ILOILO: HEART of the PHILIPPINES

  Taking another major step toward building one of Iloilo’s most complete master-planned communities, Megaworld subsidiary Global-Estate Resorts, Inc. (GERI) welcomes the opening of The Abba’s Orchard School, one of the country’s leading Montessori institutions, as a pioneering addition to the growing lifestyle ecosystem of its 173-hectare Sta. Barbara Heights. The new campus marks The Abba’s Orchard’s first-ever presence in Iloilo, bringing its distinctive Montessori education system to a one-hectare, tree-covered site at the heart of Sta. Barbara Heights. This much-anticipated milestone signals the evolution of Sta. Barbara Heights into a more complete, family-oriented community—one designed around where people live, but more importantly, how they learn, grow, work, and build their lives. For GERI, bringing a respected educational institution into the township is part of its broader vision of creating a fully integrated, future-ready lifestyle community that responds to the needs...

September is bringing a whole lot more to look forward to at SM City Iloilo. From can’t-miss shopping deals and magical moments to travel inspiration, family celebrations, and food discoveries, the month brings together different ways to shop, explore, bond, and simply enjoy the season. At the most-loved mall in Iloilo, September is shaping up to be a month where different interests and generations come together. 3 DAYS. MORE REASON TO SHOP The SM City Iloilo 3-Day Sale on September 18, 19 and 20 brings up to 70% off on favorite finds, giving shoppers a chance to refresh their wardrobes, upgrade their essentials, or pick up something they’ve been eyeing. There’s another reason to shop: customers can get a chance to drive home a brand-new Suzuki Fronx GLX AT Hybrid. For every ₱1,000 purchase, shoppers receive one (1) e-raffle entry, with more purchases giving them more chances to win. The mall will be open until 11 PM on September 18 and 19, and until 10 PM on September 20. So whether ...

Highlighting a major milestone for local art and creative industries, National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Chairman Dr. Eric B. Zerrudo joined Ilonggo artists as Guest of Honor for "HÁNAG: Emergent Perspectives - Works by Ilonggo Artists and Designers." Originally launched as part of the 89th Iloilo City Charter Day festivities, the exhibition at the SM City Iloilo North Point Event Center has been extended through August 30, 2026, due to strong public interest. The August 21 reception marked an important breakthrough: TAOHAY NCCA’s very first off-site exhibition, expanding exemplary arts programming directly to broader audiences. The event built upon the exhibit’s August 17 launch, where Ms. Leny Ledesma represented Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas. Welcoming Dr. Zerrudo alongside the featured creators, Ms. Kristine Joyce Yap, SM City Iloilo Regional Marketing Manager for Visayas, emphasized the mall chain’s pride in partnering with the NCCA and the City Governm...

PAVIA, ILOILO — Two major businesses in Pavia, Iloilo - Vitarich Corporation and Visayas Coco Development Incorporated, have recently chosen MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power) as their electric distribution partner. Vitarich Corporation, a leading feed mill company, completed its migration to MORE Power on June 2, 2026. Meanwhile, Visayas Coco Development Incorporated, a coconut oil manufacturer, joined the distribution utility on July 8, 2026. The Vitarich migration ceremony was attended by company engineers and officials of the Local Government Unit of Pavia, alongside MORE Power Executive Chief Operating Officer Engr. Ronald Torres and Vice President for Marketing, Corporate Affairs and Customer Care Maricris Cabalhin. For Visayas Coco Development Incorporated, Chief Operating Officer Christian Yu joined MORE Power officials during the company’s migration ceremony. “We are looking forward to a lifetime partnership with MORE Power. We want to make sure that we are getti...

A cheerful Mrs. Emma Caballero greets us at the gates of Tagbac Elementary School in Oton, Iloilo. She excitedly announced they got a funding from Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. for a new computer facility, on top of the new classrooms being built. So how can a small school from (an almost far-flung) barangay was able to receive such big grants from the government and private donors? Ma’am Emma tells her story…  When she became part of the school back in 2003, it was the most dilapidated in Oton. “ We have no electricity, we had poor water facilities and a non-functioning toilet. ” she recalls. “ But our worst problem was most of our students were slow readers - some even non readers. ” she laments. Despite the remedial classes she offered, the problem persisted. She then found out that most are children of poor farmers that go to school without breakfast on top of having poor nutrition. “ Malnutrition seemed to be the root cause, so I decided to cure the st...

Sta. Barbara is a colorful, romantic town with rich history and culture. Visitors should check out its historic center , the town’s most eye-catching architecture , the  Baroque-Renaissance architectural style of  the Sta. Barbara Parish Church and Convent. Constructed in 1849 and finished in 1878. The convent was built the same time as the church. Materials used in the construction of the church and convent were of adobe and coral stones quarried from Alimodian and red bricks used for the flooring, walls and posts. Materials were transported to the town through carts drawn by carabaos.  Connected to the side door of the church is its L-shaped convent of Antillan architectural style. The church served as the headquarters for the Ilonggo Revolutionary Forces in Western Visayas under General Martin Delgado in 1898. It was untouched during World War II and had withstood the 1948 earthquake. It was declared as a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Inst...