In its first year, the center has helped 28 children progress to the next stage of their learning and development, while the city is now eyeing a second RISEAble Center to accommodate more children and families needing specialized support.

The RISEAble Program: Kaya sang Kada Bata is one of Mayor Raisa S. Treñas’ priorities under her RISE-to-ACTION framework, promoting inclusive services and opportunities for children with special needs.

“Prayoridad gid naton ang welfare sang aton kabataan nga may special needs, which is why we built the RISEAble SPED and Early Intervention Center—a safe and supportive facility that also empowers teachers so every child can rise, learn, and thrive,” the mayor said.

The first batch of 28 learners marked a milestone during the center’s Moving Up Ceremony on May 22. Eight children were identified for full integration into regular classrooms, while 20 were placed under partial integration as part of the center’s transition program.

For Mayor Raisa, the progress of the learners reflects the importance of investing in early intervention and supporting families as they help their children reach their potential.

“This inspires me to do more, and better, because I know nga may mga pamilya kita nga mabuligan, may mga kabataan kita nga mahatagan sang mas maayo nga future,” Treñas said.

Under the partial integration setup, the children continue therapy and intervention sessions while gradually being exposed to larger classroom environments to strengthen their socialization, communication, independence, and play skills.

Center head Gabriel Felix Umadhay credited the progress to the strong partnership among teachers, therapists, and parents, noting that families have already observed positive changes in their children.

The RISEAble Center caters to children aged zero to five years old. Learners undergo screening and assessment to determine the appropriate intervention and learning environment, whether through the center or daycare facilities equipped to provide the necessary interventions.

As the program moves forward, the city is eyeing the establishment of a second RISEAble Center at a portion of the La Paz Public Library, also known as the Judge Delfin Jaranilla Memorial Learning Center.

The planned expansion seeks to bring early intervention services closer to more children who need developmental support while helping address the growing need for specialized services.

From helping its first batch of learners transition toward mainstream education to planning its expansion, RISEAble continues to strengthen Iloilo City’s efforts to ensure that children with special needs receive early, inclusive, and appropriate support.

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The program has provided educational financial assistance, mentorship, and holistic development opportunities to deserving indigent college students. It has helped them pursue their academic goals and prepare for future careers.

As of June 2026, the scholarship program benefited thousands of Ilonggos through various educational initiatives and support services.

Among its key accomplishments, 1,980 scholars participated in learning sessions, while 385 scholars completed leadership training aimed at strengthening their confidence, teamwork, and leadership skills.

The program also promoted continuous learning through online learning sessions attended by 3,025 participants. Meanwhile, 3,220 beneficiaries received financial cash grants to help ease the cost of pursuing higher education.

Beyond college education, the city expanded access to learning through the Alternative Learning System (ALS), where 300 learners successfully graduated, opening more opportunities for further education, lifelong learning, and better employment prospects.

These accomplishments reflect the Iloilo City Government’s commitment to ensuring that financial limitations do not prevent young Ilonggos from pursuing quality education.

Through the Uswag Scholarship Program, the city continues to invest in developing future professionals, leaders, and changemakers who will contribute to Iloilo City’s sustained growth and development.

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Mayor Raisa S. Treñas said this year’s celebration was carefully designed to ensure that every Ilonggo can take part in meaningful activities.

“We have prepared a wide range of activities—from sports and culture to social services and many more. We made sure that this celebration is truly for the Ilonggos. Our culminating activity will be the recognition of the Top 10 Outstanding Ilonggos on August 25,”she said.

Among the month’s highlights are Mobile Registration caravan and PSA services, free medical and dental missions for senior citizens and PWDs, family wellness and pet care activities, Merkado Lokal, and free cooking classes at the Technical Institute of Iloilo City, where residents can learn to prepare traditional Ilonggo dishes in line with the city’s recognition as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.

Heritage, culture and creativity will also be in the spotlight through the Saot Ilonggo dance competition and the Calle Real Charter Day Night Market, while sports enthusiasts can participate in various citywide tournaments and competitions throughout August.

The celebration will culminate with the recognition of the Top 10 Outstanding Ilonggos during the Mayor’s Night on August 25, honoring individuals whose dedication, leadership, and service have made significant contributions to Iloilo City’s continued progress.

For Mayor Treñas, the celebration is ultimately about the people. She invited all Ilonggos to join the festivities, enjoy the activities, and celebrate how far the city has come together.

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Mayor Raisa Treñas led the rollout, which initially benefited more than 13 thousand students in the public schools in the city. She was joined by other local officials and school personnel.

Iloilo City National High School, the biggest school in the city in terms of student population, received 6,522 school supply kits.

The city government also turned over 3,578 kits to Ramon Avanceña National High School, and 3,413 kits to Mandurriao National High School.

Each kit contains essential classroom items to ensure students are ready for the academic year, including notebooks, pencils, pad paper, rulers, erasers, and crayons.

The initiative, which aims to alleviate the financial burden on parents, targets to distribute at least 74,000 kits worth P8.5 million within this month.

“This initiative will provide significant assistance by reducing the expenses parents incur in preparation for the upcoming school year,” Treñas stated, reaffirming the city’s commitment to supporting both its learners and their families.IMT

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Sixty-six-year-old Edna Patiño shared the daily challenges of her family. “Our water situation has always been so hard. We were happy when it rained because that meant we could wash clothes. But when it didn’t, even bathing the kids meant using just two containers of water,” she said.

The P12.8-million system, implemented under the Philippine Rural Development Project, serves 854 residents across Danao-Danao and nearby communities Himulat, Danao, Pasil, and Punta Imo. It features a 16-cubic-meter concrete water tank, water treatment facility, 36 solar panels, and desalination equipment capable of producing 11,000 liters daily at 99.4% purity—enough to meet all households’ daily needs while cutting water costs by 50%.

“This project is part of Governor Arthur Defensor Jr.’s priorities. You no longer have to travel to another island just to buy water,” said Provincial Administrator Raul Banas. Previously, only 37 percent of the island population had access to safe water.

The system is managed by the Danao-Danao Solar Powered Potable Water Association (DASSOPPWAS), whose members were trained in operations, maintenance, and bookkeeping. “We established rules and accounting procedures to ensure smooth operations so everyone benefits,” said DASSOPPWAS Secretary Domain Salvaria.

Engr. Romeo Andig, Chief of the Provincial Engineering Office, highlighted the importance of the project for public health: “Safe and readily available water is critical—whether for drinking, cooking, or sanitation. This system ensures the community can live healthier and more productive lives.”

The facility also supports Iloilo’s renewable energy initiatives under the Iloilo Pro-GReEn Program, aligning with the province’s commitment to sustainable, solar-powered solutions. A 15-KVA generator ensures continuous operation during low sunlight periods.

For residents like Patiño, the system is life-changing. “Finally, we have water at home. We no longer have to struggle every day,” she said, smiling as the first clean water flowed into her household—a small miracle bringing hope, health, and a brighter future to the community.IMT

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“We also intend to seek a resolution from the Antique provincial board so it can be declared as an important historical and cultural heritage and be preserved,” said former Antique board member and historian Errol Santillan.

The flag is currently in the possession of the family of 2Lt. Ruperto Abellon, the second-in-command in the Visayas under Gen. Leandro Fullon during the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine-United States war.

Fullon led the armed expedition dispatched by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo from Luzon to reclaim the island from the Spaniards on Sept. 6, 1898. Historian said the team of 140 officers and 340 men, arrived in Pandan, Antique on Sept. 21, 1898.

“The flag was brought and hoisted in Libertad, Antique as part of the armed expedition in 1898,” Santillan said in an interview.

Based on the recollection of the 79-year-old granddaughter of Abellon, the flag is believed to have come from Hong Kong and was brought by Aguinaldo when he returned to the Philippines on May 19, 1898.

Santillan sought permission of the family to disclose the flag in their possession.

“The century-old Philippine flag measures 53 inches in width and 93 inches in length,” Santillan said, adding it is made of a special material.

Like the modern-day flag, it has the colors red, blue and white; and the three stars symbolizing Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.PNA
  

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“(I hope) he will continue the liberalization of the church, the inclusiveness of Pope Francis, and the continued support especially for the oppressed and poor,” Mayor Jerry Treñas said in an interview on Friday, May 9.

Treñas believed these values endeared Pope Francis to the developing countries, where Roman Catholicism remains strong and vibrant.

Meanwhile, Fr. Jonas Mejares, OSA, an Augustinian priest based in Iloilo, shared a personal encounter with the new pontiff, then Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, during a lunch at the Augustinian General Curia in Rome last April.

Mejares had a “strong sense” that Prevost could become pope —even though he was not widely seen as a frontrunner.

Mejares described Pope Leo XIV as “equipped doctrinally and pastorally,” highlighting his missionary experience in Peru and expertise in canon law.

“He is a canon lawyer; at the same time, he has exposure as a missionary in Peru. He was able to bring to the table these two big elements to become a pope. One is the pastoral exposure, which he earned in Peru, and the other is expertise in law. He can easily navigate the complexities of the structure and central government at the Vatican,” he said.

Mejares said he was surprised upon learning that Prevost was elected as pope. It took him a while to regain his composure.

“I cried, until now it doesn’t sink into me that it’s now real -my wish and my dream and anticipation for him to become a pope became real,” he said.

As a Doctor of Canon Law, Mejares said Pope Leo “can strike a balance actually between conservatives with rational and progressive” and can serve as a bridge to unite them.

He is also fluent in several languages, including English, Spanish, Italian, French, and Portuguese. He also understands Latin and German.

“He’s a preacher who doesn’t need an interpreter. And like Pope Francis, he is humble, simple, compassionate, and firm in his convictions,” Mejares added.Perla Lena/PNA

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Israel Hans Golez, a boy scout from Iloilo City, was diagnosed with Stage 4 brain cancer when he was only two years old. He was cleared from the disease when he was eight.

A year after surviving brain cancer, his life was threatened anew by dengue. But again, the boy was able to survive.

Golez, 19, is one of the finalists of the 21st Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) Awards for leading the Iloilo National High School Boy Scout of the Philippines (BSP) Outfit 154 for a project that provides access to light and electricity to Sombrero Island in Concepcion, Iloilo —a five-hour trip from the city.

Golez said that when he led his high school’s BSP in 2022 as its president, they launched Project Kasanag.

Project Kasanag is part of the 20 finalists of TAYO Awards 21 from more than 700 entries that submitted their application for this year’s search.

Each year, TAYO Awards recognizes 10 youth organizations which projects contributed significant impacts to their communities.

“Kasanag in Ilonggo means to light up or to illuminate,” he said.

“We came up with the idea because I experienced a brownout during studying. So it started from empathy. I wonder how about those communities that really do not have access to electricity? This is where Project Kasanag sparks,” he added.

Project Kasanag has two phases. The first phase of the project provided 100 portable solar lights to 85 households in Sombrero Island, benefitting 400 residents. They also installed 10 street lights around the island.

For the second phase of the project, Golez’s group set up a centralized power station to provide electricity in the island powered by solar energy.

“We have a mixed source of funding from the LGU (local government unit) of Iloilo province and we also reach out to several private sectors,” he said, adding the two phases of the project cost around P300,000.

Golez cited four notable impacts of Project Kasanag to their beneficiaries in Sombrero Island.

First, students boosted their academic performance, improving their grades from 80 or 85 to as high as 95 after having access to light and electricity.

Second is more productivity as the households can work in the community for longer hours.

Third is visibility and mobility.

“Actually, Sombrero Island is known as the ‘ghost island’ of Concepcion because you can never see them in the evening. But because of the project, they became the brightest island in Concepcion and they are no longer a ghost island,” Golez said.

“They can now have activities in the evening, they can bond and celebrate things because they have light and electricity,” he added.

Lastly, the project has provided comfort and convenience to the residents of Sombrero Island, as the electricity allows them to connect to the public WiFi, giving them the access to information and communication.

As Golez already graduated from high school and is now taking up Political Science at University of the Philippines-Visayas, he is planning to establish his own organization that would continue this project.

Golez said he plans to implement the same concept in other areas in the province, and that will need more support both from the public and private sectors.

“I ought to live my life with a purpose because I [think] and I believe that I owe my life to the Lord and I need to give back this to people because I’m here today because of God’s blessing,” he said.

“We can actually maximize this opportunity to reach more communities and maybe to inspire more people also with our advocacy. As what I’ve said, our story does not end here. We hope that our story has brought light to everyone.”PNA

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The educational tour, initiated by the Tuburan Adventure Club, gave the students an idea of “what transpires inside a modern power distribution utility.”

“Very highly developed for Panay kag overall kanami. Very good. It would really help kung ma-electric engineer ko,” Querubin Villanueva III, one of the students, said

The tour is part of the initiatives to expose the youth sector to more complicated processes so they may understand it at a young age.

“It’s very fun to look at our power station that runs our electricity. It’s nice, it’s good to take a look at our substations, including the ones in our school. The transformer, stuff like that. It’s good for our electricity,” Blaise Francis Nufable, also a student, said.

Since then, MORE Power has opened its doors to various institutions who wish to see what goes behind the power utility’s doors and how it delivers seamless service in Iloilo City.

“Thank you so much to Mr. Roel Castro (MORE Power CEO and president) and the People here at MORE Power Iloilo for giving us the opportunity to tour their facilities at how electricity is distributed to our houses, the purpose of substations, the SCADA and how they are maximizing the efficiency of power distribution,” said Gavin Hermollata.

“Now na intindihan how electricity reaches their home from the main source to the transmission to the distribution lines to the home. Mas na intindihan how,” school administrator Rene Tan said.

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Engineer Fulbert Woo, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Iloilo chapter, said their annual project in partnership with the Iloilo City government will expand to Pavia and Sta. Barbara towns where giant lanterns will adorn the national highway leading to the airport.

“It will be unique this year because we changed the design of the parol (lanterns); we will have a rainbow parol,” he said.

From the traditional five-pointed star donned in blue, green, yellow, and red, this year’s lanterns will have seven points draped in various rainbow colors.

They planned to deck the city with 1,500 lanterns, and they have installed 100 so far. The other 500 will be placed in Pavia and Sta. Barbara.

“In Iloilo City alone, we are targeting around 1,500. We have started to install 100 parols as of today in major streets,” he said.

Woo said the project will also bring cheers to persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the male dormitory of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) as they were tapped to make the lanterns.

The PDLs have so far produced around 600 lanterns with materials provided by the PCCI.

The PDLs will get paid for every parol they make, he said without giving details.

They will officially light the lanterns on Nov. 16.

Meanwhile, PCCI will also launch the “Parol sang mga Ilonggo” contest that encourages Ilonggos to join the parol-making contest.

The mechanics will be released after the elections.Perla Lena/PNA

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