When saying bye to T. Frank @bigmandrilon , I complained to him that how come only Iloilo is progressing? I congratulated him on his efforts that he started 8 yrs ago. I told him that the whole Philippines needs his help too! I told him to run for President! #h2hpresidentiables I am praying that 1 day I will witness a President who will take care of my country.
I documented his speech & to quote: “Five years ago, I conceptualized the Iloilo Heritage & Urban Renewal Project that aims to protect & preseve the rich & colorful heritage & culture of Iloilo.
We have successfully restored the old Iloilo Customs House, called Aduana; the Sunburst Park; & the Ker & Co. Building.
The Sunburst Park, which was originally known as “Plaza de Aduana,” was developed following the inauguration of the Iloilo Customs House in 1916. It was in the plaza where the US Army 40th Infantry “Sunburst” Division helped liberate Panay from the Japanese at the end of World War II.
Also restored was the century-old Iloilo Customs House, which now houses a government agency & a gallery on the history of the port of Iloilo
The Provincial Government led by Gov. Arthur Defensor has also initiated major heritage conservation projects, inc the restoration & adaptive reuse of the Casa Real de Iloilo & the Prison House of Iloilo, w/c now houses the National Museum Western Visayas Regional Museum & Satellite Office.
All these newly restored edifices are strategically situated in the city’s Central Business District facing the much-praised Iloilo River that we succesfully cleaned & restored a few years ago. We put up the Esplanade. In 2018, Iloilo City was awarded the prestigious Gawad Galing Pook Award for our successful rehabilitation of the Iloilo River
Given that, I believe with the correct planning we can use that to our advantage. We should promote Iloilo as the center of culture & the arts & as the preferred destination for meetings, incentives, conventions & exhibitions.
I am happy to announce that the constructio of the P11-billion Jalaur River Multi-Purpose Project or Jalaur Dam is in progress.” #iloilocity #h2hiloilo #itsmorefuninthePhilippines
Museum of Philippine Economic History
The new museum is just one of the must-visit museums in the province that was recently opened, Drilon noted. The Megaworld Corporation opened in 2018 the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Arts and the National Museum opened its Western Visayas Regional Museum in the old Iloilo Provincial Jail last year.
Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art. Photo: CTTO
Besides the three newly opened museums, the other must-visit museums are the Museo Iloilo, RosendoMejica Museum, John B. Lacson Museum, and Archdiocesan Museum.
Drilon’s Iloilo Heritage and Urban Renewal Project also restored the old Iloilo Customs House, called Aduana; the Sunburst Park; and the Ker and Co. Building.
The Sunburst Park, which was originally known as “Plaza de Aduana,” a description of the park fronting the Iloilo Custom House or Aduana, was developed following the inauguration of the Iloilo Customs House in 1916. It was in the plaza where the US Army 40th Infantry “Sunburst” Division helped liberate Panay from the Japanese at the end of World War II.
Today, the newly renovated park boasts wide public space and features such as a walkway, a chess playground, park benches, parking area, the existing Peralta Statue, and the Sunburst area.
The new park compliments the Iloilo River Esplanade, a project of Drilon which won the Best Landscape Architecture Award in 2018, in terms of providing the public open spaces where they can leisurely walk, exercise, and enjoy the beauty of the environment, thus promoting a healthy and an active lifestyle for Ilonggos.
Also restored was the century-old Iloilo Customs House, which now houses a government agency and a gallery on the history of the port of Iloilo.
The Provincial Government led by Gov. Arthur Defensor has also initiated major heritage conservation projects, including the restoration and adaptive reuse of the Casa Real de Iloilo and the Prison of Iloilo.
The restored Casa Real. Photo: CTTO
The original Casa Real de Iloilo structure was built in 1873 but was renovated and redesigned by the Americans following the inauguration of the civil government of Iloilo in 1901. It became the seat of the provincial government and was used as headquarters of the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II. The Prison of Iloilo, built in 1911, now houses the National Museum Western Visayas Regional Museum and Satellite Office, which opened in April 2018.
