Cities of Iloilo

Iloilo City was composed of 7 districts with Historical Places and Establishments: 

City Proper

City Proper is also known as the center or heart of Iloilo City. 

Muelle Loney

Nicholas Loney

The River Port of Iloilo named after British Consul Nicholas Loney, who is considered the father of sugar industry in Panay and Negros. Protected by the Island of Guimaras from typhoons, Muelle Loney is one of the safest harbours in the Country. It was opened to international market in 1855.

Calle Real

It was declared as a heritage site of Iloilo. It showcases the unique architecture of the downtown area.

JM Basa and Iznart St.

At the center of downtown Iloilo stands Plazoleta Gay, a small monument with a white obelisk structure with a dove on top symbolizes freedom-loving at the height of People Power Revolution in February 1986.

Passad Jeepney

Daily transportation of passengers towards the city.

Iloilo Provincial Capitol

The Government Building of Iloilo City.

Museo Iloilo

Museo Iloilo’s permanent exhibit covers the cultural history of Western Visayas from prehistory to contemporary history. Inside is the carbon-q4 dated fossils, the swords and spears of the Mondo tribe of Panay, and the permanent exhibits showing an Ati family.

Plaza Libertad

It is where the flag of the First Philippine Republic was raised in triumph after Spain surrendered Iloilo to the revolutionaries led by Gen. Martin Delgado on December 25, 1898.

Arroyo Fountain

The Arroyo Fountain is a prominent landmark located at the heart of the city, in front of the old Iloilo Provincial Capitol. It is names after Sen. Jose Maria Arroyo, a well loved personality in Iloilo during his time and grandfather of First Gentleman, Mike Arroyo. The fountain implies their family’s power and influence in the past. Not only does it symbolizes an opulent history it is also as a gauge to measure the distance from one place to Iloilo City.

Jaro

(Seat of the Archbishop of Jaro)

Jaro is formerly known as Salog or Saro. It has been one of the more economically-advanced areas of Iloilo City even during the Spanish period and probably the richest town of the entire colony. 

Jaro Cathedral

The church is the famous Parish of Our Lady Of Candles. It is the headquarters of the Archdiocese of Jaro and the site of a miraculous statue of the Virgin Mary, which was canonically crowned by Pope John Paul II during his visit in 1982. Jaro's celebration of the Feast of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria (Our Lady of Candles) every February 2. 


Campanario De Jaro

The Campanario De Jaro also known as Belfry or Belltower is a given fixture of every Catholic Church. It houses the Bells, which basically toll the hours, call the people to mass, and announce important events. It has been served as a watchtower against invaders during Spanish times. It was built in 1744 made of bricks and limestone blocks, it was a three storey 29 meters high.  


Lizares Mansion

The Lizares Mansion, now the Angelicum School, known as one of Iloilo’s most iconic heritage houses. It stands in testimony of Iloilo’s booming sugar industry during its heyday. Every year, the main building of Angelicum becomes the subject of amusements as thousands of Christmas lights adorn every inch of its façade further enhancing the charm of this magnificent edifice.


Nelly Garden

Nelly Garden, owned by the Lopez Clan, is one of the famous landmarks in Jaro. It features a beautiful expansive landscaped lawn with a massive art deco style American-colonial heritage house as its backdrop.

Jaro Evangelical Church

The First Baptist Church in the Philippine Islands established by the Nothern Baptists.

Graciano Lopez Jaena

Graciano Lopez Jaena (1856-1896)

The Graciano Lopez Jaena Park also known as Jaro Plaza is one of the many parks located in the island of Panay. It was constructed years ago to honor Graciano Lopez Jaena, a Filipino journalist, orator, and revolutionary from Iloilo.

Lapaz

It was formerly known as Ilawod or "sea/wet land" together with Jaro which was referred to as Ilaya or "mountain/dry land". It's name, which translates from Spanish as "peace", derived from its patron saint, Nuestra Señora de la Paz Y Buen Viaje (Our lady of Peace and Good Voyage).

Ted's Batchoy

The Oldtimer Lapaz batchoy since 1945. Conceptualized by "Teodorico Lepura" or Ted Lepura, Ted’s La Paz Batchoy revolutionized the most famous Ilonggo Dish that all grew up and come to love. Ted’s La Paz Batchoy started its humble beginnings in La Paz Market, the birthplace of the La Paz Batchoy. It now has more than 30 branches around the Philippines. 

Lapaz Batchoy

Batchoy is a noodle soup, garnished with pork innards, crushed pork cracklings, vegetables, shrimp, chicken breast or beef loin, shrimp broth, chicken stock and round noodles or miki.

Lapaz Church

The La Paz Church is one of the many reasons why tourists visit Iloilo in the Philippines. This historical church, also known as the Nuestra Señora De La Paz Y Buen Viaje, was built in 1870 with the help of the Spanish friars. This church is now known as the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage Church, the direct translation of its Spanish name. Designed based on a Neoclassical-style, the current La Paz Church stands today as one of the centuries-old attractions in the city of Iloilo. This church, constructed from 1870 to 1874, was made of light materials and had to be renovated several times as the years passed.

St. Clement's Church 

Saint Clement’s is managed by the Redemptorists or the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer with their Mother House located at left side of the church. The church was completed on 1931. The first Perpetual Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help in the Philippines and Asia was celebrated at the church on 

May 13, 1946.

Iloilo Sport's Complex

Located at La Paz District, The Iloilo Sports Complex is the biggest sports facility in Iloilo. It is the venue of major athletic events in the Province and the Region and occasionally hosts large gatherings such as concerts.

Mandurriao

Mandurriao is one of three major commercial areas in Iloilo City, the others being Molo and Jaro. Alongside the Iloilo City Diversion Road, also known as Ninoy Aquino Avenue, which passes through Mandurriao, one can see many commercial buildings, as well as billboards along the sides of the road. 

Plazuela De Iloilo

Smallville

Smallville Complex located in Benigno Aquino Diversion Road, Mandurriao, Iloilo City. It is a popular dining and nightlife destination in Iloilo where Ilonggos and visitors go to eat, drink, and spend a fun night out in the city. The term Smallville originally refers to the row of restaurants, bars, and clubs beside Iloilo Business Hotel but due to several expansions in the area, it now refers to the whole complex.

Riverside Boardwalk

Located within Smallville Business Complex, the Riverside Boardwalk is the newest “gimik” place in Iloilo. It is featured by a row of restaurants beside the Iloilo River. It’s second floor provides a nice vantage point to see the sight of Iloilo’s vibrant nightlife.

Riverside Park

The Riverside Boardwalk Park is located beside the Boardwalk Bar and Restaurants. It is the place wherein people go jogging, walking, playing, biking and exercising.

Molo

It was built by Spaniards and was formerly called the Parian (Chinatown) due to its large number of Chinese residents and their business establishments in the area at the time.

Its name was later changed to Moro during the frequent arrival of Muslim pirates from Mindanao until it later evolved into Molo. Molo was a town before it was absorbed by Iloilo City during its charter in 1937.

Molo Church 

 St. Anne Parish

(The Feminist Church in the Philippines)

One of the most prominent landmarks in Iloilo City is the Church of St. Anne, which looms above the old Chinese district of Molo. The Philippine National Hero Jose Rizal visited this famous church on his way to Manila from exile in Dapitan. He exclaimed as He saw the church "La iglesia bonita!", acknowledging its beauty.

Inside Molo Church

The interior is rich in Gothic elements. There are five gothic altars which are made of wood while beautiful paintings dominate the walls. The beautiful wooden retablo provides the gothic focal point, with its rich tapestry of spires and niches crowned by pointed arches. The recently restored dome hints at the design's Romanesque influences. Female Saints Stand on each pillar and a pair of interestingly decorated pulpits contrast the entire structure. 

Molo Plaza

Molo Plaza is undoubtedly one of Iloilo's beautiful plaza especially during the holiday season where Christmas lantern adorns the trees at night. Lush tress, gnarled balete trees and aged kalachuchi trees makes it a perfect spot to chill.

Rosendo Mejica Museum

The Rosendo Mejica Museum is a wonderful gem of a small museum. It's easy to find at 251 Lopez Jaena Street in the Baluarte district of Molo, Iloilo City. What's special about this museum is that it is so genuine and uncontrived. It's not a grand, pretentious, off-putting hulk, but is rather the modest residence of a an important citizen. It therefore gives an authentic-feeling experience of life in turn-of-the-century Iloilo.

Rosendo M. Mejica

Rosendo Mejica was a Ilonggo of many accomplishments. He translated Rizal's Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo from Spanish to Visayan.

Baluarte Elementary School

Don Rosendo M. Mejica who founded Baluarte Elementary School as the country's first public elementary school in 1905 in his noble mission to propagate the importance of education in the lives of his fellow Ilonggos and the Filipinos as a whole. It all started as a small school house founded during the American period in the Philippines and now it stands as the principal building of the Baluarte Elementary School in Molo .

Franklin M. Drilon

Senate President Franklin M. Drilon, is a graduate student of Baluarte Elementary School, Molo, Iloilo City.

SouthVille

Swish Southville Subdivision on San Jose Street, Molo, Iloilo City

Large houses mostly on small lots. Secure and well-maintained. Large houses cost between P7,000,000 and P9,000,000 fully furnished.

Arevalo

It was originally founded as La Villa Rica de Arévalo by a Spanish official who built his mansion along the coastal settlement in the 16th century. Established on 1581 by Gobernador Ronquillo De Peñalosa as " La Villa Rica De Arevalo", named after his hometown Arévalo. It is one of the first places in the Philippine archipelago to be named in Spanish. It became the capital of the settlement in the province on 1582. It was invaded by the British on the 1588 and followed by more raids by Moros on 1600 and by the Dutch on 1609, 1614 and 1616. The continuous raids forced the capital to be relocated near the mouth of Iloilo River, which is the current location of Iloilo City proper. It was incorporated as a district of Iloilo City on July 16, 1937. Arevalo is sometimes given the title "Flower Capital of Iloilo", where potted plants, flowers, bouquets, wreaths can be bought, Arevalo is also famous for its firecrackers and fireworks. Its prominent attraction is the Villa Beach along the coast which boasts several resorts and an outdoor nightlife such as open air restaurants and bars.

Arevalo Parish Church

Sto. Niño de Arevalo Parish

Inside Arevalo Church

It is the home of to the third oldest Santo Niño figure in the Philippines. The church was built in such a way that when seen from above it is shaped like a cross. Adjacent to the church is the Arevalo Convent which resembles Spanish colonial design. The Arevalo Church, the home of the Image of Sto Nino De Arevalo, is placed at the middle of Plaza Villa. This is a unique feature considering almost all churches are separated from their plazas. 

Sto. Niño de Arevalo

Sto. Niño de Arevalo holds the distinction of being the third oldest in the Philippines after the Sto. Niño de Cebu (1565) and the Sto. Niño de Tondo (1572) it was brought to Arevalo in 1581 and is one of only three original Sto. Niño's brought by the Spaniards to the Philippines during the 16^th century. It was not long before the Sto. Niño won the hearts and devotions of many Villahanons. It then become the beloved patron of the parish. Its patronal feast day , is celebrated every third Sunday of January.


Fireworks Display

This is held every fiesta here in Arevalo. Unlike conventional fireworks displays, the one in Arevalo is unique because of its colorful ground flares arranged in intricate patterns. The flares are suspended on tall bamboo stands and are set-off with synchronized choreography and matching aerial fireworks. The fireworks display is a deafening spectacle of elaborate and best-known types: wither the ones that produces sound; the ones that are mounted around the periphery of a wheel to rotate by rocket effect; the ones placed in the ground and emit balls or stars of fire at intervals; or the ones that explodes high in the air to produce any of the several types of display.


"Flower Capital of Iloilo"

Arevalo is the flower capital here in Iloilo. This is the place where you can find the fresh flowers of different varieties.

The Crown and The Cross

The Crown towering over the town plaza of Arevalo

The black Cross enshrined in Sta. Cruz Chapel

The crown, including the scepter and a huge black cross were found by a farmer when he plowed his field in Sta. Cruz, Arevalo, a former place where the Jesuit Missionaries established their mission in Arevalo. The crown and scepter were of precious metals and were of ordinary sizes. The crown was enlarged in the year 1854 during the term of capitan del pueblo, Domingo de Guzman and was placed on the top of a stone pillar towering over the plaza of Arevalo. The cross, is more than 15 feet high, and is made of hard black wood of a rare variety. It is now enshrined in Sta.Cruz chapel where it was found.

La Villa Rica de Arevalo has many Establishments like:

Tatoy's Manokan and Seafoods

Built in the 70’s by Honorato Tiburan Espinosa, Tatoy’s started only as a nipa shack with three tables tucked in a corner across from the beach. Because he was a fisherman, Honorato (Tatoy) harness his knowledge if the sea to source only the best and freshest seafood for his customers and prepared these with the honesty and simplicity of an instinctive cook. It is located in Sto. Niño Sur, Arevalo, Iloilo City. 

Tatoy's Specialties:

Native Lechon Manok

Commands a high price for an open fire roasted chicken. For PhP300, one gets to enjoy a plate of this native Visayans strain of chicken known as darag or just "Bisaya nga manok". And it's really worth it since you might never get to taste a litson manok anywhere else. offering is it's native litsong manok that tastes like no other.

Grilled Bangus

Served boneless and most of the time in large size, the bangus can be eaten on it's own because of it's already tasty timpla. No need to dip it in sinamak or toyo-calamansi-sili concoction. No wonder it costs aroudn PhP240up depending on the weight.

Grilled Scallops

It's "dabbed" calamansi-butter-garlic concoction that every scallop makes you even want to have more. A plate costs PhP170 - that's around 20 pesos for each succulent scallop but it's totally worth it.

Sinigang na Isda

A bowl of fish soup (either tail or head) provides a perfect sabaw during any meal at Tatoy's. And these meals always turns up into special meals for one is served with the best and freshest produce this famous Iloilo restaurant has done for some many years that Tatoy's has become such an icon to the locals and tourists alike.

Breakthrough

Established in 1986 by hardworking couple Raymundo and Ma. Isabel Robles. Breakthrough, a favorite food-stop for seafood lovers, offers mostly local cuisine in the regular menu believing that anything fresh will come out with its best natural flavor if cooked in the most simple way like sinigang, tinola, inihaw, kinilaw, guinat-an, steamed, pinaksiw or even as sashimi. The regional Tourism Excellence Awards of Department of Tourism awarded Breakthrough as Western Visayas' Best Restaurant for 2006 and 2007.

Punta Villa Resort

Iloilo Supermart – Arevalo

Erning's Manokan and Seafoods

Adring's Lechon

Juaning's Lechon

Stanleys

Moonlight Lodge

Panaderia De Iloilo

Arevalo Sinamay Dealer