Just off Iloilo's southeast coast is the island province of Guimaras, once part of Iloilo but now an independent province. Across Panay Gulf and Guimaras Strait is Negros Occidental, occupying the northwestern half of the larger island of Negros. Iloilo City, its capital, is the center of the Iloilo–Guimaras Metropolitan Area or Metro Iloilo–Guimaras, and is geographically located in the province and grouped under it by the Philippine Statistics Authority, but remains politically independent from the provincial government. According to the 2020 census, the population of the province (excluding Iloilo City) is 2,051,899. If Iloilo City is included, the population is 2,509,525 in total.
The province offers diverse attractions, from well-preserved colonial structures in the south to pristine beaches and islands in the north, namely the Bantigue Sand Bar, the Tangke Lagoon, Cabugao Island, and Antonia Island, all part of the Islas de Gigantes. Additionally, Sicogon Island, situated south of the group of islands, has gained popularity as a luxury tourist destination.
Etymology
The name of the province is derived from Iloilo City, which in turn is derived from the older name "Ilong-ilong" (Philippine Spanish: Ilong̃-ílong̃) meaning "nose-like", in English referring to the promontory between two rivers (Iloilo and Batiano) where the Fort San Pedro and the 17th-century Spanish port were located.[3][4][5][6]
No pre-Hispanic written accounts of Iloilo and Panay island exist today. Oral tradition, in the form of recited epics like the Hinilawod, has survived to a small degree. A few recordings of these epic poems exist. The most notable are the works of noted Filipino Anthropologist Felipe Jocano.[7]
While no current archaeological evidence exist describing pre-Hispanic Iloilo, an original work by Pedro Alcantara Monteclaro published in 1907 called Maragtas details the alleged accounts of the founding of the various pre-Hispanic polities on Panay Island. The book is based on oral and written accounts available to the author at the time.[8] The author made no claim on the historical accuracy of the accounts.[9]
According to Maragtas, Madja-as was founded after ten datus fled Borneo and landed on Panay Island. The book then goes on to detail their subsequent purchase of the coastal lands in which they settled from the native Ati people.
Datu Paiburong, one of the ten fleeing datus, established a settlement and named it Irong-Irong after an islet of the same name on the Batiano River.[10]
Left to right: Images from the Boxer Codex illustrating an ancient kadatuan or tumao of the Visayans of Panay wearing the distinctive colors of their social status: [1] a noble couple and [2] a royal couple. The wealth and prestige of these Visayans from Panay are clearly demonstrated vis-a-vis their loincloth-wearing Cebuano neighbors which the Spaniards called "Pintados" or "Tattooed Ones"
Spanish colonial era
Spain eventually succeeded on conquering of the island of Panay when Spanish conquistadorMiguel López de Legazpi moved his headquarters from the island of Cebu and creating the first Spanish settlement in the island in Ogtong in 1566. This is mainly due in part to the rivalries between the Bisaya and the Moro, of which the former found an ally in Spanish against the latter. The Bisayas accepted alliances with Spain, to defend themselves against the enslaving Moros. To this end, Iloilo contributed troops in the Castille War against the Sultanate of Brunei.
In 1581, the encomienda in Ogtong was moved to La Villa Rica de Arevalo, because of frequent coastal raids by the Dutch privateers. Furthermore, an attack in the year 1600 (Part of the Spanish–Moro conflict) where there was a large Muslim armada to destroy Iloilo City, led by two Moros named Sirungan and Salikala who lead the Muslim force of 70 ships and 4,000 warriors that had raided and attacked several Visayan islands in order to abduct slaves to sell to their allies in the Sultanate of Demak and the Sultanate of Malacca, eventually caused the move of the city center further on to the mouth of the Irong-Irong river founding what is now Iloilo City and constructing Fort San Pedro to defend it in 1616.[11]
Nevertheless, when the 4,000 Moros led by Sirungan and Salikala tried to attack Iloilo City they were repulsed with heavy losses in the town of Arevalo by a force of 1,000 Hiligaynon warriors and 70 Mexican arquebusiers under the command of Juan García de Sierra, the Spanish officer who died in the battle.[12] The Spanish Christianized the area.
Old Cathedral in Oton: consecrated 1891, destroyed by earthquake January 24, 1948
Soon, the area itself began to prosper, due to its successful textile and sugar industry. As a result, it received Chinese immigrants from the west (that worked for its trades) and Latinos from the ports of Mexico in the east (to man its military installations). The Jesuits soon built a school for Spanish and Visayan boys in Tigbauan, Iloilo.[13]
American invasion era
During the American colonial period, Iloilo became a home to many firsts: including the first department stores and cinema theaters in the Commonwealth of the Philippines.[14]
Japanese occupation era
Iloilo experienced severe devastation during the events of World War II. The Japanese built "comfort stations" in Iloilo in 1942, where they imprisoned Filipino "comfort women" who they routinely gang-raped, brutalized, and murdered for entertainment.[15][16][17] Nevertheless, during the Japanese occupation, Macario Peralta Jr., freed most of Panay (with little exceptions) from Japanese Imperialism, thus other allied guerillas in other provinces from Romblon, Palawan, Marinduque and portions of Masbate and Mindoro, considered majority liberated Panay Island, the "Primus inter pares" in their alliance network.[18]: 110
Philippine independence
Iloilo became a province of the newly fledged Republic of the Philippines when the archipelago gained independence from the United States on July 4, 1946.
Geography
Map of Iloilo
The province covers a total area of 5,000.83 square kilometres (1,930.83 sq mi)[19] occupying the central and eastern section of Panay island in the Western Visayas region. If Iloilo City is included for geographical purposes, Iloilo has an area of 5,079.17 square kilometres (1,961.08 sq mi). The province is bordered by the province of Antique to the west, Capiz to the north, the Jintotolo Channel to the northeast, the Visayan Sea and Guimaras Strait to the east, and the Iloilo Strait and Panay Gulf to the southwest.
The province is divided into two distinct geographic regions; the highlands of the Central Panay Mountain Range on the western border and the lowland plains which account for a larger portion of the province. Small islands east of its northernmost tip also dot the Visayan Sea - of these, Pan de Azucar and Sicogon are well-known. Mount Baloy is the highest mountain in Iloilo with an elevation of 6,424 feet (1,958 m) above sea level, located on the triple border of Iloilo, Capiz, and Antique. Other peaks are Mount Llorente 4,409 ft. (1,344m), Mount Sansanan 4,219 ft. (1,286m), Mount Napulak 4,095 ft. (1,248 m), Mount Balabag 3,728 ft. (1,136m).
Excluding Iloilo City Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[2][21][21][22]
The population of Iloilo in the 2020 census was 2,051,899 people,[20] with a density of 410 inhabitants per square kilometre or 1,100 inhabitants per square mile. If the highly urbanized city of Iloilo is included for statistical purposes, the province's total population is 2,361,042 people, with a density of 465/km2 (1,204/sq mi).
People from Iloilo are called Ilonggos. There are three local languages used in the province: Hiligaynon (Ilonggo), Kinaray-a and Capiznon. Hiligaynon and dialects/variants of it are spoken in Iloilo City and in some towns of the province, especially to the northeast. Tagalog and English are widely used as administrative, educational, and commercial languages.
Language
The Ten Commandments in Hiligaynon, the predominant language of Panay
The language is referred to as Ilonggo in Iloilo and Negros Occidental. More precisely, Ilonggo is an ethno-linguistic group referring to the people living in southeastern Panay and its associated culture. The boundaries of the language called Ilonggo and that called Hiligaynon are unclear. The disagreement of which name is correct extends to Philippine language specialists and native laypeople.
Religion
Iloilo is a Roman Catholic-predominated province comprising about 87% of the population. Independent Catholic and Protestant churches also exist such as members of Iglesia Filipina Independiente or Aglipayan Church, Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists, Adventists, and other Evangelical Christians; There are also non-Protestant and other Christian sects such as Iglesia Ni Cristo, Church of Christ of Latter day Saints (Mormons) and Jehovah's Witnesses while non-Christians are usually represented by Muslims, and to a lesser extent, Buddhists and Hindus.
Economy
Poverty Incidence of Iloilo
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
Iloilo City, the economic center of the province and the whole island of Panay.
Iloilo's vibrant economy can be attributed to the combination of good political will and the collective cooperation of the Ilonggos. This fruitful collaboration has resulted in an "economic boom" that has generated thousands of jobs and propelled the province to become one of the most competitive in the country.
Iloilo City, as the economic center, offers a diverse range of industries and services. It serves as a hub for real estate, accommodation, medical centers, education, shopping centers, business centers, and IT/BPO centers, among others. The city's dynamic and multifaceted economy contributes significantly to the overall growth and development of the province.
The northern part of Iloilo thrives on a strong fishing industry and a flourishing tourism sector. Its proximity to the Visayan Sea has made it a leading area for fisheries in the nation. The region's natural beauty and tourist attractions have bolstered its tourism industry, attracting visitors to its pristine beaches and marine reserves. Additionally, the central part of the province serves as an agri-industrial center, producing a wide array of agricultural products such as corn, rice, bananas, pineapples, sugar, and high-end crops in areas like Bucari in Leon and the highlands of Alimodian. These areas also offer inland resorts and trekking sites, providing additional avenues for tourism and recreation.
The sugar industry, centered in Passi City and neighboring towns like Lambunao, Duenas, San Enrique, and Bingawan, contributes significantly to the local economy. Southern Iloilo's economy revolves largely around tourism, thanks to its century-old churches, colonial buildings, and beautiful beaches and marine reserves found in towns like Guimbal, Miagao, and San Joaquin.
Government
Former provincial flag of Iloilo featured the white and blue ensign, which served as inspiration for elements adopted in the national Philippine flag
The government of Iloilo was established in 1566 when the Spanish settled a colonial center in Ogtong (now Oton). Control was later shifted to La Villa Rica de Arevalo (now Arevalo, Iloilo City) in 1581, which also served as the seat of the Spanish Government overseeing vast territories encompassing Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, Antique, and surrounding islands such as Negros, Guimaras, Cuyo, Palawan, Caluya, Romblon, and Boracay. Over time, these territories gained independence. By 1616, the seat of government was transferred to La Punta, now known as Iloilo City Proper. This relocation marked a significant increase in colonial power, and the city's economy boomed, making it the largest in the Philippines after Manila during the Spanish period until the American period.[32]
The old buildings in downtown Iloilo showcase the influence of Spanish architecture, reflecting the historical presence of the Spaniards in the region. However, even before the arrival of the Mexicans, Spaniards, and other Europeans, Iloilo had already established trade relations with ancient Indonesians, Malaysians and Vietnamese, Indian, Arab, Chinese, Korean and Japanese merchants. The Spanish government encouraged foreign merchants to trade in Iloilo, although they were not granted land ownership privileges. Over time, intermarriage between foreign merchants, Spaniards, and the locals led to the emergence of the Mestizo class, who eventually became the ruling class of the Ilonggos, known as the Principalía.
Fiestas play a significant role in the culture of Iloilo. Almost every town in the province, including the seven districts of Iloilo City, holds an annual fiesta or festival, making these events important highlights for the Ilonggos.
In addition to its rich cultural heritage influenced by Spanish colonization, Iloilo is also home to two of the nation's cultural minorities: the Sulod-Bukidnon and the Ati. These indigenous groups contribute to the cultural diversity of the province and add to its vibrant tapestry of traditions and customs.
As a leading province during the Spanish Colonial Era, the province of Iloilo is widely known for its beautiful old world architecture similar to that of Latin American Countries. Spanish colonial Churches are amongst the well-known tourist sites in the province. Some natural sites are also in here as well as mixed-use parks that sprawl around the province.
Miag-ao Church. A World Heritage Site. The Aztec-Baroque inspired church with Filipino botanicals used to carved on the façade. It is known for its intricate façade and pyramidal bell towers. The church was used as a fortress during the olden days. It is a massive structure built of yellowish Limestones.
Molo Church. The Gothic Renaissance Church of Molo was used as a watch tower to warn the people if there are any attackers on the shore of Iloilo City. It is a fine coral stone church with Classical and Gothic details. It is also known as the feminist church because of the beautiful female saints lining inside the church.
Jaro Cathedral. The Neo-Romanesque church has a distinctive feature with its bell tower as it is located across a busy street from the church, on Jaro Plaza. Though the belfry was adjacent to an earlier church, an earthquake destroyed the church and left the tower. In response to Molo Church's all-female theme, the church has its all-male ensemble of saints placed on the main pillars inside, with the exception of the Virgin's icon.
Jaro Belfry. The belfry was used to serve as a watch tower against marauding Moros during Spanish times. It is made of bricks and limestone blocks, and has three stories, standing 29 meters high. In the 1787 earthquake, the belfry was heavily damaged. Reconstruction only began in 1833 under the supervision of an Augustinian friar, Fr. Jesse Alvarez.
Cabatuan Church. This Neoclassic Church, known to be the most massive Hispanic structure in Iloilo is built of red bricks. It is believed to be the largest red brick structure in the Visayas and it was given the title "Model of Temples" by the 'El Eco de Panay'. The Cabatuan Church is known to be the only extant Spanish colonial church with three facades.
San Jose Church. The beautiful church in front of plaza Libertad is considered the most historic amongst the churches in Iloilo City. It is a Byzantine-Neoclassic Church planned to look like the Spanish Church of Valencia del Cid. The Church is known for its collection of priceless Catholic treasures.
San Joaquin Church. The militaristic church on the coast of San Joaquin overlooks the sea. Carved on a disproportionately large pediment on the façade is an intricate sculptural relief depicting the Spanish victory over Moroccan forces in the Battle of Tetuan. The church is one of the National Cultural Treasures in Iloilo by the National Museum of the Philippines, together with San Joaquin Campo Santo.
San Joaquin Campo Santo. A Roman Catholic cemetery known for its imposing Spanish Baroque mortuary chapel that shows a hint of oriental influences. Its hexagonal shape is supported with walls made from coral stones quarried from the nearby coast, fossils, and red clay bricks, while its dome roof consists of galvanized iron sheets. The cemetery is the grandest and best preserved in the province.
Passi City Church. This is considered a militaristic church in that it was planned as a ‘fortress church’ and the proof of this can be seen in the massive buttresses which support the front and back walls of the church. The church was built to replace churches that had been destroyed by an earthquake in 1612 and subsequent churches that had been destroyed by fires.
Old Capitol building of the Province of Iloilo. A National Historical Site. The building was built with wood stone during the Spanish colonization. It served as the capitol when the civil government of Iloilo was founded in 1901. The National Historical Institute (NHI) formally recognized the Old Capitol as a historical landmark through a marker installed on its walls on April 11, 2010.[33]
Bucari Area. Bucari Area is an area with mountainous terrain situated in the highlands of Leon and Alimodian. It is known as the "Summer Capital of Iloilo" and declared as a special economic zone for tourism and ecological enterprise due to its cool climate, topography, highland attractions and scenery.
Bulabog Putian National Park. Bulabog Puti-an National Park is a protected rain forest area known for being a living museum of flora and fauna. Hundreds of local and foreign tourists visit the 847 eco-tourism park to immerse in the area's natural attractions such as its various forms of wildlife and more than 30 caves. It is located within the municipalities of San Enrique and Dingle.[34]
Islas de Gigantes. The Islas de Gigantes is an island group found in the offshores of the municipality of Carles. The place is known for its numerous caves, white sand beaches, emerald-like shores and lagoon, and rock formations.
Santa Barbara Church. The Santa Barbara Parish Church and Convent is considered to be the "Cradle of Independence" in Panay and in the Visayas. In 1991, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines declared Santa Barbara Church and Convent as a National Landmark. The church was the site where General Martin Delgado of the Visayan Revolutionary Government started the junta that resulted in the first Cry of Revolution against the Spaniards outside Luzon. It was also used as the general headquarters and military hospital of the revolutionary forces.
Calle Real Heritage District. Calle Real, or the J.M. Basa Street in Iloilo City, was once the main commercial center of the city during the Imperial Spanish and American periods. It houses numerous old colonial buildings, including the popular Eusebio Villanueva Building, formerly known as the International Hotel.
Plaza Libertad. The historic plaza where the flag of the first Philippine Republic was raised in triumph after Spain surrendered Iloilo, its last capital in Asia, to the revolutionary forces led by Gen. Martin Delgado on December 25, 1898.
Iloilo River Esplanade. The Esplanade is Iloilo City's newest hub for dining, leisure and recreation. Poised to be the longest linear park in the country with a current total length of over 9 kilometers.
Iloilo Golf and Country Club. The Iloilo Golf Course and Country Club is the oldest golf course in South East Asia. It all began in the 1850s when the British, led by Iloilo-based Vice Consul Nicholas Loney known today as the “Father of the Philippine Sugar Industry."
The airport serves the Province of Iloilo, including its capital city, Iloilo City, the regional center of the Western Visayas region in the Philippines. It opened its doors to commercial traffic on June 14, 2007, after a decade of planning and construction located at Cabatuan, Iloilo, replacing Mandurriao Airport in Mandurriao, Iloilo City and inherited its IATA and ICAO airport codes from its predecessor. The fourth-busiest airport in the Philippines, it is the first airport in both Western Visayas and the island of Panay to be built to international standards, and one of the four airports in the region planned to be an international gateway. It is one of three international airports in Western Visayas, the others being Kalibo International Airport and Bacolod-Silay International Airport.
The airport serves tourists to the island of Sicogon in Carles, Iloilo. The airport has been redeveloped and opened in 2018. Charter flights to and from Sicogon to Manila and vice versa took place in late 2018. It is located in Barangay San Fernando on the island.
The Port of Iloilo, considered the leader of trade and a commercial hub for Western Visayas is also one of the safest natural seaports in the Philippines. The Iloilo Commercial Port Complex is located on 20.8 hectares of reclaimed land. It includes 11,400 sq. meters of open space for operations, supplemented by an area of 97,000 sq. meters, a crane, rails of 348 lineal meters; roll-on-roll-off support; a 7,800 container freight stations; and a 720 sq. meter passenger shed. The port complex is ideal for ships plying international routes having a berth length of 400 meters, a width of 26.26 meters and a berthing depth of 10.50 meters.
A number of shipping companies use the Port of Iloilo, including Lorenzo Shipping Corporation, 2GO, Amigo Shipping Company, New Panay Shipping Company, Sulpicio Lines, and Trans-Asia Shipping Lines Inc. Fast ferries serve Iloilo-Bacolod routes eight times daily. 2GO inter-island, overnight ferries serve longer routes, going to Manila, Bacolod, Cebu, Zamboanga and Cagayan de Oro City. Pumpboat ferries cross the Iloilo Strait to Guimaras constantly during the day and on special trips at night.
Roll-on/roll-off ferry service, known as RO-RO, is available between Iloilo City and Guimaras, but the ro-ro to Negros is available from Dumangas, Iloilo including ro-ro from Iloilo to Palawan.
It is ranked third in terms of ship calls at 11,853, fourth in cargo throughout at 491,719 million metric tons and fourth in passenger traffic at 2.4 million annually.
Accessibility
Festive Walk Transport Hub and the Premium Point-to-Point (P2P) Bus servicing Iloilo City to Iloilo International, Kalibo International, and Caticlan Airports and vice versa.
Iloilo is one of the most accessible provinces in the Philippines. Iloilo can be reached by plane on regular commercial international flights from Hong Kong and Singapore to the Iloilo International Airport. Direct domestic flights connect Iloilo to other major cities in the Philippines including Manila, Cebu, Davao, General Santos, Puerto Princesa, Zamboanga and Cagayan de Oro. Direct ferry routes and roll-on roll-off connections on the Philippines’ nautical highway are also available between Iloilo and all other major cities in the country.
By plane, travel time to the Iloilo takes around 1 hour from Manila, 30 minutes from Cebu, 2 hours and 30 minutes from Hong Kong, and 3 hours and 30 minutes from Singapore. By direct ferry, Iloilo is approximately 1.5 hours away from Bacolod, and 15 minutes away from Guimaras. By land, Iloilo is around 4–5 hours away from Boracay, 3 hours away from Kalibo, and 2 hours away from Roxas City.
Iloilo transportation gateways
Iloilo International Airport – The Iloilo International Airport is the primary gateway to Iloilo. It serves regularly scheduled direct domestic flights to Iloilo from major Philippine airlines including Manila, Cebu, Davao, General Santos, Puerto Princesa, and Cagayan de Oro. The airport also serves international flights from Iloilo to Hong Kong and Singapore. Flights to Iloilo are served by Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, PAL Express, and TigerAir. The Iloilo Airport is located approximately 19 kilometers or 20 minutes away by taxi from Iloilo City.
Iloilo Seaports – Ferries in Iloilo depart and arrive at various seaports in Iloilo City and Iloilo Province depending on the route and vessel type. (1) Ferry terminals along the Iloilo River in Lapuz district, Iloilo City serves fastcraft ferries to and from Bacolod, RORO ferries to and from Guimaras, and ferries to and from Palawan. (2) The Iloilo Domestic Port in Fort San Pedro, Iloilo City Proper, serves shipping companies with routes to and from Manila, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, and Zamboanga.[35]
Herrera Hall at the University of San Agustin, the first university in Western Visayas.
The province of Iloilo, including the city of Iloilo, is the center of education in the Western Visayas region. It has the largest number of universities in the region, with a total of ten major universities.
^"List of Provinces". PSGC Interactive. Makati City, Philippines: National Statistical Coordination Board. Archived from the original on January 11, 2013. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
^Doeppers, Daniel F. (2017). "The Development of Philippine Cities Before 1900". In Frost, Lionel (ed.). Urbanization and the Pacific World, 1500–1900. Lands, Peoples, and History of the Pacific, 1500-1900. Vol. 15. Routledge. ISBN9781351876346.
^Originally titled Maragtás kon (historia) sg pulô nga Panay kutub sg iya una nga pamuluyö tubtub sg pag-abut sg mga taga Borneo nga amó ang ginhalinan sg mga bisayâ kag sg pag-abut sg mga Katsilâ, Scott, William Henry (1984). Pre-hispanic Source Materials for the Study of Philippine History. Quezon City: New Day Publishers. pp. 92–93, 103.
^"Philippine Ethnography: Ilongo"(PDF). CCP encyclopedia of Philippine Art. Vol. 1. manila: Cultural Center of the Philippines. 1990. Archived from the original(PDF) on May 4, 2014. Retrieved April 19, 2014.
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