Iloilo Business Park highlights history and culture

MANILA, Philippines — Taking pride of place in the 72-hectare Megaworld’s Iloilo Business Park (IBP) is a statue of a great Visayan revolucionario, Gen. Martin Delgado.

The 8.8-meter bronze is located at the IBP’s Festive Walk Parade in front of Casa Emperador, which houses the museum of contemporary art.

According to Harold Geronimo, Megaworld AVP and head of public relations, Delgado “is the revolutionary hero of Panay Island… (who) Ilonggos look up to as far as independence and freedom are concerned.”

Geronimo added Megaworld’s vision is to be a center of arts and culture and not just a business park.

“We want to actively promote arts and culture in every place, in every township that we build.

Here in Iloilo, we find it fitting to have the contemporary museum here and pay tribute to the revolutionary hero of Panay,” he said.

Last Jan. 19, during the kick-off of the Dinagyang Festival which ends today, Megaworld paid tribute to Spanish sculptor Gines Serran-Pagan with the ceremonial inauguration of his Delgado statue. It also served as a celebration of Delgado’s legacy and the rich history of Iloilo.

“We are very happy to have such an iconic masterpiece here in Iloilo Business Park, especially one that bears a stamp of artistic greatness courtesy of Gines Serran-Pagan. This statue is truly a fitting reminder of the continued emergence of Iloilo as a progressive city that puts arts, history and culture at its very core,” said Kevin Tan, executive vice president and chief strategy officer of Megaworld.

Serran-Pagan was commissioned in 2012 to do the statue by Megaword founder Andrew Tan. The sculptor interviewed Delgado’s descendants, with one of his grandsons, Monsignor Delgado, posing for the statue. He also did extensive research in Iloilo and even in Culion, Palawan where the Ilonggo hero was sent as a leper and died several years later.

“He was a thinker, an educated man, a philanthropist,” Serran-Pagan said, “someone who only wanted the freedom of his people.”

Meanwhile, Gen. Delgado’s grandson and namesake, Martin, said they are honored that property giant Megaworld had chosen Gen. Delgado.

“It is with pride that we accepted this honor, especially that this is placed in a private property,” he said.

Iloilo Business Park was recently named by the prestigious Philippine Property Awards as the Philippines’ Best Township Development. The IBP highlights the importance of art in further developing communities. The Megaworld township has become the place where art enthusiasts discover more about their craft at the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art, housed in the Casa Emperador.

The museum shows works by local and international artists, from Salvador Dali, Joan Miro and Marc Chagall to National Artists Ang Kiukok, Bencab, Arturo Luz and J Elizalde Navarro; from contemporary masters Ramon Orlina, Brenda Fajardo and Romulo Olazo to younger artists like Raffy Napay, Ronald Ventura and Mideo Cruz.