ILOILO: HEART of the PHILIPPINES

The Medical City (TMC) Iloilo achieved another surgical milestone by having Iloilo’s first liver surgery guided by Intraoperative Ultrasound (IOUS).  A team of skilled surgeons led by Dr. Leandro Torre, Iloilo’s first and only Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgeon who completed his fellowship training in TMC Ortigas and assisted by Dr. Ryan Comuelo, Laparoscopic Surgeon, successfully performed Iloilo’s first Laparoscopic Hepatectomy (Segment 5) with Cholecystectomy under Intraoperative Ultrasound Guidance.  The patient was a 62-year-old female who got admitted because of extreme pain her abdomen. After undergoing a series of diagnostic procedures, a liver tumor was discovered.  The groundbreaking procedure, which involved the removal of a liver tumor and the simultaneous removal of the gallbladder, highlights the remarkable potential of laparoscopic techniques and the integration of cutting-edge imaging technology into surgical practice here in Iloilo City.  Traditionally...

TOWARDS the start of the new millennium, anticipation was in the air. There was apprehension about “Y2K” in an emerging digital world. People were excited about a new century. The country was a rising tiger of Asia. “Erap” Estrada had won the 1998 elections and was popular, though there was rising discontent with his presidency. The Growth of a City within a City BY VIC SALAS June 12, 1999 was a major milestone in Iloilo’s business community, as the first SM mall in Western Visayas opened (2nd outside Mega Manila) , forever changing the landscape of retailing in Iloilo. It also completed a decades-long, gradual shift of the main commercial areas of downtown Iloilo – the JM Basa- Iznart-Delgado-Ledesma nexus - to the Diversion road area. The first “mall” in the country is Ali Mall in Cubao, inaugurated by the great Muhammad Ali himself in 1976. Malls would have retail stores, restaurants, interconnected buildings and a central concourse area. The trendsetter is defini...

Feed your senses with thought-provoking works by selected artists from Western Visayas and Metro Manila in this exhibit running until August 2023. In Hiligaynon, “Kaon na ta!” (“Let’s eat!”) is an invitation to share a meal. Its meaning far exceeds its simple form, as it also implies generosity, hospitality, congregation, and gratification. Taking a cue from this phrase, the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art (ILOMOCA) sets the table for a feast of its own through Kaon Na Ta! | A Melding of Visual Flavors. Opening to the public on May 19, this major exhibition brings together 20 artists from Western Visayas and 22 from Metro Manila to build the idea of an “aesthetic cuisine,” in which food is used as a metaphor for cultural consumption, community and identity, and originality and invention. The mixture of different tastes fuses as one, to produce something fresh in the hopes of generating a dialogue on creativity. Curators of KAON NA TA: Rock Drilon, Manuel Ocampo and Marika Constantino...

Master your favorite mobile games at the Creators Champ  and join amazing activities at the Cosplay Comic Collectibles Fiesta 2023! Manila, Philippines. May 17, 2023: In its sustained effort to empower local creators and budding talent, realme Philippines launches the first-ever realme Creators Champ, an on-ground masterclass event designed to fuel the multi-passionate interests of the youth.  Mark your calendars because realme is about to roll out its nationwide invasion starting in Iloilo this Friday, May 19, from 5-7PM, at the B Lifestyle Complex (Bonds Coworking Space). Additionally, as the first city to have an officially signed executive order for expansion of esports in its locality, the realme Creators Champ Iloilo will be focusing on esports and mobile gaming. The interactive discussion is powered by The Stylish Champion, realme C55 and will be spearheaded by three pillars of the realme Esports family, all hailing from the Visayas region: Arjay “Santie” Magcalas, the ...

SM City Iloilo together with the Iloilo City Government team up for the The Weekend Market at SM Southpoint. Happening every Friday to Sunday from 7AM to 2PM, market vendors from the Iloilo Terminal Market and Central Market as well as farmers from SM Foundation’s KSK program offer fresh produce and fruits in season, flowers and plants grown by local farmers. The Iloilo City LGU as well as SM City Iloilo works hand in hand for this initiative in order to help the vendors from the city's two largest wet markets bring their produce to the shoppers of the mall. The mall assists them in setting up shop to bring the freshest, vegetables, fruits, plants and flowers, and also  by providing them with a high-traffic location to display and market their products to shoppers, employees, and tenants. SM Foundation Inc.’s Kabalikat Sa Kabuhayan(SMFI-KSK) farmer graduates also makes their harvested products available for customers to avail. Since 2020, SM Foundation has helped 28,500 local farme...

Following its successful launch in Bacolod City, Vans opens its newest store in Iloilo City on Saturday, May 6th, 2023. This latest addition to Vans’ growing ko list of Visayan stores is located in SM City Iloilo, giving Ilonggo shoppers easy access to the quintessential “Off The Wall” shopping experience. With a floor space of 165.17 square meters, Vans SM City Iloilo showcases the brand's latest footwear, apparel, and accessories dedicated to skateboarding, surfing, art, design and music. The distinct Vans checkerboard print and minimalist woodwork accentuate the new store’s interiors. To make the opening more exciting, the first 100 customers of the new store will receive a limited Vans laundry bag for every single receipt purchase worth PHP 5,000.              Vans SM City Iloilo also features the iconic Amzn Pacu and Slip-On TRK Mule.  The AMZN Pacu Shoes are low top slip-ons that provide ventilation for extra comfort and a solid grip outsole...