Iloilo City wins ASEAN clean city award again

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

For the second time, Iloilo City has been recognized for exemplary cleanliness, environmental management and tourism infrastructure after receiving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Clean Tourist City Award.

The award is part of the ASEAN Tourism Standards Awards program, which honors cities across Southeast Asia that meet benchmarks in cleanliness, waste management, environmental protection and tourism facilities.

Launched in 2008, the ASEAN Tourism Standards aim to promote quality and sustainability in tourism infrastructure, including green hotels, homestays and community-based tourism destinations.

The Clean Tourist City Award evaluates cities based on indicators such as clean streets and public spaces, environmental protection measures, visitor safety and adequate waste management facilities.

Award recipients must demonstrate effective solid waste systems, well-maintained green spaces and organized public amenities such as toilets, transport terminals and tourism centers.

“Receiving this award reflects our continuing efforts to build a clean, sustainable and people-centered city,” Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu said in a statement Thursday, Jan. 8.

Treñas-Chu said the recognition belongs not only to the local government but also to Ilonggos who consistently help maintain the city’s cleanliness, order and beauty.

“This recognition is not just for our local leadership but for every Ilonggo who works together to uphold cleanliness, order, and the beauty of our beloved city. Our discipline, cooperation, and love for Iloilo City are the reasons we continue to be recognized across the ASEAN region,” she said.

“This honor belongs to all of us. Let us continue to unite, cooperate, and care for the cleanliness of our city so Iloilo City can become even more beautiful for our residents and all who visit,” she added.

The Department of Tourism Office of Tourism Standards and Regulation, together with the DOT Western Visayas office, conducted validation and an on-site inspection on July 25, 2025.

The awarding ceremony will be held in Cebu City on Jan. 30, 2026.

Iloilo City first received the ASEAN Clean Tourist City Award for the 2020–2022 term, which was presented in Brunei following inspections of public spaces, traffic management systems and environmental policies.

In 2015, the city also earned the ASEAN Environmentally Sustainable City Award for its river rehabilitation initiatives, particularly the Iloilo-Batiano River Development Project, which helped transform a polluted waterway into a model of urban environmental recovery.