Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

The ongoing conflict between the Iloilo City government and the Department of Public Works and Highways-Iloilo City District Engineering Office (DPWH-ICDEO) has escalated into a blame game, with infrastructure projects hanging in the balance and residents left to suffer the consequences.

Mayor Jerry Treñas’s veto of road closure ordinances, citing DPWH’s failure to coordinate as required under Department Order No. 110, may appear to be a procedural correction. However, the abrupt decision raises questions about whether governance or political maneuvering is the true driving force. If compliance was a genuine concern, why were these projects allowed to proceed without coordination in the first place? The timing suggests more than just administrative diligence.

Meanwhile, DPWH-ICDEO chief Roy Pacanan has accused the city government of delaying approvals for key permits, hinting that bureaucratic roadblocks may be politically motivated. His claim that city agencies took nearly 200 days to process permits for national government projects underscores the dysfunction at play. The fact that city officials appear to be hindering their own infrastructure initiatives fuels speculation that this dispute is less about governance and more about political rivalry.

The backdrop to this standoff is the deteriorating relationship between Treñas and Representative Julienne Baronda, former allies who have become political adversaries ahead of the 2025 elections. Their falling-out has transformed once-functional cooperation into a battlefield where public projects are collateral damage.

Critical infrastructure, including multi-purpose buildings in six barangays and the Mandurriao Market, remains stalled. The city government raises valid concerns about DPWH-ICDEO’s lump-sum budget allocations and the lack of transparency, yet it fails to address why its own permit processing has become sluggish. At the same time, DPWH-ICDEO’s insistence on shifting blame ignores its own administrative lapses. Both sides seem more invested in scoring political points than delivering essential public works.

Adding to the controversy, Pacanan has pointed out that Iloilo City itself has 187 incomplete city-funded projects, including the La Paz, Jaro, and Arevalo markets. These developments, some of which were financed through loans that taxpayers must repay with millions in interest, have suffered delays with little accountability. If the city government demands efficiency from DPWH-ICDEO, it must hold itself to the same standard.

The professional relationship between City Hall and DPWH-ICDEO has deteriorated to such an extent that Pacanan has been declared persona non grata twice, effectively cutting off meaningful dialogue. Instead of finding common ground to resolve these pressing infrastructure concerns, both sides have entrenched themselves in opposition, leaving projects—and the public—in limbo.

The ultimate burden falls on the people of Iloilo, who pay the price for these political games. Vendors awaiting market developments, students needing completed school buildings, and residents relying on improved roads and drainage are left watching as their leaders prioritize personal and political grievances over public service.

The irony is glaring: while City Hall criticizes DPWH-ICDEO’s project delays, taxpayers continue to shoulder the cost of interest payments on stalled city-funded markets. Instead of working against each other, the city government and DPWH-ICDEO must set aside their rivalry and commit to finishing these essential projects.

Until both entities recognize that governance should serve the people, not political ambitions, Iloilo’s development will remain hostage to their conflict.