The newly redeveloped Jaro Big Public Market officially opened Wednesday, December 10, led by Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas, together with Vice Mayor Lady Julie Grace Baronda, members of the City Council, the Jaro Association of Barangay Captains, and market vendors.
“Sang una handom lang ni. Bangud sang inyo kooperasyon kag suporta halin pa sang ginplano sang akon amay, former Mayor Jerry Treñas, tubtob subong nga natapos na, mapabugal na gid naton ang Jaro Public Market,” Mayor Treñas said, emphasizing the community’s role in completing the project.
The renovated market can now accommodate 122 existing stallholders, 171 transient vendors, and features 547 brand-new kiosks — 330 on the ground floor and 217 on the second floor. The mayor assured that all legitimate transient vendors will be allowed to return to their designated spaces. “Ginasigurado gid naton tanan nga legitimate vendors makabalik sa rehabilitated markets. Ginaprotektahan gid naton ang vendors,” she added.
Designed to reflect Jaro’s heritage as the city’s historic Mestizo District, the two-storey market retains its original historical footprint and showcases a façade inspired by the colonial-era ancestral houses prominent in the area.
The facility is fully equipped with modern amenities, including parking spaces for 68 vehicles, 62 motorcycles, and 10 transport slots, as well as access stairs, an elevator, a loading and unloading bay for PUJs, delivery bays, and a service road.
It also features a sprinkler system, generator set, PA system, rainwater harvesting facility, septic vault, cistern tanks, and individual grease traps for eateries, fish, and meat sections, along with provisions for an STP. Security has been enhanced through the installation of CCTV cameras.
The reopening of Jaro Big Market marks another milestone in the city’s continuing effort to modernize public markets and support local livelihoods.