Iloilo General Tourist Info

Before you begin your excursion into the many attractions in Iloilo, having some idea of the facts and figures regarding the province will come in handy.

Location and Geography

Situated in the western part of the Visayas, Iloilo is flanked to the north by Capiz, and to the west by Antique. The province also occupies a portion of the Island of Panay. Off Panay Island are the island of Guimaras and the Panay Gulf. Iloilo City is the capital.

Geographically speaking, Iloilo can be divided and classified in two groups: the Madia-as range, comprising the highlands in the western section, and the lower plains that make up the rest of the land. There are also some small islands situated in the northern coast, notably Socogon and Pan de Monay.

Natural Resources

The proximity of the province to the seas makes the province, in particular the northern region, a prime source of fish and the development of aquaculture and various forms of marine life. The lowlands, on the other hand, have a rich soil, ideal for planting crops. For this reason a majority of the inhabitants engage in farming, and it is the main source of livelihood.

Facts & Figures

Total Number of Municipalities: 42, subdivided into 1,900 barangays.

Population: As of 2007, approx. 2,000,000

Land Area: 4,700 sq. km (2,800 sq. m)

Administration: Iloilo province is run by a Governor, Vice Governor, six Congressmen representing the six districts in the House of Representatives and five Board Members. The cities and municipalities are run by mayors, vice mayors and a council comprised of 12 members. All government officials are elected.

The People

All the local inhabitants of Iloilo are called Ilonggos. A sizeable majority stems from the Malay-Polynesian race, but there are also an increasing number of Ilonggos mixed with European and Chinese blood. There are also people who have Spanish blood. The influence of Spain can be seen mainly in Iloilo City where several structures and edifices bear the imprint of the country.

Language

There are two main languages spoken throughout, Hiligaynon (also called Ilonggo) and Kinaraya. A lot of Ilonggos can speak both, but in general, Hiligaynon can be mostly heard in Iloilo City and the surrounding municipalities, while Kiranayan is the dialect of choice in the other parts of the province. However, it should be noted that an increasing number of Ilonggos are now trilingual. They are able to converse in either Hiligaynon or Kinaraya as well as Tagalog and English.

A Short History Lesson

It is an accepted fact that even before the arrival of the Spaniards in the 15th century in the Philippines, there was already a thriving culture living in Iloilo and the surrounding lands.

However, it is difficult to present an accurate picture of what life was like during those times because what few things were written down were done so on leaves. This meant that very few have been preserved, and most of what is known of pre Hspanic Iloilo comes from oral traditions that have come down in the form of legends and folk tales.

During the Spanish colonization, Panay Island and much of the province were conquered by Miugel Lopez de Legazpi, and it is also known that for a while he established his base of operations there. Iloilo history also spoke of the frequent battles between the Spaniards in the area and the Dutch and Moro peoples.

World War II saw much of Iloilo fall into the hands of the Japanese. From 1942 to 1945, the local residents engaged in guerilla warfare against the invaders and they helped the combined American and Filipino forces in liberating the province in 1945.