Chasing pavements (and memories) in Iloilo
During a brief sojourn in Iloilo, I saw the things that altered the face of the city since I left years ago. The two overpasses along General Luna St. spell GROWTH. With twice as many people, jeeps and cars plying the southern artery, the need for overpasses (even just a few hundred meters away from each other) seem justified.
During my student days, General Luna was never busy even if it was our equivalent to Manila’s university belt (with UP, USA, SPC and JBLCF along it) and hotel avenue (Sarabia Manor, Hotel Del Rio and Tree House). Today cars still creep even with the overpasses.
But I didn’t mind being stuck up there. The overpasses provided a good view of Iloilo’s southwestern skyline which is getting filled with buildings – a cityscape in the making! From the overpass one could clearly see high rises (six-eight floors, high rises by Iloilo standards) spawning on what used to be marshes on both sides of the Aquino Avenue and the Iloilo river – sights of progress long overdue.
The same overpasses should be built in the city’s north-bound artery. The road constriction along Tabuc Suba is a true test of wits today as it was during my Angelicum School days in the 80’s. It is still hard to keep traction on first gear climbing the Salog River Bridge in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
Thousands take the MacArthur Drive to work or school everyday braving choke points along Grand Plains, Alta Tierra and the Jaro small market. The mind-numbing commute can only be remedied by an overpass, an alternative road or a well-lit, pothole-free Coastal Road. On our way to Iloilo Memorial Park on All Souls’ Day we tried to circumvent Tabuc Suba only to zigzag through Coastal Road’s good and bad portions.
In contrast to business-y southwestern Iloilo, north central Iloilo is at best, a dense residential site with clumps of agro-industrial and commercial enclaves steadily growing despite flood threats. There’s a New Society Commercial Complex near the boundary of Jaro and Leganes, Iloilo Supermart and Save More near NFA – barometers of a growing consumer base as new communities mushroom in ex-rice paddies.
Iloilo had finally zoned itself by evolving. No one deliberately planned on how the city should grow anyway. The new road networks in La Paz and Mandurriao were dictated by the city’s expanding business-and-pleasure district. The spillover of business there (trailblazed by SM and Smallville) paved the way for more investors to erect buildings that host restaurants, watering holes, amusement parks, hotels, schools, hospitals. Soon the old Iloilo airport will be gobbled up by buildings. For kicks, I drove by the deserted terminal area (now in half ruins) and reminisced happy plane-spotting moments. I was told that in the near future condominiums shall rise there. Indeed, Iloilo is changing right before the eyes.
Just over a decade ago business was limited to the overcrowded city proper. It was hard to educate Ilonggos to venture in the outskirts. I used to be kidded a lot by non-Ilonggo friends that we kept too much to the old ways by “living in districts” and only going to the city proper to work or shop. It was like Spanish time where people lived in barrios and do business in pueblos.
Not so long ago it was suicide for any business to venture outside the “sentro.” The boom at the diversion road (now Aquino Avenue) was unthinkable. One too many new businesses such as restaurants (Camino, Quarter Mile, Barracks, or Grandma’s Fried Chicken in Villa) have risked opening in the outskirts only to close down as patrons refuse to stray from established, cramped business districts Iznart, J.M. Basa or Delgado. It took a major player like SM City to drive people out of their already uncomfortable, comfort zones.
Today the city is definitely expanding and the “pueblo” mentality is no more. One can even work, study and play without leaving Jaro, Molo or Mandurriao. We have metropolized! But in the midst of growth, Iloilo should not lose its precious heirlooms – its historic city proper.
On the way to Fort San Pedro, I saw the gutted Campos Grocery and the old City Hall now leveled. Many of the dilapidated late 18th to early 19th century buildings along J.M. Basa, Aldeguer, Iznart and Ledesma are also reduced to flea markets, condemned instead of reinforced and restored to their original form.
Old buildings may seem unsightly to us who are used to seeing them. But for outsiders downtown Iloilo is tour in itself. Many cities in the Philippines are not blessed with a rich cultural heritage. I go around the country often enough to see that not all cities can lay claim to being “Queen City of the South” and have colonial buildings and edifices to back it up.
Iloilo clearly shows her illustrious past with J.M. Basa and Iznart Streets, or Muelle Loney. How sad these have been left to rot like the many Antillan homes in Jaro.
I also felt sorry for Fort San Pedro – which to me – is a reminder of a much simpler time. The breakwater where we used to spend quiet afternoons to watch idyllic Guimaras and her cross, now in partial ruin. I parked as I have not done in ages, and sat again on the jagged boulders and crumbled slabs. These are what remains of my front seat to Iloilo’s perfect sunsets. Ahay.*
