ILOILO City – This southern city has emerged in recent years as a symbol of progress and a vibrant community, not only in the Visayas region but across the country, as evidenced by tangible infrastructure developments that reflect the city’s fast-growing economy.
Beyond the high-rise commercial buildings, the Iloilo City Government has been proactive in constructing its own infrastructures, aimed to provide better and more accessible services for its constituents.
Under the “Uswag Iloilo” mantra, these achievements have been made possible through the forward-looking leadership of Mayor Jerry P. Treñas.
“This is the USWAG legacy for our future generations. With the firm resolve of a unified USWAG team and the unwavering support of the Ilonggos, this legacy continues,” Treñas proudly declared.
His aspiration to make Iloilo City a source of pride for the Ilonggos took shape and gained momentum with the realization of his dream to construct a new, beautiful, and symbolic home – the New Iloilo City Hall.
With a commitment to modernizing the city’s administrative center, the construction of the New Iloilo City Hall commenced during Treñas’ first mayoral term in 2009 and was completed in August 2011.
The building has become a site where more legacies have been conceived and executed, benefitting the entire Ilonggo community.
“Let us all take pride in being City Hall employees. Let us be proud of the work we do for Iloilo City. Public service is not just a job; it is a noble calling that deserves our utmost pride,” Treñas stressed.
He continued to pursue his vision for Iloilo City during his tenure as congressman from 2010 to 2019 by advocating for legislation that benefitted the city.
Among his achievements were the conversion of local roads to national roads, which paved the way for improved road and transportation infrastructure using national funds. These legislations have led to enhanced connectivity, rapid economic growth, and safer travel for all Ilonggos.
Treñas also played a key role in preserving Iloilo City’s heritage sites and structures through the Heritage Law, or Republic Act 10555, which he authored.
With the invaluable support of then senator Franklin Drilon, historical landmarks like Jaro Plaza, Jaro Cathedral, Molo Church, and Plaza Libertad were declared as Cultural Heritage Tourism Zones. This legislative framework has been a crucial step in preserving, protecting, and enhancing these historic landmarks, ensuring that Iloilo’s legacy endures for future generations.
When Treñas returned to City Hall in 2019, he started working on several more tangible development projects.
With the help of Drilon and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), the improvement of the Jaro Plaza bandstand, belfry, and Graciano Lopez Jaena Shrine as well as Molo Plaza was realized.
The Iloilo City Government, for its part, allocated an initial P257 million for the major makeover of district plazas: Jaro Plaza (P90 million), La Paz Plaza (P75 million), Arevalo Plaza (P46 million), Plaza Libertad (P30 million), and Mandurriao Plaza (P10 million).
Plaza Libertad also got P19 million and Mandurriao Plaza got P17 million, or a total of P36 million, from the Green, Green, Green Program of the Department of Budget and Management and the Department of Interior and Local Government.
Also through the initiative of Drilon, the historic Sunburst Park has been revived and is now being enjoyed by the Ilonggos and visitors for leisure and bonding activities.
Alongside the beautified plazas and open spaces, the Treñas administration resolved to rehabilitate the time-worn public markets, including the two biggest ones – the Iloilo Central Market and the Iloilo Terminal Market.
The nearly completed redevelopment of the Central and Terminal markets is carried out through a public-private partnership between the Iloilo City Government and SM Prime Holdings.
Meantime, the rehabilitation of the public markets of Arevalo (P150 million), La Paz (P395 million) and Jaro Big (P395 million), along with the six-storey parking building and the ongoing construction of Iloilo City Hospital, were funded by the city government.
Treñas’ resolve to make positive changes in the city extends beyond beautifying plazas and markets. Among his notable initiatives is the establishment of Iloilo City Action and Resilient (ICARE) Centers in strategic areas across the city, in partnership with the private sector.
With a total project cost of P208.9 million, the city government has established nine ICARE Centers in various strategic locations since 2019. These include Gaisano City Center, which serves as the command center, as well as Calumpang, Ungka, Tanza Esperanza, Nabitasan, Megaworld, Taal, and So-oc. The rest of the centers are already completed except for ICARE-Megaworld which is still under construction at 67 percent completion.
Moreover, the Treñas administration has put premium priority on education through the Special Education Fund (SEF) by investing over P2 billion since 2019 for the construction and rehabilitation of school buildings and classrooms and other school facilities, benefitting students from early childhood care and development to senior high schools.
The city government invested a total of P254.9 million worth of school infrastructure project in 2019; P384.4 million in 2020; P367.6 million in 2021; P378.6 million in 2022; P334.6 million in 2023; and P384.2 million in 2024.
Meanwhile, with health and wellness as another top priority, various health facilities were constructed to include Uswag Molecular Laboratory; Uswag Clinical Laboratory and Diagnostic Center; East Baluarte Dialysis Center; Uswag San Isidro Dialysis Center; Uswag Physical Rehabilitation Center (Molo); Uswag Nutrition Center; Uswag Pharmacy; and the soon-to-be-completed Uswag Iloilo Hospital and Medical Arts Building, Super Health Center (Arevalo), Uswag Mental Health Center, and Uswag District Pharmacies.
The Treñas administration is also actively expanding its housing programs, establishing 33 relocation sites, including the newly inaugurated P248 million, four-storey Kauswagan Residences in Barangay San Isidro. So far, 8,579 homeless families in the city have been provided with housing units.
With a backlog of over 20,000 units, the city government is pursuing more projects to close the housing gap. A recent Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Phinma Property Holdings Corporation will add 2,000 units under the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) program.
Additionally, Eon Realty’s project includes 13 towers with 1,677 units, and Ethan Property’s project consists of seven five-story condos with 834 units. The city has acquired 933,940 square meters of land worth more than P362 million for these initiatives.
Since 2019, the city government has accomplished numerous infrastructures and special projects in different city barangays, including the construction or improvement of multi-purpose halls, health centers, youth centers, gyms, rainwater harvesting facilities, potable water supply systems, drainage systems, road constructions and widening projects, and other vital structures.
Another landmark infrastructure project under Treñas’ helm is the P246.89 million Iloilo City Legislative Building funded by the city’s general fund from 2017 to 2019.
On the other hand, the Iloilo River Esplanade is just one of the many notable infrastructure developments that stand out as prime examples of the city’s progress.
Realized through former Senator Drilon, the esplanade is a scenic walkway along the Iloilo River which not only provided a recreational space for residents but also revitalized the riverbanks and improved environmental sustainability.
The Iloilo Sunset Boulevard is a very recent project also championed by Drilon. Since its opening to the public, the almost five-kilometer road has emerged as a new symbol of connectivity, economic vitality, and green urbanism. It not only enlivens the environment but also supports local businesses and improves access from the city to the neighboring town of Oton.
Looking ahead, Iloilo City’s transparent approach to infrastructure development bodes well for its future.
The ongoing projects and future plans promise to maintain the city’s upward trajectory, ensuring that it remains a model of progress and innovation.
As the city continues to grow, the combined efforts of the private sector, the local government, and its visionary leaders and supportive community will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping a brighter future for Iloilo City, together leaving a lasting Uswag legacy for the future generation./PN
