IN THE MIDDLE PART of the 19th century, Iloilo was opened to world trade and this led to the development of the sugar industry in Western Visayas. To assist the increase in commercial activity and the expansion of the town of Iloilo, support facilities were put into place. Banks, import-export houses, department stores, machine shops and […]

AS STATED in the previous column, Iloilo’s textile production had already reached a remarkable degree of development by the 19th century. In fact, Iloilo by this time was already known as ” the textile center” of the Philippines and was exporting a considerable quantity of hand-woven materials to other parts of the country and places […]

TIME WAS WHEN Iloilo was the leading center of the textile and other weaving crafts in the Philippines. The province’s weaving industry dates back to the pre-Spanish period when the Ilonggo-Bisaya at that time wove textiles from cotton, abaca, pineapple, as well as silk bartered with the Chinese.
“Hablon” is derived from the Hiligaynon word “habol”, […]

PATADYONG weaving is one of the oldest traditional crafts in Panay. In fact, there are accounts that clearly point to the existence of this activity before the coming of the Spaniards. Iloilo, specifically, was already known as the “Textile Capital of the Philippines” by the second half of the 18th century. However, towards the last […]

A REMARKABLE structure found today not far from the entrance of the Gran Plains Subdivision in Jaro, Iloilo City is the Hechanova Ancestral House. The imposing residence was built in 1932 by Dr. Manuel Villalobos Hechanova and his wife, Montserat Ledesma Gamboa. Aside from being a medical doctor, Manuel was also a successful rice farmer […]

IN THE PREVIOUS column, a profile was made of the Chinese business activities in Iloilo City based on the 1927 Iloilo Telephone Directory. In that issue, it was pointed out that the leading business families had the surnames Uy, Tan, Chua, Sy, Chin, Ong, Po, Kwong, Sing, Tiu, Yap and Yu. The dominant business interests […]

SINCE THE 1870’s, J.M. Basa Street which was formerly known as Calle Real, had been serving as the shopping and business center of Iloilo. Because of this, it was also referred to as the “Escolta” of Western Visayas. It was here were commercial establishments and even expensive residential structures congregated. J.M. Basa Street was actually […]

THERE ARE LOTS of ways in which Dr. Jose P. Rizal, the Philippines’ foremost national hero, is being honored. His monuments are almost everywhere, and provinces, towns, barangays, streets, parks, schools, banks, and other institutions are named after him.
In Iloilo City, Rizal Street, considered one of the longest and busiest commercial and educational arteries is […]

MIDDLE-CLASS Ilonggo-Bisaya urbanites have always been described as may bugal and maporma, proud and vain, and are thus given to capricious indulgencies – fabulous clothes, expensive jewelry, top of the line cars, beautiful houses, and the good life. But, they’re poor copies of the truly rich in both Iloilo City and in the cities of Negros […]

THE WAR BETWEEN the Filipinos and the Americans in Panay began on February 11, 1899 as a result of the outbreak of the conflict in Luzon in February 4. Iloilo City and the suburb towns of Molo, Lapaz, Jaro and Mandurriao were immediately occupied by the invading troops. This was done after Fort San Pedro, fronting […]