activities are expected to begin in July, although city officials said they will closely monitor weather conditions and the effects of El Niño to ensure a higher survival rate for the seedlings.