ILOILO City – Mayor Raisa Treñas and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) both rejected claims that Iloilo City’s 300 percent Real Property Tax (RPT) hike directly triggered inflation, stressing that such assertions are misleading and even politically motivated.
“Over the past two years, we have seen inflation rise and fall. If this was truly caused by RPT, inflation should have steadily increased, but that is not the case,” Treñas explained.
She added: “I am an Economics graduate, and I know this is just politics. Many professional economists have approached me and said, ‘Ma’am, this is too much, this is too much politics that they are doing. They are destroying the city.’ (And at whose) expense? This is about the growth of our city, and we should not allow it.”
The mayor also called on the media and the public to rely on facts and sound analysis.
“You cannot just say that in a span of three months, inflation was affected by RPT. To review fluctuations properly, you need at least three years of data. I encourage the media to do their research and to do it right — not just for me but for the entire city. Our work has created jobs and growth for Iloilo City, and it is unfair to diminish that with misinformation,” she added.
The controversy stemmed from a report linking the city’s inflation directly to the RPT increase. But PSA regional director for Western Visayas Nelida Amolar clarified that the story misrepresented her statements.
“I am very sorry for the news… I vehemently deny that I said that the inflation in Iloilo City is caused ‘directly’ by the 300% RPT. The presscon had the most number of media present. If my statement had truly been different, it would have been reflected in the consistent coverage of other media agencies,” Amolar said in a message to Treñas.
Amolar added that PSA will formally write to correct the error and emphasized that her office regularly conducts learning sessions for journalists to ensure accurate reporting on inflation, its computation, and its links to commodity groups.
Treñas underscored the need for accuracy and accountability in public discourse. “The welfare of our people must never be clouded by misinformation. We owe it to the public to present the truth based on facts — not misleading narratives,” she said./PN
