The fall of the industrial giant

(Conclusion)

In no time, the sleepy town became a booming city, relying heavily on the industries.

While the industries provided most of Iligan’s revenues, too much reliance on them also spelled out Iligan’s looming disaster, political and business leaders believe.

Mayor Franklin Quijano, himself an economist by training, noted that the agriculture sector – with the city’s 23,000 hectares of agricultural land – had not been tapped for long. Farm-to-market roads were undeveloped.

He pointed out, too, Iligan’s untapped rich water resources with its numerous springs. "We’re throwing away three million gallons of fresh water into the sea every day," he noted. Quijano said this could be tapped by bottled water companies, or other industries that rely heavily on water, like the semi-conductor manufacturers.

Iligan, too, has no tourism industry to speak of despite the number of tourist attractions present in the area, like the two-dozen waterfalls that earned Iligan its other title – The City of Waterfalls. Maria Cristina, though its waters now diverted for power generation, and the scenic Tinago remain as among the country’s most popular waterfalls. Iligan also has wonderful caves that many Iliganons haven’t heard of.

"Had the economy been more balanced, (NSC’s closure) would not have been too painful," says city councilor Orlando Maglinao, who now chairs the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation of Iligan, Inc.

He noted that Iliganons are mostly wage earners who have little entrepreneurial knowledge. "As a result, our SMEs (small and medium enterprises) were not developed," Maglinao added.

Surviving The Fall

Somehow, Iligan has managed to survive the fall. And it has learned its lesson well.

Recently, there have been various attempts at developing Iligan’s agriculture. Some barangays where the scenic spots are have bonded to promote tourism. The city treasurer’s office has increased efficiency and upgraded its tax system.

The hope for an NSC reopening is still there, and recent events that may lead to that direction have been promising, according to city and Naslu officials.

But until then, Iligan will just have to plod through the hard times with what little it has. As banker Solon says, "Iligan has come to terms with the demise of NSC and its residents have somehow managed to find ways to earn income."

Like the Franciscos. The couple are doing everything they can to send their children to school, venturing into jobs they have never tried before and somehow managing to survive.

"We just had to make major changes in our lifestyle. The kids sometimes complain, but they understand," Cesar says.

For the Francisco couple, they only have one dream – for all the four children to finish college.