ILOILO: HEART of the PHILIPPINES

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treňas wants to level up the plazas to provide the people with a place to relax and bond with their loved ones and for visitors to enjoy. With the newly-installed lamp posts at Jaro Plaza lit up last August 17 for pilot testing as part of the rehabilitation program of the plazas in Iloilo City, turning them into beautiful parks and welcoming spaces. City Tourism Officer Junel Ann Divinagracia said this is the start of the upcoming "The Iloilo City Night Tour Program." The initiative aims to revive the night life in the metro while featuring its best destinations and heritage sites to the public and tourists. The project will also support business groups who are encouraged to open their shops at night in order for them to earn while helping the economic sector of the city to recover. "We want to encourage the public to develop something nga maka-earn man sila (for them to earn as well). Gusto man nation sila mahatagan sang palangabuhian (We also wa...

The Philippines’ leading airline, Cebu Pacific (PSE: CEB), continues to boost its international network as it adds flights to some of its top ASEAN destinations, namely Bangkok and Bali. Beginning August 29, 2022, CEB will fly daily from Manila to Bangkok, coming from its current five-times-a-week frequency. By September, flights from Manila to Bali will also increase from thrice to five times weekly. The airline also intends to restart its Manila-Brunei flights by September 1, starting with a twice weekly frequency. “We are happy to keep growing our international network as we see an increasing demand for travel abroad, and as more destinations ease restrictions. It is exciting and encouraging to see more Filipinos travelling confidently in and out the Philippines, that is why we make sure we consistently provide convenient and affordable flight options to enable everyJuan to travel more for less,” said Xander Lao, CEB Chief Commercial Officer. Fully vaccinated Filipinos flying to the...

K-Town at Festive Walk Parade will satisfy your love for K-cuisine, K-music and more Iloilo City – Festive Walk Iloilo furthers its bid to strengthen Iloilo and Korea’s friendship by launching the K-Town at Festive Walk Parade featuring a grander lineup of Korean restaurants, live musical and cultural performances, and loads of fun activities that the whole community is welcome to enjoy. Star-studded K-performances As the first Korean destination in Iloilo City, K-Town has been welcoming guests since earlier this year. On its Grand Opening on August 26, they are bringing in more fun and excitement through the K-Town Grand Launch. Revel in a K-celebration with lantern lighting and exciting performances from Dasuri Choi and Rabiya Mateo.  Festive Walk Iloilo is also a long-time partner of the Iloilo Korean United Community Association, an organization that recognizes Koreans as the number one foreign visitors of the city. Thus, on August 27, the  Ka-Chingu: Korea-Iloilo Friendsh...

Officials of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Service of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) led by Director Alex G. Bote presented to Gov. Arthur Defensor, Jr. the proposed Iloilo-Capiz-Aklan Expressway Project (ICAEx) on Wednesday, August 24, 2022. Bote said the project is included in the list of priority projects proposed for implementation through PPP in accordance with RA No. 7718 (BOT Law). ICAEx is proposed to be a full-access controlled toll expressway with four lanes composed of elevated roadways, viaducts, a tunnel and a long-span bridge. It has an estimated length of 210 kilometers, traversing 20 municipalities along three provinces (Iloilo, Capiz and Aklan) on Panay island. Based on the initial information, the ICAEx will start at Brgy. M.V. Hechanova in Leganes which is strategically located near the approach of the proposed Panay-Guimaras Bridge, a component of the Panay-Guimaras-Negros Bridge Project. The expressway will end in Malay, Aklan the which i...

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Iloilo Chapter, Inc. (PCCI-Iloilo) recently gathered entrepreneurs - both established and startups — by hosting "What's Up, Western Visayas" Business Conference on August 22 at Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo. More than 200 startup entrepreneurs, business owners, corporate executives, employees, and business students attended the said event which was underscored by series of talks from business experts and industry leaders covering topics relates to business trends, digitalization, family business management, and econo mic opportunities, among others. The top caliber speakers who graced the business conference include CBRE Country Head Mr. die Espinosa; Grab Country Head Grace Vera Cruz; European Chamber of Commerce and Industry Western Visayas Business Council Chairman Joe Bantiling; Wong-Bernstein Group Executive Director Prof. Enrique Soriano; Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Director of ICT De...

Staying true to its commitment in making healthcare closer to the Ilonggos by bringing in innovative programs and services here, The Medical City Iloilo  (TMC-Iloilo) is again launching another pioneering program that will be beneficial to the Ilonggo community. TMC Iloilo officially launched the first hospital-based Emergency Medical Services in Iloilo today. Alongside with it, the hospital is also introducing its Medical Emergency Hotline Number 33-80808, a 24/7 hotline for medical emergencies. With the competent and highly-skilled Emergency Medical Team of TMC Iloilo, patients are ensured that they will receive quality care based on the standards set for this program. TMC Iloilo Emergency Medical Team has undergone series of specialized trainings to equip them with the skills and capabilities to respond to medical emergencies. The team are now capable of performing medical emergency procedures on the place of the incident before transporting the patient to the hospital. With TMC...

SM City Iloilo and SM Cares bring together f ifteen (15) artists from Himbon Contemporary Ilonggo Artists Group showcasing "Art with a Heart" artworks  in an exhibit dubbed as "Ilig Sang Kabuhi". The display features more than 40 artworks depicting artistic interpretations on motherhood and breastfeeding in celebration of August as National Breastfeeding Awareness Month. "W e aim to raise awareness on the benefits of breastfeeding and the beauty of a mother’s journey with her child" said Engr. Gilbert Domingo, Mall Manager of SM City Iloilo as he welcomed guests during the opening of the exhibit. "We hope that in doing so, we are able to positively influence acceptance of breastfeeding by mothers as a means to nourish their children". "Likewise, we ensure that the message we communicate is also followed by services and facilities to support women, particularly in creating a safe space and welcoming environment f...

Volunteers composed of Property Company of Friends, Inc. (PRO-FRIENDS) employees and homeowners from its communities, Parc Regency Residences and Monticello Villas, conducted a tree-planting activity in Brgy. Tampucao in Lambunao, Iloilo, as part of the company's corporate social responsibility program. Travelling more than an hour from Pavia tfor this CSR community program, the group also engage with a hundred kids through story-telling and a feeding program. The volunteers have expressed their excitement in performing social responsibility activities which can not only have a positive effect on the children but to the environment as well. "We are happy to be able to come together to spend time with the GK community that we look after in Brgy. Tampucao in the municipality of Lambunao."  said PRO-FRIENDS Iloilo head Mary Pauline Villagante "This is one of the many activities where our employees in PRO-FRIENDS and our homeowners in Parc Regency Residences and in Monti...

Cebu Pacific (CEB), the Philippines' leading airline, unveils its special seat sale for both domestic and international destinations. From August 8 to 10, 2022, the airline is giving everyJuan the chance to plan out their dream trip for as low as PHP8 one-way base fare. Travel period for this seat sale is from September 1, 2022, until February 28, 2023. “We continue to see a resurgence in tourism as people have become more confident to travel amidst our new normal. As we want to keep stimulating travel, both in and out the Philippines, we are pleased to offer another hard-to-miss promo that will enable everyJuan to save up on fares as they plan trips ahead,” says Cebu Pacific Corporate Communications director Carmina Romero. Whether passengers would like to rediscover their favorite beach destinations like Boracay, Bohol, Siargao, Palawan, and Cebu; or enjoy the must-try food culture in Pampanga and Negros, travelers can enjoy the best of the Philippines without breaking the bank. ...

With 23 years of experience in the property development business, Property Company of Friends, Inc. (PRO-FRIENDS) launched Merrydale Homes— Iloilo, a 6,5-hectare development in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo. Merrydale Homes — Iloilo is PRO-FRIENDS' entry in the socialized housing category which aptly calls it "community living", as it is characterized by the integration of open spaces and other facilities to encourage healthy community living. This type of residential design will enable families to enjoy more opportunities for bonding and wellness activities as it combines practical livable homes with multi-purpose spaces. Strategic Location Merrydale Homes - Iloilo s ituated in Brgy. Pal-agon, Santa Barbara which borders the bustling municipality of Pavia. It is approximately 15 kilometers away from Iloilo City and also near schools, work locations and commercial establishments. This gated development offers the Amber house model which features provision for two ...