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 named the street bordering its plaza and a baranggay 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.
And now, Megaworld Corporation formally unveils it's very own tribute to Gen. Martin Teofilo Delgado with an iconic monument at the heart of the Iloilo Business Park.
In Iloilo City where the past is always present in every corner, the bronze statue of the greatest Visayan ‘revolucionario’ General Martin Delgado aka GMTD at the Iloilo Business Park (IBP) is hard to miss.
A masterpiece created by Spanish sculptor Gines Serran-Pagan, one of the world’s most renowned international contemporary artists, the almost 9-meter high statue of GMTD has become nothing short of a landmark in the City of Love.
Located at Park Square in front of Casa de Emperador, the statue stands proudly as a tribute to Ilonggo hero’s historic feat.
“We are very happy to have such an iconic masterpiece here in Iloilo Business Park, especially one that bears a stamp of artistic greatness courtesy of Gines Serran-Pagan" says Kevin L. Tan, executive vice president and chief strategy officer, Megaworld. "This statue is truly a fitting reminder of the continued emergence of Iloilo as a progressive city that puts the arts, history, and culture at its very core”
And in the occasion of the upcoming annual Dinagyang Festival, Megaworld honors Serran-Pagan in a ceremonial inauguration of Gen. Delgado’s statue. The event, which coincides with the kick-off of the Dinagyang Festival, serves as a celebration of Delgado’s legacy and the rich history of Iloilo.
The statue depicts GMTD mounted on a horse with his right hand on the reins while his left holding his sword. A dove is perched on Gen. Delgado’s arm symbolizing his quest for freedom, independence, and peace - to liberate his people from the Spanish and American invasion.
The monument stands almost 9 meters high (including the pedestal) and the statue weighs 3.5 tons The pedestal will be covered with granite stone that will include a metal plate with the biographical synopsis of Gen. Delgado.
The statue was first made in clay, then fiber glass, and eventually casted into bronze by Serran-Pagan himself. It took almost a month for the statue to arrive here in the Philippines from China where it was created, but the overall design and preparation of the massive artpiece took more than three years to be completed.
“I feel really proud because General Martín T. Delgado deserved this honor for having sacrificed his life for Iloilo," shares Serran-Pagan. "The bronze sculpture has the durability of thousands of years. His legacy will be an inspiration to future generations. My gratitude to his family, the people of Iloilo, and to Dr. Andrew L. Tan and his company Megaworld for giving me the opportunity to create this monument and commemorate the most famous son and hero of Iloilo”
Born in Ceuta, Spain, Serran-Pagan has devoted his life in developing communities by combining art, anthropology, history, and culture. Some of his remarkable sculptures include the The Pillars of Hercules: Abyla and Calpe and The Union of the World: Monument to World Peace, deemed to be the largest works of art depicting Classic mythology in the contemporary world which are both in Gibraltar.
Just recently, Serran-Pagan was feted with the Lorenzo de Medici Medal of the Arts in Miami, Florida for his valuable contribution to the arts in the world. The recognition was bestowed upon him by Prince Lorenzo De Medici himself, the direct descendant of the Renaissance sponsor of the Arts.
With over 250 exhibitions across 20 countries, international news agencies and organizations consider Serran-Pagan as a western artist who has had more exhibitions in Asia. He earned a master’s degree in Anthropology from New York University and a PhD from City University New York. Serran-Pagan’s artworks are collected by major museums around the globe, including the Guggenheim Museum in New York.
Iloilo Business Park was recently named by the prestigious Philippine Property Awards as the Philippines’ “Best Township Development,” the IBP highlights the importance of art in further developing communities.
Perfectly blending urban achitecture with art, history, and culture, the 72-hectare Megaworld township has become the place where art enthusiasts discover more about their craft at the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art (ILOMOCA).
One of the latest additions to Iloilo Business Park, the museum happens to be a sanctuary where Ilonggos and tourists alike can feed their love for the art with various paintings and sculptures from local and international artists.
For more information about this year’s Dinagyang Festivities, visit Iloilo Business Park’s on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/IBPofficial/