ILOILO: HEART of the PHILIPPINES

Welcome to the City of Love! MINISTOP, one of the country’s leading and fastest-growing 24/7 convenience store chains, continues to expand its presence across the country. Led by its President and Chief Operating Officer Robina Gokongwei-Pe, it open its first two stores in Western Visayas at Robinson’s Place-Iloilo and La Paz, Iloilo. MINISTOP President and COO Robina Gokongwei-Pe (rightmost) leads the ribbon cutting ceremony at the MINISTOP opening at Robinson's Place Iloilo. With her (from left) are Executive Asst to the Mayor, JV Mabilog; CongressmanJerry Perez Treñas; Malen Locsin; Division Manager, Living Essentials Division, Mitsubishi Corp. Phils, Masanori Inuma According to Gokongwei-Pe; "Iloilo has been chosen as the second location in the Visayas region due to its rapid economic growth and dynamic business environment"  Leading the formal ribbon-cutting ceremonies at Ministop La Paz are (from left)- Division Manager, Living Essentials Division, Mitsubi

IT'S A GO! Iloilo City's bid to be one of the Philippine host cities for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit meetings next year has been confirmed!  Construction of the ILOILO CONVENTION CENTER at the Iloilo Business Park is in full blast to meet the deadline Photo courtesy of Vincent Valencia According to official communications sent to Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog and Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. from the government and the organizers, the Iloilo is among among the eight areas approved to host the international summit. Other host cities are Metro Manila, Metro Cebu Bagac in Bataan, Clark in Pampanga, Tagaytay City in Cavite, Boracay in Aklan and Legazpi City in Albay. Iloilo City will host the Small and Medium Enterprises Ministerial Meeting from Sept. 21 to 25, 2015 , according to a July 22 memorandum issued by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. Around 700 delegates from the 21 APEC economies are expected to attend this gather

THE National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) will spearhead the P50-million restoration project of the Santa Barbara church and convent in Santa Barbara, Iloilo in preparation for the 2015 Philippine Independence Day celebration writes Maricyn Delos Santos for The Daily Guardian. In his visit Wednesday, NHCP Executive Director Ludovico Badoy updated Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. and Santa Barbara Mayor Dennis Superficial that the project is a priority since President Benigno Aquino III will celebrate the country’s independence next year in the historic Iloilo town. He said the NHCP already allocated P20 million for the project in its 2013 budget and an additional P10 million in its 2014 budget.  Badoy noted that Senate President Franklin Drilon committed P10 million for the project while the province and Second District Rep. Arcadio Gorriceta will contribute P5 million each. The restoration was first conceptualized when NHCP chairperson Ma. Se

Iloilo City will host the 2014 Heritage Conservation Summit focusing on the theme "Revitalizing Old Downtowns". With the city's thrust of reviving Calle Real through its pedestrianization efforts, the summit has chosen a perfect venue for the 3-day event to be held on Oct 24-26, 2014.  The summit is organized mainly by the Heritage Conservation Society  in cooperation with the City Government of Iloilo and the Iloilo City Cultural Heritage Conservation  Council (ICCHCC). The Heritage Conservation Society (HCS), a non-stock, non-profit organization advocating the protection and preservation of Philippine built heritage. Heading the 2013-2015 HCS Board of Trustees are Paulo G. Alcazaren, Gemma Cruz-Araneta, Richard T.S. Bautista, Silvana Ancellotti-Diaz, Martin C. Galan, Ivan Anthony S. Henares, Ivan Homer U. Man Dy, Liliane Rejante-Manahan, Manuel Maximo L.C. Noche, Ernesto F. Villavicencio and Fernando N. Zialcita.  Ivan Henares, President of the Heritage Conservat

Started out as a rumor that a 35-storey building will be built almost at the corner of the Iloilo Riverside Esplanade and the Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr Avenue also known as the Iloilo Diversion Road. Then a few days after "Marco Polo" came into the picture as the supposed lot owner and thus Marco Polo Hotel Iloilo rumor was born.  And today, on the occasion of the grand launching of Marco Polo Ortigas Manila , the Facebook page of Iloilo City Mayor teased the avid Ilonggo followers with the following post... Now, that this rumor has some light being shed on, the hotel chain probably took notice of Iloilo as among the fastest growing economies in the country today with big developers like Megaworld Corporation, Ayala Land, Double Dragon Properties, Gaisano, Filinvest Land and SM, among others. Now back to Marco Polo, I've only been to one of their current three hotels in the country today. Marco Polo Plaza Hotel Cebu is always a stop for me whenever I am in Cebu Ci

When word was finally out that the Yusay/Consing Mansion property was bought by the SM Group (specifically its Hypermarket division), many Ilonggos feared for that the stunning mansion would soon just exist in photos.  Yusay Mansion photo by Bob Hammerslag But this development across Molo Plaza will usher in what is currently being done in most parts of Iloilo's Calle Real (and some heritage places in the Philippines like Vigan and Intramuros in Manila). Based on  a post Skyscrapercity Iloilo forum, last year SM Group hired Archt. Augusto Villalon and in partnership with tropiks design studio, they came up of ways of conserving the Yusay Mansion despite the development of the retail giant within the lot. Officially announcing its plan to preserve the mansion this August   The approach is an Adaptive Re-Use as a Retail/ Museum for Kultura wherein Iloilo local products will be showcased. Retail shops will surround the old house and the big front lawn will be a continuat

Injap Tower is now officially open! With blinding lights and deafening sounds of a grand fireworks display last June 30, 2014, Western Visayas' tallest building excites the Ilonggos with its 21-storey edifice. Injap Tower Condotel is a 21-storey commercial and residential tower project of Double Dragon Properties Corporation across SM City Iloilo in Mandurriao district. It has commercial units in the ground floor including the Iloilo City's latest 7 Eleven branch, multi-level parking and residential condominium units. The high-rise building is designed by the famous ASYA Design firm headed by its principal Architect, Albert Siy Yu. Read about my stay:  ENJOYING MY STAY AT INJAP TOWER HOTEL The residential units at the Injap Tower Condotel will not only be condominium spaces but also involve a time-share hotel component, which is typical for condotel developments.  This means unit owners have the option to place their unit in the hotel’s rental program