ILOILO: HEART of the PHILIPPINES

Heritage, culture and gastronomy makes most of the attractions of the districts of Molo and Villa . Known as the Athens of the Philippines , the district of Molo has produced quite a number of distinguished sons that became chief justice, senators, justices, governors, congressman and many more. It is also an education center during the Spanish and American periods. It had four colleges during the reign of Spain and when the Americans took over it had the first elementary school in the country. Today, it is home to several colleges and universities, among them one of the best maritime schools in the world. It is also home to the gothic church dedicated to St. Anne, the famous Panaderia de Molo and the sumptous pancit molo . Villa-Arevalo on the other hand has quite a number of titles too. Take your pick from " The Flower Capital of Iloilo City " with it's numerous cut flower industries or " Firecrackers Capital of Iloilo " which makes a big bang durin...

The City of Smiles, Bacolod City is just an hour away from Iloilo City via fast craft ferries. Being dubbed as twin cities both share the same dialect that both cities are like extensions of each other. Being centers of commerce, trade and industry for Panay and Negros islands, both cities has a regular fast craft ferry service that starts as early as 6am until 530pm. The Muelle Loney in Downtown Iloilo City wharf serves passengers bound for Bacolod City. There are three major fast craft ferry operators – O cean Jet, Weesam Express and SuperCat. The pier is very accessible via public transportation and the main landmark is the Iloilo City Hall. It’s just a just 5 minute walk behind the back portion of the city hall (under construction as of this time). Jeepneys traversing this route are Jaro CPU Derecho, Jaro CPU Ungka, SM City Proper, Molo Baluarte and Parola-Super (PhP7.50 from most parts of Iloilo City). Just tell the jeepney drivers that you’re going to Bacolod City and they’l...

Due to the overwhelming demand of luxury residential condominiums in Iloilo City, Megaworld, the country’s leading real estate developer that pioneered the ‘live-work-play-learn’ lifestyle township concept in the Philippines, launches the third tower of its One Madison Place in Iloilo City.  One Madison Place’s first tower is already sold out while the second tower is almost 80 percent sold out, just barely two months after its launch.  One Madison Place Tower 3 render The entry of the third tower completes the three-tower residential condominium cluster of One Madison Place. Pre-selling for the third tower will start by end of August. “We are very impressed with the response of the Ilonggos to One Madison Place. It usually takes a minimum of six months to sell out a project. But here, it only takes an average of two months,” declares Jennifer Palmares-Fong, head of marketing, Iloilo Business Park. One Madison Place Luxury Residences at the Iloilo Business P...

Megaworld, the country’s leading real estate developer that pioneered the ‘live-work-play-learn’ lifestyle township concept in the Philippines, is allocating P1.5 billion to build the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in the 72-hectare Iloilo Business Park.  Artist's perspective of the 314-room international brand hotel Marking the entry of an international hotel brand in Western Visayas, the 15-storey contemporary hotel is the latest addition of hotels inside Megaworld’s biggest township in the region and will offer first-class accommodation to business and leisure travelers in the area. Mr. Jericho Go “This is another milestone for Iloilo Business Park. Our development in Iloilo is a showcase of our company’s commitment to uplifting the Ilonggo lifestyle to a whole new level,” says Jericho Go, first vice president, Megaworld. “The quality of service of Courtyard by Marriott is legendary and will help to lift the level of accommodation and leisure in Iloilo City.” "...

This coming August 17-18, 2013 are milestone dates for the Province of Antique as the first-ever organized heritage tour will be launched.  Aptly titled “Manggad Kang Antique (The Treasures of Antique): The Antique Heritage Tour aims to reveal the wonders of Antique to the entire Philippines. Photo c/o It's More Fun in Antique FB page Manggad Kang Antique ’s very first visitors are Humanities students of the University of the Philippines Visayas and 25 members of media including seven nationally-recognized Pinoy Travel bloggers. This tourism initiative is the brainchild of Mr. Flord Nicson Calawag, a young Antiqueno entrepreneur who also created Tibiao Fish Spa, in close partnership with The Antique Provincial Tourism Office thru O.I.C. Mr. Ronald V. Gayatin. Since Spanish times, Antique was considered a backwater province.  But with the recent improvements in infrastructure and increase in businesses and other establishments, Antique is slowly coming out of the ...

WHEN in Iloilo, skip the usual and predictable routes to their malls and instead go get yourself some local culture by visiting the Rosendo Mejica Historical Landmark in Molo. Opened as a museum in 1998, the 19th century wooden residence also houses early 20th century printing machinery. The fact is, these equipment are part of the oldest printing press in Iloilo, the Makinaugalingon Press.  Started in May 1, 1913 by Rosendo Mejica (1873-1956), original printing machines such as the minerva, letterpress, proof press, edger and cutter are evidently still functional in this 21st century. These machines were built to last. The Hiligaynon newspaper Kadapig sang Banwa was thought to have been printed right at Makinaugalingon. No one really knows for sure but the evidence that strengthens this theory are mono scripts dating from 1906 found at the library. A mono script is a script assigned to an object, in this case, newspapers. In order to print the chronicles, mono scrip...

TINUKIB is a Hiligay-non word rooting from the word tukib meaning "to discover", thus tinukib means "discovered or a discovery". It was indeed an afternoon of discovery as I found myself at the Tinukib Pasalubong Center located at the ground floor of the Taytay Sang Kauswagan Inc. (TSKI) building in Brgy. Mali-ao, Pavia, Iloilo. Conveniently located along the highway between Iloilo City and the Iloilo International Airport, tourists as well as locals will surely marvel at the variety of creations by artistic and innovative Ilonggo micro enptrepreneurs as well different goodies gathered from around the region.  Like this galore of products from the nearby island of Guimaras. Take your pick from mango bars, mango barquillos, mango otap, mango preserves, concentrated mango juice and mango ketchup - all having that Guimaras fruitty signature. But don't fret if you're not into mangoes as they also have cashew nuts, pickels, pineapples and more. ...