ILOILO: HEART of the PHILIPPINES

7-Eleven opening at INJAP Tower with PSC top honchos and actress Denise Laurel "7-Eleven is proud to be in Iloilo" opens up Jose Victor Paterno, President and CEO of Philippine Seven Corporation (PSC) in a press conference following the grand launching of 7-Eleven in Iloilo. "The warm reception of the Ilonggos, in terms of our store sales, is overwhelming".  President and CEO of Philippine Sevcen Corporation , Jose Vic Paterno  Five months after the first 7-Eleven store opened in Iloilo City, the giant convenience store chain opened it's sixth branch located at the INJAP Tower along Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. Avenue (Diversion Road). It plans to open 25 branches in Iloilo within the year and 80 more in the next two years. 7-Elvene's Francis Medina "We are optimistic abut opening more stores in Iloilo and look forward to bringing more and modern convenience to the Ilonggos" says Francis Medina, Business Development Division Manager o...

A little more than a year after announcing its PhP15 billion Atria Park District investment in Iloilo City through its subsidiary Avida Land Corp., AyalaLand reveals another first for the Ilonggos. Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog (in yellow) with the officers from Makati Development Corp., and AyalaLand Hotels and Resorts Corporation. In a groundbreaking ceremony held last June 17, 2014, the major developer announced the entry of its urban lifestyle hotel brand to Iloilo City - welcome SEDA HOTEL Iloilo . Here's a brief description of the hotel from its' website The Seda hotel collection offers a new experience in hospitality − urban lifestyle hotels. Each property under the Seda brand fuses contemporary design with the local vibe to create an inviting place where relaxation, play, and work can mix. Thus, while every hotel displays Seda's trademark style and service, each has a distinct personality all its own. Latest render of SEDA Hotel I...

Santa Barbara, a historical town in Iloilo where the flag of fledgling Philippine Republic was raised in 1898 to signal the start of the revolution against the Spaniards in the Visayas and Mindanao, will celebrate its heritage this Independence Day with digital tourism—a project of Cebu-based new media start-up Innopub Media and wireless leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart). The Digital Tourism project aims to enhance the tourists’ experience through Internet and mobile technologies. It involves the creation and installation of interactive markers containing Quick Response (QR) codes and Near Field Communication (NFC) stickers which, when scanned or tapped via a mobile phone, direct users to a website containing more information about the site or structure, including photos and videos.  Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. and Mayor Dennis Superficial (4th and from left respectively) led the unveiling of the Iloilo Digital Tourism markers during the 116th Philippine Indepe...

Iloilo will soon be having two community malls in two of its bustling suburban areas - Ungka in Pavia and Tagbac in Jaro. These two areas are synonymous with the transport hubs located therein. Ungka Terminal serves West and Central Iloilo towns and its along the highway going to the Iloilo International Airport while Tagbak Terminal is the gateway to the northern towns including Capiz and Aklan, where the popular Boracay Beach is just about 6 hours away. Here's the press release coming from ABS CBN News . MANILA, Philippines - CityMall Commercial Centers Inc (CMCCI), a company owned by the founders of Jollibee Foods Corp. and Mang Inasal and Henry Sy's SM Investments, is planning to build two CityMalls in Iloilo. In a disclosure to the stock exchange, DoubleDragon Properties said its subsidiary CMCCI has signed a long-term lease agreement with the Que family's Iloilo Commercial Development Corp. (ICDC) for two prime lots in Iloilo. Two CityMall community malls ...

Mention Tatoy's and almost every Ilonggo would equate it with a singular product - native litsong manok . From that one iconic product, Tatoy's grew from a single shack along the beach built in the 70's to a large dining complex - nipa huts, al fresco dining and airconditioned areas this past few decades. EAT'S More Fun in Iloilo with FLAVOURS OF ILOILO But around 4 decades after, Tatoy's has a new feather added to it's cap as it recently opened a pool resort in its gastronomic complex. Its located at the back of their main pavilion further inside the lot. It has no rooms for overnight accommodations as of now, just a pool and cabanas plus another function room with the view. Here are the rates of the pool usage from a Facebook   friend. Free Entrance Weekdays (Mon-Thurs) Swimming Php 200 swimming with Jacuzzi Php 250 Weekends (Fri-Sun) Swimming Php 250 Swimming with Jacuzzi Php 300  For more details and inquiries, just check out...

A garden in Brisbane Australia which could be adapted along the Iloilo Riverside Esplanade Another beautification project is about to make Iloilo City among the most beautiful and colorful cities in the Philippines. In a few days, the city government will launch  BONGGA BELLA- a beautification project directed to do up the City road network with the flowering shrub commonly known as bougainvillea and to promote it as "Bulak sang Iloilo", the Official Local Flower. Source The plant is locally ubiquitous and can be seen growing virtually in the whole city with flowers of various colors. As a shrub it is an ideal fencing barrier; as an ornament it is interestingly quaint. "Bongga Bella!" which means "grand and beautiful" - two words that best describe Iloilo! It shall be initially undertaken by Iloilo City and shall become a collaborative project with the rest of Iloilo. ( Text source ) Here are some bougainvillea landscaping ideas I got from t...

Summer is on its peak and the ultimate beach destination beckons... BORACAY! It needs no introduction for the mere mention of it brings images of fine white sand beaches, clear blue waters, resorts - here,there and everywhere), a flood of foreign and local tourists, delectable food finds, a galore of souvenirs and the ultimate party place from sun up to sundown. And the best? It's just around 5 hours from Iloilo City via public transportation! I always fancy an early morning walk in beaches and  it's even better when in Boracay. The lure of the 4-kilometer stretch of white sand beach plus it's on it's widest stretch in the morning makes it an ideal time to discover Boracay when most of it visitors are in a "slumber party". You can have Willy's Rock all to yourself with some occasional "photobombers"...  ... you'll meet early risers too - walking, jogging or painting the sky with colors. As the sun (and tide) rises, the beach bum...