ILOILO: HEART of the PHILIPPINES

Cebu Pacific (PSE: CEB), the Philippines’ leading carrier, is set to launch direct flights between Iloilo and Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport, offering travelers from the City of Love a faster and more affordable way to explore Thailand. Starting March 31, 2025, CEB will operate flights between Iloilo and Bangkok-Don Mueang three times a week – every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This will make CEB the only airline to offer non-stop flights between Iloilo and Bangkok. Bangkok is the third international destination that CEB will fly to from Iloilo. Aside from this, the airline also offers direct flights from Iloilo to Hong Kong and Singapore. “We are thrilled to offer more travelers the opportunity to explore the majestic city of Bangkok. Strengthening our Iloilo hub allows us to connect even more passengers from the Western Visayas region to exciting destinations across our international network,” said Xander Lao, CEB President and Chief Commercial Officer. To make this rou...

A cheerful Mrs. Emma Caballero greets us at the gates of Tagbac Elementary School in Oton, Iloilo. She excitedly announced they got a funding from Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. for a new computer facility, on top of the new classrooms being built. So how can a small school from (an almost far-flung) barangay was able to receive such big grants from the government and private donors? Ma’am Emma tells her story…  When she became part of the school back in 2003, it was the most dilapidated in Oton. “ We have no electricity, we had poor water facilities and a non-functioning toilet. ” she recalls. “ But our worst problem was most of our students were slow readers - some even non readers. ” she laments. Despite the remedial classes she offered, the problem persisted. She then found out that most are children of poor farmers that go to school without breakfast on top of having poor nutrition. “ Malnutrition seemed to be the root cause, so I decided to cure the st...

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...

In the heart of bustling Bangkok stands the largest weekend market in the world, the Chatuchak Market. Known among Thais as Jatujak Market or JJ Market, the world-famous market of Thailand features more than 15,000 stalls offering a good variety of products—from clothes and crafts to plants and food. Aside from its remarkable assortment of merchandise, Chatuchak Market became popular globally because many of its products are sold at bargain prices. It is a famous shopping destination, especially for those on a budget. Chatuchak Market is a popular shopping destination in Bangkok Thailand with more than 15,000 stalls of a great variety of products including trendy clothes and fashion-forward accessories as well as hand-made crafts souvenirs at bargain prices. Every weekend, more than  200,000 people, a mix of locals and tourists, flock to Chatuchak. It is where they shop trendy clothes and fashion-forward accessories. It is a place where people can go on a food trip and bond with pe...

Sta. Barbara is a colorful, romantic town with rich history and culture. Visitors should check out its historic center , the town’s most eye-catching architecture , the  Baroque-Renaissance architectural style of  the Sta. Barbara Parish Church and Convent. Constructed in 1849 and finished in 1878. The convent was built the same time as the church. Materials used in the construction of the church and convent were of adobe and coral stones quarried from Alimodian and red bricks used for the flooring, walls and posts. Materials were transported to the town through carts drawn by carabaos.  Connected to the side door of the church is its L-shaped convent of Antillan architectural style. The church served as the headquarters for the Ilonggo Revolutionary Forces in Western Visayas under General Martin Delgado in 1898. It was untouched during World War II and had withstood the 1948 earthquake. It was declared as a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Inst...