Iloilo City mayor shares local best practices at World Cities Summit in Singapore

ILOILO CITY — Mayor Raisa Treñas presented the city’s key governance innovations on the global stage during the 10th World Cities Summit in Singapore, highlighting local efforts in disaster preparedness, housing development, and public market modernization.

The biennial summit brought together mayors, policymakers, and urban development experts from around the world to discuss pressing challenges in building sustainable, resilient, and future-ready cities.

In her participation, Treñas shared Iloilo City’s experience in strengthening its systems for disaster risk reduction, particularly in response to earthquakes and flooding.

“I joined global leaders in meaningful discussions on how cities today can respond to shared challenges such as climate change, urban inequality, infrastructure gaps, and shifting demographics, and how we can work together to make our cities more livable, inclusive, and sustainable through faster and more effective local action,” Treñas said in a social media post.

She was among global figures who attended the summit, including Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat, and Google Vice President for Government Affairs and Public Policy Cris Turner, among other international delegates.

In an interview with Channel News Asia (CNA), the mayor underscored the importance of building resilient communities amid increasing climate-related risks and natural disasters.

Treñas said Iloilo City’s disaster preparedness systems were shaped by past experiences with flooding and earthquakes in the early 2000s, prompting the local government to institutionalize response mechanisms through executive orders, guidelines, and regular drills.

“We really prepare for hazards like this because in the early 2000s, we experienced a lot of hazards like flooding or earthquakes and the like,” she said.

She added that preparedness measures are now integrated across schools, business establishments, and local institutions, with emphasis on inspections, reporting systems, and rapid response coordination.

“We want everyone to be prepared and informed on what to do when it comes to earthquakes,” Treñas said, noting that these mechanisms allow authorities to quickly assess and monitor affected structures.

“We really embedded it in the system so that life must go on even with these earthquakes,” she added.

The mayor also emphasized the importance of institutionalizing programs to ensure continuity beyond political terms, citing the need for ordinances and long-term development roadmaps.

“You have to have ordinances and institutionalize it. It’s also part of our strategic roadmap,” she said. “Whatever we do, we have a vision for the city and we incorporate it in everything that we do.”

On housing, Treñas highlighted ongoing rental, affordable, and socialized housing programs implemented through partnerships between the city government, national agencies, and the private sector, aimed at expanding access to decent shelter for all income groups.

She also showcased Iloilo City’s redevelopment of five major public markets, a flagship initiative under its market tourism and local economic revitalization program.

Two of the markets were developed through public-private partnerships, while three were funded by the city government. The upgraded facilities, she said, have improved trading conditions for farmers and vendors while offering cleaner and more accessible spaces for consumers.

“It is a big help in the local economy, especially for our farmers. They now have an area where they can sell, and it’s easier for everyone to go to the markets because it’s cleaner, bigger, and accessible,” she said.

Treñas also noted that improved infrastructure, including parking facilities, has helped boost foot traffic in public markets, which have also become part of the city’s tourism circuit showcasing local products such as dried fish, handicrafts, and fresh produce.