ILOILO: HEART of the PHILIPPINES

On its annual list of The Best and The Worst, web portal SleepingInAirports , released its 2016 honor and horror roll. It ranked the Best Airports in the World and in several other regions/ continents including Asia.  For its Best Airport in Asia list, Iloilo International Airport ranked #12 among the 30 listed airports. It is one of the four Philippine airports that made it to the list, the other three Mactan-Cebu International Airport ranked at #14, Clark International Airport at #15 and new to the list is Davao's Francisco Bangoy International Airport at #26.

 Finally, Iloilo City has now a "Street View" on Google Maps! One can now actually see Iloilo on "virtual reality" as Google's Street View provides a navigable map which can be moved in all directions to get a you want to see. Calle Real on virtual reality Around one year ago, Ilonggos have seen the Google Car roaming around Iloilo City and some towns to get some visuals that need to be on this map. With this interactive map, one can now see areas not only on top view but as if one is walking down the street! For this launch, only a selected number of cities have been mapped. Here are samples of Iloilo City via Google Maps Street View.  ( Click here on Google Maps Street View Tutorials ) Restored buildings along Calle Real Bonifacio Drive with The Atrium mall and Iloilo Capitol Complex on the left In Arevalo, Iloilo at Camiña Balay nga Bato

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) will fund the restoration of the KER & CO. LTD. Building located at the back Iloilo City Hall. Ker and Co. was built by the British in 1850’s and once employed Nicolas Loney before he was made British vice consul. The company had offices in Manila and Singapore and is credited for bringing sugar cane cuttings to Iloilo from their straits colonies. The company is headed by William Ker who held office in Escolta. Loney is credited for improving the sugar industry of Iloilo by bringing machinery (imported by his former employer Ker & cia) that aided mass sugar production. The Ilongos honor his contribution to their economy by naming their port, Muelle Loney, after him. The British would have not been able to do much business in Iloilo if it were not for this Spanish speaking businessman. The simple looking building of classic Filipino style architecture (stone first floor, wooden upper space) is a testamen

The horizontal development of the 16-hectare, PhP12B Iloilo City Center (ICC) located along Iloilo City’s Senator Benigno S. Aquino Jr. Avenue has been completed and is now ready to start with the construction of buildings.  Last Saturday, the ICC owned by the Gaisano Capital Group of Companies held a topping off ceremony to announce the completion of the horizontal development.  Aerial view of the road and canal networks of ICC Township plan of the Iloilo City Center According to Halley T. Alcarde assistant vice president and head of sales and marketing of ICC the ceremony signified that ICC is done with the horizontal and is now ready for sky-rise frenzy. City Times Square He disclosed that already ongoing is the construction of the City Times Square or the entertainment complex.  To follow soon are the malls, church and other commercial establishments. The center has the one kilometer man-made lake with promenade as its unique feature that makes it an ideal

ATI TRIBE COMPETITION MAJOR AWARDS: Champion – Tribu Salognon of Jaro National High School 1st runner-up – Tribu Ilonganon of Jalandoni National High School 2nd runner-up – Tribu Pan-ay of Fort San Pedro National High School 3rd runner-up – Tribu Paghidaet of La Paz National High School 4th runner-up – Tribu Baybayanon of Melchor L. Nava National High School MINOR AWARDS: Best Choreographer – Tribu Salognon of Jaro National High School Best in Costume Designer – Tribu Panayanon of Iloilo City National High School Best Headdress – Tribu Panayanon of Iloilo City National High School Best Musical Director – Tribu Panayanon of Iloilo City National High School Best in Discipline – Tribu Ilonganon of Jalandoni Memorial National High School Best Music – Tribu Panayanon of Iloilo City National High School Best in Costume – Tribu Panayanon of Iloilo City National High School Best in Street Dancing – Tribu Panayanon of Iloilo City National High School Best Choreography – Tribu Salogno

A bronze of Datu Paiburong will be inaugurated tomorrow, Jan. 21 at the Iloilo River Esplanade. A project of the JCI (Junior Chamber International) Iloilo Ilang-Ilang in partnership with the Iloilo City Government, the warrior statue will be unveiled to showcase Iloilo City's Dinagyang Festival, just in time for its celebration over the weekend.  The statue which depicts Datu Paiburong as the Iloilo Dinagyang Warrior conceptualized and designed by local artist Boy Maculino. It stands 15 feet from its base and will be made from cement with a bronze finishing. The statue is a donation of JCI Iloilo Ilang Ilang, an all-female chapter of the Junior Chamber International. JCI Iloilo Ilang-Ilang continues to carry out its mission of creating positive change in the community by providing development opportunities that empower women and young people. Legend says that the 10 Datus said to have escaped the tyrannical rule of Sultan Makatunaw of Borneo. Travelling by sea the