ILOILO City – With a string of accomplishments and national and international recognitions, the Iloilo City Government under Mayor Raisa S. Treñas is strengthening its momentum toward a more people-centered governance agenda for 2026.
Anchored on the administration’s flagship RISE-to-Action framework — focusing on three pillars namely “Rising Health and Social Services”, “Rising Economy”, and “Rising Livability” — Iloilo City has already demonstrated measurable gains that signal a clear and forward-moving direction.
Mayor Treñas emphasized that the city’s initial successes under her helm are “only the beginning.”
She underscored her commitment to scale up programs that promote accessible health services, inclusive economic growth, climate resilience, and improved community welfare.
“Madamu na kita sang naumpisahan nga mga programa kag mga serbisyo para sa aton mga pumuluyo. Padayon kag pabaskugon pa gid naton ini sa masunod nga tuig. Ang akon lang ginapangabay sa tanan, bululigan naton. Kinanglan ko ang inyo suporta,” the city mayor said.
TOP PROGRAM WINS DRIVE CITY FORWARD
Under the RISE-to-Action agenda, Iloilo City rolled out 42 programs within her first 100 days, a clear indicator of the administration’s strong momentum. Among these, several initiatives have emerged as major drivers of the city’s early gains.
The Uswag Atipan Center serves as a centralized hub for social services, financial and burial assistance, livelihood and education support, health and dental services, and help desks, reaching over 8,000 Ilonggos since its opening in July and significantly improving frontline service delivery.
Through Uswag Pharmacies, the city also expands access to free medicines in nine district health centers, each assisting 200–300 beneficiaries weekly and easing healthcare burdens for low-income residents.
Housing stability remains a priority of Mayor Treñas’ people-first agenda. The PASILONG Program has more than 2,000 units in the pipeline, including Rise Batiano Village in West Habog-Habog, Molo; Westville Residences in Hibao-an, Mandurriao; and the Uswag Residential Complex and Uswag 4PH Condominium Complex in San Isidro, Jaro, providing long-term, resilient shelter solutions.
To boost local livelihoods, the city expanded the Sustainable Income Generation through Entrepreneurship, or SIGE Asenso Program, which has already assisted 1,564 market vendor participants and 240 other NMSEs with P375,000 livelihood assistance provided.
The RISE Ilonggo, or Reinforcing Ilonggos with Skills Empowerment has trained over 170 residents in high-demand technical and vocational skills.
The Public Employment Service Office (PESO)-Iloilo City, through the Uswag Recruitment Center, tRAIbaho PESO Job Fair 2025, and various local recruitment activities, facilitated 146,772 job solicitations, 33,284 job referrals, and 30,819 job placements as of November. This reflects a 92.59% placement rate, slightly higher than last year’s 92.67%.
Through the Department of Labor’s Emergency Employment Program, the City Government was also able to provide jobs to 9,833 beneficiaries.
Under the Tindahan, Livelihood, and Care (TLC) ni Inday program, 145 beneficiaries received ₱10,000 in seed capital to support micro-enterprises and strengthen household incomes, with 250 more beneficiaries eyed in the 1st quarter next year.
In education, the city launched RISEable — Iloilo’s first Special Education and Early Intervention Center for children with special needs. It is currently serving 26 children, with capacity set to expand to accommodate more learners next year.
The USWAG Scholarship Program, which has supported over 30,000 students since 2010, has been further strengthened with initiatives such as RISE TO LEARN, RAISKOLAR CAMP, and ISTORYA ISKOLAR, fostering mentorship, leadership, and community engagement, while plans to expand the Iloilo City Community College (ICCC) are also underway. A new ICCC campus will soon rise in Brgy. Veterans Village, City Proper.
Community initiatives also flourished, including the first Pabunyag sa Syudad, a free mass baptism welcoming 50 children; and animal welfare programs such as Iloilo City P.E.T.S., Vet Alert, and PawTect, which vaccinated 38,450 pets against rabies.
Through these efforts, Treñas’ administration demonstrates a holistic approach, integrating health, housing, livelihood, education, and community welfare to ensure inclusive and sustainable development across Iloilo City.
PUBLIC MARKETS REDEVELOPMENT COMPLETION
The current administration is honored to uphold and witness the full completion of the massive redevelopment of Iloilo City’s public markets — a transformative initiative started by former mayor Jerry P. Treñas.
The redevelopment program covers the Iloilo Central Market and Iloilo Terminal Market — made possible through a public–private partnership with SM Prime Holdings, Inc. — as well as the district markets of Arevalo, Jaro (Big Market), and La Paz, which are fully funded by the City Government. These mark one of the city government’s most significant infrastructure milestones in recent years.
The modernized markets now feature improved ventilation, solar-powered and enhanced natural lighting, rainwater harvesting systems, wider aisles, organized wet and dry sections, durable vendor stalls, and upgraded sanitation facilities.
Enhanced security measures such as CCTV cameras and disaster-resilient structural design ensure safety for all market users. The redevelopment also introduced efficient loading and unloading zones and better traffic flow, reducing congestion around the market areas.
Beyond infrastructure, the new markets uplift local livelihoods by providing dignified, safer, and more functional spaces to accommodate more vendors. Their cleaner, more visually appealing designs are also expected to draw tourists, showcasing Iloilo’s vibrant food culture and community life.
MAJOR AWARDS REINFORCE ILOILO’S UPWARD TRAJECTORY
This year, the city’s continuity in governance and shared leadership is evident not only in its programs and services, but also in the numerous national awards that affirm Iloilo’s strength in mobility, governance, and cultural development.
The city’s sustainable mobility initiatives topped the 2025 Mobility Awards, earning the first-ever Katipunan Award, the highest honor for transformative active-transport programs. This award signifies truly transformational efforts initiated and/or adopted by a city, workplace, or business establishment in promoting and encouraging their constituencies, employees, or customers to adopt and maintain bicycle commuting as a mainstream mode of transport, while making cities more pedestrian-friendly.
Iloilo also secured its third Gold Award as a Bike-Friendly City and a Silver Award for being Pedestrian-Friendly, reaffirming its commitment to inclusive, safe, and people-centered mobility.
Further cementing its reputation for good governance, Iloilo City was recognized as a national winner of the 2025 Most Business-Friendly LGU Award (City Level 1B category) by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), citing reforms that digitalized government services, strengthened local enterprises, and boosted investor confidence.
The city also celebrated an international milestone as its gastronomy book, “Gastronomic Expressions of Our City: Iloilo — Nature, Culture, and Geography,” won at the 31st Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2025, earning Best in the UNESCO City of Gastronomy Book – Best Publishers Series.
Additional recognitions include the Top Highly Urbanized City Philippine-Special Award for strong Philippine National Police support; 2025 Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance Award national finalist; Best Public Employment Service Office 2025 Hall of Fame; PRIME Human Resource Management Bronze Award; Most Promising City for Public Transport; Distinguished Award for Animal Welfare; StartUp Champion for Western Visayas; Natatanging Lingkod ng Maralita Award, SubayBAYANI Awards 2025 – Exemplar City; Top LGU in the Generation of Construction Statistics; 1st Place in the Search for Most Outstanding LGU in Localizing PopDev Agenda; Best Cultural Festival (Iloilo Dinagyang Festival 2024) 2025 Pearl ATOP Awards (HUC); Best LGU by the PSA-Iloilo; 2025 Seal of Protection Awards – Gold Award; Outstanding Practices in Sustainable Solid Waste Management; and Rank 1 Local Legislative Awards 2025 regional level, among others.
PAVING THE WAY FOR A STRONGER 2026 AGENDA
Looking ahead to 2026, Mayor Treñas said the administration will deepen its focus on programs that deliver lasting impact.
“We have set the tone, and now we will build on this foundation. Our next steps will strengthen social protection, grow our local economy, and create a safer, greener, and more livable city,” she said.
The planned 2026 agenda include the expansion of health and social services, improved disaster-resilient infrastructure, stronger livelihood ecosystems, and community-centered programs that support children, seniors, persons with disabilities, and vulnerable households.
Mayor Raisa looks forward to further strengthen these people-centered programs following the approval of the Iloilo City Government’s 2026 budget of ₱4.5 billion for the General Fund and ₱83.9 million for LEEO, which prioritizes social services.
The budget boosts funding for medical, educational and burial assistance; health and outreach programs; employment support for residents, employee benefits, and housing initiatives.
“Our commitment is simple but profound: to ensure that every Ilonggo feels the progress we build together,” Treñas added.
With early gains fueling long-term strategies, Iloilo City is poised to further cement its status as one of the Philippines’ most dynamic, inclusive, and forward-looking cities./PN
