Skip to main content

Iloilo City's CALLE REAL Pedestrianization Project

Slowly but surely the realization of the Calle Real Pedestrianization Project is definitely taking shape. A few weeks ago, when the plans were bared by Councilor Jason Gonzales, Ilonggos took the news with great interest.

As the first plans stated "CALLE Real in Iloilo City is envisioned to become a public park for pedestrians and bikers starting November 30 to December 28 to explore the viability of a pedestrianized downtown core. The one month experiment proposal will temporarily close the street junctions from JM Basa and Arroyo to JM Basa and Mapa at 5 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. every weekend." - as published on SunStar Iloilo.
At first, the plan was stalled from its Nov. 30 target date but the overwhelming support of the Ilonggos to the project failed to dampen and now the latest update has the project's introduction phase being extend to three months. Starting Dec. 14, and every weekend thereafter, the portion of Calle Real from Plazoleta Gay to Freedom Grandstand (highlighted below) will be closed to vehicular traffic from 5PM every Saturday until 1159PM Sunday until March 16, 2014.


"TMTRO chief, Engr. Jose Tengco said the three months experimental walk tour will open the street span for night vendors and other sellers as domestic and foreign tourists walk to see the numerous heritage buildings of the old city refurbished to its original façade without fear of running vehicles." quoting a clip from the Iloilo Metropolitan Times. The ceremony on Dec. 14 around 5pm will open the the said project to all the tourism stakeholders, private  entities and the public. It will have a walking tour showcasing the history of the heritage zone dominated by decades old architecture. Side events will feature street performers, chorals, artisanal Ilonggo delicacies and street food as well as a food festival. (More updates to come very soon).  
This three month preview of the Iloilo Calle Real Pedestrianization Project is just a short term work for the ultimate goal of having the complete pedestrianization of the whole stretch of Calle Real on a permanent basis . It is envisioned to become a major tourist attraction of Iloilo City not only showcasing its rich history and colorful heritage but also on how the Ilonggos value their culture hand in hand with the present and future development.

And finally going back to the beginning, echoing its rich colonial past, the Calle Real Pedestrianization preview embodies Iloilo's Spanish heritage in an American setting. Comprar sa Iloilo, Calle Real Pasear na! is the battlecry of the event. Comprar is a Spanish word which means "to buy, to purchase" - which is apt to associate with Calle Real since this street has been the commercial center of Iloilo City back to more than a century ago. 
Image from CALLE REAL Iloilo City Facebook Page
The inverted exclamation points (¡) are punctuation marks used to begin interrogative and exclamatory sentences (or clauses), respectively, in written Spanish and sometimes also in languages which have cultural ties with Spanish, such as in older standards of Galician (now it is optional and not recommended) or Catalan. (from Wikipedia). And Pasear as we all know is the root word of the word "pasyal" which means "to take a walk".

So only a few more days when it becomes the start of something new is about to grip the Ilonggos. "Comprar sa Iloilo, Calle Real, Pasear na!"
Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Travelers guide to Iloilo transport terminals (Airport, Jeepneys, Buses, RORO. etc)

Being the biggest city on Panay Island and the center of Western Visayas region, Iloilo City is a transportation hub whether by land, sea or air. These numerous transportation terminals facilitate day to day commerce, light & heavy industries, and tourism, among others. As this is a travel blog, this guide is aimed to tourists who want to experience and explore Iloilo and perhaps even beyond. Iloilo International Airport A little more than five years old, the Iloilo International Airpor t is among the most modern and beautiful in the country today. It is situated around 20 kilometers from Iloilo City , straddling the towns of Cabatuan, San Miguel and Sta. Barbara . It has direct links to Manila, Cebu, Clark, Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro  and Puerto Princesa plus international destinations Hong Kong and Singapore . Among the first hurdles tourists will have to contend is the distance that translates to expensive fare when traveling to and from this airport.
Read more

Connie Carillo Diversified Farm in Bingawan: Helping Sustaining a Healthy Community Through Farm Schools

The area around the town of Bingawan, the edge of the central portion of the province is where it ends and the town of Tapaz, Capiz province begins and is very much another unsung corner of Iloilo with warm, friendly, welcoming people. Bingawan has some rich farming land and farming is at the heart of its village life. The landscapes are gorgeous here; with gentle pastures, to the high mountains. The area offers some beautiful hikes and bike trails across its lovely rolling meadows, woodland and a few working farms. The town would be less touristic than its neighboring towns but is well worth exploring. If you are concerned about how organic can contribute to benefit our shared environment, promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved, then a trip to Connie Carillo Diversified Farm is for you. With the governments’ efforts to improve the knowledge and technical skills of the farmers, the Connie Carillo Diversified Fa
Read more

Park Inn by Radisson Iloilo Levels Up Sustainability Efforts by Eliminating single-use plastic water bottles in guest rooms.

  Park Inn by Radisson Iloilo, a prominent player in the hospitality industry, is proud to announce a significant step forward in its commitment to sustainability. With a dedication to preserving the environment, the hotel is taking substantial measures to reduce its ecological footprint and enhance its sustainable practices.   Hotels have long been contributors to plastic pollution due to the widespread use of single-use bottled water. Recognizing this environmental challenge in the tourism industry, Park Inn by Radisson Iloilo is taking a bold step forward by reducing its plastic footprint significantly by removing single-use bottled water from guest rooms.   Eliminating Single-Use Bottled Water: Embracing Reusable Carafes with UV Filtration Water Stations   Park Inn by Radisson Iloilo places itself at the forefront of the eco-conscious movement by eliminating single-use bottled water from its guest rooms and fully implementing reusable carafes as an amenity from July onwards. Water
Read more