What Happened in Treñas-Chu’s First Week as Iloilo City Mayor

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

Barely a week into her historic term, Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu said she hit the ground running – engaging with stakeholders, issuing directives, and laying out the governance priorities of her administration.

“I made it a priority from the very beginning to show the direction of our leadership—one that is inclusive, action-driven, and responsive to the genuine needs of the Ilonggos,” she said in a statement.

In her first week, Treñas-Chu issued 14 executive orders aimed at jumpstarting her administration’s priorities and reforms.

Key orders include the reconstitution of the Drainage Task Force to streamline flood control efforts and improve the implementation of drainage projects.

She also reorganized the Task Force Anti-Squatting and Illegal Structures to address illegal squatting and unauthorized construction in the city.

The reorganization aims to strengthen enforcement and inter-agency coordination to uphold ordinances and maintain public order.

Treñas-Chu created the Task Force on Morals and Values Formation to promote ethical standards and safeguard vulnerable sectors.

She said the city government is also open to procuring additional patrol vehicles to help modernize and expand police resources.

The mayor met with the Ambassador of Bangladesh to explore partnerships in garment manufacturing, tourism promotion, and cultural exchange.

She also reviewed digitalization proposals for centralized data and services as part of her Smart and Innovative Iloilo City agenda.

Treñas-Chu convened the Annual Budget Forum with the Local Finance Committee and department heads to ensure transparent and strategic allocation of funds.

She directed the Personnel Information and Payroll System Management Office to resolve salary delays and held sectoral consultations on healthcare, traffic, and social services.

The mayor led discussions with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for Project TRANSFORM, or Transdisciplinary Approach for Resilience and Sustainability through Multistakeholder Engagement.

The project seeks to expand green spaces and infrastructure to improve air quality, regulate temperatures, reduce flood risk, and enhance biodiversity.

It integrates nature-based solutions with traditional engineering approaches—known as green-blue-gray infrastructure—to address climate and disaster-related risks.

Iloilo City has been identified as a priority area for Project TRANSFORM’s implementation from 2025 to 2026.