Experience the value of a real vacation. Discover Iloilo, a province rich in historical and cultural attractions, home of the famous Dinagyang festival (every4th weekend of January), stately mansions, majestic century-old churches, unspoiled countrysides and exotic delicacies.
Savor the hospitality in Iloilo's numerous accommodation facilities and restaurants. They come in various classes depending on the guest's taste and budget. Whether you stay in first class rooms or in budget ones, the Ilonggos (people of the province) make sure that your stay is pleasant, memorable and safe. They make sure that you're well-fed, too.
Take home antiques, handicrafts, art pieces and a thousand and one other souvenir items. Some of the finest sinamay and jusi (banana fiber) and piña (pineapple fiber) embroidery are found in Iloilo at reasonable prices.
Outdoor life includes a visit to the oldest golf course in the Philippines at Sta. Barbara, offshore fishing, scuba or skin diving, water skiing and swimming. The more adventurous can witness and bet on cockfights on sundays.
How to get there
You can travel to Iloilo from other parts of the country in style. By air, thee are 9 jet flights daily from Manila which take about an hour. Cebu is only 35 minutes by plane. By sea, sailing time is about 20 hours from Manila 12 times weekly; from Zamboanga or Cagayan de Oro, 14 hours once a week; from Cebu, 12 hours once daily. Fastcrafts from Bacolod City take 45 minutes while travel by regular ferry takes 2 hours.
For more information on Iloilo, write or call:
Department of Tourism Region VI
Bonifacio Drive, Iloilo City
Tourist Information Center (Iloilo)
Tel.: (033)337-8874
Fax: (033)335-0245
DOT Information Center (Manila)
Tel.: (632)524-1703
Iloilo is set in a graceful repose between Iloilo and Batiano rivers forming an angle of a nose. Hence, its old name “Ilong-Ilong” which means “noselike”. Mountain ranges with peaks as high as almost 7,000 ft. provide natural boundaries between Iloilo and Antique on the west and Capiz on the north. The rest of mainland Iloilo is largely plain with interspersing upland portions.
Geography
Iloilo is located in the center of the Philippine archipelago. Strategically located 283 statute miles from Manila, it is the gateway to the flourishing region that is Western Visayas. The province comprises the southeastern part of Panay Island.
Political Subdivision
Iloilo is composed of two cities and 42 municipalities. It is divided into five (5) congressional districts. It has 1,720 barangays.
Climate
Iloilo’s climate is pleasantly tropical with 2 pronounced seasons – the rainy season from June to September, and the dry season from October to May.
Population
The National Statistics Office reported that Iloilo province has a population total of 1,925,002, and Iloilo City has 365,820 as of the 2000 survey.
Language / Dialect
Hiligaynon (Ilonggo) is the main dialect spoken in Iloilo. English and Tagalog are also widely spoken and understood especially in urban areas.
Major Industries
Rice is the major crop in the province of Iloilo. Fish and marine products are considered the main source of livelihood in the first and fifth districts of Iloilo. There are also non-traditional products in the province which include processed food, fruits and vegetables, gifts, furniture, and others. Traditional products include sugar, coco oil, and lime products, among others.
There are 114 private and government banks all throughout the province and city of Iloilo, in addition to 40 rural banks found in most municipalities, at least 6 malls, and many department stores.
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