Iloilo: A Neighbor Beckons

Old buildings and heritage houses, the sweet delicacies, the sweet-natured people, the sing-song language — there are so many things that Bacolod City shares with its neighbor across the seas, Iloilo City. And rightfully so. Many prominent families in Negros Occidental trace their roots in Iloilo. Through the years, residents of both cities frequent the other especially with only the one-hour distance by fast-craft ferry.

It is such a wonder, I now realize, that I have only been to Iloilo a few times, the number I could count with just the fingers of my one hand. But having lived in the capital, Metro Manila, for two decades, Iloilo became a distant place but a place that is “just there”, like a next-door neighbor. And though I have my sights set on this heritage-rich city after I moved back to my home city of Bacolod, I never got around to really take time to explore it.

Educational trip

My first trip to Iloilo and its neighboring towns was when I was in sixth grade. It was our customary educational trip at school and it was a fun experience riding the boat with hundreds of other kids. The better part was that we devoted days to visit old churches and other interesting sites.

I remembered passing through the town of Dueñas, visiting SEAFDEC, a lace-weaving/barong-weaving institution, a very old church, a school, and a resort. I was only 12 years old then, so I could only have pieces of the trip in my memory.

Tailing after my father

I was in high school when my father had a business trip to Iloilo. Since it was just a ferry away, my mother decided that we follow him during the last days of his trip. And while he was busy with meetings and conferences, there we were, roaming the streets of Iloilo, eating in local food joints, and enjoying its native delicacies and pastries.

By then, I was feeling at home in this city, which resembled my own homeland. I must admit that Iloilo was a bit advanced, with large department stores and fast food chain brands landing on its shores. That was to be expected because Iloilo City is the political center of Western Visayas or Region 6, where provinces in Panay Island (Iloilo, Antique, Aklan, Capiz) and Negros Occidental belong.

Business trip

I was already working when I had the opportunity to return to Iloilo. But it was only a day trip and most of the days were spent cooped inside the meeting venue.

We did sneak out and went to a furniture shop, which was closed when we got there. But we passed by old houses and a church before we headed to the airport. So there I was, leaving Iloilo unsatisfied.

Government papers

I came home to Bacolod taking the nautical highway, driving my car from Manila and loading it port-to-port. We had to traverse through Panay’s highways but the lateness of the hour prevented us to explore further. Besides, we never got the chance to go to Iloilo City as we boarded the RORO (Roll-On, Roll-Off) boat in Dumangas.

Finally, I had the opportunity when I needed to process government papers related to my work. With Iloilo City as the political center of our region, most regional government offices are based there. My sister accompanied me on this trip as she had been there several times these past years.

We took the Weesam Express ferry at 6:20 am. We already purchased round-trip tickets to save on cost. It was a smooth ride as the sea was calm on this early morning. The sun was rising as we got to the new Iloilo Ferry Port. The silver statue of a lady atop its city hall shone.

We went to the city proper and old buildings lined up the streets. They were not only lovely to look at but they also evoke a sense of longing of the past. Plaza Libertad, right across the new city hall, was still a sleepy square at that time, with only a number of people sitting around, mostly elderly men, who seem to be up than their younger counterparts. Remnants of the previous week’s Dinagyang Festival still filled the city’s vibe.

As I needed to go to the DSWD Regional Office, we headed to Molo, passing by the University of the Philippines Iloilo campus and Sarabia Manor Convention Center. After I was done with my official business, we walked a few blocks towards the Molo Church. It is the St. Anne Parish Church that was constructed in 1831. Across the church is the Molo Plaza Park while right beside the church is the Convento de Molo.

After spending time inside the church, we went to SM City in Mandurriao. But it was in Plazuela de Iloilo, right beside the mall, where we had our lunch.

As we had to head back to the port to catch the next ferry trip, we traveled back to the city proper. Again, it was a short trip, spending only a few hours in this lovely city. But I know that Iloilo will call me back, and I couldn’t wait to return and unearth the beautiful stories and sights of Iloilo.