ILOILO City – Who is best suited to lead this highly urbanized city, steer it to recovery from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, and sustain its progress?
Based on the certificates of candidacy (COC) filed with the Commission on Elections last week, residents here have to vet three “job applicants”.
The incumbent mayor, Jerry Treñas, is seeking reelection. He comes into the race with years of formidable experience in public service and local governance.
He is being challenged by two others – a radio blocktimer who has never held public office before, and a pedicab driver with a big dream of building a bridge connecting Iloilo and Guimaras.
The next seven months give registered voters of the city time to scrutinize the three candidates – enough for them to come up with hopefully a sound decision on May 9, 2022.
Challenger 1: Jun Capulot
Radio blocktimer Salvador “Jun” Alojado Capulot surprised not a few when he filed his COC for mayor – and under the People’s Reform Party founded by the late Ilongga senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago.
Throughout his career as a radio commentator, Capulot, 49, has been hopping from one radio station to another across Western Visayas, never staying long in one.
Although styling himself as a fiery broadcaster defending public interest, Capulot has never held public office. In the early 2000s he unsuccessfully ran for city councilor.
Capulot is a Bachelor of Science in Criminology undergraduate (1993 to 1996) at the University of Negros Occidental – Recoletos in Bacolod City. He completed his secondary education at the Negros Occidental High School (1989 to 1993).
Challenger 2: Vicente Ang
A resident of Barangay Rizal Pala-pala II, City Proper, Vicente Ang filed his COC without much fanfare but still caught public attention due to his being a literal unknown in Iloilo City politics.
The 61-year-old Ang is a pedicab driver. This is the second time he is running against Treñas.
In a terse statement issued last week, Ang said he decided to run for mayor to see to it that the proposed Iloilo-Guimaras Bridge is finally realized.
Not much is known about Ang.
Incumbent Jerry P. Treñas
The incumbent mayor is seeking a second term, buoyed by the prestigious Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award he bagged (regional level) from the Civil Service Commission’s (CSC) 2021 Search for Outstanding Government Workers.
The Presidential Lingkod Bayan award is conferred to an individual or group for exceptional or extraordinary contributions that had nationwide impact.
Treñas, who filed his COC under National Unity Party (NUP), served as the city’s congressman from 2010 to 2019 and prior to that was the city mayor from 2001 to 2010.
Under his watch, Iloilo City was cited as “Most Business-Friendly” in the highly-urbanized cities outside Metro Manila category by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) in 2019.
Just recently, one of the city government’s unique response to the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, the Uswag Community Kitchen, became a semifinalist in the Galing Pook Award of the Department of Interior and Local Government. The community-driven program fed thousands of Iloilo City’s economically displaced residents.
Over a decade ago before this, also when Treñas was the mayor, Iloilo City became the first highly urbanized city with an approved comprehensive land use plan. For this, the Department of Interior and Local Government gave the city a special citation on Oct. 30, 2003.
Treñas was cited as one of the 12 Outstanding Ilonggos (TOIL) by the International Association of Lions Club.
It is no small feat that with him as chief executive, Iloilo City entered the list of safest cities in Southeast Asia, placing eighth in the company of Chiang Mai and Bangkok (Thailand), Davao, Makati and Cebu (Philippines), Singapore, Hanoi (Vietnam), Penang (Malaysia), and Bali (Indonesia).
This was the assessment of Numbeo, a worldwide online survey site that provides information about the living conditions in cities and countries.
Being included in the global poll means promotions in terms of tourism and investments because it could be used as a baseline data in selling the potentials of the locality, said Treñas.
A lawyer by profession, Treñas earned his Bachelor of Arts major in Political Science Degree in 1978 at the Ateneo de Manila University. Afterwards, he pursued a Bachelor of Laws degree at Ateneo’s School of Law and graduated with honors in 1982.
Treñas placed 11th in the 1982 Bar Examinations with a general weighted average of 88.325 percent.
Achievements
Under Treñas’ stewardship, Iloilo City bagged first place in Resilience, Highly-Urbanized Cities Category, of the 2019 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index Awards by Department of Trade Industry (DTI) during the 7th Regional Competitiveness Summit at Philippine International Convention
Center.
Iloilo City also became the only organization (public/private) from the Philippines to be inducted in the 2009 Palladium Balanced Scorecard Hall of Fame for Executing Strategy in Business Excellence during the 2009 Palladium Asia Pacific Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia on Oct. 5, 2009.
Iloilo City, too, was able to garner an “Institutionalized Status” through a very strong Public-Private Partnership in Public Governance by the Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA) during the Public Governance Forum in Manila on Sept. 24, 2009.
Two years ago, in 2019, the city was the regional grand winner in the Best Public Employment Service Office (PESO) Employment Information System (PEIS) competition. It had the highest number of registered jobseekers, according to the Department of Labor and Employment.
Under the Metro-Iloilo Guimaras Economic Development Council (MIGEDC)-LGU Alliance, Iloilo City became a finalist during the 3rd Regional Development Council 6 Best Public Sector Projects Awards (May 14, 2009).
Iloilo City also ranked third in the Next Wave Cities Scorecard (award given by the Commission on Information and Communications Technology, The Business Processing Association of the Phil., and the Department of Trade and Industry on Dec. 3, 2008).
Fast forward to 11 years after, the city under Treñas earned a Plaque of Recognition for generating the highest revenue for highly urbanized cities, from the Department of Finance, Bureau of Local Government Finance VI, and Regional Associations of Treasurers and Assessors in Region VI, Inc. given on Dec. 3, 2019.
Steered by Treñas, Dinagyang Festival was elevated to the Hall of Fame, Best Tourism Event in the Philippines (2006-2008) given by the Association of Tourism Officers in the Philippines.
The city government also garnered a rating of “Very Good” in exhibiting the value of customer care and meeting the expectations of the transacting public for prompt, courteous, responsive, facilitative and pleasant service during the conduct of the Public Service Delivery Audit (PASADA), given by the CSC on Sept. 22, 2008.
Another crowning glory of Treñas was the 2019 Gawad Kalasag, first place in the search for the Best Highly Urbanized City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council.
Among the other more prestigious awards and recognitions received by Iloilo City under Treñas’ watch were the following:
* First Place in tax collection and tax remittances, given by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on its 104th Anniversary, Aug. 1, 2008
* Dinagang as Best Tourism Event in the Philippines plus Best Tourism Practices Award, given by the Association of Tourism Office in the Philippines (City Category), Oct. 6, 2006
* Clean and Green Award regional champion, given by the DILG (Highly Urbanized City category), Dec. 21, 2005
* Highest Performer on Withholding Tax Compliance, given by the BIR, March 14, 2015
* Gawad Pangulo sa Kapaligiran, given by the Kaunlaran ng mga Pamahalaang Lokal sa Kalinisan at Kapaligirang Luntian, December 2003
* Most Outstanding City in Local Budget Administration for 2001, Regional Level, given by the Department of Budget and Management, April 23, 2002
Awards and Citations
Treñas’ dynamic leadership earned him several awards and citations through the years. Among the most prominent of these were the following:
* Leadership Award in recognition of his having been the National President of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) from 2009-2010
* Outstanding City Mayor – by the Association of Local Social Welfare and Development Officers on Oct. 3, 2006
* Outstanding Mayor of the Philippines – by the Police Tribune Foundation on April 26, 2003
* Champion of the Landmark Reproductive Health Law – by the Human Development Legislator of the 15th Congress, Feb. 5, 2013
* Plaque of Appreciation for invaluable contribution to the Philippine Heart Center, Feb. 14, 2012
* Certificate of Appreciation as convenor of the Iloilo and Guimaras Regional Development Council (Western Visayas) – on May 19, 2015 and May 14, 2014
* Certificate of Appreciation from National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for his support of the NBI Reorganization and Modernization Act – June 29, 2016
* Recognition for having served as member of the National Executive Board of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (2008 to 2010, July 23, 2010)
The Young Treñas and more
Even during his school days, Treñas proved his capacity and competence is various fields. He was the editor-in-chief of the Ateneo Law Journal in 1982; president, Council of Class Presidents, Ateneo Law School, 1982; executive secretary, Fraternal Order of Utopia, Ateneo Law School, 1980-1981; president, Balikatang Atenista, Ateneo Law School, 1978-1979; president, Ateneo de Manila University Student Council, 1978; junior representative, Ateneo de Manila University Student Council, 1977; vice chairman, Consultative Council to the City Government, 1978; and president, St. Clements Student Council, 1973.
He had also attended lots of seminars, conferences and study tours that further enhanced his knowledge and capability.
During his stint as the city’s representative to the House of Representative, Treñas served as chairman and members of various committees./PN
