In love with its past
What is culturally and environmentally fertile and yet primed for innovation? Iloilo’s future is so bright you need to wear shades.
Iloilo is like Manila—but not quite.
Both are highly urbanized cities, however, Iloilo, unlike Manila, has seamlessly balanced its yesterday and today. It’s old yet always with an element of surprise. There’s a trip down memory lane at its cultural and historical sites downtown. Case in point, its collection of historical houses is still in tiptop shape. Uptown, meanwhile, is a fast rising hip hub. But unlike the Metro, Iloilo isn’t suffocating. It’s not sad. It’s not bad. Everywhere you look, there’s no trash in sight. It appeals urban yet has maintained its provincial, charming appeal. There’s equilibrium between the past and the fad.
Whether you’re itching to participate in Dinagyang fest or planning your holiday trip or why not, your retirement plans, here are reasons why you need to see Iloilo and embrace its beauty.
Iloilo has a 15-km river stretch. But unlike Manila’s rivers and esteros, it’s clean and green. It’s the main natural attraction of the city and one of the four finalists in the International River Prize Awards in 2013. Jog, play, run, eat. Do whatever at the River Esplanade Park, which is designed by architect Paolo Alcazaren, who also designed Singapore’s Clarke Quay.
What to love: The Western Visayas Department of Tourism is planning to include the northern part of the river one of the routes (along with Aklan’s Boracay among others) in its project groomed to be the Cruise Capital of the Philippines.
A public market has been stereotyped as nasty and gross thanks to wet markets and their foul smell. But spare Iloilo. It’s dry. It’s clean. And doesn’t smell. Right smack La Paz public market is the 70-year-old hole-in-the-wall Madge Café. It’s homey and unassuming and can beat any Starbucks or Seattle’s Best any time of the day. Madge Café offers cheap native coffee (R20/cup) and hot choco (R30/cup). Pair it with Iloilo’s famous bischoco (bizcocho in Spanish) or baked bread with butter and sugar for a winning combo or try it with a cup of iconic soups La Paz Batchoy or Molo. A cup of this hot stuff sells for a song, R55 only.
WHAT TO LOVE: Cheap food finds
While Iloilo has no natural tourist spots (besides its river), it has a collection of churches and heritage houses. And these inside jokes will have the loveless visiting the churches in horde. Looking for a girlfriend? Visit Molo Church (or Saint Anne Parish) and pray long and hard to its 16 women saints. But your heart problems aren’t the only reason you should drop by Molo. Its features are breathtaking: a fusion of Gothic and Romanesque architectural designs will have you clicking and sharing and flooding your friends IG feeds. A short drive away from Molo Church is the Jaro Cathedral (or the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Candles) replete with melted candles in different colors. Churchgoers light candles according to their wishes: yellow for money, blue for good health, orange for happiness, white for family, red for good luck, violet for career, pink for love, and green for hope.
What to love: The churches are well preserved and almost a stone’s throw away from each other.
Iloilo is in love with its glorious past. Eleven buildings are restored in Calle Real, its enduring symbol of culture—it was a business district during the late Spanish colonial period. The street is also formally declared as a heritage zone. It is also home to other historical firsts: Hoskyn Compound built in 1877 is the first department store in the country; SM Delgado, which opened in 1979, is the first SM outlet outside Manila; The first Mang Inasal chicken is in Iloilo. Along Jaro meanwhile, dubbed as the “billionaire’s street,” is the vast properties of the Lopezes (the owners of ABS-CBN).
What to love: Calle Real is closed for vehicles every Sunday from 3-9p.m. for arts and culture performances.
But Iloilo is ready for the future, too. Located at the site of its old airport in Mandurriao district, Megaworld (its biggest investor) brings in its “live-work-play-learn” concept following the success of Eastwood, McKinley Hill, and Resorts World Newport City, among others. Dubbed as Iloilo Business Park (IBP) covering 72 hectares, exciting things are coming in the next years: Malls, boutique and international hotels, and parks. Luxury hotels like Richmonde and Marriott are expected to be completed this year and 2016. Meanwhile, the first residential tower with its own skygarden, The Palladium, will have 22 storeys and is poised to be the tallest residential tower in Western Visayas.
WHAT TO LOVE: The buildings are eco-friendly and use LED lights. There are no unsightly electric wires, too. They are installed underground.
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