ILOILO City – Investor confidence in Iloilo City is being shaken not just by economic headwinds but by deepening political tensions and persistent corruption concerns that business leaders say are starting to hinder the city’s investment momentum.
Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Iloilo (PCCI – Iloilo) chairman Felix Tiu warned that the escalating political divide between the Treñas and Baronda camps is creating uncertainty — the very condition investors avoid.
“Corruption really makes investors think twice about entering an area,” Tiu stressed, noting that allegations of irregularities and inconsistent policy directions cast doubt on the city’s reliability as an investment destination.
Tiu recalled that Iloilo’s business climate was significantly more attractive when former mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog and then congressman Jerry Treñas were politically aligned.
That unity, he said, enabled smoother processing of permits and attracted major developers.
“That was when many investors started coming in, including major developers like Megaworld,” he said.
A unified leadership, he added, “sends a clear message of stability,” which investors prioritize.
The PCCI official also pointed out that while Iloilo thrives in services and retail, the absence of large-scale manufacturing continues to limit the city’s industrial growth.
Attracting factories, he said, would broaden the economic base and generate more jobs.
With the rift among the city’s top political figures and continuing questions over procurement and project implementation, business leaders fear Iloilo could lose the competitive edge it built over the past decade unless unity and transparency are restored./PN
