Like most destinations in the Philippines, the island of Panay is blessed with scenic seascapes and a diverse marine life. One of its provinces is Iloilo, whose name is derived from Ilong-ilong or nose-like, a reference to the point of the land on which it lies.
Recently, a serendipitous event in Iloilo exposed us to the wealth of towns and districts, which are surrounded by establishments of political and religious influence such as churches, administrative halls, ancestral homes and many others.
The Museo Iloilo houses an impressive collection of cultural heritage that includes stone-age native pottery, fossils, jewelry, mementos and war relics, a British sunken ship, Spanish-era Filipino sculpture and modern art done by Ilonggo artists and craftsmen. Other artifacts are statues, reliefs (one of a female saint holding her lopped-off breast), crosses, burial urns and prehistoric tools.
The Metropolitan Cathedral in Jaro, built in 1864, is the first and only cathedral in Panay. A distinctive feature is that the bell tower is located across a busy street from the church. The original church was destroyed during an earthquake. Of interest are the stairs attached to the front façade that leads up to a Shrine of Our Lady of the Candles . It has the distinction of being canonically crowned by the late Pope John Paul II during his visit to Iloilo on Feb. 21,1981. With the exception of the Marian central image, the church has an all-made saints placed on columns in response to Molo Church’s all-female theme.
The Church of St. Anne known as the “Women’s Church” in Molo has five gothic altars which are made of wood while beautiful paintings dominate the walls. Sixteen life-sized images of all female saints stand on each pillar and a pair of interestingly decorated pulpits contrast the entire structure.
Iloilo River Esplanade is the city’s latest fun place, where people jog, walk, or enjoy the scenery. The 1.2 kilometer park was designed by Paolo Alcazaren, who also designed the Singapore quay .
Iloilo is home to many mansions built by sugar barons way back in pre-war era. Some are still standing to this day. The Beaux Art mansion was built in 1928 by Don Vicente Lopez for his beloved wife Elena Hofileña. The estate was named after their daughter Nelly and was famous for its flower gardens. World War II nearly ended the mansion’s charm. After the war a younger daughter Lilia Lopez and her husband Francisco Jison began restoring the mansion to its former glory and made it their home.
Casa Mariquit is a 200-year-old house where the wife of former Vice President Fernando Lopez Sr., Maria “Mariquit” Javellana-Lopez, once lived. The house was built by her banker grandfather Ramon Javellana, and it served both as a residence as well as a bank. Robert Lopez Puckett, a great-great-grandson, is now the owner of the house. Photos of meetings with Emperor Hirohito, Chiang Kai-shek, Generalissimo Franco, Lyndon Johnson and others are a fascinating step backward in time.
A taste of La Paz batchoy at La Paz market and brewed native coffee at Madge café completed our visit to this city of love. For pasalubong, we brought home pinasugbo, biscocho and other native delicacies.