AT THE start of 2025, Iloilo City exudes progress and optimism, showcasing the best of what community spirit and a vigilant local governance can achieve.
From acts of honesty, to exemplary display of political will, to infrastructure improvements, the city continues to shine bright as a beacon of excellence. Here now is a sampling of the six finest exhibits to start this year, along with the unsolicited wish lists to make Iloilo City even greater.
Exhibit 1: Honesty That Inspires
The recent story of an honest cab driver in this city, Anthony Aguirre, A&A Marie Taxi, who returned P2.4 million in cash to its rightful owner without hesitation made waves not just in Iloilo City but across the nation. This exemplary show of right values and character inspired the entire city.
Mayor Jerry Treñas quickly handed a P20K award and honored this non-Iloilo City resident with the prestigious title of Honorary Citizen of Iloilo City —a generous and commendable gesture that affirms and uplifts the values we hold dear.
Wish List 1
Good deeds inspire. Can you imagine if similar positive values are practiced more by our citizens? The City’s role, since it cannot legislate human behavior, is to institutionalize and encourage the pursuit of exemplary character and positive values.
The wish list is for the city to pass an Ordinance institutionalizing Iloilo City as a City of Character, or a Values-First City, if it hadn’t been done yet. We already have a Task Force on Value Formation so emphasizing such values of honesty, respect to authority, and all GMRC positives won’t be that difficult.
Afterwards, doable programs can be designed with the help of various churches, schools, universities, NGOs and other institutions in the city. The goal is to mobilize people’s participation to consistently practice, promote and support positive values with character.
Other LGUs have already done that. In November, 2022, the Cagayan de Oro SP passed a “Character First” Ordinance institutionalizing the City of Character or moral transformation and values formation program in their city,
In April, 2023, the Baguio City SP passed an Ordinance “Declaring Baguio City as a Character City and Adopting its Character City Programs”.
Exhibit 2: Executive Vigilance Neutralizes Threats to Tourism
When another taxi driver did not use the taxi meter thereby overcharging a visiting vlogger, swift action was immediately taken by our vigilant Mayor.
He immediately coordinated with the LTO, LTFRB and taxi operators to address the issue. This rapid response by the chief executive underscored the city government’s commitment to protect tourists and residents alike and neutralized further damage to the city’s tourism industry.
Wish List 2
Truth is that, there are many similar cases but were only unreported. So, let’s move from being merely reactive to a proactive response.
The wish list is, if this was not done yet, that the City SP to pass an ordinance, requiring all taxi operators to display in each of their taxi units a 4” x 6” poster sticker in their dashboards – right in front of the passenger – informing passengers of their rights to a metered fare.
This notice must print this info: “Not using the meter is a violation of the terms and conditions of a taxi’s franchise.” Then provide a rapid hotline for complaints of clients to be submitted to the city, LTO or LTFRB. The City Tourism Office must be in the loop to ensure that tourism vigilance is backed up by an enabling ordinance.
This simple, yet common sense solution can neutralize would-be driver-abusers and ensure the taxi-riders protection, both residents, guests and tourists of Iloilo City.
If done, this may result instead to boost the City’s reputation as a tourist-safe-and-friendly destination. Hence, with proactive response, the city can transform any tourism-criticism to a tourism-appreciation opportunity. In gist, it is to reverse engineer the bad incident to become a positive experience.
If we delay and choose the status quo, and react only after another incident, our tourism industry will always be at the mercy of abusers.
Exhibit 3: Chaotic Spaghetti Wires Finally Laid to Rest
Finally, the era of chaotic spaghetti wires – already hanging for more than half a century, or more – at the city’s old calle real JM Basa St. was finally laid to its final rest.
Buried underground – literally and figuratively – this feat is a testament to Mayor Treñas’ strong political will. Why? Many local chief executives have been there before, but these spaghetti wires outlived and outlasted them all, except in the era of Mayor JPT. By a rare masterstroke in governance, he had it all buried for good, thus undoubtedly, proving himself to be made of sterner stuff.
It was a slam-dunk of an achievement with MORE Power and Telcos making the strategic assist.
This initiative to clear out spaghetti wires has significantly improved aesthetics and safety, thereby setting an example – and raising the bar – for other urban cities. It transformed a really old street with its Spanish-era buildings to now become a well-polished tourism gem.
This positive change makes every Ilonggo proud to discover this new-look, new-charm and vibrant tourism heritage at downtown J.M. Basa. Wow, finally, this dream project was a done deal. Simply, it was “Jerry-fied”… or more appropriately, it was finally “Uswagized.”
Indeed, it is amazing that a wireless street can be that electrifying.
Wish List 3
Aptly enough, Mayor Treñas has also called for the Benigno Aquino Diversion Road to follow suit to this city beautification thrust. However, as the political realities in the future may overturn later his Executive Order for this task, then this wish list may be in order.
Would it be possible, if it had not yet been done so, that the City SP can make a permanent ordinance that will call for all utility companies in the city’s main street to transition to underground cabling wherever feasible for long-term solutions, with their business permit renewal on the line.
Exhibit 4: Big Infra Projects Are Also Opportunity for Transparency in Governance
The simultaneous construction of many city markets allocated with P3B — from the Central Market, Terminal Market, then markets in La Paz, Jaro, and Mandurriao—is sure to transform the experience of many marketgoers. Likewise, it will generate economic opportunities for our fellow Ilonggos. It is encouraging to see where our taxes are invested to improve social services. Many other infra projects are also ongoing in the city. (To be continued)/PN
