Market day in Iloilo, circa 1856

ILOILO prides itself on the title “Queen City of the South,” whatever that means. I don’t know where this title came from, who made it up, or how old it is but if Iloilo is the Queen, what is the “King City of the South?” Perhaps there was a time in the past when Iloilo was such a busy port it was second only to Manila in importance?

Whenever you mention Iloilo to a modern Filipino many things come to mind (none of these historical, of course), among them sugar, haciendas, sugar barons and different types of cookies. Last weekend I tried to find some historical resonance in the city especially in many of its grand old houses, many of which are falling apart or offered for lease or sale. It is quite sad that the first landmark you see when the plane touches down is an SM Mall. While this is an indicator of economic progress, one would wish Iloilo heritage were more visible.

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