A Necessary, But Belated, Step Forward

The signing of the contract for the Metro Iloilo Integrated Public Transport System study is, without question, a landmark moment.

The ceremony last Friday, August 15, which brought together Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu and Swedish transport planners, represents a tangible commitment to untangling the gridlock that chokes our streets and frustrates our citizens daily. It is a promise of a future with efficient, predictable, and dignified commutes. For this, our leaders deserve commendation.

But as we applaud this long-awaited step, we must also be honest about what it represents: a costly and urgent attempt to catch up with a crisis that was two decades in the making.

This study is a solution to a problem that should have been anticipated and managed long ago. Over the last 20 years, Iloilo City and its neighboring towns have experienced explosive growth.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority shows a steady population increase, while Land Transportation Office figures confirm a surge in registered vehicles that has far outpaced the capacity of our road network.

Our economic dynamism—fueled by the BPO, retail, and real estate sectors—drew in people and investment, but our public transport planning remained stuck in the past. The result is the daily chaos we now endure: the “terminal-to-terminal” misery, the lost hours in traffic, and the toxic air we breathe.

This study, therefore, is the price we pay for a collective failure of foresight.

That said, the potential of this plan is undeniable. The partnership with Sweco International, backed by Sweden’s development finance institution, is a significant vote of confidence. It signals an ambition to adopt global best practices in sustainable urban mobility, not just patch up a broken system. An integrated network with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridors, a unified cashless fare system, and optimized routes could be transformative.

Imagine a future where a student from Oton or an employee from Santa Barbara can travel to the city proper seamlessly, without multiple, time-consuming transfers. This is an economic and social catalyst as it will connect workers to jobs, businesses to consumers, and truly unite the municipalities of Metro Iloilo into a single, cohesive economic powerhouse.

By reducing reliance on private vehicles, it promises a greener, more breathable, and more livable metropolis for everyone.

However, we must temper our optimism with a healthy dose of vigilance. A PHP 33 million feasibility study, as crucial as it is, is only a piece of paper. The road from plan to reality is fraught with challenges, and the public must ask the hard questions now.

First, where will the billions of pesos required for implementation come from? This project will span multiple administrations, and we need an ironclad guarantee of sustained political will and funding, insulated from political cycles.

Second, what is the clear, just, and humane transition plan for the thousands of traditional jeepney drivers and operators? The project is meant to complement the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), but the PUVMP’s rollout has been contentious and painful for many. We cannot modernize at the expense of our own people. Any new system must provide them with dignified roles, not discard them.

Finally, as the study examines private sector involvement, the government must act as an unwavering guardian of the public good. Efficiency and profit cannot be the only metrics; accessibility and affordability must be non-negotiable. Public transport is a public service, not merely a commodity.

This project is a pivotal test for the Metro Iloilo–Guimaras Economic Development Council. It demands an unprecedented level of cooperation among our local government units. But more than that, it is a chance to learn from the past. Let this be the moment we shift from reactive problem-solving to proactive, long-range planning.

The journey to a modern Iloilo has just begun, and it is our collective duty to ensure we stay the course.