Iloilo City will showcase its heritage houses as it gears up to host the 49th Meeting of the High-Level Task Force on ASEAN Economic Integration next week.

In a media interview on Thursday, Mayor Raisa Treñas said hosting the delegations from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member-countries, including economic ministers, on Feb. 25-27 is one of the most-awaited activities for the city,

“We will be highlighting our heritage houses, aside from their meetings here. One of the reasons they chose our city is because we are a UNESCO Creative City, plus our ASEAN Clean City Awards,” Treñas said.

She said the local government and the Department of Tourism planned the schedules and the venues to promote.

After the meetings, the delegates will have their dinner in heritage houses in the city.

“This is also a venue for us to showcase and promote our local industries in the international market. If we start helping our local industries, it directly impacts our communities; more jobs and economic activity,” she added.

Meanwhile, Treñas said she called for an interagency meeting on Monday to ensure the successful and safe conduct of the senior officials’ meeting focusing on economy and trade.

Iloilo City is set to host three ASEAN meetings, with the two others in April and May.

Meanwhile, Iloilo City Police Office officer-in-charge Col. Wilbert Parilla said they will deploy almost 1,000 personnel, with a send-off ceremony on Friday.

They will also open their multiagency coordinating center in anticipation of the arrival of delegates on Saturday or Sunday.

He added that the mayor has approved their recommendation for the suspension of face-to-face classes to avoid traffic congestion for the duration of the meeting.

“We will establish police assistance desks in identified venues and tourist destinations in Iloilo City,” he said. (PNA)