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| ICARE Centers in Iloilo City |
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 natonngahatagan sang nagakaigongadekalidadngaserbisyopubliko ang
tagsasaatonmgapumuluyo,” he said. “Sa siningapamaagi, mas madasigpagid ang
atonpag-respondesation sang emerhensyakagkalamidadsatagsa 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.