Bridging the Gap
By Henry Funtecha

Pre-war tourist destinations in Iloilo

Considered to be the historical cradle of Panay Island, Iloilo has long been of great national and international renown. Added to its strategic location at the center of the Philippine Archipelago are numerous tourist attractions which its natural resources and cultural history endowed. Iloilo abounds in scenic spots, wholesome and inviting beaches, historical landmarks, classical and modern buildings, baroque and gothic churches, old Spanish houses, great culinary delights, and colorful festivals.

While some of the beautiful scenes and structures in Iloilo during the Spanish days and until the period of American occupation did not survive the Filipino-American War and World War II, as well as several conflagrations, may have been preserved and maintained up to the present. Among those that were not able to survive is Fort San Pedro, an impressive historical landmark of Spanish colonization that stood on a promontory at the entrance of Iloilo harbor and also an ideal place for viewing the “floating island” of Guimaras. Near Fort San Pedro, there used to have a beautiful waterside esplanade where the cosmopolitan society of Iloilo promenaded on a sultry afternoon.

There were still some other great sights which used to have been Iloilo's pride to its visitors. Around Plaza Libertad were a number of banking and commercial houses and hotels. Just a little beyond were the Casino Español of the Spanish community and the Colegio del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus. In the same section of the city, some stone old houses built during the Spanish times were still at sight. Jose Ma. Basa St., also known as “Calle Real” and the liveliest place in the commercial district had a lot of entertainment to offer, being the hub of show houses, restaurants, and cafes, as well as business, professional, and commercial establishments.

A sight-seeing trip to Iloilo can never be complete without seeing the districts of Jaro, Molo, Lapaz, and Arevalo. Jaro Plaza was then the most beautiful plaza in the island of Panay. Around it were the imposing Jaro Cathedral and its lofty tower looming magnificently over the placer, the Bishop's Palace, the Catholic Society Building, the modern town hall, the Jaro Evangelical Church, considered to be the oldest Baptist church in the country.

At the outskirts of Jaro were the Sambag Battlefield where many American and Filipino soldiers fell during the Filipino-American War, the Iloilo Jockey Club in Balantang; and a little beyond, the Leganes Church which was, and still is, considered to be the “Mecca” of Iloilo as thousands of people from all over Panay, Guimaras and Negros flock to it yearly to pay homage to its miraculous patron saint.

La Paz, another district located between Jaro and Iloilo City, had the Redemptorists' Monastery, Iloilo Tennis Club, Inc., the Lopez and Cacho mansions, as well as the famous Nelly Garden.

The district of Molo was, and still is, recognized for its gothic church considered to be one of the most artistic churches in the archipelago with its fine symmetry and beauty of architecture. Another suburb, Arevalo, also showcased valuable relics of the past, among which were the weaving looms and the old Spanish tower at its public square.

Having an already established commercial life in the heart of the city, Iloilo provided its visitors with the necessary facilities and the services they needed while visiting the place. By 1912, Iloilo had already four hotels to accommodate a number of transient lodgers: the Metropole on Plaza Libertad with rates of P2.50 to P4.00 per day and P75.00 per month; the Universal on Calle Marina, the Bilbao on Calle Real; and the Panay on Plaza Libertad, the last three having a rate of P2.50 a day (Arnold, 1912). There were also three livery stables to transport passengers to and from the different places of the city. They were the Park, the Iloilo and the Panay.

Tourists were transported to Iloilo by any of the three means of transportation. Inter-island steamers plying between Zamboanga and Manila always brought a batch of visitors to the Iloilo port. Commodious cars with deep-cushioned seats and taxicabs readily met tourists at the wharf and took them to show houses, hotels, casinos, and resort places out of town at low cost of fare.

A smooth air trip to Iloilo was ushered by the Iloilo-Negros Air Express Co. (INEAC) by its initial Iloilo-Bacolod route in 1932 and another new route, the Iloilo-Manila, 1933.