ILOILO: HEART of the PHILIPPINES

A festival dedicated principally to bamboo and its many uses, TULTUGAN FESTIVAL is celebrated every year end in the town of Maasin, Iloilo. The festival performances usually depicting the local culture is a perfect platform to display new creative ways of utilizing bamboo, a widely available material that has been used for centuries in the archipelago, into modern-looking and aesthetically appealing functional products. Different approaches are applied to the transformation and development of various bamboo-based products incorporated in the presentation. The festival costume, prop and musical instruments are all made of or at least inspired by bamboo and it is the municipality’s way of keeping various valuable traditions alive by connecting them to the festival to ensure and safeguard its sustainability for future generations. In addition to seeing and hearing unique dance and music performances, attendees will be able to engage in activities such as the dai...

The National Museum in partnership with the Office of Senator Loren Legarda inaugurated the "Habol Panay: The Woven Artistry of Western Visayas. " at the National Museum - Western Visayas formerly the Prison of Iloilo. It features the textiles, garments, accessories and associated weaving material culture of the region from the survey made by researchers of the NM Ethnology Division over the past few years.  The result is the varied textile traditions from the Panay and parts of Negros Occidental. More than 100 guests attended the event. These include: Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr.; former Antique Governor Salvacion Perez; Antonio Cabrera Legarda, the father of Senator Legarda and her Chief of Staff Tala Maralit; Executive Assistant Dominador representing the Iloilo City Mayor; Iloilo City director Martin Defensor Sr.; weavers from Miag-ao, Iloilo City (Arevalo), Aklan, and Antique, including Ms. Anna India Legaspi and Ms. Nelia Rogano; Wuthle embroid...

Heads up, style junkies, Levi's® just opened its 1st permanent Tailor Shop outside Metro Manila at Robinsons Place Iloilo !   Now, style customization reaches a whole new level in the City of Love as shoppers can step up their denim game through customization and personalization.   “ The Levi’s® Tailor Shop is a way of opening up new possibilities for denim wearers to express themselves and celebrate their authenticity ” says Charisse Chua, Levi’s Philippines Country Manager. “ At Robinson’s Place Iloilo, we found an emerging hub of culture and lifestyle, making it a perfect home for the Levi’s® Tailor Shop ”  Inside the Levi’s® Tailor Shop, customers can work with a master tailor to place original patches, studs, and collectible pins for added attitude.  To give wearers the perfect fit and style, the Levi’s® Tailor Shop also offers alteration services such as hemmings. For those who want an extra touch of ownership and character, there’...

It will be a Christmas to remember at Iloilo Business Park as Megaworld brings the Philippines’ biggest Santa Bear to light up th City of Love this Yuletide season. This iconic 50-feet Christmas Bear will certainly bring smiles and inspire child-like wonder this holiday season as Christmas is bound to get bigger and a lot more fun this year. The Philippines’ celebrated giant Santa Christmas Bear – the biggest of its kind in the country – becomes the star of the season at Iloilo Business Park. The iconic white Christmas bear can be seen seated atop the Iloilo Business Park Show Room along Megaworld Boulevard and is visible across main thoroughfares in Mandurriao and the nearby Jaro district. “Christmas is a very important season for us Filipinos. It is a wonderful time where we all come together to share joyful experiences in love and delight says Jennifer Palmares-Fong, Vice President for sales and marketing, Megaworld Iloilo Business Park. "For us at Megaworld, w...

Get Ready to Feel Good, Ilonggos! SM Hotels and Conventions Corp (SMHCC) just announced the opening of Park Inn by Radisson Hotel Iloilo by March of 2019! Park Inn by Radisson Iloilo nears completion at SM City Iloilo complex. Photo by Robbie Robles Located on a prime spot next to SM City Iloilo, the 200-room, 10-storey hotel will become the 3rd hotel under the Park Inn by Radisson brand in the Philippines but it will be the 1st to be fully-managed by SMHCC.  " SMHCC’s long time partnership with Radisson Hotel Group (RHG) will be further strengthened and reflects a strong mutual intent to grow the brand in the country. ” says SMHCC President Elizabeth Sy.  “ As owners, SMHCC looks forward to benefitting from RHG’s vast global resources that have helped make RHG one of the most progressive hotel companies in the world. ” Artist's perspective of Park Inn by Radisson Iloilo With its central location in the burgeoning district of Mandurriao, the hotel is 2...

In the wilderness, leave all your troubles and negativities behind....  And this 2018, Havaianas is bringing only good vibes amidst crazy times and will take you to a place where positivity reigns.  Welcome to the Wilderness of Joy! This year’s Make-Your-Own-Havaianas (MYOH) reflects on a wilderness theme with the commemorative sole featuring a re-imagined version of the camouflage pattern with banana leaves against a deep blue background.  MYOH 2018 also debuts a commemorative slim strap. Covered in the same print as the sole, it can be matched with a multitude of colors for an eclectic chic look. Happiness abounds with hundreds of options to customize your own pair. Just choose from the Havs roulette for the size and color combo to suit your style. Finish your unique sole and strap combination with a variety of pins that will make you smile.  A slice of pizza, a palm tree, a smiley face, and the commemorative rainbow pin, – where par...