City grapples with P340-M shortfall due to COVID

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas said on Monday that he is very eager to pump prime the city’s economy under the Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) as the city reels from a P340-million revenue shortfall due to community lockdowns from March to May 2020 amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

In a press conference, Treñas said he was already informed by National Task Force on COVID-19 (NTF) Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez that the city is likely to extend the MGCQ status beyond its original expiry yesterday, June 15.

The city was placed under GCQ from May 16 to 31, and under Enhanced CQ from March 20 to May 15, due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the region and around the country.

The mayor added that he was worried because of the effect of the ECQ, GCQ, and MGCQ to the city’s coffers.

“We are still waiting on the final decision of the national government on our fate, but I had advanced info from Secretary Galvez who I spoke to yesterday, that we would still be under MGCQ. I am worried because the City Treasurer Jinny [Hermano] told me that we’re experiencing a P340-million shortfall compared to last year,” Treñas said.

He said that city needs to start reviving the economy, citing his tour of a mall in Mandurriao district on June 14.

“We really have to start reviving the economy. When I went to the mall yesterday, I saw that it was a bit empty, and there were only few people entering. We will start consultation with the different business sectors to see what the city government can do, and we will also consult the [Western Visayas Regional Task Force on COVID-19] to see what they can do,” the mayor said.

Treñas said some business leaders also told him that their businesses will be closed down and employees laid off due to the pandemic.

“Hopefully we can return to normal under the new normal, because businesses have had huge losses. Many of the owners have approached me, informing me that they will be shutting down, and their people will lose their jobs, then we will have to find ways for them,” he said.

 

 

CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, CONNECTIVITY

Treñas said he was also pushing for the full-swing fast-tracking of planned and appropriated construction projects, which were stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

These include the Iloilo City Action and Response (ICARE) Command Center at the Gaisano Iloilo City Center Diversion Road in Mandurriao, the New Jaro Big Market in Jaro district, the New Legislative Building which will be connected to the City Hall, and the City Warehouse in Molo district.

Also included in the projects is the proposed COVID-19 Testing Laboratory and Dormitory at the old City Agriculturist’s Office, also in Molo.

“I spoke to the City Engineer’s Office and we are pushing for projects which are already in the pipeline, such as our COVID-19 Laboratory, our new Legislative Building, our Jaro Big Market, our Warehouse in Molo, and our ICARE Center at Gaisano in Mandurriao,” he said.

He said he is also set to meet with telecommunications companies to improve connectivity as part of the move to promote online transactions at the City Hall and in anticipation of online classes administered by schools in the city.