‘ANOINTED LOVE’: Iglesia ni Cristo endorses Love-Love Baronda

The Iglesia ni Cristo has officially endorsed the vice mayoral candidacy of former Councilor Love-Love Baronda, who is running under Team Sulong Gugma.

Baronda’s strong legislative track record, people-centered programs, and consistent performance over her nine-year tenure in the Iloilo City Council have set her apart from her opponent. Her leadership roles in the National Movement of Young Legislators and various civic organizations have also strengthened her credentials.

Iglesia ni Cristo is known for its commanding votes owing to its large number of faithful.

Running alongside a 10-member slate of councilor candidates—Devaza, Pesina, Flores, Oñate, Ramos, Capulot, Espinosa, Gerochi, Mabilog, and Zulueta—Baronda has vowed to serve with LOVE, a leadership philosophy that stands for:

• L – Leadership guided by integrity, transparency, and accountability, ensuring honest and people-centered governance.
• O – Open Collaboration, through partnerships with organizations and stakeholders to enhance the impact and inclusivity of city programs.
• V – Valuing People’s Participation, by promoting volunteerism and recognizing the contributions of every citizen.
• E – Empowering Communities, by providing tools, knowledge, and opportunities for sustainable growth.

Her eight-point platform includes:

1. Increase in Financial Assistance to Scholars. (Baronda seeks to amend the scholarship ordinance she authored, raising educational aid from ₱10,000 to ₱15,000, increasing the number of beneficiaries, and introducing safeguards to protect deserving students from unjust removal.)
2. Upgrading the Technical Institute of Iloilo City into a Polytechnic College. (She plans to pursue legislation transforming the institute into a full polytechnic college, offering broader access to free, quality tertiary education.)
3. Salary Increase and Protection for Job-Hire Workers. (Using the City Council’s budget authority, she will advocate for higher salaries and ensure fair employment practices for job-hire workers.)
4. Libre Sakay for Public School Students. (She will propose an ordinance offering free transportation to public school students, while ensuring drivers are properly compensated.)
5. Reduction of Real Property Taxes and Other Fees. (She intends to review and lower fees such as real property tax, garbage collection fees, and parking charges to ease burdens on families and small businesses.)
6. Increase in Medical, Burial, and Hospital Assistance. (Baronda will push for increased funding for medical, burial, and hospital expenses to support families during times of crisis.)
7. Establishment of a 3-Digit Emergency Hotline. (She aims to establish a centralized hotline to improve emergency response and accessibility.)
8. Accessible Physical Rehabilitation Services. (She plans to enhance the capacity of the City Health Office to provide rehabilitation services for stroke survivors and accident victims.)

During her time as city councilor (2010–2019), Baronda authored 92 ordinances and 959 resolutions—averaging over 10 ordinances and 100 resolutions per year. Her work emphasized education reform, digital governance, mental health, disaster resilience, and youth empowerment.

Among her notable contributions were the establishment of the Iloilo City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, the City Information Systems Office, and the City Youth Council. Programs like the Uswag Educational Scholarship continue to benefit the public today.

She also initiated or supported numerous public projects, including the Iloilo City Leadership Academy, GINHAWA Mental Health Program, Free Civil Service Exam Review, Mom and Baby Expo, Children’s Month Celebration, and Special Olympics for Special Children.

Baronda’s landmark ordinances include:

1. An Ordinance Requiring a License to Sell or Dispense Cigarette/ Tobacco Products in the City of Iloilo
2. An Ordinance Institutionalizing the IIoilo City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Thereby Establishing the Iloilo City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, Providing for its System, Plan, Organization, Composition and Staffing Pattern, andappropriating Funds Therefore and for Other Purposes”
3. Electronic Payment System for Financial Transactions with the Iloilo City Government
4. An Ordinance to Enhance the Mobility of Persons with Disability, Elderly, and Pregnant Women by Requiring Certain Buildings, Institutions, Establishments and Public Utilities to Install Facilities and other Devices, and Chapter 6 of R.A, 7277 otherwise known as the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons
5. An Ordinance Declaring Every Third Week of August of Every Year as the Baby and Mom Expo Week in the City of Iloilo
6. An Ordinance Requiring the Posting of Emergency Hotlines in every Establishment, Government Offices and Venue for Events in Iloilo City
7. An Ordinance Requiring Both Public and Private Business Establishment, Offices, Agencies, Schools and Hospitals that in the City of Iloilo to Conduct Emergency Drills Among the Tenants, Occupants, Students, and Employees Therein and Providing Penalty for Violations Therefore and for Other Purposes
8. An Ordinance Creating The City Youth Development Council of the City of Iloilo, Appropriating Funds and for Other Purposes, Thereby Repealing Ordinance No. 2014-509.
9. An Ordinance Establishing the Water Efficiency, Protection, and Conservation Council of Iloilo City
10. An Ordinance Institutionalizing February 15 and Every Year thereafter as “Mass Media Day” in the City of Iloilo
11. An Ordinance Establishing the Iloilo City Information and Service Delivery Network for Adolescent and Youth Health and Development
12. An Ordinance Institutionalizing the Information System Department of the City of Iloilo, thereby Establishing the Information Systems Office (ISO) of Iloilo City
13. An Ordinance Institutionalizing the Iloilo City Sports 1 Development Division, Providing for its Functions, Staffing Pattern and Appropriating Funds for the
14. An Ordinance Creating the Iloilo City Youth Development Division in the City of Iloilo Providing for its Staffing Pattern and Appropriating Funds for the Purposes Thereof
15. An Ordinance Creating the Educational Financial Assistance Program for College Students in Iloilo City
16. An Ordinance Enacting the Iloilo City Parental Responsibility
17. An Ordinance Institutionalizing the Iloilo City Leadership Academy (ICLA) as the Main Platform of all the Youth Programs, Trainings, Projects, and Activities in the City of Iloilo
18. An Ordinance Providing for the Revised Comprehensive Children’s Welfare Code of the City of Iloilo
19. An Ordinance Regulating the Purchase of Food, Basic Goods, Supplies, Personal Protection Equipment, Medicines, and Other Similar Goods During Times of Crisis, Calamity or Emergency
20. An Ordinance Prohibiting the Use and Operation of Sound Systems, Videoke and Karaoke Machines, Loud Audio/Sound Systems and Other Excessive Sounds that Create Unnecessary Noise that might Affect the Home Educational Setting of Students from Monday to Saturday at 7AM to 5PM in the City of Iloilo Until the State of Calamity and State of National Health Emergency are Lifted in the Philippines
21. An Ordinance for the Use of Quick Response Generated Codes Through the Uswag QR Code Application for Individuals and Offices to Formulate Iloilo City Public Health Protocols Against Emerging Infectious Diseases
22. An Ordinance Providing for the Proper Collection, Conveyance, Storage, Treatment, and Utilization of Rainwater in Iloilo City or the Iloilo City Rainwater Harvesting and Management Ordinance of 2021
23. An Ordinance Regulating Drone or Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) and Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) Operation in the City of Iloilo and Providing Penalties for Violations Thereof.
24. An Ordinance Creating the Local Blood Council, Establishing the Blood Donation Program, Providing the Implementation thereof and Appropriations Therefor
25. An Ordinance Institutionalizing the Urban Agriculture Farming in the City of Iloilo
26. An Ordinance Institutionalizing General Library Policies, Rules and System of Use and Borrowing of Books and other Library Materials, Imposing Penalties and Fines thereof, Formulating the Collection Development Plan, and Encouraging Partnership and Linkages for Activities and other Related Purposes
27. An Ordinance in Giving Recognition and Incentives to Academic Achievers Who Top the Board, Bar and Other National Examinations, and Academic Performers and Artists Who Achieve High Honors in International Competitions and Events
28. An Ordinance Institutionalizing the Legislative Tracking and Monitoring System, Strengthening the Sangguniang Panlungsod Information Technology Center and Creating the Unit and Positions thereof, Establishing the Local Legislative Monitoring, Codification, and Computerization Committee, appropriating funds for its infrastructures and implementation Therefore
29. An Ordinance Creating the Comprehensive Sports Development Program, Integrating the Incentives and Rewards for Athletes, Coaches and Trainers Who Won in the National and International Competition, Appropriating Funds Thereof and Other Purposes

Her extensive legislative output and sustained engagement with local communities highlight a legacy of inclusive, system-based governance—one that she hopes to continue as Iloilo City’s next vice mayor. (Advertorial)