Mayor Raisa Treñas recently showcased Iloilo City’s achievements in disaster preparedness, public market modernization, and housing development during the 10th World Cities Summit in Singapore.

“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 Facebook post.

Treñas was interviewed by Channel News Asia (CNA) and emphasized the importance of building resilient communities amid increasing climate-related risks and natural disasters.

She narrated how the local government has institutionalized disaster preparedness measures to ensure residents, schools, and businesses are equipped to respond effectively during emergencies such as earthquakes.

“Here in Iloilo, 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,” Treñas said.

She explained that the city has implemented executive orders, guidelines, and regular training programs in schools and businesses to strengthen earthquake preparedness, with a primary focus on inspection and reporting mechanisms.

"We want everyone to be prepared and informed on what to do when it comes to earthquakes," she said, adding that this allows authorities to immediately monitor and assess affected structures.

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

Treñas underscored the importance of long-term planning and institutionalizing key programs to ensure continuity despite changes in political leadership.

“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.”

Treñas said that Iloilo City is already implementing rental, affordable, and socialized housing programs through partnerships with the local government, national government, and private sector.

“We’re making sure that everyone will have access to housing, all walks of life, so that in the end, we’ll be able to have a home of our own,” she said.

Treñas said the city has successfully redeveloped five major public markets, a flagship initiative that promotes the local government's market tourism program and helps revitalize local commerce and public services.

She said two of the markets were redeveloped through a public-private partnership, while three were funded by the city government.

The upgraded facilities have provided farmers and local producers with better spaces to sell their goods while offering residents and visitors cleaner, more accessible, and modern market environments.

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

"We made sure that there's parking spaces in our markets. So, all walks of life go now to our markets. So, also when we have tourists in Iloilo, they bring to the market," she said, highlighting Iloilo City's local products, such as dried fish, handicrafts, and other freshly produced goods.

The 10th World Cities Summit is a high-level global platform where mayors and city leaders from around the world gathered to tackle pressing urban challenges and share innovative policies and best practices for building more sustainable, resilient, and future-ready cities.

Key global leaders such as Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Singapore Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat, and Google Vice President of Knowledge and Information Products for Government Affairs and Public Policy Cris Turner, among others attended.