ILOILO City – Despite expressing mutual willingness to reconcile following a divisive election season, the camps of Iloilo City congresswoman Julienne Baronda and Mayor-elect Raisa Treñas-Chu appear to be at odds over how the process of unity should begin.
Baronda has welcomed the call for reconciliation but called out the manner in which it was first floated — through social media. She stressed that true unity must be grounded in personal, sincere communication.
“I am always open to reconciliation, but let’s do it the right way — face-to-face, not on Facebook,” Baronda said in a radio interview.
“The laurels of reconciliation must not be done through social media. It must be physical, actual, and face-to-face. We are ready anytime, anywhere. If not, optics lang ina,” she added. “They know how to contact me. My lines are always open, and my doors are not closed.”
The congresswoman emphasized that unity efforts should not be mere political theater.
“This is not about personalities, it’s about the people of Iloilo. We must align with the spirit of Bagong Pilipinas, which calls for real solutions to the people’s problems. That starts with real conversations, not curated social media posts,” she said.
In response, Treñas-Chu defended her earlier message of unity and expressed openness to meet in person to bridge differences.
“Our message of unity was never meant to be for show. It came from the heart, as a sincere step toward healing and moving forward from the divisions we’ve seen in Iloilo City politics,” she said.
She added: “If meeting face-to-face is what’s needed, I am open to that. I believe in setting aside personal pride so we can put the people of Iloilo City first.”
Outgoing Mayor Jerry Treñas, who has actively supported his daughter’s transition, echoed the call for cooperation among leaders.
“Our commitment to unity in Iloilo City is sincere and comes from the deepest part of my heart. At the end of the day, what matters most is how we move forward, together, for the love and future of Iloilo City,” he said.
“If sitting down and talking is the path toward a stronger Iloilo, then I am ready. The city deserves no less than cooperation from all its leaders,” Treñas added.
Baronda expressed a hopeful but firm appeal for meaningful collaboration among Iloilo’s incoming leadership, particularly among its women leaders.
“As women leaders — me, Mayor-elect Raisa, and Vice Mayor-elect Love-Love Baronda — we have a chance to rise above the noise. Let us show our people that unity is not just a word, but an act of courage and responsibility,” she said./PN
