ILOILO City – To connect with his constituents and report his office’s accomplishments, some P1,071,372 has so far been spent to boost posts on Mayor Jerry Treñas’ Facebook page.
Boosting posts allows for targeted advertising, ensuring that his messages reach a broader and more specific audience.
Created on July 2, 2018, Treñas’ Facebook page maintains an active and engaging online presence, to keep the public informed about his work and initiatives in Iloilo City.
Data from the mayor’s social media page showed that for the period August 7 and August 13, 2024, P36,621 was spent on ads that included disclaimers, averaging P5,231.50 per day.
Among those who funded the boosted posts on the mayor’s page included Ma. Ruthmar Gabileo, a Tourist Receptionist II at the City Tourism Office but is assigned to the City Mayor’s Office as a social media copywriter (contributed P520,853); Mayor Treñas (P486,934); and the social media marketing agency Dame Digital (P55,600).
Paolo Treñas, the mayor’s son, contributed P3,916, while Hernani Escullar Jr. spent P1,600. Escullar is the information officer of the Department of Education Region 6.
In a statement, Treñas clarified that part of his job as mayor and leader of the city is to communicate what he has done for his constituents “so they can access the services and our benefits.”
“I have also promoted our projects and city externally so we can entice more tourists to come, businesses to invest,” said Treñas.
He said they have secured flights from Singapore straight to Iloilo, won awards, and also secured funding for infrastructure and services last week.
“Other cities and provinces have also visited us to benchmark. Nakakatulong pa tayo with other cities because they’ve seen our projects through our promotions,” the mayor stressed.
“And now we’re using my FB page to help combat dengue. So for my FB page, like any communication tool, like radio, print, national media, and international media, I’ve used the communication tools available to market our city. That’s my responsibility,” he added.
The mayor noted he used personal funds to boost his social media page.
“I’ve been promoting our city the past 6 years and even during my term as congressman and I will continue to do that. That’s my responsibility as mayor and leader of the city,” Treñas said./PN
