Iloilo

 

(ē'lōē'lō) , city (1990 pop. 309,505), capital of Iloilo prov., SE Panay, the Philippines, on Iloilo Strait of Panay Gulf. With a fine harbor sheltered by Guimaras island, it is the principal port on Panay, with both interisland and overseas shipping. Iloilo is also a busy commercial center, with some manufacturing. It is known for its delicate, handwoven fabrics, made from silk and pineapple leaves. Central Philippine Univ., the Univ. of San Augustín, and a branch of the Univ. of the Philippines are there.

For the article of its capital city, see Iloilo City. For the president of Fiji, see Josefa Iloilo. For other uses, see Iloilo (disambiguation).

Iloilo is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is Iloilo City and is located at the southeast portion of Panay Island, bordering Antique to the west and Capiz to the north. Just off Iloilo's southeast coast is the island-province of Guimaras and across Panay Gulf and Guimaras Strait is Negros Occidental.

People and culture

People from Iloilo are called Ilonggos. There are two local languages spoken in the province: Hiligaynon and Kinaray-a. Hiligaynon and variants of it are spoken in Iloilo city and a few towns of the province. Outside the city, the majority of the people speak Kinaray-a. Each town has its own distinct variation of Kinaray-a. Most Ilonggos are bilingual in English and Hiligaynon; English is taught from grade school to college. The Ilonggos are mostly Malayo-Polynesian people although there are small pockets of populations with Negrito, Chinese, and European ancestry.

Spanish architecture can be seen in old buildings in downtown Iloilo. Merchants from China and India were trading with the Ilonggos even before the Spaniards came. The ruling Spanish government encouraged these foreign merchants to trade in Iloilo but they were not given privileges like ownership of land. The mestizo class eventually was born from the marriages of the Spaniards and merchants with the local Malayo-Polynesian people. They later emerged as the ruling class of the Ilonggos (see Principalía).

The town Fiesta is one of the most important events for Ilonggos. Almost every town (municipality) in Iloilo has a fiesta celebrated annually. You can eat "free" in any house in any town that is celebrating its fiesta in that week if you go with somebody who knows somebody in that house.

Goverment

Governor:Niel D. Tupas, Sr.

Vice Governor:Rolex T. Suplico

Provincial Board Members:

1st District:

2nd District:

3rd District:

4th District:

5th District:

Representatives:

1st District:Janette Loreto-Garin

2nd District:Judy Jalbuena-Syuco

3rd District:Arthur D. Defensor, Sr.

4th District:Ferjenel G. Biron

5th District:Niel C. Tupas, Jr.

Geography

The Province of Iloilo is the third-largest province in Western Visayas after Palawan and Negros Occidental. The province is divided into two distinct geographic regions; the highlands of the Madia-as on the western border and the lowland plains which account for a larger portion of the province. Small islands east of its northernmost tip also dot the Visayan Sea - of these, Pan de Azucar and Sicogon are well-known.

Natural Resources

The province is home to one national park, the Bulabog-Putian National Park located in the municipality of Dingle.

Fishing and aquaculture dominate the northern iloilo industry, while the central lowland plains derive their livelihood from agriculture.

Political

Iloilo is subdivided into 42 municipalities and 2 cities.

Cities

• Iloilo City
• Passi City

Municipalities

Ajuy Alimodian Anilao Badiangan Balasan Banate Barotac Nuevo Barotac Viejo Batad Bingawan Cabatuan Calinog Carles Concepcion Dingle Dueñas Dumangas Estancia Guimbal Igbaras Janiuay

Lambunao Leganes Lemery Leon Maasin Miagao Mina New Lucena Oton Pavia Pototan San Dionisio San Enrique San Joaquin San Miguel San Rafael Santa Barbara Sara Tigbauan Tubungan Zarraga

Physical

History

At the time of the Spanish conquest, writing was a new import and the use of organic medium such as leaf and bamboo, ultimately lead to the absence of extant pre-Hispanic accounts of Iloilo today. However, oral history – via oral epics has survived to a small degree, as only a few recordings were made from the last known surviving binukots.

The earliest written historical accounts concerning the province relates to Spain's conquest of the island of Panay by Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi moving his headquarters from the island of Cebu and creating the first Spanish settlement in the island in Ogtong in 1566. In 1581 the encomienda in Ogtong was moved to La Villa Rica de Arevalo, however, because of frequent coastal raids by Moro and Dutch privateers, this was again moved near the mouth of the Irong-irong river founding what is now Iloilo City and constructing Fort San Pedro to defend it in 1616.

External links

• Official website of the Provincial Government of Iloilo
• Metro Iloilo-Guimaras Economic Development Council

City and Municipalities of Iloilo

Ajuy • Alimodian • Anilao • Badiangan • Balasan • Banate • Barotac Nuevo • Barotac Viejo • Batad • Bingawan • Cabatuan • Calinog • Carles • Concepcion • Dingle • Dueñas • Dumangas • Estancia • Guimbal • Igbaras • Iloilo City • Janiuay • Lambunao • Leganes • Lemery • Leon • Maasin • Miagao • Mina • New Lucena • Oton • Passi City • Pavia • Pototan • San Dionisio • San Enrique • San Joaquin • San Miguel • San Rafael • Santa Barbara • Sara • Tigbauan • Tubungan • Zarraga

Philippines
Capital	Manila • National Capital Region
Provinces	Abra • Agusan del Norte • Agusan del Sur • Aklan • Albay • Antique • Apayao • Aurora • Basilan • Bataan • Batanes • Batangas • Benguet • Biliran • Bohol • Bukidnon • Bulacan • Cagayan • Camarines Norte • Camarines Sur • Camiguin • Capiz • Catanduanes • Cavite • Cebu • Compostela Valley • Cotabato • Davao del Norte • Davao del Sur • Davao Oriental • Dinagat Islands • Eastern Samar • Guimaras • Ifugao • Ilocos Norte • Ilocos Sur • Iloilo • Isabela • Kalinga • La Union • Laguna • Lanao del Norte • Lanao del Sur • Leyte • Maguindanao • Marinduque • Masbate • Misamis Occidental • Misamis Oriental • Mountain Province • Negros Occidental • Negros Oriental • Northern Samar • Nueva Ecija • Nueva Vizcaya • Occidental Mindoro • Oriental Mindoro • Palawan • Pampanga • Pangasinan • Quezon • Quirino • Rizal • Romblon • Samar • Sarangani • Shariff Kabunsuan • Siquijor • Sorsogon • South Cotabato • Southern Leyte • Sultan Kudarat • Sulu • Surigao del Norte • Surigao del Sur • Tarlac • Tawi-Tawi • Zambales • Zamboanga del Norte • Zamboanga del Sur • Zamboanga Sibugay
Other subdivisions	Island groups • Regions • Cities • Municipalities • Barangays • Legislative districts
Territorial disputes	Sabah • Scarborough Shoal • Spratly Islands

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