ILOILO CITY — Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas visited the Iloilo Terminal Market this week, where she encouraged residents to support local vendors as rising fuel costs continue to push up prices of basic goods.
In a Facebook post, Treñas, together with daughter Thea, toured the market ahead of the Holy Week observance, where she observed prices and spoke with both vendors and buyers about current market conditions.
“Nagpaninda kami kaina ni Thea sa Iloilo Terminal Market para sa Semana Santa. Barato guid kag dako ang ma save naton kung sa merkado kita ga paninda and aside sa barato fresh pa (Thea and I went shopping yesterday at the Iloilo Terminal Market for the Holy Week. It’s cheap and we can save a lot if we buy in the market, and aside from cheap, it’s fresh),” Treñas said in her Facebook post, noting that goods in public markets remain more affordable and fresher compared to other sources.
Beyond promoting local purchasing, the mayor also met with stall owners to address concerns over the entry of “bolanteros,” or displaced vendors from other parts of Western Visayas, who were allowed to sell in the city’s redeveloped public markets on designated days.
“Guin kamusta man naton ang mga stall owners especially na plastar na naton ang mga bolanteros from all over Panay every Tuesday lang para hindi guid ma affected ang ila na income sa sulod merkado naton (We also checked on the stall owners, especially since we have already organized ‘bolanteros’ from all over Panay to come in only every Tuesday so that their income inside the market will not be affected),” she said, adding that the arrangement aims to balance livelihood opportunities while protecting existing vendors.
City officials said schedules have been set for bolanteros across public markets to ensure they can sell their goods without disrupting regular stallholders.
“Nahatagan naman naton schedule ang mga bolanteros sa tanan naton na merkado para sa market day kag makabaligya sila (We’ve already provided schedules for ‘bolanteros’ across all our markets during Market Day so they can sell their products),” Treñas added.
The visit comes as local governments continue to respond to inflationary pressures linked to higher fuel costs, which have affected both transport and food prices nationwide.
In Iloilo City, public markets remain a key source of affordable food, particularly for low- and middle-income households. The recently redeveloped Iloilo Central and Terminal markets now host around 2,000 stalls, offering a wide range of goods in upgraded facilities.
The modernization of these markets was carried out through a long-term lease agreement with a private developer, with investments aimed at improving sanitation, safety, and overall efficiency.
Both markets operate on extended hours, with the Terminal Market opening as early as 1 a.m. to accommodate vendors and early buyers, while the Central Market opens at 4 a.m.
Local officials said efforts to improve market infrastructure and support vendors are part of broader initiatives to strengthen local commerce and ensure stable access to food amid economic uncertainties.