Iloilo City’s LEEO Exceeds 2024 Collection Goals

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

The Iloilo City Local Economic Enterprise Office (LEEO) surpassed its 2024 revenue targets for public markets and paid parking, marking a significant milestone for the office.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas announced on Saturday, January 4, 2025, that the LEEO collected PHP 9.4 million in December, exceeding its monthly target of PHP 6.7 million by 40.3 percent.

For the entire year, total collections from public markets reached PHP 100 million, surpassing the annual target of PHP 81.4 million by 22.85 percent.

“This is the first time that LEEO has achieved this milestone. In the past, the office consistently faced deficits, struggling to pay salaries and even utility bills,” Treñas said in a Facebook post.

The LEEO’s achievement comes despite ongoing rehabilitation efforts at six of Iloilo City’s seven public markets.

The Arevalo, Jaro, and La Paz district market rehabilitations are funded through loans from the Development Bank of the Philippines. Meanwhile, the Mandurriao market rehabilitation is being led by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). The Central and Terminal Markets are undergoing upgrades under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with SM Prime Holdings.

Treñas anticipates higher revenues once these projects are completed and the markets reopen.

“The ongoing renovation of our new markets is expected to further increase our income, enabling us to pay off other loans. While our Central and Terminal Markets have no loans due to the PPP arrangement, the income from other markets will help us achieve better financial stability and provide even more services for our Ilonggo constituents,” he said.

LEEO’s paid parking program also performed well, collecting PHP 8.9 million in 2024, 14.10 percent higher than its PHP 7.8 million target.

This success occurred despite the suspension of parking fee collections on four national roads—General Hughes Street, Arroyo Street, Fort San Pedro Drive, and Timawa Avenue—in May 2024. The move followed the DPWH’s clarification that the city lacked the authority to impose fees on roads classified as national highways.