ILOILO City’s rise as a key economic hub in the Visayas is undeniable — its skyline grows taller, its investments more ambitious, and its business ecosystem increasingly vibrant. But for all its momentum, the city now confronts a sobering truth: no amount of infrastructure, tourism, or innovation can mask the fact that its most basic utility — water — is failing.
At the “Water Dialogue 2025” last week, Mayor Jerry Treñas sounded the alarm. Only 27% of Iloilo City households are currently connected to a potable water system, and just a small fraction of them receive a 24-hour supply. That means nearly three out of four homes — and countless businesses — rely on intermittent service, water refilling stations, or shallow wells. For a city positioning itself as investment-ready, this is a deal-breaker.
No serious investor will build in a place where water supply is uncertain. No hotel, restaurant, manufacturing facility, or residential tower can thrive when the most basic requirement for operation must be outsourced or rationed. Even the best-planned economic zones and business incentives are rendered meaningless if investors can’t flush toilets, run kitchens, or keep their facilities clean. The mayor himself said it best: “We need water not tomorrow. We need water yesterday.”
Beyond business, the consequences for public health are even more dire. The city’s reliance on shallow wells — many of which are situated near septic tanks — has already been linked to past outbreaks of Acute Gastroenteritis (AGE). As Iloilo expands, these risks only increase. What is the point of building a bigger city if its residents are getting sick from the very water they depend on?
Iloilo’s water woes reflect a national emergency. As Iloilo Business Club president Emil Diez pointed out, the Philippines has been under water stress since 2007, with only 1,373 cubic meters of water available per person — below the United Nations’ threshold. And the country loses nearly 500 million cubic meters annually due to leaks and outdated infrastructure.
If Iloilo is to continue growing, it must place water at the center of its development agenda. That means urgent upgrades to its distribution system, accelerated investments in water sources, and coordination with national agencies such as the Department of Public Works and Highways, Local Water Utilities Administration, and National Water Resources Board. Public-private partnerships must also be pursued — but only with clear timelines, transparency, and the welfare of the public as top priority.
Water is a prerequisite for growth, health, and human dignity. Iloilo’s future — and its ambition to be a model city — depends not just on how many buildings rise, but on whether water flows freely through every home, every school, and every business.
Until then, all talk of development will remain just that — talk.
