Iloilo City public markets to reopen in 2025, not on Christmas

INQUIRER FILES

ILOILO CITY — Three public markets that are being developed again are set to reopen in 2025 despite the promise of the city’s mayor that these projects would be done by December.

City Architect Regina Gregorio, in a press conference on Nov. 25, said Phase 1 of the construction of the Arevalo district market was finished recently.

The same phase of the Jaro and La Paz district markets was expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2025, she noted.

Phase 1 refers to the markets’ skeletal structures, including their roofs, windows and doorways.

“There were delays and requests for time extensions because there were many intervening factors during the initial stages, including delays in transferring market vendors and issues to be resolved,” Gregorio explained.

“Hopefully, we can complete the Phase 1 of the Jaro and La Paz [markets] by the first quarter [of 2025],” she said.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas, in May this year, said the three markets would be finished by December in time for the Christmas season.

Gregorio, however, clarified that what would be finished by December is the Phase 1 works and not the complete structures.

Moving in vendors before the markets were completed, she added, would have resulted in more construction delays.

“It would be difficult [for the vendors] to move in. We still have finishes which we decided to just finish so that we can go straight ahead,” she said.

“It would be difficult to do Phase 2, which is finishing work. The mayor wants it to already have tiles, fans and everything in it now,” she added.

Gregorio said that the actual opening date would be between late 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, depending on the progress of Phase 2.

Phase 2 involves the remaining works including painting, installation of tiles, elevators and other appliances; and configuring electrical components, among others.

She said vendors at the Arevalo market may move in earlier due to its smaller size as compared to the Jaro and La Paz markets.

“We are finalizing Phase 2 because we cannot do Phase 2 computations unless Phase 1 is almost finished, because this is what else is needed to complete the market. These are the remaining works,” Gregorio pointed out.

“If [Phase 2] can be bidded out in the first quarter [of 2025], hopefully it’s either in late last quarter of 2025 or first quarter of 2026 (when vendors] fully move in, with complete finishes,” she noted.

The new markets promise a dedicated parking area for motor vehicles and bicycles, designated loading and unloading docks for goods to be sold, and dining areas featuring local food stalls.

The projects are in line with the city’s commitments as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) Creative City of Gastronomy.

The Arevalo public market has a unique design which would allow the development of a third floor, should the city government decide to expand it.

The Iloilo City Council has authorized the mayor to borrow P300 million from the Development Bank of the Philippines in September as part of funding the Phase 2 work on these public markets.