Except for traffic, city folks are satisfied with City Hall– survey

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

A scientific satisfaction survey indicated that Iloilo City residents are generally contented with their lives under the administration of Mayor Jerry Treñas.

The numbers might be “politically rosy,” but there is one thing that might be keeping the mayor awake at night – traffic management which scored a poor –12 percent satisfaction rating.

The survey conducted by Random Access Consultants, Inc. on Feb 3-5, 2023 conducted face-to-face interviews with 300 respondents spread in the seven city districts.

To ensure accuracy, the survey used multi-stage probability sampling in picking the respondents who were at least 18 years old and registered voters of the city.

The survey has a margin of error of ±5.7 percent.

Here are some of the highlights of the survey results:

• 9 in 10 (91.3%) city residents are satisfied with the performance of Mavor Treñas.
• 1 in 10 (6.4% city residents is not satisfied with the performance of Mayor Treñas.
• The percentage of city residents that are satisfied with the performance of Mayor Treñas varies from 81.9% (Molo) to 97.3% (Jaro).
• The net satisfaction rating is +84.9%, considered EXCELLENT based on the SWS or Social Weather Stations rating system.

As to the question if Treñas can solve the city’s major woes, here are the highlights:

• 9 in 10 (85.7%) city residents trust that Mayor Treñas can provide solutions to the problems of Iloilo City.
• 1 in 10 (8.0%) city residents does not trust that Mayor Treñas can provide solutions to the problems of Iloilo City.
• The percentage of city residents that trust Mayor Treñas can provide solutions to the problems of Iloilo City varies from 80.0% (Molo) to 90.0% (Arevalo).
• The net trust rating is +77.7%, considered EXCELLENT based on the SWS rating system.

When asked if they trust the mayor to improve their lot, here are the respondents’ answers in a nutshell:

• 9 in 10 (87.6%) city residents trust that Mayor Treñas can improve the quality of life of the people in Iloilo City.
• 1 in 10 (6.6%) city residents does not trust that Mayor Treñas can improve the quality of life of the people in Iloilo City.
• The percentage of city residents that trust Mayor Treñas can improve the quality of life of the people in Iloilo City varies from 81.9% (Molo) to 96.0% (Jaro).
• The net trust rating is +81.0%, considered EXCELLENT based on the SWS rating system.

The survey also asked the respondents about key services and development projects in the city.

The ongoing rehabilitation and redevelopment of public plazas and markets got a high satisfaction rating of over 80 percent.

Waste management also scored a very good rating with 63 percent.

But the respondents were rather unforgiving when it comes to traffic management. Only 41.3 percent were contented against 44 who were discontented or a net satisfaction rating of –12 percent.

The survey, however, indicated that the respondents were somehow contented with the transportation route scheme which garnered a 33.9 percent satisfaction rating.

Treñas has vowed to work doubly hard in addressing the city’s traffic woes, which he attributed in part to the monstrous jams at the controversial Ungka Flyover which straddles the city and the town of Pavia, Iloilo (see related story).

An academic expert who saw the study said the city’s traffic problems are not just about managing the movement of vehicles and motorists and enforcement of rules, but other things that cause congestion such as illegal on-road parking, and lack of motorist discipline, among others.

The expert said the city government should also reconsider the current setup of the traffic management office by spinning it out as a separate entity instead of being subsumed in a mother agency or office.

Traffic management is a monstrosity of its own, and the officer-in-charge should focus on that alone, the expert added.