Iloilo (/ˌɪloʊˈiːloʊ/ih-loh-EE-loh;[ɪlo.ˈilo]), officially theProvince of Iloilo (Hiligaynon:Kapuoran sang Iloilo;Kinaray-a:Kapuoran kang Iloilo;Tagalog:Lalawigan ng Iloilo;Spanish:Provincia de Iloílo), is aprovince in the Philippines located in theWestern Visayasregion. Its capital and largest city isIloilo City, the regional center of Western Visayas and politically independent from the province. Iloilo occupies the southeast portion of theVisayan island ofPanay and is bordered by the province ofAntique to the west,Capiz to the north, theJintotolo Channel to the northeast, theGuimaras Strait to the east, and theIloilo Strait andPanay Gulf to the southwest. Iloilo City is the center of the Iloilo–Guimaras metropolitan area orMetro Iloilo–Guimaras, and is geographically located in the province and grouped under it by thePhilippine Statistics Authority, but remains politically independent from the provincial government. According to the 2024 census, the population of the province (excluding Iloilo City) is 2,082,616. If Iloilo City is included, the population is 2,556,344 in total.
Iloilo is known for its rich history and cultural heritage. The southern part of the province is home to many Spanish-era historic sites, including theMiag-ao Church, aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site in the Philippines. It also boasts several other prominent structures, such as theSan Joaquin Campo Santo,San Joaquin Church, andSanta Barbara Church, all recognized asNational Cultural Treasures by theNational Museum of the Philippines. In the northern part, it is known for beaches and islands, including theBantigue Sandbar, Tangke Lagoon,Cabugao Island, and Antonia Island, all part of theIslas de Gigantes. Additionally,Sicogon Island, situated south of the group of islands, has gained popularity as a luxury tourist destination.
The name of the province is derived from Iloilo City, which in turn is derived from the older name "Irong-irong" (archaicHiligaynon writing:Irong̃-írong̃) meaning "nose-like", referring to thepromontory between two rivers (Iloilo andBatiano) where theFort San Pedro and the 17th-century Spanish port were located.[4][5][6][7]
No pre-Hispanic written accounts of Iloilo and Panay island exist today. Oral tradition, in the form of recited epics like theHinilawod, has survived to a small degree. A few recordings of these epic poems exist. The most notable are the works of noted Filipino AnthropologistFelipe Jocano.[8]
While no current archaeological evidence exist describing pre-Hispanic Iloilo, an original work by Pedro Alcantara Monteclaro published in 1907 calledMaragtas details the alleged accounts of the founding of the various pre-Hispanic polities on Panay Island. The book is based on oral and written accounts available to the author at the time.[9] The author made no claim on the historical accuracy of the accounts.[10]
According to Maragtas,Madja-as was founded after ten datus fled Borneo and landed on Panay Island. The book then goes on to detail their subsequent purchase of the coastal lands in which they settled from the native Ati people.
Datu Paiburong, one of the ten fleeing datus, established a settlement and named itIrong-Irong after an islet of the same name on the Batiano River. Afterwards, the warriors Labaodungon and Paybare, upon advice of datu Paiboring then recruited local fighters from the Philippines and fellow immigrants from Borneo and they returned to Borneo at Odtojan where the enemy of the ten datus, Makatunaw, ruled, Rajah or Sultan Makatunao, and they killed him and sacked the city he ruled and returned to the newly founded towns of the ten datus.[11][12]
Spain eventually succeeded on conquering of the island ofPanay when SpanishconquistadorMiguel López de Legazpi moved his headquarters from the island ofCebu and creating the first Spanish settlement in the island inOgtong in 1566. This is mainly due in part to the rivalries between theBisaya and theMoro, of which the former found an ally in Spanish against the latter. The Bisayas accepted alliances with Spain, to defend themselves against the enslaving Moros. To this end, Iloilo contributed troops in theCastille War against theSultanate of Brunei.
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In 1581, the encomienda in Ogtong was moved toLa Villa Rica de Arevalo, because of frequent coastal raids by theDutch privateers. Furthermore, an attack in the year 1600 (Part of theSpanish–Moro conflict) where there was a large Muslim armada to destroy Iloilo City, led by twoMoros named Sirungan and Salikala who lead the Muslim force of 70 ships and 4,000 warriors that had raided and attacked several Visayan islands in order to abduct slaves to sell to their allies in theSultanate of Demak and theSultanate of Malacca, eventually caused the move of the city center further on to the mouth of the Irong-Irong river founding what is nowIloilo City and constructingFort San Pedro to defend it in 1616.[13]
Nevertheless, when the 4,000 Moros led by Sirungan and Salikala tried to attack Iloilo City they were repulsed with heavy losses in the town of Arevalo by a force of 1,000Hiligaynon warriors and 70 Mexican arquebusiers under the command of Juan García de Sierra, the Spanish officer who died in the battle.[14] The SpanishChristianized the area.
Soon, the area itself began to prosper, due to its successful textile and sugar industry. As a result, it received Chinese immigrants from the west (that worked for its trades) andLatinos from the ports of Mexico in the east (to man its military installations). The Jesuits soon built a school for Spanish and Visayan boys inTigbauan, Iloilo.[15] Later in the 1700s, Iloilo was home to 166Spanish Filipino families and 29,723 native families.[16]: 113
During the American colonial period, Iloilo became a home to many firsts: including the first department stores and cinema theaters in theCommonwealth of the Philippines.[17]
Iloilo experienced severe devastation during the events of World War II. The Japanese built "comfort stations" in Iloilo in 1942, where they imprisoned Filipino "comfort women" who they routinely gang-raped, brutalized, and murdered for entertainment.[18][19][20] Nevertheless, during the Japanese occupation,Macario Peralta Jr., freed most of Panay (with little exceptions) from Japanese Imperialism, thus other allied guerillas in other provinces fromRomblon,Palawan,Marinduque and portions ofMasbate andMindoro, considered majority liberatedPanay Island, the "Primus inter pares" in their alliance network.[21]: 110
Iloilo became a province of the newly fledgedRepublic of the Philippines when the archipelago gained independence from the United States on July 4, 1946.
The beginning months of the 1970s had marked a period of turmoil and change in the Philippines, as well as in Iloilo.[22][23] During hisbid to be the first Philippine president to be re-elected for a second term, Ferdinand Marcos launched an unprecedented number of foreign debt-funded public works projects. This caused[24][25] the Philippine economy to take a sudden downwards turn known as the1969 Philippine balance of payments crisis, which led to a period of economic difficulty and a significant rise of social unrest.[26][27][28][29]: "43" With only a year left in his last constitutionally allowed term as president, Ferdinand Marcos placed the Philippines underMartial Law in September 1972 and thus retained the position for fourteen more years.[30] This period in Philippine history is remembered for the Marcos administration's record ofhuman rights abuses,[31][32] particularly targeting political opponents, student activists, journalists, religious workers, farmers, and others who fought against the Marcos dictatorship.[33] In Iloilo, a major holding area for the manyPolitical detainees under the Marcos dictatorship was Camp Martin Delgado in the Fort San Pedro area ofIloilo City where Luing Posa-Dominado was detained alongside Judy Taguiwalo and tortured, manhandled, and sexually assaulted[34] Local World War II heroine Coronacion "Walingwaling" Chiva was also detained there for opposing Marcos, although her status as a legendary World War II heroine meant she was mostly not harmed during detention.[35] Labor lawyer Rodolfo Lagoc was also detained there for six months.[36] In yet another military camp, this time inSanta Barbara, Iloilo,2Lt Pablo G. Fernandez, who objected to martial law, was detained and summarily executed[37]
The province covers a total area of 5,000.83 square kilometres (1,930.83 sq mi)[38] occupying the central and eastern section ofPanay island in theWestern Visayas region. If Iloilo City is included for geographical purposes, Iloilo has an area of 5,079.17 square kilometres (1,961.08 sq mi). The province is bordered by theprovince of Antique to the west,Capiz to the north, theJintotolo Channel to the northeast, theVisayan Sea andGuimaras Strait to the east, and theIloilo Strait andPanay Gulf to the southwest.
The province is divided into two distinct geographic regions; the highlands of theCentral Panay Mountain Range on the western border and the lowland plains which account for a larger portion of the province. Small islands east of its northernmost tip also dot theVisayan Sea - of these,Pan de Azucar andSicogon are well-known.Mount Baloy is the highest mountain in Iloilo with an elevation of 6,424 feet (1,958 m) above sea level, located on the triple border of Iloilo, Capiz, and Antique. Other peaks areMount Llorente 4,409 ft. (1,344m),Mount Sansanan 4,219 ft. (1,286m),Mount Napulak 4,095 ft. (1,248 m),Mount Balabag 3,728 ft. (1,136m).
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Expansive fishponds and mangrove wetlands are found along the coasts and rivers ofIloilo City and the towns ofOton,Leganes,Zarraga,Dumangas,Anilao,Banate,Barotac Viejo,Barotac Nuevo,Ajuy,Balasan andCarles.
List of peaks in Iloilo by elevation:
List of rivers in Iloilo by length:
The Province of Iloilo consists of 42municipalities and twocities (onecomponent and onehighly urbanized).
| Climate data for Iloilo, Philippines — NOAA Station Id: PH98637 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29.7 (85.5) | 30.2 (86.4) | 31.7 (89.1) | 33.1 (91.6) | 33.1 (91.6) | 31.6 (88.9) | 30.7 (87.3) | 30.4 (86.7) | 30.8 (87.4) | 31.1 (88.0) | 30.9 (87.6) | 30.2 (86.4) | 31.12 (88.02) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 26.1 (79.0) | 26.5 (79.7) | 27.6 (81.7) | 28.9 (84.0) | 29.1 (84.4) | 28.1 (82.6) | 27.6 (81.7) | 27.5 (81.5) | 27.6 (81.7) | 27.7 (81.9) | 27.5 (81.5) | 26.8 (80.2) | 27.59 (81.66) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 22.7 (72.9) | 22.7 (72.9) | 23.5 (74.3) | 24.6 (76.3) | 25.1 (77.2) | 24.7 (76.5) | 24.4 (75.9) | 24.5 (76.1) | 24.4 (75.9) | 24.2 (75.6) | 24.0 (75.2) | 23.4 (74.1) | 24.02 (75.24) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 39.9 (1.57) | 19.1 (0.75) | 27.1 (1.07) | 47.7 (1.88) | 117.9 (4.64) | 255.2 (10.05) | 313.2 (12.33) | 363.7 (14.32) | 266.8 (10.50) | 264.1 (10.40) | 174.8 (6.88) | 64.2 (2.53) | 1,953.7 (76.92) |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 82 | 80 | 75 | 73 | 77 | 82 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 84 | 84 | 83 | 81.25 |
| Source:"Climate (Average Weather) Data". Climate-Charts.com. Archived fromthe original on May 11, 2011. RetrievedMarch 13, 2011. | |||||||||||||
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| Excluding Iloilo City Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[2][40][40][41] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The population of Iloilo in the 2020 census was 2,051,899 people,[39] with a density of 410 inhabitants per square kilometre or 1,100 inhabitants per square mile. If the highly urbanizedcity of Iloilo is included for statistical purposes, the province's total population is 2,509,525 people, with a density of494/km2 (1,280/sq mi).
People from Iloilo are calledIlonggos. There are three local languages used in the province:Hiligaynon (Ilonggo),Kinaray-a andCapiznon. Hiligaynon and dialects/variants of it are spoken inIloilo City and in some towns of the province, especially to the northeast.Tagalog andEnglish are widely used as administrative, educational, and commercial languages.
| Language | Speakers | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hiligaynon | 899,108 | |||
| Kinaray-a | 148,307 | |||
| Capiznon | 2,913 | |||
| Other Visayan languages | 2,731 | |||
| Others | 11,815 | |||
| Not Reported | 7,596 | |||
Hiligaynon is concentrated in thecity of Iloilo and surrounding areas, as well as the northeastern portion of the province,[43]Guimaras and theNegros Island (especially inNegros Occidental and to a lesser extent inNegros Oriental), as well as the provinces ofSouth Cotabato,Sultan Kudarat, andCotabato inSoccsksargen,Mindanao. It is also spoken in the neighboring provinces, such asCapiz,Antique,Aklan,Masbate,Palawan andRomblon as well as in some parts ofMaguindanao del Norte andMaguindanao del Sur. It is also spoken as a second language byCebuano speakers inNegros Oriental,Kinaray-a speakers inAntique,Aklanon/Malaynon speakers inAklan, andCapiznon speakers inCapiz, and also spoken and/or understood by speakers of Cebuano,Ilocano,Maguindanaon,B'laan,T'boli and other both native and non-native ethnic languages in Soccksargen, Mindanao.
The language is referred to asIlonggo in Iloilo andNegros Occidental. More precisely, Ilonggo is an ethno-linguistic group referring to the people living in southeasternPanay and its associated culture. The boundaries of the language called Ilonggo and that called Hiligaynon are unclear. The disagreement of which name is correct extends toPhilippine language specialists and native laypeople.
Iloilo is a Roman Catholic-predominated province comprising about 87% of the population. Independent Catholic and Protestant churches also exist such as members ofIglesia Filipina Independiente or Aglipayan Church, Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists, Adventists, and other Evangelical Christians; There are also non-Protestant and other Christian sects such as Iglesia Ni Cristo, Church of Christ of Latter day Saints (Mormons) and Jehovah's Witnesses while non-Christians are usually represented by Muslims, and to a lesser extent, Buddhists and Hindus.
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Iloilo is one of the most competitive provinces in the Philippines, recognized for its strong economy, resilience, and effective governance.[citation needed] This collaboration has resulted in aneconomic boom that has generated thousands of jobs and propelled the province to become one of the richest in the country.[citation needed]
Its capital, Iloilo City, is one of the largest cities in the country in terms of economic activity.[citation needed] It serves as the economic center of the province and supports a wide range of industries and services, including real estate, accommodation, healthcare, education, retail, business, and IT/BPO sectors.[citation needed] It also functions as a key port for domestic and international trade. The city's diverse economy significantly contributes to the overall development of the province.
Metro Iloilo, which includes the neighboring municipalities of Pavia, Oton, Leganes, and Santa Barbara, also plays a significant role in the province's economy. Pavia is known as an agricultural-industrial center, combining farming with industrial developments, and is also recognized for its commercial centers and residential developments. Oton contributes with its agricultural production and emerging retail sector, and will soon host the largestcentral business district (CBD) in Iloilo.[52] Leganes is notable for its light industries and hosts the province's first agro-industrial economic zone, contributing to both agriculture and light manufacturing.[53] Santa Barbara is known for its historical sites and a growing tourism industry.
The northern part of Iloilo is notable for its robust fishing industry and expanding tourism sector, benefiting from its proximity to theVisayan Sea and natural attractions like beaches and marine reserves. The central part of the province functions as an agri-industrial hub, producing a variety of agricultural products such as corn, rice, bananas, pineapples, and sugar. The highland areas, includingBucari in Leon andAlimodian, are known for high-value crops like strawberries and mangoes, and offer tourism opportunities through inland resorts and trekking sites.
The sugar industry is a key economic driver in Passi City and nearby towns like Lambunao, Dueñas, San Enrique, and Bingawan. In southern Iloilo, the economy is largely driven by tourism, with historical sites, colonial architecture, and coastal attractions in towns such as Tigbauan, Guimbal, Miagao, and San Joaquin playing a significant role in the local economy.
The government of Iloilo was established in 1566 when the Spanish settled a colonial center in Ogtong (nowOton). Control was later shifted to La Villa Rica de Arevalo (nowArevalo, Iloilo City) in 1581, which also served as the seat of the Spanish Government overseeing vast territories encompassing Iloilo,Capiz,Aklan,Antique, and surrounding islands such asNegros,Guimaras,Cuyo,Palawan,Caluya,Romblon, andBoracay. Over time, these territories gained independence. By 1616, the seat of government was transferred to La Punta, now known asIloilo City Proper. This relocation marked a significant increase in colonial power, and the city's economy boomed, making it the largest in the Philippines after Manila during theSpanish period until theAmerican period.[54]
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TheGovernor of Iloilo serves as the local chief executive of the province, with the official office located at theIloilo Provincial Capitol. Historically, the governor, along with thealcalde-mayor andpresidente municipal, held office at theCasa Real de Iloilo from 1869 until 2006, when the larger capitol building adjacent to it was completed.
1st District:
2nd District:
3rd District:
| 4th District:
5th District:
Ex-officio Board Members:
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The old buildings in downtown Iloilo showcase the influence of Spanish architecture, reflecting the historical presence of the Spaniards in the region. However, even before the arrival of the Mexicans, Spaniards, and other Europeans, Iloilo had already established trade relations with ancientIndonesians,Malaysians andVietnamese,Indian,Arab,Chinese,Korean andJapanese merchants. The Spanish government encouraged foreign merchants to trade in Iloilo, although they were not granted land ownership privileges. Over time, intermarriage between foreign merchants, Spaniards, and the locals led to the emergence of the Mestizo class, who eventually became the ruling class of the Ilonggos, known as thePrincipalía.
Iloilo is also home to two of the nation's cultural minorities: theSulod-Bukidnon and theAti. These indigenous groups contribute to the cultural diversity of the province and add to its vibrant tapestry of traditions and customs.
Iloilo is dubbed as the "Festival Capital of the Philippines" with various renowned festivals in the country celebrated in the province. TheDinagyang Festival is the most popular and largest festival in Iloilo, held every January in honor of the Santo Niño in Iloilo City. It features elaborate street dancing, vibrant costumes, and a festive atmosphere that attracts both locals and tourists. TheKasadyahan Festival, which is celebrated during the Dinagyang, is a competition among cultural festivals from different parts of Iloilo and Western Visayas. TheParaw Regatta Festival is another significant event, celebrating the traditional sailboats known asparaws. This festival includes boat races, cultural presentations, and various activities showcasing the maritime culture of Iloilo.Jaro Fiesta, held every February, is a religious and cultural celebration in honor of theNuestra Señora de la Candelaria (Our Lady of Candles), featuring processions, a grand fair, and traditional performances. ThePintados de Pasi is a cultural festival honors the tribal tradition of body painting known aspintados inPassi City.
Every municipality, barangay, and district in the province and city of Iloilo, has its own cultural, social, and religious festivals. Many of these festivals hold religious significance, honoringdeities,saints, or important religious events. Others commemorate historical milestones such as independence days, national holidays, or significant local happenings. Some festivals focus on social bonding, bringing people together and fostering a strong sense of community.
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Its capital city, Iloilo City has been recognized as aUNESCOCreative City of Gastronomy. It is renowned for its distinctive and flavorful cuisine includingLa Paz Batchoy, a hearty noodle soup with pork innards, liver, and crunchychicharon.Pancit Molo, a dumpling soup named after theMolo district, features wonton-style dumplings in a savory broth. Iloilo is also known for itsBiscocho, a type of toasted bread topped with butter and sugar, andBarquillos, thin rolled wafers that are delightfully crispy. Seafood is abundant, and dishes like Grilled Talaba (oysters) and Kinilaw (raw fish marinated in vinegar and spices) are local favorites. Another local item issiopao, a steamed bun with a variety of fillings. Tinuom, a native dish of Cabatuan, is made up of native chickens seasoned with onions, tomatoes and lemon grass (tanglad) wrapped in banana leaves.[55]Baye baye, a well-known local dish of Pavia, made from grated youngcoconut mixed with either newly harvested rice (pinipig) or corn and shaped into patties.[56]
As a leading province during the Spanish Colonial Era, the province of Iloilo is widely known for its old world architecture similar to that of Latin American Countries. Spanish colonial churches are amongst the well-known tourist sites in the province, including theMiag-ao Church, aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site, features anAztec-Baroque inspired design with intricate Filipino botanicals carved into its façade. TheGothic-RenaissanceMolo Church was used as a watchtower and is known for its classical and gothic details, often referred to as the 'feminist church' due to the female saints lining its interior.Jaro Cathedral boasts aNeo-Romanesque style with a distinctivebell tower located across a street from the church.Cabatuan Church, the largest red brick structure in the Visayas, is known for itsNeoclassic design and three facades.San Jose Church in front ofPlaza Libertad is considered the oldest church in Iloilo City, known for itsByzantine-Neoclassic architecture and for houses the replica ofSanto Niño de Cebú, the patron saint of theDinagyang Festival. Plaza Libertad is the historic plaza where the flag of the first Philippine Republic was raised after Spain surrendered Iloilo to revolutionary forces on December 25, 1898.
TheSan Joaquin Church features a large pediment with a sculptural relief of the Spanish victory in theBattle of Tetuan, making it aNational Cultural Treasure along withSan Joaquin Campo Santo, a Roman Catholic cemetery with a Spanish Baroque mortuary chapel.Passi City Church is a fortress church with massive buttresses built to replace earlier structures destroyed by natural disasters. TheCasa Real de Iloilo, a National Historical Site, once served as the capitol when the civil government of Iloilo was founded in 1901.Santa Barbara Church, known as the "Cradle of Independence" in Panay and the Visayas, was the site ofGeneral Martin Delgado's junta leading to the first Cry of Revolution against the Spaniards outside Luzon. TheCalle Real Heritage District houses numerous old colonial buildings, including theEusebio Villanueva Building, formerly known as the International Hotel. TheIloilo Golf and Country Club, the oldest golf course in Southeast Asia, was established in the 1850s by British Vice ConsulNicholas Loney, known as the "Father of the Philippine Sugar Industry."
The province also boasts a variety of natural attractions includingBucari, situated in the highlands ofLeon, is known as the "Summer Capital of Iloilo" due to its cool climate and highland attractions.Bulabog Putian National Park, a protected rainforest area withinSan Enrique andDingle, features diverseflora andfauna, and over 30 caves, making it a popular eco-tourism destination in the province. Mount Napulak inIgbaras, one of the highest mountains in Iloilo, is the most popular mountain for hikers in the province. TheIslas de Gigantes, known for island-hopping adventures, is an island group off the shores ofCarles renowned for its white sand beaches, clear waters, lagoons, and rock formations.Cabugao Gamay is the most popular island in the archipelago, features two white sand beaches that forms like a sandbar connecting two islets.Sicogon Island, another island in Carles south of the Islas de Gigantes, is aresort island developed byAyala Land, Inc.
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The airport serves the Province of Iloilo, including its capital city, Iloilo City, the regional center of the Western Visayas region in the Philippines. It opened its doors to commercial traffic on June 14, 2007, after a decade of planning and construction located at Cabatuan, Iloilo, replacingMandurriao Airport inMandurriao, Iloilo City and inherited its IATA and ICAO airport codes from its predecessor. The fourth-busiest airport in the Philippines, it is the first airport in both Western Visayas and the island of Panay to be built to international standards, and one of the four airports in the region planned to be an international gateway. It is one of two international airports in Western Visayas, the others beingKalibo International Airport.
The airport serves tourists to the island of Sicogon in Carles, Iloilo. The airport has been redeveloped and opened in 2018. Charter flights to and from Sicogon toManila and vice versa took place in late 2018. It is located in Barangay San Fernando on the island.
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The Port of Iloilo, considered the leader of trade and a commercial hub for Western Visayas is also one of the safest natural seaports in the Philippines. The Iloilo Commercial Port Complex is located on 20.8 hectares of reclaimed land. It includes 11,400 sq. meters of open space for operations, supplemented by an area of 97,000 sq. meters, a crane, rails of 348 lineal meters; roll-on-roll-off support; a 7,800 container freight stations; and a 720 sq. meter passenger shed. The port complex is ideal for ships plying international routes having a berth length of 400 meters, a width of 26.26 meters and a berthing depth of 10.50 meters.
A number of shipping companies use the Port of Iloilo, including Lorenzo Shipping Corporation, 2GO, Amigo Shipping Company, New Panay Shipping Company, Sulpicio Lines, and Trans-Asia Shipping Lines Inc. Fast ferries serve Iloilo-Bacolod routes eight times daily. 2GO inter-island, overnight ferries serve longer routes, going to Manila, Bacolod, Cebu, Zamboanga and Cagayan de Oro City. Pumpboat ferries cross the Iloilo Strait to Guimaras constantly during the day and on special trips at night.
Roll-on/roll-off ferry service, known as RO-RO, is available between Iloilo City and Guimaras, but the ro-ro to Negros is available from Dumangas, Iloilo including ro-ro from Iloilo to Palawan.
It is ranked third in terms of ship calls at 11,853, fourth in cargo throughout at 491,719 million metric tons and fourth in passenger traffic at 2.4 million annually.
The Iloilo–Guimaras Bridge, a component of the largerPanay-Guimaras-Negros Bridge project, is currently undergoing a feasibility study and is scheduled to begin construction in 2025. Once completed, it will reconnect Iloilo to its former sub-province of Guimaras.
The Iloilo-Capiz-Aklan Expressway (ICAEx) is a proposed expressway on the island of Panay that will link the provinces of Iloilo, Capiz, and Aklan. Its entry point will be located in Leganes, where the proposed approach of the Panay-Guimaras Bridge, a component of thePanay-Guimaras-Negros Bridge project, is situated.
Panay Railways has been proposed for revival to restore its defunct rail connections between Iloilo City and several key destinations in the province and across Panay, including Passi, Roxas, Kalibo, Malay (Aklan), and San Jose (Antique). The railway previously had stations in Iloilo City and Santa Barbara, in Iloilo province.[57]
Iloilo is one of the most accessible provinces in the Philippines. Iloilo can be reached by plane on regular commercial international flights from Hong Kong and Singapore to the Iloilo International Airport. Direct domestic flights connect Iloilo to other major cities in the Philippines including Manila, Cebu, Davao, General Santos, Puerto Princesa, Zamboanga and Cagayan de Oro. Direct ferry routes and roll-on roll-off connections on the Philippines’ nautical highway are also available between Iloilo and all other major cities in the country.
By plane, travel time to the Iloilo takes around 1 hour from Manila, 30 minutes from Cebu, 2 hours and 30 minutes from Hong Kong, and 3 hours and 30 minutes from Singapore. By direct ferry, Iloilo is approximately 1.5 hours away from Bacolod, and 15 minutes away from Guimaras. By land, Iloilo is around 4–5 hours away from Boracay, 3 hours away from Kalibo, and 2 hours away from Roxas City.
Iloilo International Airport – The Iloilo International Airport is the primary gateway to Iloilo. It serves regularly scheduled direct domestic flights to Iloilo from major Philippine airlines including Manila, Cebu, Davao, General Santos, Puerto Princesa, and Cagayan de Oro. The airport also serves international flights from Iloilo to Hong Kong and Singapore. Flights to Iloilo are served by Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, PAL Express, and TigerAir. The Iloilo Airport is located approximately 19 kilometers or 20 minutes away by taxi from Iloilo City.
Iloilo Seaports – Ferries in Iloilo depart and arrive at various seaports in Iloilo City and Iloilo Province depending on the route and vessel type. (1) Ferry terminals along the Iloilo River in Lapuz district, Iloilo City serves fastcraft ferries to and from Bacolod, RORO ferries to and from Guimaras, and ferries to and from Palawan. (2) The Iloilo Domestic Port in Fort San Pedro, Iloilo City Proper, serves shipping companies with routes to and from Manila, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, and Zamboanga.[58]
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The province of Iloilo, including the city of Iloilo, is a major center of education in the Western Visayas region. It is home to one of the largest numbers of universities in the country, with a total of ten major institutions. Two notable universities are also set to open new campuses in the city and province of Iloilo: theUniversity of St. La Salle in Pavia andNational University in Mandurriao, Iloilo City.
Universities:
Colleges:
Special Schools:
Iloilo is home to two professional sports teams.Kaya F.C.–Iloilo competes in thePhilippines Football League (PFL), the highest tier of Philippine football. The club relocated to the province in 2018. Kaya has won 3 PFL titles, 3Copa Paulino Alcantara, and 1UFL Cup. Kaya has also competed in theAFC Champions League and theAFC Cup. TheIloilo United Royals compete in theMaharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, joining as an expansion team in the2019–20 season.
Iloilo City is home to regional television stations of GMA Network (GMA TV6 & GMA News TV 28), TV5 (UHF 36 & AksyonTV 46), Solar channels (9TV TV-4) ETC UHF 32 & 2nd Avenue UHF 24), IBC (VHF 12), (BEAM UHF 26) and ABS-CBN (ABS-CBN TV10, ABS-CBN Sports+Action (UHF 38)).
Media related toIloilo (province) at Wikimedia Commons
Iloilo (province) travel guide from Wikivoyage
Geographic data related toIloilo atOpenStreetMapPlaces adjacent to Iloilo | |
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 Province ofIloilo | |
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Iloilo City (capital and largest city) | |
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