ILOILO City – The people of this southern city have spoken. Mayor Jerry P. Treñas is a consistent performer as local chief executive and continues to enjoy the trust and confidence of his constituents.
A scientific survey conducted by Random Access Consultants, Inc. (RACI) showed that nine out of 10 or 91.3 percent of city residents are satisfied with the mayor’s performance. He got a net satisfaction rating of +84.9 percent, considered excellent in the rating system of the Social Weather Stations (SWS).
“I am humbled by the results of the survey but just the same I need to further improve our performance since there are still issues we must address,” Treñas said.
The survey was conducted from Feb. 3 to 5, 2023; 300 randomly selected respondents from the city’s seven districts were asked, “Kontento ka bala sa pagdumala ni Treñas sang Iloilo City?”
The result showed that 43 or 14.3 percent of the residents were “tama gid ka kontento” (very satisfied) while 231 or 77.0 percent were “kontento” (satisfied).
It further showed that the percentage of those who were satisfied varied from 81.9 percent (Molo) to 97.3 percent (Jaro).
Among the issues the city mayor said must be addressed are the power rates which increased due to the war in Ukraine, lack of potable water, and traffic management.
“We ask for the patience of our constituents as we find ways to address these problems,” said Treñas.
Relative to this, nine out of 10 or 85.7 percent of city residents trust that Treñas could provide solutions to the problems of Iloilo City. The net trust rating of the city mayor is +77.7 percent, also considered excellent by the SWS rating system.
On the question, “May salig ka bala nga makahatag si Treñas sang solusyon sa mga problema sang Iloilo City?”, 38 or 12.7 percent answered “daku ang pagsalig” (huge trust) and 219 or 73.0 percent “may pagsalig” (has trust).
In a February 2022 survey, the city mayor also got an excellent public satisfaction rating of 88.8 percent.
Treñas’ plan to build a level-up metropolis for the Ilonggos is guided by his W.H.E.E.L.S. (Welfare, Health, Environment, Education, Livelihood, Sustainability) for inclusive development program.
The city mayor said he thinks “out of the box” to serve his constituents better through private partnerships such as the following: Gaisano and Jamora families and Megaworld Corp. for the Iloilo City Action and Response Centers (ICARE); Que and Jamora families, Megaworld Corp., and SM Development Corp. (SMDC) for the offsite payment centers; and the dialysis treatment and free reverse transcription – polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests for students and COVID-19 symptomatic patients in Iloilo.
“I endeavor to restore and renovate our markets and plazas, and entered into a public-private partnership for the Central and Terminal markets with SMDC. We are also completing the legislative building and starting the construction of our city hospital. In the meantime, all health centers are renovated. We are embarking as well on land banking to participate in the ambitious yet noble housing program of PBBM (President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. for our informal sector,” the city mayor added.
With his excellent net trust rating of +81.0 percent, majority of the city residents believe or trust that Treñas can bring more developments to the city.
Based on the survey, 87.6 percent or nine out of 10 city residents trust that Treñas could improve their quality of life.
Iloilo City has also become a hub for wellness, with accessible bike networks and esplanades as venues for leisure and fitness. Local communities and global visitors are also showing interest in the Ilonggo brand of work-life balance and the city’s unending festivities that help spur tourism and investments.
The metro, too, has grown to be visually appealing as a clean city adorned with public art. Rising structures also produce economic movement, giving birth to major business zones.
Emerging companies provide work for the Ilonggos as Iloilo City transforms into a center of business process outsourcing. This industry allowed the younger working population to thrive.
With the increasing population of young professionals, Iloilo City found out there is a need for an immense development in settlements, daily used technologies, real estate, social services, public amenities, medical facilities, art appreciation, and environmental actions – making the city a haven for ecology and cultural identity.
“We have a long way to go but it has been shown that dreams can be turned into reality if only we work hard together for a better future for all Ilonggos and that includes my grandchildren Natalie, Anika, Sophie, and Juliana, and your grandchildren as well,” said Treñas./PN
