Former Senate President Franklin Drilon noted that the newly redeveloped Iloilo Central and Terminal Markets are now at par with public markets found in Europe, citing the effective implementation of the public-private partnership between the Iloilo City government and the SM Group.
“I only see this kind of a facility in many European countries, and you can really be proud of it,” Drilon said after personally touring the two markets with Mayor Raisa Trenas.
“And I’m very impressed. I tell you, mark my word. You cannot find anything like this, I tell you. I have been to almost all the provinces, from Batanes to Jolo. None of these provinces can approximate what we have here,” he stressed.
After hearing widespread praise for the redeveloped markets on social media, the former Senate President said he decided to personally visit to see how the P3-billion PPP between the Iloilo City government and SM Group was successfully executed.
Drilon said the two markets and the Iloilo City-SM Group partnership can serve as a benchmark for other local government units seeking to modernize their own public markets.
“In fact, what I intend to do is use my network, talk to the local government officials, and tell them, look at what the Trenas family or what Jerry Trenas did in Iloilo. Look at what SM Group did to Iloilo,” he added.
“These places, the Central and Terminal markets, are models of public-private partnership. And it should be followed for the entire archipelago,” he added, noting that the markets join the city’s Esplanade and Iloilo River as models of urban development.
The Iloilo City Government entered into a 25-year lease agreement with SM Prime Holdings, which invested approximately P1.5 billion for the Iloilo Central Market and P2.5 billion for the Iloilo Terminal Market to modernize the facilities, transforming them into clean, safe, and efficient commercial hubs.
The redeveloped markets now house around 2,000 stalls, providing improved facilities for vendors and a more comfortable and organized shopping experience for consumers.
The Iloilo Central Public Market operates from 4:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., while the Terminal Public Market is open from 1:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
The market redevelopment aligns with the local government’s “My Heart Beats in Iloilo City” campaign, which aims to showcase the city’s unique heritage and culture while fostering a strong emotional connection between residents and their city.
