Mayor Jerry Treñas’ Iloilo City Action and Response (ICARE) Centers project is a landmark initiative aimed at transforming the city’s emergency and public safety response. With a deep commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of every Ilonggo, Treñas envisions ICARE as a symbol of proactive, resilient, and community-driven governance.
Far from being just
another infrastructure project, the ICARE Centers represent a new way of
thinking about emergency response: one that is fast, integrated, and deeply
rooted in community service. Each center is designed to serve as a command hub
for multiple agencies, including the police, fire services, traffic enforcers,
and medical responders. By bringing them together under one roof, the city
ensures faster, more coordinated action when it matters most.
“My commitment to
public service is unwavering, and at the core of that commitment is ensuring
the safety and well-being of every Ilonggo,” Treñas said. “These centers are
not just buildings. They are a reflection of the kind of governance that puts
people first.”
The ICARE Centers are
strategically located in key barangays—Calumpang (Molo), Balantang and Ungka
(Jaro), Nabitasan (La Paz), Tanza Esperanza (City Proper), Sooc (Arevalo), and
the Iloilo Business Park in Mandurriao. While some centers are still being developed,
the vision is already clear: to create a responsive and resilient emergency
network that cuts across district lines and bureaucratic delays.
One of the most
ambitious ICARE facilities is rising in Mandurriao, on a 2,500-square-meter lot
generously donated by Megaworld Corporation. Once completed, it will not only
house emergency responders but also feature a public library, a barangay hall,
and a health center—expanding the idea of emergency response into a broader
model of community care.
Treñas’s vision goes
beyond logistics—it speaks to the core values of Ilonggo society: bayanihan,
preparedness, and compassion.
“Gina-tinguhaan gid
naton nga hatagan sang nagakaigo nga dekalidad nga serbisyo publiko ang tagsa
sa aton mga pumuluyo,” he said. “Sa sini nga pamaagi, mas madasig pagid ang
aton pag-responde sa tion sang emerhensya kag kalamidad sa tagsa ka komunidad.”
The initiative has
gained national attention. In March 2025, former Vice President Leni Robredo,
along with officials from Naga City, visited Iloilo to study the ICARE model
and explore how a similar system could be applied in their own locality.
“Emergencies do not
wait, and neither do we,” Mayor Treñas emphasized. “With ICARE Centers in
place, we are strengthening disaster preparedness, crime prevention, and public
safety. We are building a city where no one is left behind.”
The ICARE Centers are
more than just a response to calamities—they are a proactive statement of
purpose. They are the city’s pledge to every Ilonggo: in your time of need, we
are already on the way.