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People and culture
People from Iloilo are called Ilonggos. There are two local languages spoken in the province: Hiligaynon, sometimes called Ilonggo, and Kinaray-a. Hiligaynon and variants of it are spoken in Iloilo city and a few towns of the province. Outside the city, the majority of the people speak Kinaray-a. Each town has its own distinct variation of Kinaray-a. Most Ilonggos are trilingual in English, Hiligaynon, and Tagalog. Ilonggos are mostly Malayo-Polynesian people although there are small pockets of populations with Negrito, Chinese, and European ancestry.
Spanish architecture can be seen in old buildings in downtown Iloilo. Merchants from China and India were trading with the Ilonggos from before the Spaniards came. The ruling Spanish government encouraged these foreign merchants to trade in Iloilo but they were not given privileges like ownership of land. The mestizo class eventually was born from the marriages of the Spaniards and merchants with the local Malayo-Polynesian people. They later emerged as the ruling class of the Ilonggos (see Principalía).
The town fiesta is one of the most important events for Ilonggos. Almost every town (municipality) in Iloilo has a fiesta celebrated annually. You can eat "free" in any house in any town that is celebrating its fiesta in that week if you go with somebody who knows somebody in that house.
Language
Hiligaynon (or "Ilonggo") is an Austronesian language spoken in Western Visayas in the Philippines. Hiligaynon is concentrated in the provinces of Iloilo and Negros Occidental. It is also spoken in the other provinces of the Panay Island group, such as Capiz, Antique, Aklan, Guimaras, and many parts of Mindanao like Koronadal City, South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat (It is spoken as a second language by Karay-a in Antique, Aklanon and Malaynon in Aklan, Cebuano in Siquijor, and Capiznon in Capiz.). There are approximately 7,000,000 people in and outside the Philippines who are native speakers of Hiligaynon, and an additional 4,000,000 who are capable of speaking it with a substantial degree of proficiency.The language is referred to as "Ilonggo" in Negros Occidental and in Iloilo. More precisely, "Ilonggo" is an ethnoliguistic group referring to the people living in Panay and the culture associated with the people speaking Hiligaynon. The boundaries of the dialect called Ilonggo and that called Hiligaynon are unclear. The disagreement of where what name is correct extends to Philippine language specialists and native laymen.
Government
Governor: Niel D. Tupas, Sr.Vice Governor: Rolex T. Suplico
Provincial Board Members:
1st District
2nd District
3rd District
4th District
5th District
Ex-officio Board Members:
- PCL President: Cecilia A. Colada
- ABC President: Jeneda C. Salcedo
- SK President: Michael Himar
District Representatives:
1st District: Janette Loreto-Garin
2nd District: Judy Jalbuena-Syjuco
3rd District: Arthur D. Defensor, Sr.
4th District: Ferjenel G. Biron
5th District: Niel C. Tupas, Jr.
Geography
The Province of Iloilo is the 2nd-largest province in Western Visayas after Negros Occidental. The province is divided into two distinct geographic regions; the highlands of the Madia-as on the western border and the lowland plains which account for a larger portion of the province. Small islands east of its northernmost tip also dot the Visayan Sea - of these, Pan de Monay and Sicogon are well-known.Natural Resources
The province is home to one national park, the Bulabog-Putian National Park located in the municipality of Dingle.Fishing and aquaculture dominate the northern iloilo industry, while the central lowland plains derive their livelihood from agriculture.
Political
The Province of Iloilo is the largest province in Western Visayas. It is also the most populated. Iloilo is subdivided into 42 municipalities and 2 cities.Cities
Municipalities
Physical
History
At the time of the Spanish conquest, writing was a new import and the use of organic medium such as leaf and bamboo, ultimately lead to the absence of extant pre-Hispanic accounts of Iloilo today. However, oral history – via oral epics has survived to a small degree, as only a few recordings were made from the last known surviving binukots.The earliest written historical accounts concerning the province relates to Spain's conquest of the island of Panay by Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi moving his headquarters from the island of Cebu and creating the first Spanish settlement in the island in Ogtong in 1566. In 1581 the encomienda in Ogtong was moved to La Villa Rica de Arevalo, however, because of frequent coastal raids by Moro and Dutch privateers, this was again moved near the mouth of the Irong-irong river founding what is now Iloilo City and constructing Fort San Pedro to defend it in 1616.
In 1942, the Japanese Imperial forces occupied in Iloilo.
In 1945, founded to the liberation in Iloilo from the defenders of the Filipino and American troops landed in Iloilo together with the Ilonggo guerrillas attacked by the Japanese troops defeated beginning the Second World War.
Tourism
As a leading province during the Spanish Colonial Era, the province of Iloilo is widely known for its beautiful old world architecture similar to that of Latin American Countries. Spanish colonial Churches are amongst the well knowned tourist sites in the province.Miagao Church. The World Heritage Site. The Aztec-Baroque inspired church with Filipino botanicals used to carved on the facade. It is known for its intricate facade and pyramidal bell towers. The church was used as a fortress during the olden days. It is a massive structure built of yellowish Limestones.
Molo Church. The Gothic Renaissance Church of Molo was used as a watch tower to warn the people if there are any attackers on the shore of Iloilo City. It is a fine coral stone church with Classical and Gothic details. It is also known as the feminist church because of the beautiful female saints lining inside the church.
Cabatuan Church. This Neoclassic Church, known to be the most massive Hispanic structure in Iloilo is built of red bricks. It is believed to be the largest red brick structure in the Visayas and it was given the title "Model of Temples" by the 'El Eco de Panay'. The Cabatuan Church is known to be the only extant Spanish colonial church with three facades.
San Jose Church. The beautiful church in front of plaza Libertad is considered the most historic amongst the churches in Iloilo City. It is a Byzantine-Neoclassic Church planned to look like the Spanish Church of Valencia del Cid. The Church is known for its collection of priceless Catholic treasures.
The Historic province of Iloilo is also known for 'Calle Real'; a street of old buildings with their classical designs. During January, the city heats up for Dinagyang, the festival dubbed as "The best tourism event in the Philippines" It is a collection of tribe warriors dancing in honor of the Child Jesus.
Notable Ilonggos
- Maria Beatriz Del Rosario Arroyo - Roman Catholic nun and distant relative of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Media
The province of iloilo has extensive media organizations as it is the center of politics, education, culture and communications of region VI.Print media
- SunStar Iloilo
- The News today
- Panay News
- The Guardian
Broadcast Media
- BOMBO RADYO-ILOILO, the Flagship station of Bombo Radio Phippines,(The National Radio of the Philippines) please log on www.bomboradyo.com
- Radio Mindanao Network - www.rmniloilo.com.ph
External links
- Official website of the Provincial Government of Iloilo
- Metro Iloilo-Guimaras Economic Development Council
- Iloilo Retiree's Narrative and Photos
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Last updated on Monday July 21, 2008 at 13:15:40 PDT (GMT -0700)
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