La Paz market retains historic facade in soft reopening

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

The La Paz Public Market, a city staple since the American occupation, reopened to the public on Tuesday, Dec. 16, becoming the fifth of six rehabilitated markets—and the last for this year—to reopen.

While a new building now stands on the market’s site, its iconic gateway along Huervana Street—an art deco facade built in the 1930s, when La Paz was still a separate town from Jaro and Iloilo City—was preserved.

The new market building accommodates the 359 existing vendors and can welcome 423 additional kiosks.

It also features a parking area for 62 vehicles and 20 motorcycles, access stairs and an elevator, loading and unloading bays for public utility jeepneys along Rizal Street, and delivery bays accessible from Arroyo Street with an exit at Huervana Street.

Additional facilities include a rainwater harvesting system, septic vault, cistern tanks, grease trap, and a sewage treatment plant.

Rental rates range from PHP 1,044 to PHP 4,251, depending on stall type and category, according to a press release from the City Mayor’s Office.

The press release also noted that there would be no rental rate increases despite the extensive upgrades.

Vendors underwent training in several areas to enhance their skills in line with the market rehabilitation, including food handling and management, financial literacy, digitalization, customer service, business registration, and service quality and operations.

Similar to the Jaro and Arevalo markets reopened earlier this December, the La Paz Public Market will be fully operated and managed by the Local Economic Enterprise Office.

In her message, Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu reiterated the city government’s commitment to providing safer, cleaner, and more comfortable markets.

“Our wait is over. It will not be difficult during rains [because] you will not get dripped [on], and your lives will be easier because the movements here are more tranquil and more organized,” the mayor said.

The La Paz Public Market was closed in October 2022 to make way for renovations, with vendors temporarily relocated to makeshift stalls along a portion of Rizal Street.

The redevelopment was funded through loans secured by the city government with the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).

From the initial DBP loan of PHP 940 million, the city allocated PHP 395 million for the La Paz market, while an additional PHP 300 million loan approved by the Iloilo City Council in August 2024 will fund another phase of redevelopment in La Paz, as well as in the Jaro and Arevalo districts.