A CULINARY haven, a vibrant festival destination, a cosmopolitan trading port since the turn of the last century, the heart of the Philippines, and so much more. It’s a fairly easy task to fall in love with Iloilo – a locale steeped in history and rich indigenous culture, yet also an emergent city assuredly making strides toward a sustainable tomorrow, an eclectic marriage of the traditional and the modern. Let’s take a peek into the metropolis’ vibrant districts with each having manifold charms.
JARO
Jaro is an important part of Iloilo City. The district has historical, cultural, educational, and religious significance to the Ilonggos and to the people of Western Visayas.
Previously known as Salog, a municipality during the Spanish period; Pavia used to be a part of it until 1921. It has stood the test of time – from being one of the most prominent areas during the Spanish colonial period to the biggest and most populated district of the Iloilo City today.
Religion became a guiding force for Spanish Catholic missionaries to construct ecclesiastical buildings, including the Jaro Cathedral Campanario de Jaro, one of the few free-standing bell towers in the Philippine islands. The Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria (Our Lady of Candles), the patron saint of Western Visayas canonized by Saint John Paul II found in Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral. All year round, devotees flock to the Marian image during its annual fiesta on February 2 to ask for miracles and blessings.
Jaro is the place where you could see the regaled mansions of the members of the elite clan. Few meters away from the Jaro Cathedral are Nelly’s Garden of the Lopez Family in its iconic structure. Next is the Casa Montinola y Sanson of the Montinolas, which serves as reminiscent of the Gaston house in Silay City, Negros Occidental. And lastly, the beaux-arts designed Lizares Mansion currently Angelicum School depicts the grandeur of its past.
LA PAZ
While sipping a cup of hot coffee from Madge’s Café and enjoying a bowl of authentic batchoy, have you ever wondered how La Paz got its name?
Established as a town in 1865, La Paz was formerly known as Lobo, which means “hole” or “washroom”, according to the Monografias de los Pueblos de la Isla de Pan-ay.
Named after its titular, Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje, the district used to be part of Jaro which was founded as a parish in 1587.
The hearty batchoy is one of La Paz’s signature dishes, a delicacy served in restaurants all over the city.
The noodle soup is made with miki, (round noodles), pork organs (liver, spleen, kidneys and heart), chicken stock, beef loin, shrimp stock, and garnished with chicharon (pork cracklings). It is best eaten at the batchoyan (batchoy stalls) in La Paz public market where it originated. The most famous places to eat batchoy are Ted’s, Deco’s, Netong’s, and Inggo’s.
LAPUZ
Lapuz is the smallest district of Iloilo City and once was a part of La Paz district since Spanish regime. Named because of its location, Lapuz came from the word “lapus” which means “to insert/pass through”. It has a total population of 31,663 comprised of only 12 barangays.
It finally gained independence and separated from La Paz on December 17, 2008 after the Sangguniang Panglungsod of Iloilo City passed a resolution for the district to have its own police station and fire station.
Lapuz is a home to the two-time Dinagyang Festival Champion, Tribu Ilonganon of Jalandoni Memorial National High School.
MANDURRIAO
Mandurriao is the current economic core of Iloilo City. Besides the high structures, it has a remarkable aesthetic and reputationas the central amusement hub of the metro.
Trade and commerce continue to soar in this district. Business Process Outsourcing companies, upscale hotels, parks, malls, and offices are sprouting everywhere.
Surrounded by Molo, City Proper, La Paz, and Jaro, Mandurriao was then a municipality before being incorporated into the then-municipality of Iloilo by Act No. 719 of 1903.
Iloilo Esplanade is situated herein, widely known as a recreational space for walking, jogging, open-air dining, and a venue for river water sports.
The state-of-the-art Iloilo Convention Center in the Iloilo Business Park is also a sight to behold.
But have you ever wondered how Mandurriao got its name?
During the Spanish colonization, a group of Spanish soldiers was crossing the river. They were intrigued when they saw some of the natives celebrating and observed something in the water. They asked the locals the name of the place. The locals, thinking that the soldiers were only asking what was happening said, “Mandu… Riao….”
These were crocodiles named after the place where they came from such as: lakes of Mandu and Riao which are now gone.”
It formed in the minds of the people that the place was Mandurriao. Eventually, the letter “r” in Mandu-Riao was replaced with “rr”. For the Spaniards, having an “rr” in a word brought further beauty and character.
MOLO
Molo district was the former Chinese quarter of Arevalo called the Parian.
Formerly a town before it was absorbed by Iloilo City, it is also called the “Athens of the Philippines” because it produced some of the best political leaders and thinkers of the land such as Gregorio S. Araneta (secretary of the Malolos Congress), Gen. Aniceto L. Lacson and Chief Justice Ramon Avanceña.
Here, you can try the popular pancit molo, spiced pork-chicken meatballs daintily wrapped in thin dough and boiled in peppery chicken-pork broth. It was introduced here by the Chinese during the 18th century.
The district’s twin-towered, Gothic–Renaissance Church of St. Anne, one of a few churches in Iloilo not built by the Augustinians, was built with coral rock and a tile roof, in 1831, under the supervision of Don Jose Manuel Locsin. In 1863, it was replaced by a temporary church by Fr. Jose Ma. Sichon until it was renovated in 1869 by Bishop Mariano Cuartero. On August 4, 1886, our National Hero Jose P. Rizal visited this church to pray on his way to Manila from exile in Dapitan, referring to it as “la iglesia bonita.”
During the liberation of Iloilo in 1945, the church withstood artillery barrages but its two bell towers were totally destroyed and the church partially damaged.
It was rebuilt after the war. The church, declared as a National Landmark by the National Historical Institute in 1992, has stained-glass windows and five wooden Gothic-style retablos. It is also called the Women’s Lib church because of the 16 life-size female saints’ statues lining the nave. The district’s patron saint, St. Anne is in a prominent corner of its massive, antique wooden altar.
In front of the church is a plaza filled with old trees, with gnarled trunks and branches, and an interesting domed gazebo which is actually a bandstand, a typical feature in Western Visayas plazas./PN
CITY PROPER
No one lives a humdrum life here – from the bustling street of Ledesma to the myriad of establishments on Gen. Luna. City Proper is at the center of Iloilo City’s beating business district.
The borough received its present name from the province’s original “Irong-Irong” reference.
It was founded as La Punta and inhabited in 1602 when Spanish and Chinese residents from Jaro and Molo expanded their territorial area. During its heyday, it was called Yloylo or Iloilo.
In the Spanish colonization period, the Queen Regent of Spain set an honorific title of “La Muy Noble Ciudad,” (The Most Noble City) as an appreciation to the city’s allegiance to said country and the noble virtue of Ilonggo chivalry against the rise of the Revolution of Manila. The city became the second primate to the city of Manila.
In fact, marks and traces from different colonization periods are still evident. Ancient buildings and structures serve as mute witnesses in the silent struggles and progress of the city.
Once conquered by Dutch invaders in the 17th century, City Proper emerged as the trading port in the 19th century. Local vendors and merchants came here to sell or exchange goods and merchandise.
The district is the home to main government buildings such as the Iloilo Provincial Capitol and the seat of the city government, the Iloilo City Hall.
Other main agencies of the government are also located in the City Proper. Its main thoroughfares are J.M. Basa St. (Calle Real), Iznart St., Gen. Luna St. and Ledesma St. It has the most service and commercial establishments among all districts./PN
