Iloilo City is often referred to as the “City of Love” in terms of food spots because it is renowned for its delicious and diverse culinary offerings. While the nickname “City of Love” is more commonly associated with the city’s cultural and romantic aspects, it can also be extended to the love and passion that the people of Iloilo put into their cooking and the love that visitors have for the city’s food.

Here are some reasons why Iloilo City is considered a culinary haven:

Rich Culinary Heritage: Iloilo City has a rich culinary heritage influenced by a mix of Filipino, Spanish, and Chinese cuisines. This fusion of flavors has resulted in a unique and diverse array of dishes that are loved by locals and visitors alike.

Seafood Delicacies: Being located on the coast, Iloilo City is famous for its fresh seafood. You can savor a variety of seafood dishes such as grilled fish, scallops, shrimp, and crab prepared in various ways, including the popular “sinigang na hipon” (shrimp sour soup) and “talaba” (oysters).

La Paz Batchoy: One of the most iconic dishes of Iloilo is “La Paz Batchoy.” This noodle soup is made with savory pork broth, egg noodles, and pork offal, and garnished with crushed pork cracklings, green onions, and sometimes, a slice of boiled egg. It’s a comfort food loved by locals and visitors alike.

Fresh and Exotic Fruits: Iloilo is known for its sweet and exotic fruits like mangoes, pomelos, and lanzones. The surrounding towns of the city have fertile soil and favorable climate contribute to the production of high-quality fruits.

Food Markets and Festivals: Iloilo City is home to bustling food markets and food festivals. The markets, such as the Iloilo Central Market, offer a wide variety of fresh produce, street food, and local delicacies. The city also hosts food festivals like the “Dinagyang Festival” and “Batchoy Festival” where you can sample an array of local dishes.

Local Bakeries and Sweets: Iloilo City has a thriving bakery scene, offering a wide range of bread, pastries, and sweets. Try “pan de sal” (Filipino bread roll), “biscocho” (sweet toasted bread), and “piaya” (a sweet flatbread filled with muscovado sugar and sesame seeds).

Passionate Cooks and Chefs: The people of Iloilo are passionate about their food, and many talented cooks and chefs take pride in creating delicious and innovative dishes. This passion for cooking contributes to the city’s reputation as a food lover’s paradise.

Warm Hospitality: Just like their warm hospitality in general, Ilonggos take great care in serving their food. Visitors often feel welcomed and appreciated when dining in Iloilo City.

In summary, Iloilo City’s nickname as the “City of Love” in terms of food spot reflects its rich culinary heritage, delicious local dishes, and the passion and love that the people put into their cooking. It’s a place where you can experience the warmth of both the food and the people who prepare it.

The heritage of Iloilo City is characterized by its rich history, cultural traditions, architectural treasures, and contributions to the Philippines. Several aspects highlighted included are the Spanish Colonial Influence on the historic churches in the city districts, and Ancestral Houses and other structures located along the old major roads.

To explore the rich heritage of Iloilo City, you can follow these steps:

1. Visit Museums: Start your exploration by visiting the museums in Iloilo City. The Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art (ILOMOCA) and Museo Iloilo are two notable museums that showcase the city’s history, art, and culture. Explore their exhibits and learn about the heritage and contributions of Iloilo to the Philippines.
2. Explore Historic Sites: Iloilo City is home to numerous historic sites that reflect its rich heritage. Visit the Jaro Cathedral, one of the oldest churches in the Philippines, and marvel at its stunning architecture. The Molo Church, known as the “Feminist Church” due to its all-female ensemble of saints, is also worth a visit. Additionally, the Old Iloilo Provincial Capitol and Calle Real (Royal Street) are historic landmarks that showcase the city’s past.
3. Discover Ancestral Houses: Iloilo City is renowned for its beautifully preserved ancestral houses. Take a stroll through the streets of Jaro, and Molo districts, where you’ll find these architectural gems. Balay Nga Bato, Lizares Mansion, and Camiña Balay nga Bato are some notable ancestral houses that provide insights into Iloilo’s affluent past.
4. Attend Festivals: Immerse yourself in the vibrant cultural celebrations of Iloilo City by attending its festivals. The Dinagyang Festival, held in January, is a highlight that showcases the city’s devotion to the Santo Niño. Witness colorful parades, street dances, and cultural performances that embody the local heritage and traditions.
5. Taste Local Cuisine: Iloilo City is also known as the “Food Haven of the Philippines,” so don’t miss the opportunity to try its culinary delights. Indulge in authentic Ilonggo dishes like La Paz Batchoy, Pancit Molo, and fresh seafood. Explore local markets and food stalls to savor the flavors of Iloilo’s gastronomy.
6. Join Heritage Tours: Consider joining guided heritage tours offered by local organizations or tourism agencies. These tours provide knowledgeable guides who can share in-depth information about the city’s heritage, architecture, and history. They often include visits to key landmarks, ancestral houses, and historical sites.
7. Attend Cultural Events: Stay updated with cultural events happening in Iloilo City, such as art exhibits, theater performances, and cultural festivals. These events provide opportunities to experience the local arts scene and witness the creativity and talent of Ilonggos.
8. Engage with Locals: To truly understand the heritage of Iloilo City, engage with the locals. Strike up conversations, ask questions, and listen to their stories. They can provide valuable insights into the city’s traditions, customs, and history.

Remember to respect the cultural heritage sites and follow any guidelines or restrictions in place to preserve their integrity. By following these steps, you can have a fulfilling and immersive experience exploring the rich heritage of Iloilo City.

Saturday was a hectic day here in the bhaus, as I had asked the owner to cover the floor of my room with vinyl or something similar. This is because of the dust that has been accumulating, making the surface somewhat difficult to clean. She agreed and scheduled the date, which was yesterday.

The semestral break is just the right time to do it, as there are fewer occupants in the other rooms that might be disturbed as we place our things inside my room.

I was unknowingly hoarding stuff like old books bought from Booksale, and my opened booster packs of Magic, and later on, I piled it up here in the room. I also had a few board games for collection and some MTG Duel Decks. I am planning to dispose of those to lessen the clutter.

Moving out my stuff was a challenge since the alley going to the rooms are narrow. We had to place them nearby so it would be easy to bring them back later on. I had my appliances and computer table hindering the passageway. Some of my clothes were placed into huge garbage bags for easy transfer.

After clearing almost 80% of the room, they placed out the linoleum floor cover, measured and cut to its dimensions. It did not take long before the whole floor of the room was covered.

I have thought of rearranging some parts, but I think the major parts were already optimized in their current positions, such as the bed and the cabinet. I just need to remove the clutter and collect them in an orderly manner. My stuff are back inside but the de-dusting and arrangement will continue.

An urban form is defined as the physical characteristics that make up built-up areas, including the shape, size, density, and configuration of settlements. It refers not only to the physical layout and design of the city but also to the spatial pattern of human activities at a certain point in time. Urban forms are ever-changing, adapting to every new building, park, sidewalk, road, or gate that’s erected.

Prof. Serote has introduced the different urban forms in his typology of urban forms in which he identified five types and these are the following: dispersed sheet, the galaxy of settlements, the core city, the urban star, and the ring.

Of the five urban forms, Iloilo city has adopted the urban star as its current form and layout. The main notable characteristic is a strong urban core with secondary centers of moderate densities, distributed along main radial roads. The downtown area or the city proper district is considered to be the core and the districts of Jaro, Mandurriao, Molo, and Lapaz as the secondary centers. The current circumferential road connecting the city districts acts as the main radial road of the city’s urban form.

It is a star in its urban form also because of the development patterns in each of the city districts pointing out to the neighboring municipalities i.e. Pavia, Oton, & San Miguel. Pavia is most likely to be the most rapid in its development in both infrastructure and industrial and is forming an urban center of its own, making the surrounding districts of Jaro and Mandurriao also flocking with its residential population.

It somehow has similarities to the concentric zone model in terms of residential areas starting at the outskirt edge of the districts up to the neighbor towns. There is only that its sort of radio-centric form has open spaces between the outreaching corridors of development.

The growth of Iloilo City started in the downtown center and that the development of surrounding districts can be a factor in changing its urban form in the future. Further government projects on urban development can also alter this and with a definite city planning, it is no surprise that Iloilo city’s urban form will evolve adopting to its development.

References:

Ibabao, R. A. (2017, November 5). Theories on the morphological patterns of cities [Ppt].

4 Theoretical Explanations of Morphological Pattern of a City (with diagram). (2014, May 12). Retrieved from http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/geography/geographical-theories/4-theoretical-explanations-of-morphological-pattern-of-a-city-with-diagram/40001

There is an upcoming gaming event here in Iloilo City which they called Conquest, the first-ever e-Sports convention. They will cover activities pertaining to Video Gaming, Cosplay, and Anime. They maybe would include table-top and trading cards under the gaming category. I decided to contact the organizers and ask if Magic: the Gathering could participate and have at least a learn-to-play booth in the event venue. The good news is that they may consider not only the booth but also have us hold a tournament there, provided that we can procure long tables.

I had already informed Rei about the plan and asked a few of the Pauper players to help in organizing this special MTG Iloilo event. This is the initial schedule of events that I had in mind:

Learn-to-Play Sessions
Time: 9am to 6pm
*2 to 4 seaters per table
*free decks to be distributed after the session
*max of 20 mins per session

Standard Pauper Tournament
Time: 10am to 2pm
Reg. 120php, Prizes TBA
Swiss Rounds
TO: Myself

Standard Showdown Tournament
Time: 2pm to 6pm
Reg. 150php, Prizes: Standard Showdown boosters & Ixalan boosters packs
Swiss Rounds
TO: Rei

If permitted, we will sell products at the side of the registration booth and will include Ixalan booster packs, HOU boosters, & card sleeves.

Other materials needed: Standee Poster, deck box containers for the freebie decks.

It will be another special Saturday for the MTG Iloilo Community as we will be holding the Magic Open House, a weekend before the Hour of Devastation Prerelease. This event is sort of introducing new players to the game and teaching them the basics via the freebie welcome decks that Wizards has provided. I think we only have twenty for the store so it will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Magic Open House at ProRei’s Place
July 1, 2017
Time: 10:30 am onwards

What is Magic Open House?

This event is for people who have never played Magic before, need a Magic refresher, or want to introduce a friend to the game! Show up, get a Welcome Deck, and play Magic against other newer players.

What we offer:

*Free Welcome Decks for the new players.
*Learn-to-play sessions
*Premium foil full-art Hour of Devastation basic lands for the Top finishers of the tournaments.

Events:

11:00am – Standard Pauper tournament (minimum of 8 players)
3:00pm – Saturday Showdown Standard

See you geists at our local game store this Saturday, and by the way, we are located here:

The current Standard Pauper tournament is gaining popularity recently as the second event was held last Saturday, June 17th. The new players and previous fans of the format have been enjoying the current metagame decks that were popularized based on Magic Online.

The recent attendance was 11 players and the rounds of gameplay were four. As for the prizes, it was the same Amonkhet boosters along with some foil promo cards that Rei provided.

The metagame I observed from the sidelines were Blue White Monster Control, Mono Black Vehicles, and Blue Red Prowess decks. I have also let one player, Romielyn, borrow my brew deck which is a version of Red Green Wolves with a sideboard plan suited for the current top-tier decks. She started strong with a 2-0 record but fell short of the top 4 as she lost the last two rounds to Mono Black and Blue White respectively.

Below are the Top 4 finishers of the Standard Pauper tournament:

1st, Christian (Mono Black Vehicles)
2nd, Ace (UW Monster Control)
3rd, Jan (UW Monster Control)
4th, Raffy (BG Emerge)

I am hoping on this coming Saturday another high attendance as well as new faces so that we could teach Magic as well as give out some of our spare commons and uncommons. I guess I should post a detailed announcement next time.

The surge of the peeps that have shown interest in the Magic: the Gathering trading card game has made me decide to return to the Standard Pauper tournament series. It was a good thing for them to experience the tournament scene at the entry-level.

After creating the MTG Iloilo Pauper Facebook group with my friend Arthur, I then surveyed them on when would be the best time that they will be available for a Standard Pauper tournament. The majority voted on Saturday morning and so I immediately set the schedule to be this week’s Saturday, April 8th. I gave them the details of a free tournament entry for first-time participants and will be having card pack freebies as well as foil promo cards for each of them. My colleague Franco also donated a few Rare cards and promo foils.

Saturday morning arrived and I was running late as I needed to drop by LBC first for the package that I will be sending to a buyer in Manila. After that, I instantly went to Rei’s place and saw the new players there as well as some of the tournament regulars that we Pauper players had before.

Eight players signed in for the tournament and after three rounds of gameplay, here are the top 3 finishers:

1st, Zea (Blue Red Tempo)
2nd, Jared (Red White Aggro)
3rd, Andrew (Blue Red Artifacts)

Here are some of the scenes during the course of the MTG Standard Pauper tournament. Click here.

Overall it was a successful event and the players really enjoyed the experience. We have planned to have another one this coming Black Saturday (as it is Holy Week already) and hopefully we can gather more players and more interesting builds in the format.

That is a wrap. Until the next post.

Last Friday’s FNM held at Critical Hit: Comics and Games was of the 1v1 Duel Commander format and was attended by 10 players. I was on the other side, or specifically at Rei’s place that time, for the MTG Standard FNM, and so I just asked my teammates there for the results afterward. I was supposed to play Zurgo again, but then I just referred it to my friend Jason to pilot.

The team’s new creation was the Gitrog Monster Commander, the main strategy is the recursion of lands from the graveyard. It was a pretty midrange approach but can be resilient late game as well as can held off aggro in the early turns.

Here are the Top 4 players after the 4 rounds of gameplay:

1st, Ace (The Gitrog Monster)
2nd, Jason (Zurgo Bellstriker)
3rd, Carl (Karlov of the Ghost Council)
4th, Raoul (Geist of St. Traft)

10 players, 4 rounds gameplay

The top players received Aether Revolt booster packs and FNM Promo foil cards for prizes.

With the continuous growth in the number of players in the Commander Iloilo community, we are hoping to have this format on a weekly tournament basis and a steady amount of participants as well. We are grateful that Critical Hit supported this even though most of their Magic products are for the Standard format. This in turn lets us help increase the store’s level as to Wizard’s local gamestore account.

That is about it for this tourney summary. Until the next post, which is probably about Amonkhet card previews.

Educational institutions in Iloilo City has an extensive history which started with the Spanish era. Most of the recognized schools and universities in the city were established during the early 1900s. A few of the notables are as follows (quoting description from the Iloilo City SEP 2015):

Iloilo National High School – Century old institution established in 1902 through American efforts. The school was housed in a two-storey buiding across the street from the Provincial Capitol before it transferred to its present site in La Paz on land donated by Don Francisco Habana Jalandoni in 1906. In 1904 was a significant year in that, for the first time, Filipino students were sent as government pensionados or scholars to the United States.

University of San Agustin – Augustinians friars from Spain belonging to the Province of the Most Holy Name of Jesus of the4 Philippines founded the University of San Agustin on 1904. It was raised into a university status on March 1, 1953.The Spanish Augustinians were the first Christian missionaries of any religious order to enter the Philippines and begin its conversion to Catholicism. The motto of the privately-owned university is Virtus it Scientia; The University is named in honor of fourth century saint Augustine of Hippo. On February 5, 1917, it was formally incorporated under thename Colegio de San Agustin de Iloilo.

Saint Paul University and Hospital – The university was founded in 1907. It is one of 42 schools owned, managed, and operated by the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres in the Philippines. The university was previously a women’s college until it finally went co-ed to accommodate male students from the male college of Ateneo de Tuguegarao that closed down. The hospital was established in 1909 by the four sisters- Sr. Donatine, Sr. Antoine, Sr. Augustine, Sr. Felix. Now, it has become one of the biggest and famous hospitals in the metropolis.

UP in the Visayas Iloilo City Campus – Currently the main building of the campus, this historical building is actually the old city hall of Iloilo City. Built more than a decade before the Second World War, this building served the city of Iloilo as its city hall from 1936 till the 50s. The city government donated the building to the university and is still used up to this day.

Central Philippine University – One of the largest institutions in the Visayas, located in the district of Jaro. It was founded by American Baptist missionaries in 1905.Its original name was Jaro Industrial School.The 24- hectare campus, with more than 30 buildings used for classrooms and support facilities. It has remained true to its mission as a Christian institution whose motto is Scientia et Fides (Knowledge and Faith).The beautifully landscaped campus had been declared a tourist destination by the local tourism authority. The city council mentioned CPU as home to the largest library in Western Visayas, the Henry Luce III Library, with more than 200,000 volumes. A non-stock, non-profit Christian institution of higher learning in Iloilo City.

Here is the second part of my post sharing the heritage and tourist attractions here in Iloilo City, Philippines. This time, we will be presenting some sites mainly located in the old district of the city and are mainly relevant to its history. It is great to share knowledge about our Ilonggo roots right? We start with:

JM Basa Street/Calle Real – Originally called “Calle Real”, and is presently known as the Cultural Heritage Zone because of the existing abundance of heritage buildings. Located in the old downtown district of Iloilo City, the street is often referred to as the “Escolta of Iloilo”. It has been famously known as one of the prime business destinations during the Spanish Era.

Plaza Libertad – formerly “PLAZA ALFONSO XII”, where the Philippine flag was raised in triumph after the Spaniards surrendered Iloilo, their last capital in the Philippines on December 25, 1898.

Nicholas Loney Monument – Erected in honor of Nicholas Loney, Father of Sugar Industry”’ he could easily be identified as the “architect of Iloilo’s progress being responsible for uplifting its economy from a less promising textile trade to a booming sugar business. Muelle-Loney is a street in the Iloilo waterfront is one reminder of Loney’s progressive enterprise.

Fort San Pedro – Fort San Pedro or formerly “real Fuerza de Iloilo” was completed in 1616 all made of stone with good bulwarks and arsenal that were surrounded by big cannons. Quadrilateral in shape and measured 60 by 60 meters. The walls were composed of cutouts of Guimaras rocks and coral stones from along the Panay Coast. Fort San Pedro was built to protect the city from invaders that threatened Iloilo such as Dutch and Moro pirates. The disrepair of the fort started in the early 20th century and was totally destroyed during World War II.

Old Provincial Capitol – The capitol building in Iloilo referred to as “Casa Real” or the Royal House during the Spanish times was built in 1840. The “Casa Real” was the residence of the alcalde-mayor or governor, the highest Spanish official in Iloilo. The architectural character of the Capitol is that of Electricism. The front colonnade composed of pillars is in the style of the Greek-Roman Doric order, visually enhanced by entasis, a technique curving the column shafts.

Arroyo Fountain – Kilometer zero; constructed in 1927 and named after Senator Jose Maria Arroyo, grandfather of the Philippines, Miguel “Mike” Arroyo.

Iloilo Freedom Grandstand – Constructed in 1953 immediately after Cong. Rodolfo Ganzon introduced the Iloilo Freedom Bill during the same year. This historic place in Iloilo City has witnessed many events and gathering social, cultural, and political was renovated in 2003 under the administration of Mayor Jerry P. Treñas. The renovation of the Freedom Grandstand was funded by CDF of Sen. John Henry R. Osmena through the efforts of the Mayor and Congressman. A large outdoor stage is located along Iznart St., in Downtown Iloilo. Freedom Grandstand is the main judging area during the annual Dinagyang Festival.

As I have recently worked on updating the Socio-Ecological Profile of Iloilo City for the year 2016, I acquired the data sent by the region’s Department of Tourism on the list of tourist attractions in the city. I never knew Iloilo to be that rich in heritage and culture and that we were able to preserve most of the sites.

The list consists of churches, mansion houses, and relevant landmarks. Most of the churches not only within the city but also in various towns and municipalities in the province were the icons that Spain left to us. It is important that we know the history of each of these heritage spots and treasure it generation by generation. The notables are:

Jaro Cathedral – the famous cathedral that houses and celebrates the feast day of Nuestra Senora de la Candelaria (Our Lady of Candles). That is every February 2.

Molo Church – located in the district of Molo, it is affectionately known as the “Women Church” because of the sixteen nearly life-size images of female saints occupying the columns on either side of the church’s center aisle. Dr. Jose Rizal paid a visit to this church during the late 19th century because of the renowned paintings of biblical characters within its structures.

Arevalo Church – Home of the 3rd oldest Sto. Niño image. There are only three original images of the child Jesus in the whole archipelago. The oldest is found in Cebu, which was discovered by Legaspi in 1565, 2nd in Tondo Church found in 1572, and the 3rd in Arevalo.

As for the heritage mansions and houses, we have:

Nelly Garden – Built-in 1928 and was commissioned by the philanthropist and statesman Don Vicente Lopez y Villanueva together with his wife, Doña Elena Hofilena y Javelona. The place was named after their eldest daughter Nelly. This grand mansion sits on the four-hectare property in the Jaro district.

Lizares Mansion – Sitting on a sprawling estate and resplendent in white paint along the highway in Tabuc-Suba, Jaro. It was once the mansion and villa of the Lizares family sold to the Dominican Order of the Philippines in the 1970’s and is now the seat of Angelicum School, a Catholic School run by the Dominican Order of Preachers.

Molo Mansion – the recently restored historic house, Yusay-Consing Mansion fronting the Molo plaza has now become a heritage attraction to visitors and locals alike. A big thanks to SM Land Inc. for initiating and funding the restoration of not only the mansion but also turning the surroundings into a sort of a park and outdoor shopping market. The Yusay-Consing Mansion was built in the 1920s and was originally owned by Doña Petra Lacson-Yusay. It was later handed down to the family of Timoteo Consing Sr., who served as Iloilo governor from the year 1935 to 1937.

Casa Mariquit – Two-century-old house, considered one of the oldest existing houses in Iloilo and where the Javellana Family once resided.

One of the family members, Maria Mariquit Javellana lived there with her husband, the former Vice President of the Philippines, Fernando Lopez, Sr.

Casa Mariquit has located a few blocks from Jaro plaza going to Tabuc Suba.

That is about it for now. There is much more that I would want to share so stay tuned for part 2 of Iloilo City’s heritage attraction on this blog. Thanks for reading.