ILOILO CITY – The Panay Consumers Alliance (PCA) has urged the Iloilo City government under Mayor Raisa Treñas to address basic rights prior to becoming a “Human Rights City.”

“It must go beyond declarations. It must be grounded in the conditions of the people, including those whose livelihoods are tightly connected with how consumers avail of basic goods and services,” PCA said in a statement on Wednesday, May 6, following the mayor’s statement that her administration is working with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) for the declaration.

The PCA outlined major serious concerns, including the plight of bolanteros (informal or ambulant fruits and vegetable vendors) who were impacted after SM Prime redeveloped two public markets owned by the city government.

“This not only violates their right to livelihood but also limits consumers’ access to low-cost goods,” PCA said.

Another concern was the city government’s program to modernize the transportation sector, which threatened the livelihood of traditional passenger jeepney drivers and made public transportation more expensive for working people and students.

The PCA also cited the permit requirement imposed by Mayor Raisa and her father former Mayor Jerry for rallies.

“These conditions reflect a broader pattern of policies that treat people’s rights and welfare as secondary to corporate or security interests. For consumers, this translates to higher costs, reduced access to essential services, and shrinking democratic spaces,” added PCA.

The group urged  CHR to thoroughly investigate alleged human rights violations.