Iloilo City Proper (City Proper) (also locally known as Downtown, Ciudad, Iloilo Poblacion, or simply Iloílo) is a district in Iloilo City, in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. It holds great historical significance as the birthplace of modern-day Iloilo City and serves as a civic center, hosting the city and provincial government offices, as well as various local, provincial, and regional government establishments. The district also serves as the primary hub for financial institutions, with banks and other firms dispersed throughout its streets.
Iloilo City Proper stands as the present-day economic and financial center of Iloilo, playing a vital role in the region's commerce and trade. According to the 2020 census, it is home to a population of 46,350 people, making it the second most densely populated district after Molo.[1][2]
The district's name, Iloilo City Proper, derives from its historical reference to Irong-Irong, which eventually influenced the name of the entire city and province. In the past, it was known as Yloylo or Iloílo, reflecting its original name.[3]
In the present era, Iloilo City Proper still retains the charm of its 19th and 20th-century architecture. The district showcases a collection of well-preserved old buildings, particularly along J.M. Basa Street, popularly referred to as Calle Real. These historic structures add to the city's cultural and architectural richness.
Etymology
The name "Iloilo" is derived from the older name "Ilong-ilong" (Philippine Spanish: Ilong̃-ílong̃) meaning "nose-like", referring to the promontory between two rivers (Iloilo and Batiano) where the Fort San Pedro and the 17th-century Spanish port in the district were located.[4][5][6][7]
Iloilo City Proper, or simply Iloilo, was founded and inhabited as La Punta in 1602 when Spanish and Chinese residents from Jaro and Molo, respectively, expanded their territorial areas. In 1700, it became the capital and the seat of power of the Spaniards in the province, which they transferred from La Villa Rica de Arevalo due to continuous attacks by Moros and Dutch.
Late colonial period and economic boom
Iloilo emerged as a trading port in the 19th century. Its geographical and economic significance eventually evolved when China, Norway, and the United Kingdom opened up their consulates to conduct trade and commerce in the town, especially during its foundation as an international port in the 1850s. As a result, the commercial activity in Iloilo increased, as well as the infrastructures, recreational facilities, education institutions, banks, foreign consulates, and commercial firms.
Cityhood
Aerial view of Iloilo City Proper, circa early 1900s.
On October 5, 1889, due to the economic development in Iloilo, making it the most important port in the Philippines next to the capital, Manila,[8] Iloilo was raised from the status of a town to a city through a royal decree,[9][10] and in 1890, the city government was established.
Revolutionary period (1896–1898)
Due to the loyalty of the Ilonggos, the city of Iloilo was honored with the perpetual title of La Muy Leal y Noble Ciudad (The Most Loyal and Noble City). The royal decree granting this title was signed on March 1, 1898, by Queen Regent Maria Christina of Spain. Over time, this title earned for Iloilo the reputation of being the Queen's Favored City in the South or simply Queen's City in the South, which later evolved into the Queen City of the South, being the second Spanish port of importance next to Manila and being located south of the archipelago's capital city.
On December 25, 1898, the Spanish government surrendered to the Ilonggo revolutionaries led by Gen. Martin Delgado at Plaza Alfonso XII (now Plaza Libertad). It was site where the Philippine flag was raised for the first time on the island of Panay.[11]
American colonial period (1900–1941)
Iloilo City consolidation
In the 20th century, all economic activities shifted from Jaro and Molo to the city of Iloilo when businesses aggressively flourished here. It was re-chartered by the American government on July 16, 1937, and absorbed the old towns of Molo, Arevalo, Mandurriao, and La Paz. On January 7, 1941, the city of Jaro was also incorporated into greater Iloilo City.
21st century
Iloilo City Proper, as a district, remains the economic and political center of the city and the whole province.
Geography
Iloilo City Proper sits on the southeastern tip of Panay Island, facing the Iloilo Strait and Guimaras. It is bordered by Molo to the west, and separated from Mandurriao to the northwest, La Paz to the north, and Lapuz to the northeast by the Iloilo River. Just across the strait are Buenavista and Jordan in Guimaras.
Iloilo City Proper, along with parts of Molo and Arevalo, is surrounded by the Iloilo-Batiano river system, which formed an almost-island area that separated from the mainland of Panay in the southern part of Iloilo City.
The district is a busy commercial center and the main political hub for both Iloilo City and the Province of Iloilo. It is also where the regional government of Western Visayas operates.
Iloilo City Proper has long been the hub for trade, commerce, banking, finance, education, retail trading, real estate, and industry in Iloilo since its establishment in the early 17th century. As the original territory of the city of Iloilo, it has maintained its position as a vibrant economic center. The district boasts one of the highest concentrations of banks and financial institutions in the country, earning it the title of the financial capital of Western Visayas.[12]Calle Real, along with Iznart St., Gen. Luna St., and Ledesma St., is home to a plethora of service and commercial establishments, making it a vital area for local businesses in the city.
Iloilo City Proper houses significant government buildings, including the Iloilo Provincial Capitol, which serves as the main government building of the Province of Iloilo, and the Iloilo City Hall, which is the seat of the city government. Various other government agencies are also located within the City Proper.
Since its foundation as an economic hub, the district has faced space limitations for further growth. In recent times, several proposals have arisen for island-type reclamation along the southern shores of the City Proper. The expansion plan aims to enhance the district's commercial area, considering that modern developments have concentrated in the other districts, specifically Mandurriao, over the past two decades.
Education
Iloilo City Proper is home to half of the universities in Iloilo City. Some of the notable universities and schools in the district are the following:
Jeepneys roaming in Calle Real, Iloilo City Proper.
Public transport
The primary modes of public transportation in Iloilo City Proper are passenger jeepneys and metered taxis. The transportation routes in Iloilo City are mostly focused on the district, which is the center of commerce in the city.
In contrast to President Rodrigo Duterte's administration's plan to phase out old, dilapidated jeepneys as the primary mode of mass public transportation in the Philippines, the city has recently begun to adopt mini-buses like modern PUJs or modern Jeepneys that are now plying in the city, including Iloilo City Proper.[13][14]
Cycling
Iloilo City has been hailed as the Bike Capital of the Philippines. There are also several painted bicycle lanes in Iloilo City Proper that can be found on its main roads, including Gen. Luna Street, Delgado Street, Mabini Street, Infante Street, and the esplanade along Muelle Loney Street.[15]
From 1907 to the 1980s, Panay Railways operated a railroad from Roxas City to the port area of Iloilo City Proper.[16] In 2022, Panay Railways announced its opening to foreign ownership to reconstruct its former train lines, which will reconnect the district and city to other major cities in Panay, including Caticlan in Malay, Aklan.[17]
The Port of Iloilo, which is located near Fort San Pedro, Iloilo City Proper, serves domestic shipping and cargo routes to/from Manila, Cebu, Puerto Princesa, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga City, Davao, and General Santos. The Iloilo International Cargo Port, in the adjacent Lapuz district, is a port of call for foreign cargo vessels.
Guimaras-Iloilo Ferry Terminal in Parola
The Guimaras-Iloilo Ferry Terminal, which is located in Parola, serves ferry routes to Jordan and Buenavista in Guimaras, and vice versa.
Gallery
San José de Placer Church, the first ever church in the city of Iloilo, and was built in 1607.
Plaza Libertad, a historic plaza where the flag of the first Philippine Republic was raised.
Calle Real, a historical street, contains several fine neoclassical, beaux-arts, and art-deco buildings.
Eusebio Villanueva Building, once known as the International Hotel, located along Calle Real.
Iloilo Central Public Market, an art-deco public market, built during the early 20th century.
Museo Iloilo, a museum that houses the city and province of Iloilo's cultural heritage.
Lin-ay sang Iloilo (Lady of Iloilo), an 18-foot bronze statue on top of Iloilo City Hall's dome.
Aduana de Iloilo (Iloilo Customs House), one of the three customs houses in the Philippines.
Edificio Elizalde y Cia Building, a hundred-year-old structure that now houses the Philippine Museum of Economic History.
^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.
^Funtecha, Henry (2000). "The Urbanization of the Town of Iloilo, 1865–1900". Selected Papers on Cities in Philippine History. Philippine National Historical Society: 89–108.
^The actual words of the Royal Decree says: "A propuesta del Ministro de Ultramar, y teniendo en cuenta el creciente desarrollo que en la industria y el commercio ha alcanzado la cabecera de la provincia de Ilo-Ilo, la más importante de las islas de Filipinas, despues de la de Manila; En nombre de mi Augusto Hijo el Rey D. Alfonso XIII, y como Reina Regente del Reino, Vengo en conceder el titulo de la Ciudad á la cebecera de Ilo-Ilo, en dichas islas. Dado en San Sebastian á cinco de Octubre de mil ochocientos ochenta y nueve. Maria Cristina" Cf. Decreto Real de la Reina Regente Maria Cristina (5 Octubre 1889) en Gazeta de Madrid, N. 298, 25 Octubre 1889, p. 238.
^John, Foreman, The Philippine Islands: a political, geographical, ethnographical, social and commercial history of the Philippine Archipelago, embracing the whole period of Spanish rule, with an account of the succeeding American insular government, New York: 1907, C. Scribner's Sons, p. 478.
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