ILOILO City – Some 4,000 individuals from all walks of life are expected to fill the Iloilo Convention Center (ICC) at 9 a.m. today to witness the inauguration of incoming mayor Jerry Treñas, congresswoman Julienne “Jam-jam” Baronda, vice mayor Jeffrey Ganzon and the Sangguniang Panlungsod members who will assume their new offices on June 30.
Treñas and Baronda will be delivering inaugural speeches.
Supreme Court Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza, an Ilonggo, will administer their oaths of office.
Among the many guests expected to come are Sen. Franklin Drilon, Commissioner Rowena Guanzon of the Commission on Elections, businessmen Manny V. Pangilinan, Enrique Razon, Robina Gokongwei, Federico Lopez, and Eddie Gaisano, among others.
MUCH YET TO BE DONE
“This is a continuation of an uncompleted task,” said Treñas who had hurdled three continuous three-year terms in the House of Representatives.
He reminded Panay News that the first time he assumed office as city mayor was in 2001. He was reelected in 2004 and 2007.
“Iloilo City has immensely prospered since then,” said Treñas. “Much is yet to be done and accomplished in the next three years.”
He recalled that under his watch, Iloilo City was inducted into the “2009 Palladium Balanced Scorecard Hall of Fame for Executing Strategy in Business Excellence” at the Palladium Asia Pacific Summit in Jakarta Indonesia on Oct. 5, 2009.
He said he expected to work closely with his political ally Baronda who is taking his place as member of the Lower House representing Iloilo City.
“She will continue to implement my programs aimed at seeking good future for the poor,” Treñas said, citing his Uswag scholarship program that has produced more than 20,000 college scholars (most of them now graduates) in the city.
“We will concentrate on transforming Iloilo City into a MICE capital of the Philippines,” he said, noting the frequency of national conventions and seminars at the Iloilo Convention Center and the city’s burgeoning hotels.
MICE stands for “meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions”.
“Because of our Iloilo Convention Center and posh hotels,” he stressed, “we have seen important men and women from different sectors hold their important events here. Taxi and jeepney operators and drivers would benefit. Imagine having just one convention per week. The hotels, restaurants, malls, and tourist resorts would enjoy brisk business. There would be more vacancies for employment of our people right here in our place.”
LEVEL-UP
His inaugural speech today would focus on how he would further “level up” the state of the city. He has vowed in his campaign speeches to work closely with businessmen and industrialists so that “profits would trickle down to the labor force.”
He reiterated his prediction that, by the year 2028, Iloilo City would have inevitably gained national recognition as one of the three best highly-urbanized cities in the country in terms of livability, competitiveness, viability, and good governance.
“For the city to prosper,” Treñas said, “we have to keep the people healthy and well-equipped to earn a living. We have to build a hospital for the poor, upgrade our public markets to level up with the malls, complete drainage projects, build high-rise condominiums as relocation sites and build senior-citizen and youth centers.”
As in his campaign speeches, he promised to keep the city’s “WHEELS” turning. It is acronym for the goals he seeks to accomplish in the next three years of his administration.
“W” in “WHEELS” would stress public welfare, safety, emergency response, effective drainage system, housing projects for the poor, and traffic management.
“H” for “Health and Sanitation” is aimed at improving access to medical and dental services, properly maintained city toilets, potable water and sustained feeding program especially for children.
“E” is for education that would enhance assistance to public schools and day-care centers, upgrade the Iloilo City Community College (ICCC) and Technical Institute of Iloilo City (TIIC) and provide continuing education.
“E” is also for “Environmental management” which would rationalize the Esplanade operation, improvement of all plazas and coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Department of Health (DOH).
“L” for “livelihood” means finding ways and means to provide employment and livelihood opportunities for the poor; and would find ways and means to intensify tourism and investment promotions; promote Iloilo City as MICE capital; intensify programs for employment, entrepreneurship and livelihood trainings; and modernize slaughterhouse and public markets.
“S” is for “Sustainability” or continuous delivery of all government programs, projects, activities and services./PN
