Iloilo News

Explore Iloilo brings you the latest Iloilo News and Updates. The Iloilo News Section of Explore Iloilo mainly focuses on the good side of the news and expounds on the latest and significant economic, cultural, and infrastructural developments in Iloilo City and Iloilo Province.

Iloilo News categorized into:
Business and Economy,
Local News, and
Projects and Proposals. For Dinagyang 2007 Updates you can check out Dinagyang Watch 2007

Whilst passing along General Luna St., a bright red banner could be seen posted in the center island with the large text “SOON,”a short line “something exciting, definitely enticing, totally mesmerizing,” and partially covered picture of a building.

Upon closer scrutiny, the building looks very similar to Amigo’s building, which led me to believe that it’s about the new development/renovation of Amigo Mall. I’ve already posted that the second floor is going to be occupied by a call center and the ground floor will be improved. There has also been some talk about Starbucks considering to open its first store in Iloilo and eying to open it in SM City among other locations like Amigo, Robinsons, Smallville/Diversion Road.

Recently, I’ve confirmed Starbucks entry in Iloilo City and their first store will open in Amigo.

I think the banner is about Starbucks and the text “soon” means that they will open in the next few month or even as early as the end of this month (September 30 2008). But it could also be about the whole development in Amigo. It seems the Starbucks rumors in Iloilo do not die so easily and has prompted many to speculate. There’s already some talk about Starbucks opening its second store in Iloilo a few months after it will open its first.

In related developments, the rennovation of Amigo is still ongoing. It looks like they’re going to change the facade of the building by applying aluminum or glass cladding and they’re turning the wing in the parking lot side into a row of restaurants/coffee shops.

THE business community here is optimistic that the P8-billion new Iloilo Airport at Sta. Barbara-Cabatuan towns will spawn booming industries nearby.
For one, giant real property developer Fil-Estate Land Inc. chair and CEO Robert John Sobrepeña announced the launching of the 153-hectare Sta. Barbara Heights at the hills of Barangay Inangayan on August 29.Continue Reading »

SIX foreign clients of call center companies have set interests in Iloilo City. Both Mayor Jerry Treñas and Iloilo Business Club (IBC) executive director Lea Lara confirmed the latest investment prospects in the city’s booming call center industry. Continue Reading »

Wasting no time to spare and wait for another storm to cause another flood in Iloilo City, the construction of the Iloilo Flood Control Project resumes operations.

At least 4 new bridges are needed to be built across the new 4.75km Jaro Floodway, which will create a new path for floodwaters in Pavia/Jaro area to exit into the Iloilo strait. While excavation for the floodway is ongoing, the construction of the bridges have also started. Here’s a picture of the soon to be Buhang Bridge along McArthur Highway (in front of Jaro Grand Estates) in Jaro District.

Here’s one of the ongoing Jaro Floodway:

The project also paves the way for the construction of a riverside boulevard stretching from La Paz to Molo. On the La Paz size, the boulevard will start from the back of Gaisano City’s parking lot.

And it will stretch all the way to Carpenter’s bridge in Molo passing by Riverside Boardwalk.

The Iloilo Flood Control Project is the long-term solution to the perennial flooding in the city and outlying areas. It also aims to improve living environments and sanitary conditions of local residents, and consequently help develop the regional economy, by setting in place disaster prevention civil works in the state of Iloilo on Panay Island. With a budget of P4.3B, it is the largest infrastructure investment Iloilo City has ever received. The project is due for completion in 2009. Learn more about the Iloilo Flood Control Project.

Here are some updates on two new buildings, that I have blogged about a few months ago, rising in Smallville. The structures of both buildings are almost done and its tenants are starting to move in and prepare for their openings.

Coffee Break has already opened in this building called The Avenue, located across Pirates. This is their second branch in Smallville and is a bit cozier than their first because of the wider and less crowded space. The ‘rustic yet modern” look and cobblestone al fresco area is a  great crowd drawer for future bars/restos opening in The Avenue.

This second building is located between Westown Hotel and Emcor. Mang Inasal and Deco’s La paz Batchoy will be opening a branch on the ground floor together with Flow, which will be relocating there. On the second floor will be a new hangout place called Bar21.

So far, business is still booming in Iloilo’s favorite nightspot.

GIANT property developer Megaworld Corp. is willing to help the city government build the proposed eight-storey New Iloilo City Hall. Mayor Jerry Treñas said “Megaworld is open for any proposal from the city government on the construction of the New City Hall. We will discuss the matter with city officials.” Continue Reading »

Fil-Estate Group of Companies will pour in P500 million in a subdivision project in Sta. Barbara town in Iloilo. The real estate giant will initially build 500 units within the next two years in their project dubbed “Sta. Barbara Heights” at Barangay Inangayan around 17 km north of Iloilo City. Continue Reading »

Cathay Pacific, a Hong Kong based airline, has just recently opened their new ticketing office in Iloilo City to cater to passengers in Western Visayas. It is located in D’ Arthur Suites along General Luna St., City Proper.

Currently, Cathay Pacific does not service direct international flights in the New Iloilo Airport (just like in the case of Davao). If there is enough demand though, they would most likely consider putting up direct flights to international destinations. Their main market could be overseas filipino workers (OFWs) having roots in Western Visayas, tourists visiting Iloilo and using it as a gateway to nearby provinces, or even Koreans going to Iloilo to study English.

This new development surely takes Iloilo one step closer to its desire of having international flights to complement its new modern airport.

It’s been over a month since Typhoon Frank hit Iloilo and the situation in Iloilo is starting to get back to normal. People are back to work and classes have begun, most of the streets and houses have been cleared up of mud, and construction activities have resumed.

The city proper appears fully recovered and bears no evidence of the worst typhoon in the city’s history. The dirt clouds hounding the streets of Mandurriao have cleared up and Smallville, Iloilo’s nightlife strip, has resumed full operations.

Jaro District, the worst affected by Typhoon Frank, unfortunately doesn’t share a similar fate. There’s still heaps of mud at the road sides releasing a bad odor and dirt clouds when dry. Hopefully, the families displaced by the storm have been given assistance by the relief efforts and are already standing on their own feet.

Generally, the city is in a good shape and people can visit or do business in Iloilo once again.

In response to the widespread devastation of Typhoon Frank in Iloilo City, the local government has established a website to help spread information about the calamity. Dubbed as “Bangon Iloilo” (http://www.bangoniloilo.com), the website contains updates and news, stories, pictures, and other resources about Typhoon Frank and its aftermath.

Here’s a quote from the website on what “Bangon Iloilo” is about:

“Bangon Iloilo is a comprehensive program designed to help the flood victims recover in terms of housing, access to basic services such as water, health and education, and livelihood and income. The program also desires to optimize rehabilitation efforts to help victims improve their livelihood and realize incomes closer to if not above the poverty threshold level on a sustained basis.

Its goal is the economic and environmental rehabilitation of the at least 241 affected barangays in Iloilo City and Metro Iloilo local governments of Leganes, Oton, Pavia, San Miguel and Santa Barbara through livelihood activities that support the restoration of the environment.

Bangon Iloilo is a social investment promotion campaign to support the rehabilitation efforts of the Metro Iloilo local governments to be managed by the Metro Iloilo-Guimaras Economic Development Council (MIGEDC) and the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) under its Urban Partnership Program funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).”

Continue Reading »