By Rjay Zuriaga Castor
Raisa Treñas-Chu, daughter of Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas, is at the center of controversy after several people questioned her involvement in city government activities despite no longer holding a position at City Hall.
Raisa resigned as Executive Assistant V on Oct. 7, a day before officially filing her candidacy for city mayor in the 2025 midterm elections.
Despite her resignation, Raisa has been seen attending key city events and is introduced as the mayor’s daughter.
The most recent event was the 100-day countdown to the Dinagyang Festival, where she delivered her father’s speech. Mayor Treñas is currently on leave in Manila due to health reasons.
“By the power vested in me by the city mayor of Iloilo City, I now declare the Dinagyang Festival open,” Raisa said while officiating the festival’s countdown.
Her actions sparked controversy, as Vice Mayor and acting mayor Jeffrey Ganzon was present at the event.
Ganzon has been serving as acting mayor since Sept. 28, holding the powers and duties of the Office of the Mayor, except the ability to appoint, suspend, or dismiss employees.
Some social media users pointed out that Ganzon should have been the one to make the official declarations during the event.
“Kita mo lang gid nag mato mato cya ya ka deklarar daw magahum na sila diri,” one Facebook user commented.
“Diutay man b nga delikadesa bisan indi ka pa resigned kon exec asst ka sg office ni Mayor, may mga City officials ang dapat mag declare sg opening countdown. Indi ka pa Mayor inday,” another user added.
Another comment read, “Si acting mayor na tani da, anu pulos nga gn butang sya as acting mayor sa city.”
Aside from Raisa and Ganzon, other attendees included San Jose de Placer Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Nelson G. Zerda, OSA, Iloilo Festivals Foundation, Inc. (IFFI) President Alan Ryan Tan, IFFI Chair Rito Carlos “Judgee” Peña, and SM City Iloilo Mall Manager Gilbert Domingo.
Joy Fantilaga, the city mayor’s spokesperson, said Treñas entrusted his daughter to “deliver his message and officially declare the countdown open on his behalf.”
“Mayor Treñas remains fully engaged in monitoring the preparations and looks forward to celebrating Dinagyang alongside the Ilonggo community as the festival draws near,” she added.
Raisa also issued a statement, explaining that she had been officially invited by the IFFI alongside her father and acted on his behalf during the event.
“Since I was also invited, I was asked by my father, as his daughter, to read his message and make the declaration together with Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon,” she said.
Since filing her candidacy for mayor and becoming a private citizen, Raisa has attended several events, including the inaugural operation of the Visayas Container Terminal’s mobile harbor cranes and the blessing of the new Development Bank of the Philippines building in the city.
Although she no longer holds a government position, Raisa also visited Metro Pacific Iloilo Water to check on the water distributor’s expansion plans amid the water shortage affecting consumers.
