ILOILO CITY (PNA) – Outgoing Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas Wednesday underlined that there is urgent need for his replacement to honor ongoing development programs contracted by the City with international funding agencies to ensure the transformation of Iloilo into a premier Philippine city by 2015.

“I pray that the next city mayor will continue the programs supported by international organizations,” Treñas, who is running for congressman in the 2010 elections, said.

He recently bolted Lakas-Kampi-CMD, the ruling administration political party, to run for a congressional seat, challenging the position of incumbent Rep. Raul Gonzalez, Jr. who will run for reelection as Lakas bet for the city’s lone congressional district.

Gonzalez’s father, current Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Raul M. Gonzalez Sr., also of Lakas, will run for Iloilo City mayor against Vice Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog and Presidential Assistant on Water, Larry Jamora of the Kampi party.

“Whoever wins as city mayor will enjoy the technical assistance given by the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) on the city’s computerization program, solid waste management and clean air programs,” Treñas said.

Other international organizations which have made commitments to help the city in implementing substantial projects are the European Union for coastal management, the World Bank for traffic management and the Calajunan dumpsite, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for a clean water program, and other such world agencies as the Asian Development Bank, AusAid, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), among others.

Treñas also said that the City has been hosting several international events as “organizers put trust and confidence in our capabilities to host big events.”

In November alone, Iloilo City will play host to three big international events, that is the Talent Night portion of the Miss Earth 2009 beauty pageant participated in by candidates from 82 different countries, the International Mathematics Competition to be participated in by almost 2,000 pupils and their parents from 23 countries, and the International Vermiculture Technology meet to be held here, before the end of the month.