Museo Iloilo hosts launching of ‘Iloilo, the Most Noble City’ book
Museo Iloilo, repository of Iloilo’s illustrious past play host today to the book launching of “Iloilo, the Most Noble City: History and Development 1566-1898.”
Out on a limited edition, this highly-anticipated book is the masterpiece of Agustinian priest, Reverend Father Policarpo F. Hernandez, OSA.
Reverend Father Renato Cuadras, Archivist of the Archdiocese of Jaro called the book “the most important and most significant” ever published about Iloilo City.
“Father Hernandez has written a very informative history of Iloilo City with very interesting description of the people and the province before the arrival of the Spaniards in 1566. It gives a wealth of historical data on the Spanish period of more than three hundred years researched from the archives of Manila and Villadolid, Sevilla and Madrid in Spain, all from primary sources,” Father Cuadras said.
Special guests for the book launching are internationally-renowned experts, Iloilo’s pride in Professor Erick Zerrudo, Director of the Metropolitan Museum and Professor Bernardita Reyes Churchill, President of the Philippine National Historical Society.
“With the Museo Iloilo helping us in this endeavor, we are confident the book will be given its widest dissemination not only among historians but among Ilonggos as the document of our historia vitae,” Father Cuadras ended. “And more importantly, this is also in memory of Zaffy Ledesma II, champion of Filipino art and champion of Museo Iloilo.”
Ledesma II prior to his passing was working on the book launching as his pet Museo Iloilo project for the month of July.