ILOILO: HEART of the PHILIPPINES

Heritage and gastronomy are two of Iloilo’s main attractions and one can experience both in just one setting – at the Camiña Balay nga Bato.  A LIVING MUSEUM “Welcome and make yourselves feel at home” greets Luth Camiña. With husband Gerard, the couple are among the 4th generation descendants of the Avanceñas, and call this heritage house their home. It took them more than a decade to renovate the structure from its worn out state. “The old house had sawali (bamboo weavings) for ceiling which we replaced with pressed tin sheets as it was a fire hazard” reveals Ms Luth. “We just retained some original structures like the windows with ventanillas (air vents), the escalera (ladder-like stairs) and the stilt-like pillars on the ground floor.”  Eugene Jamerlan, who worked with the Camiñas in the restoration explains that the number of these pillars was a status symbol back in the 19th century. “This house has a total of 24 pillars making the household among the affluent

One of the longest streets in Iloilo City is named after him. The regional headquarters of the Philippine National Police for Western Visayas bears his name. His hometown - Santa Barbara, Iloilo has two streets and a barangay named after their most distinguished son. A bronze monument stands in front of the Santa Barbara Municipal Hall and a historical marker has been installed at the place where he raised the Filipino’s flag for the first time in victory outside Luzon. GMTD Monument in Santa Barbara, Iloilo All these help perpetuate the name of Gen. Martin Teofilo Delgado (GMTD).  And every year the people of Santa Barbara commemorate November 17 in order to recall his legacy of courage, devotion to duty, love of country and unselfish struggle for liberty...

 Lording over the Molo plaza is one of the most beautiful churches in the Philippines – St. Anne’s Church. More popularly known as Molo Church, it was constructed in 1831 under Fr. Pablo Montano, with the imposing edifice is made of massive white coral rock. It is the only Gothic church in the entire country outside of Manila. The Gothic character of the church is manifested not only in its two pointed towers but also on the pointed arches at the main altar and four side altars, pulpits and confessionals. Its two belfries had around 30 bells of different sizes ranging from small hand bells to big campaniles making a musical tone.