THIS WEEKEND in Iloilo City all tourism accommodation establishments are packed with tourists domestic and foreign who have come to experience Dinagyang Festival “face to face” after two years of “virtual celebrations” due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If this were a daily phenomenon, our main problem would be how to contain the tourism boom.
On the tourism front, the city government aims to make Iloilo a year-round tourist destination. It seeks to “reinvent” the city as a reminder of bygone generations in the mold of Athens – the capital city of Greece that harnesses its ruins of ancient temples, stadiums and theaters to draw millions of tourists yearly.
It was in that light that years back, then congressman Jerry Treñas (now city mayor) crafted Republic Act (RA) 9593 – “Act declaring the Jaro Cathedral, Molo Church, Central Business District, Fort San Pedro, Jaro Plaza Complex, Molo Plaza Complex and Plaza Libertad Complex as heritage and tourist spots.” This law harks back to an earlier law, the Tourism Act of 2009, which pinpointed tourism as “an indispensable element of national economy and an industry of national interest and importance.”
RA 9593 obligates the Department of Tourism (DOT) to accord the aforementioned landmarks “a development plan involving construction, installation and maintenance of appropriate facilities and infrastructure which shall enhance tourism.” It also enables DOT to work closely with the city government in promoting and enhancing the aforesaid seven landmarks to attract more tourists.
Molo Church, constructed in 1831, earned the admiration of national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal (he called it “La Iglesia Bonita”) because of its distinctive neo-Gothic architecture. He made his first and only drop-by visit here while sailing back to Manila from Dapitan.
The Jaro Cathedral, built in 1864 in Romanesque Revival style, was where Ilonggo hero Graciano Lopez Jaena was baptized in 1865.
Plaza Libertad, facing the old San Jose de Placer Parish, occupies a prime niche in history because it was here where Spanish soldiers surrendered to the Ilonggo revolutionaries led by Gen. Martin Delgado on Dec. 25, 1898.
The Central Business District, known to this day as City Proper, boasts of heritage buildings dating back to the Spanish and American eras.
Fort San Pedro, built between 1603 and 1616, was the bastion that protected Iloilo from marauders. Destroyed by the Japanese in World War II, in its place has risen a park with a statue of Jesus Christ standing amid the fort’s ruins.
The Jaro Plaza Complex includes the Jaro Cathedral, the Jaro Belfry, the Archbishop’s Palace and the old Jaro City Hall that now houses the National Musem – Western Visayas, while the Molo Plaza Complex consists of the St. Anne’s Church and the Molo Plaza Gazebo.
This weekend, all roads lead to the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand and other performance and festivities areas showcasing Dinagyang presentations and the unique way Ilonggos celebrate their culture, heritage and faith. Welcome!
