For years, visitors to Iloilo City have been told the same thing: your trip is not complete without tasting batchoy and Molo balls.
Today, that well-loved advice is evolving. A new must-see is rising alongside the city’s culinary icons—its modernized public markets.
What were once purely functional spaces are now being redefined as symbols of innovation, discipline, and civic pride. The transformation of the Iloilo Central Public Market and Iloilo Terminal Public Market, along with district markets in La Paz, Arevalo, and Jaro, is quietly setting a new national standard that it draws attention from other local government units, media figures, and local leaders across the country.
Among those who have visited are former Senate President Franklin M. Drilon, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro, and veteran broadcast journalist Ces Drilon. Their visits reflect a growing recognition that Iloilo City’s public markets are no longer just local assets, they are becoming national reference points.
“I came here because I’ve heard so much about this,” Drilon said, adding that the project may serve as a model for other LGUs. He also credited former mayor Jerry Treñas for his leadership in realizing the project, which earlier administrations had failed to accomplish despite prior attempts.
More than a physical upgrade, the redevelopment signals a shift in how public markets are perceived. Wide walkways, improved drainage, upgraded sanitation systems, and organized vendor sections have transformed them into cleaner, more efficient, and more dignified spaces for both vendors and customers.
For Undersecretary Castro, the impact was evident in the vendors themselves. During her visit, she engaged with stallholders and observed how the improved environment supports both order and livelihood. Meanwhile, Ces Drilon’s visit—part of her personal itinerary—underscored how these markets have evolved into destinations in their own right.
Mayor Raisa S. Treñas emphasized that the initiative goes beyond infrastructure. “This reflects the national government’s commitment to stay close to our communities and strengthen support for the livelihood of our market vendors,” she said.
The redevelopment of the city’s flagship markets was carried out through a public-private partnership with SM, while the management remains with the Iloilo City Government. Complementary upgrades to other district markets, funded by the city, form part of a broader effort to enhance commerce and community life.
Since the reopening of the markets, at least nine LGUs and institutions nationwide have visited Iloilo to benchmark the project. These include representatives from San Pablo, Laguna; General Santos City; Cabuyao, Laguna; Capiz; San Jose, Antique; and Tigbauan, Iloilo, as well as organizations such as FIR Investors, the Baguio Business Club, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) – Western Visayas.
For many, the takeaway is clear: modernization can be achieved without losing the identity of traditional markets.
Local officials from Estancia, Northern Iloilo—Vice Mayor Mark Cordero and Sangguniang Bayan Member Roy Niño Malunda left with more than impressions; they left with intent.
Cordero pointed to the public-private partnership as a key driver of success, describing the result as “world-class,” with organized vendors and a level of cleanliness rarely associated with traditional markets.
Malunda, meanwhile, spoke with a sense of aspiration, “Ga-handom man, especially ako, nga pila ka adlaw ma-ilog man ni namon. Mahatag man ni namon sa mga kasimanwa namon nga Estanciahanon ang amo ni ka limpyo nga merkado.”
As more visitors arrive, Iloilo’s public markets continue to gain recognition—not just as centers of trade, but as working models of effective governance, collaboration, and urban transformation.
