With the feast day of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria (Our Lady of Candles) coming, devotees can’t help but notice the major rehabilitation of Jaro Plaza, situated across the imposing Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral.
The Jaro Plaza was completed in 1927 and was considered “the most beautiful plaza on the island of Panay” in the 1930s. Its layout was drafted by Father Juan Aguado.
Structures at the then-Jaro Plaza, like its arch, hedges, bandstand, and benches, were built by Demetrio Ledesma, after whom D. B. Ledesma Street was named when he was Presidente Municipal.
Now, some of these were endeavored by the government to restore their former glory. Conservation efforts across Iloilo City, including Jaro Plaza, were ramped up through the Heritage Law (Republic Act 10555).
The law declares Jaro Cathedral, Molo Church, Fort San Pedro, Jaro Plaza, Molo Plaza, Plaza Libertad, and the Iloilo City Central Business District as Cultural Heritage Tourism Zones.
R.A. 10555 was authored by Mayor Jerry P. Treñas back when he was still a congressman, with the help of former Senator Frank Drilon.
The Jaro Plaza, including the 29-meter free-standing bell tower, had a P20 million beautification and restoration budget. On Nov. 27, 2022, the National Historical Commission turned over the Jaro belfry to the Archdiocese of Jaro and the city government.
Also standing tall is the monument to Ilonggo veterans from World War II and the plaza’s bandstand.
A new shrine of Patrocinio Gamboa was also installed in the plaza. The “Heroine of Jaro” successfully delivered the Philippine flag, the first outside of Luzon, to the Santa Barbara headquarters of General Martin Delgado in time for the revolutionary government’s inauguration.
The Jaro Plaza, renamed Graciano Lopez Jaena Park, is also in honor of the Jaro-born journalist, reformist, and La Solidaridad founder. Lopez Jaena and Delgado were then students at the nearby San Vicente de Ferrer Seminary and were said to frequent the plaza.
Today, as you stroll in Jaro Plaza, be mindful to do your part in its preservation. These are the regulations everyone must observe: (1) No smoking and vandalism. (2) Keep pets on a leash. Clean as you go. (3) No spitting, urinating, or littering. (4) Carrying of lethal weapons and alcoholic beverages is strictly prohibited. (5) No vendors are allowed. (6) No riding of bikes, scooters, or skateboards. (7) No ball games are allowed./PN
