BRIDGING THE GAP
Public land transportation in Iloilo in the 1930s
Iloilo in the 1920s and in the 1930s was considered as the "Queen City of Southern Philippines". Aside from its reputation as the commercial entrepot and cultural capital of the Visayas, Iloilo also pride itself at that time as the home of the most modern transportation facilities in the country. No doubt, the availability of cheap and convenient means of travel contributed much to Iloilo's premier importance.
In the early 1930s there was already a network of first and second class roads in Iloilo and the rest of Panay, consisting of hundreds of kilometers. Such roads could not have brought the riding public to their destinations and the farmers' products easily to the markets for general consumption had there been no easy means of transportation available.
There were several bus companies operating in the city of Iloilo, its suburbs, and in the province during the 1930s. Practically all the passable roads connecting the different municipalities of Iloilo and other provinces of Panay were served by these bus lines.
The largest of the bus companies operating in Iloilo and the rest of the island of Panay was the Panay Autobus Co., which had its office and terminal in Rizal Street, Iloilo City. This huge transportation company, with a capital investment of P365,000, was the most successful land transportation venture in Panay at that time. In 1937, it operated 316 commodious, clean and comfortable autobuses, at least in the standards of that time. These autobuses plied many accessible roads in the island, reaching even farflung barangays. To maintain its reputation, only experienced and well-trained drivers and conductors were employed by the company.
Other than its central station in Iloilo City, it had substations in Roxas City in Capiz and San Jose, Antique. It also maintained good working stations in a number of municipalities in the island. "To serve the public efficiently" was the motto of the company.
The other major bus company was the Iloilo Transportation Co. whose office and terminal were situated in Blumentritt Street, Iloilo City. It advertised itself as having double-deck buses with radio music. Its double and single-deck steel blue buses maintained regular schedules covering the areas of Jaro, Iloilo City, Molo, Mandurriao, and Arevalo.
Another transportation company operating in certain parts of the province was the Aleosan Transportation Co., Inc. established in 1929. In 1937, it had fifteen autobuses going to Leon via San Miguel, Oton and Tigbauan, and to Alimodian via San Miguel and Oton. The other bus companies that operated units inside and outside of the city were the Eagle Express and the Jaro Express Co. whose units covered Lapuz, La Paz and the Jaro district.
To avoid the stiff competition between the Iloilo Transportation Co., and the Jaro Express Co., the buses of the latter company were bought in 1936 by the former. The ones that were not included in the purchase were the taxis of the Jaro Express Co. because the taxis of the Iloilo Transportation Co. were also transferred to the former. At that time, the fare between Iloilo City and Central Philippine College (now Central Philippine University), about five kilometers distance, was only five centavos for the buses.
Aside from motor vehicles for public transport, there was a railway line that operated between Iloilo and Capiz. The Philippine Railway Co. had its passenger terminal in Muelle Loney just adjacent tothe ILoilo Custom's House and beside the Iloilo Fire Service Station. Its offices and maintenance unit were situated across the river in Lapus, La Paz.
The origin of the railway in Panay could be traced to Act 1497 enacted in 1906 by the Philippine Commission which authorized the Philippine Railway Co. in Manila "to locate, construct, furnish, maintain and operate a railway line" in other parts of the country (Annual Report of Panay Railways 1979). This came about because of the need to improve the ,means of transportation in the archipelago to facilitate the movements of inhabitants and materials. The construction of the railway in Panay was started in 1906 and the 116.1 kms. system was inaugurated in 1912 (Gleeck 1928).
Other than the above-mentioned motorized transportation facilities available in the city and province of Iloilo, there were also taxis, kalesas, karetelas and carromatas. The kalesa, especially, was the popular mode of transportation particularly in the side and smaller streets. Moreover, there was the proliferation of so many bicycles in the city in the mid-1930s brought about by the desire of the people to save money and to have a ready means of transportation anytime.