Iloilo City

Iloilo City
Highly urbanized city
Skyline of Mandurriao district Calle Real Molo Church Jaro Belfry Arroyo Fountain Molo Mansion Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral Lopez Heritage House
Flag Seal Logo
Nickname(s):  City of Love and others
Motto(s):  La Muy Leal y Noble Ciudad de Iloílo (transl. The Most Loyal and Noble City of Iloilo)
Map of Western Visayas particularly Iloilo with Iloilo City highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Iloilo City Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 10°43′N 122°34′E
Country	Philippines
Region	Western Visayas
Province	Iloilo (geographically only)
District	Lone district
Founded	1566 (Spanish settlement)
Cityhood	October 5, 1889
Reincorporated	July 16, 1937
Highly urbanized city	December 22, 1979
Barangays	180 (see Barangays and districts)
City geographical districts	List Arevalo City Proper Jaro La Paz Lapuz Mandurriao Molo
Government
• Type	Sangguniang Panlungsod
• Mayor	Jerry P. Treñas (NUP)
• Vice Mayor	Jeffrey P. Ganzon (PFP)
• City Representative	Julienne L. Baronda (Lakas-CMD)
• City Council	Members Sedfrey L. Cabaluna Jose Maria Miguel S. Treñas Alan A. Zaldivar Frances Grace V. Parcon-Torres Urminico M. Baronda Jr. Rudolph Jeffrey O. Ganzon Rex Marcus B. Sarabia Candice Magdalane A. Tupas Johnny Y. Young Romel D. Duron Ely A. Estante Jr. Plaridel C. Nava
• Electorate	330,470 voters (2022)
Area
• City	78.34 km2 (30.25 sq mi)
• Urban	91 km2 (35 sq mi)
• Metro	1,105.53 km2 (426.85 sq mi)
Elevation	21 m (69 ft)
Highest elevation	175 m (574 ft)
Lowest elevation	−1 m (−3 ft)
Population  (2020 census)
• City	457,626
• Density	5,800/km2 (15,000/sq mi)
• Urban	574,000
• Metro	1,007,945
• Metro density	910/km2 (2,400/sq mi)
• Households	104,313
Demonym(s)	Ilonggo (masculine) Ilongga (feminine)
Economy
• Gross domestic product (GDP)	₱145.05 billion (2022) $2.563 billion (2022)
• Income class	1st city income class
• Poverty incidence	3.30 % (2021)
• Revenue	₱ 4,143 million (2022)
• Assets	₱ 11,768 million (2022)
• Expenditure	₱ 3,294 million (2022)
• Liabilities	₱ 2,713 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Monte Oro Resource Electric and Power Corporation (MORE)
• Water	Metro Pacific Iloilo Water (MPIW)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	5000
PSGC	063022000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)33
Native languages	Hiligaynon/Ilonggo
Catholic diocese	Archdiocese of Jaro
Patron saint	Nuestra Señora de la Purificación y la Candelaria (English: Our Lady of Purification and Candle)
Website	iloilocity.gov.ph

Iloilo City, officially the City of Iloilo (Hiligaynon: Dakbanwa sang Iloilo; Filipino: Lungsod ng Iloilo), is a highly urbanized city in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines, located on the southeastern coast of the island of Panay. According to the 2020 census, Iloilo City has a population of 457,626 people, making it the most populous city in Western Visayas. For the metropolitan area, the total population is 1,007,945 people.

The city is a conglomeration of former towns, now organized into seven geographical or administrative districts: the City Proper, Jaro, Molo, Mandurriao, La Paz, Arevalo, and Lapuz. It is the largest city and capital of Iloilo province, where the city is geographically situated and grouped under the Philippine Statistics Authority, but remains politically independent in terms of government and administration. In addition, it is the center of the Iloilo–Guimaras metropolitan area, as well as the regional center of the Western Visayas region. The city serves as the regional hub for trade, commerce, industry, education, religion, healthcare, tourism, culture, and culinary arts.

In 1566, the Spanish settled in Iloilo, establishing it as the second Spanish colonial center in the Philippines after Cebu. The city was bestowed with the honorific title 'La Muy Leal y Noble Ciudad' (Most Loyal and Noble City) by Queen Regent Maria Cristina of Spain in recognition of its loyalty to the Spanish crown during the Philippine Revolution. Iloilo City served as the last capital of the captaincy general of the Spanish East Indies before the Philippines was ceded to the United States in 1898 through the Treaty of Paris. The city was also the capital of the short-lived Federal State of the Visayas, a revolutionary state in the central Philippines that aimed to promote federalism in the country. At the turn of the 20th century, Iloilo City was second only to Manila in economic importance in the Philippines, with its port open to international trade.

Iloilo City is among the fastest-developing cities in the Philippines, experiencing significant annual growth since the redevelopment of the old airport in Mandurriao. The IT-BPM industry in the city continues to thrive and remains in high demand. It has been recognized as a top location for outsourcing expansion outside Metro Manila and is the third-largest hub for the industry in the country.

Etymology

See also: Nicknames of Iloilo City

The name "Iloilo" is derived from the older name "Irong-irong" (Philippine Spanish: Ilong̃-ílong̃) meaning "nose-like", referring to the promontory between two rivers (Iloilo and Batiano) where the Fort San Pedro and the 17th-century Spanish port were located.

History

Pre-colonial period

See also: Hinilawod

Images from the Boxer Codex (c. 1595), illustrating ancient Visayans

The territorial expansion of Iloilo City.

Little is known historically about the region prior to the arrival of the Spanish. In his work Historia natural del sitio, fertilidad y calidad de las Islas e Indios de Bisayas (1668), Jesuit missionary Francisco Ignacio Alcina identifies the origin of the Hiligaynon people of "Oton" (Panay) as the island of Leyte, a claim that aligns with the linguistic subgrouping of the Hiligaynon language.

Numerous legends recount the origins of the Hiligaynon people. One prominent example is the epic Maragtas by Pedro Monteclaro, first published in 1907. It narrates how ten datudatu and their families, led by Datu Puti, fled the tyrannical rule of Sultan Makatunaw in the "kingdom of Borneo" and arrived on the island of Panay. There, they negotiated the purchase of the lowlands from King Marikudo of the Ati people, offering a golden salakot for Marikudo and a long golden necklace for his queen, Maniwan-tiwan. A pact of friendship was forged, marked by the Atis performing their native songs and dances—an event said to be the origin of the Ati-Atihan Festival. According to an account by Augustinian Friar Rev. Fr. Tomas Santaren from the Spanish era, Datu Macatunao (or Rajah Makatunao), a "sultan of the Moros" and relative of Datu Puti, had seized the properties of the ten datus. Warriors Labaodungon and Paybare, informed of this injustice by their father-in-law Paiburong (Datu of Iloilo), sailed to Odtojan in Borneo, where Makatunaw ruled. They sacked the city, killed Makatunaw and his family, retrieved the stolen goods, enslaved the surviving population, and returned to Panay. Labaw Donggon and his wife, Ojaytanayon, later settled in a place called Moroboro. The Maragtas also describes subsequent settlements by "Malay datus" in other parts of the Visayas and Luzon.

Though once widely accepted and included in school textbooks, Maragtas (along with the Code of Kalantiaw) is now considered an early 20th-century hoax by modern scholars. Historian William Henry Scott challenged its historicity in 1968, successfully defending his critique before a panel of Filipino history experts, including Gregorio Zaide, Teodoro Agoncillo, some of whom had previously endorsed its inclusion in historical narratives.

A 2019 thesis, Mga Maragtas ng Panay: Comparative Analysis of Documents about the Bornean Settlement Tradition by Talaguit, uncovered an earlier account of the Bornean migration myth by Rev. Fr. Tomas Santaren. Published in 1902 as an appendix to Igorrotes: estudio geográfico y etnográfico sobre algunos distritos del norte de Luzon by Fr. Angel Perez, Santaren’s Bisayan Accounts of Early Bornean Settlements largely corroborates Monteclaro’s narrative. Santaren claimed his account was a direct Spanish translation of two manuscripts he acquired from locals in Iloilo after 1858, when he was stationed there. However, these manuscripts, written in romanized Hiligaynon, likely date to the colonial era, as pre-colonial Visayans relied on oral tradition rather than written records. Thus, while Maragtas may reflect elements of local folk history, it is unlikely to be a pre-colonial document and is not regarded as authentic history but rather a blend of tradition and invention.

Yuan Dynasty records from the 1300s mention Iloilo’s current town of Oton, referred to in Hokkien Chinese: 啞陳; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: A-tân. Additionally, Friar Gaspar de San Agustín, O.S.A., noted that in ancient times, Panay housed a trading center and a court of the island’s most illustrious nobility.

Spanish colonial period (1571-1898)

Early Spanish colonial period (1571–1599)

Charles V of Spain.

In 1519, King Charles I of Spain, who ruled over numerous Catholic kingdoms and territories—including Spain, Germany, the Holy Roman Empire, and vast regions across Europe and the Americas—commissioned Ferdinand Magellan to circumnavigate the globe and establish trade routes to the Spice Islands. Departing from Seville in 1519 with five ships and 270 men, Magellan’s expedition crossed the calm Pacific Ocean by 1520. On March 17, 1521, they sighted the mountains of Samar and Leyte, naming the area "Las Velas" (The Sails). The crew disembarked on the uninhabited Homonhon Island, calling it "Buenas Señales" (Good Signs) as they replenished food and water after the long voyage. Navigating the Strait of Siargao, they landed on Limasawa Island, where locals received them peacefully. The Spaniards planted a cross on a hill and celebrated the first Mass, marking the site as the first Spanish settlement and the birthplace of Christianity in the Philippines. The Limasawa prince introduced them to the King of Butuan, who welcomed them on April 8, 1521. Magellan named the newly discovered archipelago "Las Islas de San Lázaro."

By April 7, 1521, Magellan reached Sugbu (Cebu), where Datu Zula of Mactan sent him two goats. On April 26, Zula informed Magellan that he could not fulfill further promises due to resistance from Lapu Lapu, another Mactan chief who refused to obey the Spanish king. Rajah Humabon of Sugbu tricked Magellan into attacking Lapu-Lapu. During the ensuing battle, Magellan was struck by a poisoned arrow and killed as his men retreated to their ships. The next day, Humabon invited the Spaniards to a banquet, where 27 sailors were poisoned. Humabon later restored friendly relations with Lapu-Lapu, his wife’s uncle.

In 1565, under Philip II, Miguel López de Legazpi returned from Mexico to Cebu to avenge Magellan’s death. His forces pillaged and burned Cebu for days, forcing the Cebuanos to retreat from the heavily armored Spanish Tercios—infantry units comprising alabardero, alférez with a sword, and Arcabucero with gunpowder. Seeking food, Legazpi sent Felipe de Salcedo, accompanied by Friar Martín de Rada and other Augustinian missionaries, to Iloilo. They established a temporary settlement in Araut (Dumangas) in 1566 before founding a permanent settlement between Ogtong (Oton) and La Villa Rica de Arevalo. Officially established in 1572, Oton became the second Spanish colonial outpost after Cebu. The settlement initially comprised 80 Spaniards from Europe, reinforced over the years by Mexican soldiers: 66 in 1603, 50 in 1636, 169 in 1670, and another 169 in 1672. By 1586, it welcomed 20 Spanish households and an additional 30 Spanish and/or Mexican soldiers. By the 1700s, Iloilo was home to 166 Spanish Filipino families and 29,723 native families.

Unlike the neutral Indianized Cebuanos or the partially Islamized Tagalogs of Manila, who were often hostile, the people of Madja-as welcomed the Spaniards as allies. At the time, Madja-as was engaged in a war against Muslim forces, particularly the Sultanate of Brunei and its vassals, the Sultanate of Sulu and the Kingdom of Maynila—entities Spanish Governor-General Francisco de Sande described as "blood-cousins" of the Visayans. The locals enthusiastically embraced Christianity and provided mercenaries crucial to the Spanish conquest of Manila, whose rulers were tied to Brunei.

The Spaniards observed that Visayan pirates were fiercer than the Mohammedans of Jolo and Mindanao. After the harvest, these pirates embarked on year-long raids, hunting slaves and attacking settlements. Those not living near rivers conducted raids from February to April and October to November, penetrating deep into island interiors and sacking villages—a practice termed panggubat (raiding). However, with Christianization and Hispanization, the Visayans abandoned piracy, slaving, and raiding, transitioning into soldiers or farmers.

In 1581, due to frequent attacks by Moro pirates and Dutch and English privateers, Ronquillo relocated the colonial center 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) eastward from Oton to La Villa Rica de Arévalo, named after his hometown in Ávila, Spain. He settled Spanish and Mexican soldiers there as the first colonists while Chinese traders established themselves in Parián (Molo). Jaro also became a hub for mestizos, La Paz attracted devotees to the Mexican-made image of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, and Mandurriao hosted a growing Indian community near the Nanak Darbar Sikh Temple.

Initially, the Manila Galleons—massive trade ships—were constructed at Oton’s port. As Spain lacked a precedent for such vessels, their design likely evolved from the Visayans’ multi-masted caracoas, used in regional warfare, combined with Spanish shipbuilding techniques. Oton built the first galleons before operations shifted to Bicol and Cavite.

17th and 18th Centuries

The Plan of the Fort of Iloilo in 1738, formerly called Fortificación de Nuestra Señora del Rosario en el Puerto de Yloylo, Provincia de Oton, in the early 1700s.

In 1600, a massive Muslim attack targeted Iloilo City with 70 ships and 4,000 warriors, raiding multiple Visayan islands for slaves. A force of 1,000 Visayan warriors and 70 Mexican arquebusiers, led by Spanish alcalde mayor Don Juan Garcia de Sierra (who died in battle), repelled the assault. As Moro incursions intensified late in the 16th century, the Spanish bolstered Visayan defenses with a fort at Iloilo, garrisoned by two companies of Mexican soldiers.

In 1635, Christian Visayans from Iloilo, alongside Spanish officers and Peruvian Latino soldiers, established Zamboanga as a fortress to curb Moro raids in the Visayas and as a base for campaigns into Muslim Mindanao.

By 1700, escalating attacks from the Dutch and Moros prompted the Spanish to relocate their seat 25 kilometers eastward to Irong-Irong, a village with natural defenses at the mouth of a snaking river. There, they built the Fortificación de Nuestra Señora del Rosario en el Puerto de Yloylo, Provincia de Oton (now Fort San Pedro) to protect against raids—the only remaining threat to their control. Irong-Irong, shortened to Iloilo, soon became the provincial capital.

Sugar boom era and late Spanish colonial period (1800s)

Aduana de Iloilo is the second-largest customs house in the Philippines after the Aduana de Manila in Intramuros.

Spanish colonial authorities in Iloilo permitted Chinese migrants to work in local industries (e.g., the Locsin, Lopez, Jalandoni, Lim, and Sy families) and Latin Americans from New Spain to staff military fortifications (e.g., the Araneta, De Rama, and Arroyo families). In the late 18th century, a large-scale weaving industry spurred Iloilo’s trade surge in the Visayas, earning it the nickname "Textile Capital of the Philippines." Products like sinamay, piña, and jusi were exported to Manila and abroad, fostering the rise of an upper-middle class. However, the industry declined in the mid-19th century due to cheap British textiles and the shift to a sugar-based economy.

Mansion de Lopez (Nelly's Garden), which is regaled as the 'queen of all heritage houses in Iloilo', is one of the grand mansions in the heritage district of Jaro that resulted from the sugar boom.

The opening of Iloilo’s port to the world market in 1855 replaced the waning textile trade, connecting local industry and agriculture directly to global commerce. The sugar industry’s development in Iloilo and nearby Negros, fueled by high global demand, triggered an economic boom. British vice-consul Nicholas Loney advanced the sector with loans, warehouses, and new farming technologies. Wealthy Iloilo families established vast sugar haciendas in Negros, boosting commercial activity and leading to the construction of infrastructures, banks, recreational facilities, educational institutions, foreign consulates, and more.

City Status (1889)

Queen Regent Maria Cristina of Spain and her son King Alfonso XIII. The Queen Regent raised the status of Iloilo as a City, on October 5, 1889, in the name of King Alfonso XIII, who was still a minor.

On October 5, 1889, a royal decree elevated Iloilo from a town to a city, reflecting its growing commerce and industry, making it second only to Manila in importance. Through the Becerra Law of 1889, the ayuntamiento of Iloilo was established on January 7, 1890, inaugurated by former Governor-General Valeriano Weyler. Iloilo thus became the second-most significant city in the archipelago by the end of Spanish rule.

The Revolutionary Period (1896–1898)

Further information: Philippine Revolution

The outbreak of the 1896 rebellion in Manila stunned the Ilonggo elite, who responded with outrage and reaffirmed their loyalty to Spain. During the first two years of the revolutionary period, Ilonggos remained united in their support for the Spanish Crown.

On September 1, 1896, the Jaro Ayuntamiento, composed of native Ilonggos, held a special session condemning the Manila uprising as unpatriotic, declaring it found "no echo in the noble hearts of Jareños," who credited Spain with raising them "from nothing to a life of civilization and progress." The Iloilo Ayuntamiento similarly protested, asserting that Ilonggos were "Spaniards until death," proud to live under the Castilian standard that granted them dignity and freedom. Foreign residents and Filipino priests from Jaro, Molo, Mandurriao, and Arévalo echoed these sentiments, as did towns across Iloilo, Capiz, Antique, and Negros.

Seminario de San Vicente Ferrer in Jaro, the oldest institution of higher education in Western Visayas region. It is the fifth oldest and the last seminary established by Spaniards in the Philippines.

This loyalty spurred the Ilonggo elite to organize volunteers to suppress the Tagalog-led rebellion, a move supported by Spanish and foreign communities. A 500-strong battalion of native volunteers, split into two companies under mostly Spanish officers, arrived in Manila on January 16, 1897. They earned a distinguished combat record in Cavite against Emilio Aguinaldo’s Katipunan forces. After the Pact of Biak-na-Bato, they returned to Iloilo in April 1898 amid fanfare, further fueling public displays of loyalty to Spain.

On March 1, 1898, Queen Regent Maria Cristina granted Iloilo the perpetual title of Muy Noble (Most Noble) for its steadfast allegiance. This honor, alongside its status as the second Spanish port after Manila, earned Iloilo the moniker "Queen’s Favored City in the South" or "Queen’s City in the South."

After the Spanish defeat at the Battle of Manila Bay in the Spanish–American War, the capital of the Spanish East Indies shifted to Iloilo, with General Diego de los Rios as Governor-General. As a truce held pending peace talks in Paris, Aguinaldo sent Tagalog revolutionaries to Panay to incite rebellion. By October 1898, General Martín Delgado secured most of Panay—except Iloilo City Proper, Jaro, La Paz, and Molo—for the revolutionary cause. By December, de los Rios controlled only the city and port.

Modern day Plaza Libertad (formerly Plaza Alfonso XII [El Duodécimo]), with the Iloilo City Hall in the background.

On December 25, 1898, fifteen days after the Treaty of Paris, Spanish forces surrendered at Plaza Alfonso XII (now Plaza Libertad) to Delgado, representing Aguinaldo’s Philippine Republic. Military Provincial Governor Ricardo Monet and Lt. Col. Agustín Solís handed over the plaza, and Delgado was appointed provincial governor, marking Iloilo as the last Spanish capital in Asia and the Pacific.

The Ilonggos’ newfound freedom was fleeting. On December 27, American forces under General Marcus P. Miller arrived with 3,000 troops and two ships to claim the territory per the Treaty of Paris. On December 2, the Federal State of the Visayas was established, uniting the cantonal governments of Bohol and Negros and the Provisional Government of Panay and Romblon. Modeled after United States federalism and Swiss confederacy, it was led by Roque Lopez, with Iloilo City as its capital. However, it was abolished a year later by Emilio Aguinaldo, as part of efforts to consolidate power under the central government during the Philippine Revolution.

American colonial period (1898-1946)

Filipino–American War (1899–1901)

General Martín Teófilo Delgado marching in 1901 ahead of 30 officers and 140 men to surrender to Brig. Gen. Robert P. Hughes, regional commander of the US forces occupying the country.

After the Spanish withdrawal, revolutionary forces entered Iloilo amid music and banners, forming a government. On January 17, 1899, Raymundo Melliza, from a prominent Molo family, was elected mayor. However, Aguinaldo’s influence barely extended beyond a day’s march from the capital. American forces awaited orders from Manila, reinforcing their presence with two additional ships.

Hostilities erupted between Aguinaldo’s forces and the Americans in Luzon on February 4, 1899. Miller demanded Iloilo’s surrender on February 7, threatening bombardment by February 12 if refused. As tensions rose, the 1,650 native troops under Delgado grew unruly, demanding higher pay. To prevent mutiny and looting, generals collected funds from Panay towns. Fearful residents and Chinese merchants shuttered stores, while prominent families fled to Negros under the Philippine flag, unhindered by American ships.

Sailing ships at the Muelle Loney wharf of Iloilo City, circa 1920s to 1930s.

On February 10, an emergency session at City Hall debated burning Iloilo to resist the Americans. Despite the mayor’s objections, the majority—led by those without property stakes and backed by Tagalog mercenaries—favored destruction. On February 11, American shelling began, damaging buildings, while retreating native troops and a mob torched petroleum-soaked houses. Chinese bazaars burned despite barricades, and Europeans bribed rioters for safety. British warships sent marines ashore to protect foreign properties. By 1 p.m., American troops landed, restored order, and posted sentinels to guard remaining goods. Indemnity claims later submitted to U.S. authorities were rejected. Resistance persisted until 1901, making Iloilo one of the last cities to fall. Many leaders, including Delgado, surrendered and reintegrated, with Delgado serving as governor from 1901 to 1904 under American rule, earning $3,000 annually—the highest gubernatorial salary in the archipelago.

Birds-eye view of Iloilo Harbor, circa 1920s to 1930s.

By April 11, 1901, local governments were established in various Iloilo towns, with appointed officials like Jose Maria Gay (Iloilo alcalde) and Ruperto Montinola (Jaro representative). Judge Juan de León y Benedicto noted rivalries among Iloilo, Jaro, and Molo, recommending mergers like Arevalo with Molo and La Paz with Jaro. The region’s population reached 100,000. The revolution and war revealed Aguinaldo’s government as ineffective in Panay. Educated Ilonggos saw absolute independence as premature, resenting Tagalog dominance and the brutal conduct of Tagalog troops under leaders like Ananias Diocno, whose harsh campaigns in Capiz and Iloilo deepened regional divisions.

American colonial era and advent of Protestantism and counter-reformation (1900–1941)

Aerial view of Iloilo, circa early 1900s.

In 1900, the Americans downgraded Iloilo’s city status to a township. By 1903, Act No. 719 incorporated Jaro, La Paz, Mandurriao, and Molo into Iloilo. Pavia joined in 1905 via Act No. 1333 but was separated, along with Jaro, in 1907 by Executive Order No. 64. La Paz became a separate municipality in 1920.

A market in Iloilo, in the 1910s.

The Americans improved infrastructure, building Baluarte and Arroyo streets, extending Delgado Street, and paving Quezon and Mabini streets with sidewalks. Streetlights were installed citywide in 1921, and by 1926, major streets like General Luna and J.M. Basa were widened. In 1927, Valeria-Ledesma Street was inaugurated.

The Americans introduced Protestantism, dividing the Philippines among denominations via a 1898 comity agreement. Iloilo, a key economic hub, attracted early Protestant missions. Presbyterians founded the Iloilo Mission Hospital, the first Protestant and American hospital in the country. Baptists established Central Philippine University (CPU) in 1905—the first Baptist-founded and second American university in Asia—along with the Jaro Evangelical Church and the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches. Seventh-day Adventists later built the Jaro Adventist Center. CPU, funded by John D. Rockefeller, pioneered the work-study program and established the CPU Republic in 1906, the oldest student government in Southeast Asia. The Union Mission Hospital, launched by Presbyterians in 1901, became the Iloilo Mission Hospital in 1932, pioneering nursing education.

Catholic responses included American bishops like Frederick Rooker and Dennis Dougherty for the See of Jaro, who brought in European missionaries. Augustinians founded the Collegio de San Agustín in 1904 (later a university), while the Sisters of Charity of St. Paul took over St. Paul Hospital, opening a nursing school that became St. Paul University Iloilo. The Thomasites established public schools like Iloilo Normal School (now West Visayas State University) and Iloilo National High School.

Iloilo regained cityhood on July 16, 1937, via Commonwealth Act No. 158, incorporating La Paz and Arevalo, with Jaro added in 1941 by Commonwealth Act No. 604.

• 
  Iloilo Mission Hospital, founded in 1901, is the first American and Protestant founded hospital in the Philippines.
• 
  Colegio de San Agustín, was built to counter Protestantism by Spanish Roman Catholic Augustinian friars through their American confreres.
• 
  St. Paul's Hospital Iloilo is the oldest existing hospital under the Roman Catholic order in the Philippines.

Japanese occupation period (1942–1945)

Central Philippine University's main campus north-eastern side aerial view in the 1960s. During the onset of World War II, Central's entire properties on its main campus were heavily destroyed. The war-torn university's main campus was rebuilt after the post-war, resulting for a well-laid campus plan dotted with palm and acacia trees and home to a plethora of century-old colonial American heritage structures built in the early 1900s.

By 1942, the Japanese had invaded Panay, and the economy came to a standstill. During World War II, Iloilo was controlled by several Japanese battalions. Japan's ultimate goal was to entrench itself deeply in the Philippines so that, at the close of the war, it could occupy the country just as the Spanish and the Americans had years before. The Japanese built "comfort stations" in Iloilo in 1942, where they imprisoned Filipino "comfort women" who were routinely gang-raped, brutalized, and murdered for entertainment.

Nevertheless, during the Japanese occupation, Macario Peralta Jr. freed most of Panay (with few exceptions) from Japanese imperialism. As a result, allied guerrillas from other provinces, including Romblon, Palawan, Marinduque, and portions of Masbate and Mindoro, considered Panay , the "Primus inter pares" in their alliance network.

When Iloilo was liberated by Filipino and American forces from Japanese military occupation on March 25, 1945, the remnants of these battalions were held in Jaro Plaza, which was used as a makeshift detention facility.

Post-war decline (1945–1960s)

The war heavily damaged the infrastructure in Iloilo. However, the continuing conflict between labor unions in the port area, the declining sugar economy, and the deteriorating peace and order situation in the countryside led to the exodus of Ilonggos to other cities, provinces, regions, and islands that offered better opportunities and business prospects. People were moving to cities such as Bacolod, Cebu, and Manila, which contributed to Iloilo's decline in economic importance in central Philippines. Rural agricultural areas continued to support the local economy, but for years, due to the exodus of investors, Iloilo's economy progressed at a moderate pace.

Change came slowly. First, the construction of a fishing port and a new international seaport began. One by one, commercial business firms started investing in Iloilo, spurring the city's eventual recovery.

Iloilo became a highly urbanized city on December 22, 1979, by virtue of Batas Pambansa Blg. 51. As a result of this new status, its residents effectively lost their eligibility to vote for provincial officials.

Iloilo during the Marcos dictatorship (1972–1986)

Main articles: Marcos dictatorship and Human rights abuses of the Marcos dictatorship

The closing weeks of 1969 marked the beginning of a period of unrest in the Philippines. The debt-driven projects initiated by Ferdinand Marcos had succeeded in the political goal of getting him re-elected, but they resulted in the 1969 Philippine balance of payments crisis, which emerged just after the elections in November 1969. By the time of his second inauguration on December 30, 1969, the value of the peso had begun to crash, and inflation led to the three-month period of social unrest now known as the First Quarter Storm. While major protests took place in the Philippine capital, Manila, protests also rocked Iloilo City. Students from the Baptist-founded Central Philippine University (and the nearby Western Institute of Technology in La Paz) became particularly active leaders in these protests, organizing themselves into the Federation of Ilonggo Students (FIST). Among the student leaders in this organization were Vic Beloria, Renato Ganchero, Virgil Ortigas, and the brothers Napoleon and Rolando Lorca—who would later be forced into hiding following Marcos' declaration of martial law. They lost their lives resisting the dictatorship and were honored as martyrs of the fight against the Marcos regime, with their names inscribed on the wall at the Philippines' Bantayog ng mga Bayani (Heroes' Memorial). Another student similarly honored was Edmundo Legislador of the University of the Philippines Iloilo.

As he approached the end of the last term allowed to him by the Philippine Constitution, Marcos placed the Philippines under martial law in 1972. This marked the beginning of a 14-year period of one-man rule, historically remembered for its human rights abuses. According to documentation by Amnesty International, Task Force Detainees of the Philippines, and similar human rights monitoring entities, historians believe that the Marcos dictatorship was marked by 3,257 known extrajudicial killings, 35,000 instances of torture of political detainees, and 70,000 incarcerations.

Iloilo was home to one of the important detention centers for political prisoners, Camp Delgado. Among the more prominent prisoners detained there were labor lawyer Rodolfo Lagoc, who was detained without charges for six months, and World War II heroine Coronacion “Walingwaling” Chiva, whose status as a legendary World War II heroine was the main reason she was largely spared from harm during her detention. Others, like activists Luing Posa-Dominado and Judy Taguiwalo, were tortured, manhandled, and sexually assaulted. For their various roles in the resistance against the authoritarian regime, Lagoc, Chiva, and Posa-Dominado were later honored by having their names inscribed on the Wall of Remembrance at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani, which honors the martyrs and heroes of the era. Meanwhile, Taguiwalo later briefly served as the Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Late 20th and early 21st centuries (1986-present)

Iloilo Business Park in Mandurriao district

At the turn of the 21st century, Iloilo experienced an economic boom, driven by the acquisition of the old Iloilo Airport in Mandurriao district and the construction of the Iloilo Diversion Road that traverses the area, major businesses such as SM Supermalls, SM Prime Holdings, Megaworld Corporation, Ayala Corporation, Filinvest, and Gaisano Capital poured significant investments into the district. Robinsons Land, Cebu Landmasters, Vista Land, Sta. Lucia Land, and Global-Estate Resorts have also invested in various parts of the city. Since then, Iloilo City has become one of the fastest-growing economies in the Philippines.

In 2019, power distribution in Iloilo City underwent a significant change. Panay Electric Company (PECO), one of the oldest private electricity distributors in the Philippines, had facilitated power distribution since 1923. However, MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power), owned by Spanish-Filipino billionaire Enrique K. Razon, took over PECO's operations and now serves as the sole power distributor in the city. MORE Power is developing modern power services, including the installation of an underground cabling system, with Calle Real in downtown Iloilo City being the initial location for the upgrade.

In 2024, the Iloilo Commercial Port Complex was granted to International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) for development and management, and it was renamed the Visayas Container Terminal. The project includes modernizing the facility and expanding its international connectivity to enhance trade and market expansion in the central Philippines.

Geography

Aerial view of Iloilo City.

Iloilo City is situated on the southern shores of Panay, facing the Iloilo Strait and Guimaras to its south and east. This strategic location forms a natural harbor and a safe anchorage for ships. The city is bordered by the municipality of Oton to the west, Pavia to the north, and Leganes to the northeast. Across the Iloilo Strait, along its eastern and southern coastlines, lie the towns of Buenavista and Jordan in the island-province of Guimaras.

The city occupies a flat alluvial plain, largely reclaimed from swampy areas due to urbanization and industrialization from the late 19th century to the present. Several rivers traverse the city, including the Iloilo, Batiano, Jaro, and Dungon Creek. The Iloilo River, an estuary, separates the districts of City Proper, Molo, and Arevalo from the rest of the city. The Jaro River, meanwhile, is fed by its tributaries, the Aganan and Tigum rivers. Recently, the Jaro Floodway was developed as a new escape channel to divert floodwaters from these two rivers into the Iloilo Strait. Iloilo City lies 337.6 nautical miles (630 km) from Manila, 116 kilometres (72 mi) from Roxas City, 158 kilometres (98 mi) from Kalibo, and 97 kilometres (60 mi) from San Jose de Buenavista. It spans a total land area of 70.3 square kilometres (27.1 sq mi).

The city is divided into seven geographical districts: the City Proper, Jaro, Molo, Mandurriao, La Paz, Arevalo,and Lapuz. All districts, except Lapuz, were once independent towns; Lapuz was a sub-district of La Paz until it gained separate status in 2008. Each district features its own town center, equipped with a plaza, a Roman Catholic church, a fire station, a police station, and a public market. City Proper serves as the commercial hub and the political center of both the city and Iloilo Province, as well as the regional government center of Western Visayas.

Iloilo City anchors the only officially recognized metropolitan area in Western Visayas. The metropolitan area encompasses Iloilo City and the surrounding municipalities of Leganes, Pavia, Santa Barbara, Cabatuan, San Miguel, and Oton, along with the island-province of Guimaras and its five municipalities: Sibunag, San Lorenzo, Nueva Valencia, Buenavista, and Jordan.

Barangays and districts

Main article: Districts of Iloilo City

District map of Iloilo City showing its seven districts.

Iloilo City is politically subdivided into 180 barangays, the smallest administrative units in the Philippines. Each barangay is further divided into puroks, and some contain sitios.

For legislative purposes, the city constitutes a single congressional district. Administratively, it is divided into seven districts, each of which is subdivided into barangays, totaling 180 across the city.

District Area Population (2020) Density Barangays km2 sq mi /km2 /sq mi Arevalo 7.58 2.93 55,476 7,300 19,000 13 (list) City Proper 3.73 1.44 46,350 12,000 31,000 45 (list) Jaro 27.48 10.61 130,700 4,800 12,000 42 (list) La Paz 11.33 4.37 54,720 4,800 12,000 25 (list) Lapuz 3.25 1.25 31,747 9,800 25,000 12 (list) Mandurriao 13.78 5.32 62,240 4,500 12,000 18 (list) Molo 5.54 2.14 76,393 14,000 36,000 25 (list)

Climate

Iloilo City has a tropical wet and dry climate as according to the Köppen climate classification system, with pronounced wet season from June throughout November; then dry season from December to May.

Climate data for Iloilo, Philippines (1961–1990, extremes 1903–2012)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	34.7 (94.5)	35.5 (95.9)	39.0 (102.2)	37.5 (99.5)	37.8 (100.0)	37.5 (99.5)	35.2 (95.4)	34.8 (94.6)	37.8 (100.0)	35.4 (95.7)	34.8 (94.6)	34.5 (94.1)	39.0 (102.2)
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)	31.1 (88.0)
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)	27.6 (81.7)
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)	24.0 (75.2)
Record low °C (°F)	16.5 (61.7)	16.7 (62.1)	18.6 (65.5)	20.0 (68.0)	20.2 (68.4)	21.0 (69.8)	19.5 (67.1)	20.0 (68.0)	19.8 (67.6)	19.2 (66.6)	19.4 (66.9)	18.3 (64.9)	16.5 (61.7)
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)
Average rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm)	11	7	7	6	14	18	21	20	19	18	15	14	170
Average relative humidity (%)	82	80	75	73	77	82	85	85	85	84	84	83	81
Source 1: Climate Charts
Source 2: Deutscher Wetterdienst (rainy days), PAGASA (records)

Cityscape

See also: List of tallest buildings in Iloilo

Skyline of Iloilo Business Park and Atria Park District, with the SM City Iloilo Complex in the center background, February 2025

Iloilo City’s modern appearance reflects its centuries-long role as a trading hub, blending colonial influences with contemporary development. Spanning a plain on the southeastern side of Panay, the city is bordered by the Iloilo Strait and Guimaras, forming a natural harbor. The Iloilo and Batiano rivers weave through its districts, emptying into the strait, while bicycle paths, ornamental trees, and numerous parks, gardens, and open spaces define its urban landscape. A conglomerate of former towns—including the once-independent city of Jaro—each district retains a distinct character, with civic centers featuring Spanish colonial layouts of plazas, churches, and municipal halls. Modern developments cluster in an organized manner, concentrated in Mandurriao to preserve the city’s skyline, heritage zones, and environment, while extending into neighboring towns within its metropolitan area.

Architecture

The Beaux-Arts Lizares Mansion in Jaro

Iloilo City’s urban planning and architecture bear the imprint of Spanish and American colonial designs. In 1930, Juan M. Arellano of the Bureau of Public Works crafted a schematic plan influenced by Ebenezer Howard’s "Garden City" concept, shaping the city’s layout as a fusion of former towns, each with plazas surrounded by churches and administrative halls. The Spanish colonial era’s sugar boom left a legacy of 240 mansions—30 of them grand—built by elite Ilonggo sugar baron families, and highlighting its historical economic prominence as the Philippines’ second city after Manila. Fort San Pedro, constructed in the 1600s as the second Spanish fort in Asia after Cebu’s, marked Iloilo’s early defense against pirates, evolving from Oton (founded 1566, formalized 1572) and La Villa Rica de Arevalo (1581) into the city at the Iloilo River’s mouth, protected by Guimaras. Arevalo, the first Spanish-named town in the Philippines, retains heritage structures like Camiña Balay nga Bato and the Convento de Arevalo, alongside the third-oldest Santo Niño image.

Calle Real, stretching from Plazoleta Gay to Plaza Libertad, mirrors Manila’s Escolta with European-style commercial edifices, serving as Iloilo’s old central business district—the second-most preserved heritage business district in the country—bustling with global luxury goods during its late 19th- and early 20th-century heyday. American-era landmarks include the Aduana de Iloilo, designed by Arellano, and the old Iloilo City Hall. Jaro, once a separate city until the 1940s, exudes grandeur with Hispanic- and American-influenced mansions like Lopez Heritage House and Lizares Mansion, built by old-rich families such as Lopez, Ledesma, and Locsin. Jaro’s Jaro Cathedral and separate belfry, alongside Protestant institutions like Central Philippine University’s century-old American-style edifices, reflect religious influences. Molo, dubbed "Parian" for its Chinese heritage, features Gothic-influenced Molo Church and the restored Molo Mansion, now a cultural hub. The 21st-century economic boom has spurred modern malls, skyscrapers like the Injap Tower in Mandurriao, and the festival-inspired Iloilo Convention Center.

• Some of the historic structures along Calle Real
• 
  Eusebio Villanueva Building
• 
  Javellana Building
• 
  Elizalde Building
• 
  Iloilo Customs House

Sustainability

Iloilo River, which snakes through the city, is home to 22 of 35 species of mangroves endemic to the Philippines.

Iloilo City champions sustainability, earning the 2017 Clean Air City Award from the Clean Air Philippine Movement for urban planning that maintains excellent air quality, and the 2020 ASEAN Clean Tourist City Award for green initiatives. The Iloilo Batiano River Development Project secured Galing Pook Awards in 2018 and 2022, recognizing replicable environmental practices. Policies include banning plastic straws, mandating wastewater treatment along the Iloilo River, and enforcing biodegradable waste segregation, with restaurants adopting oxo-degradable bags and recycled packaging. Tree-planting programs have forested major thoroughfares with endemic and ornamental species and expanded mangroves along rivers and estuaries, enhancing biodiversity and reducing the city’s carbon footprint.

Parks and recreation

Iloilo’s parks and open spaces support its sustainability goals, offering residents areas for recreation and socialization. The Iloilo River Esplanade, designed by Filipino architect Paulo Alcazaren, stretches along both sides of the Iloilo River as the Philippines’ longest linear park, dense with 22 of the country’s 35 endemic mangrove species, serving as a marine breeding ground. Historic plazas from its colonial town origins feature ornamental gardens, while recent projects like the revitalized Sunburst Park, the new Freedom Grandstand at Muelle Loney with mini-gardens, and the landscaped Iloilo Provincial Capitol complex—home to the National Museum Western Visayas—enhance the city’s green urban fabric.

Smart City Initiative

The Iloilo River Esplanade, stretching 9 kilometers on both banks of the Iloilo River, is the longest linear park in the Philippines.

Iloilo City advances toward smart city status with free public Wi-Fi, electric vehicles, and flood-prevention pumping stations, aiming to reduce carbon emissions and boost livability. Air quality meets international clean standards, monitored regularly, while taxis use navigation systems, and barangays employ CCTV for traffic and safety management. Additional services include emergency call systems, device charging stations, wayfinding, and free housing in Sooc, Lanit, and San Isidro. Bike-friendly initiatives earned accolades like the 2018 Most Bike-Friendly City citation, Gold Awards in the 2021 and 2022 National Bike Day Bike Lane Awards, the 2021 Mobility Awards Gold, and the 2022 Galing Pook Award for the I-Bike Program. In 2024, Headline Bulletin ranked Iloilo 6th among the world’s top 18 fitness-friendly cities, affirming its sustainable urban vision.

Demographics

Population census of Iloilo City

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1903	52,472	—
1918	77,925	+2.67%
1939	116,277	+1.92%
1948	110,122	−0.60%
1960	151,266	+2.68%
1970	209,738	+3.32%
1975	227,027	+1.60%
1980	244,827	+1.52%
1990	309,505	+2.37%
1995	334,539	+1.47%
2000	366,391	+1.97%
2007	418,710	+1.86%
2010	424,619	+0.51%
2015	447,992	+1.03%
2020	457,626	+0.42%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

According to the 2020 Philippine census, Iloilo City has a population of 456,626, making it the 25th most populous city in the Philippines and the fourth most populous city in the Visayas. The population consists of 224,203 males (49.1%) and 232,423 females (50.9%). It has a population density of 5,842/km² (15,130/sq mi).

Language

Main article: Hiligaynon language

Hiligaynon is the predominant language spoken in Iloilo City. English serves as the primary language for business and education. Other local languages, such as Karay-a (also known as Kinaray-a or the outdated term Haraya), are spoken by a minority from certain parts of Iloilo Province. Spanish, once widely used during the colonial era and into the 1980s, is now fading, though a broken Spanish creole persists among a few families of Spanish descent and elderly sugar barons.

Hiligaynon, part of the Visayan language family within the Malayo-Polynesian languages, is prevalent across Panay, Guimaras, and Negros islands. It is also the main language in Soccsksargen, Mindanao, where most residents trace their ancestry to Hiligaynon speakers. Due to Iloilo’s 300-year history as a Spanish colony, Hiligaynon incorporates numerous Spanish loanwords, such as guerra (war), puerta (door), golpe (strike), aguanta (endure), puerto (port), calle (street), and edificio (building). The language is concentrated in the provinces of Iloilo, Guimaras, and Negros Occidental. In Iloilo and Negros Occidental, it is often referred to as "Ilonggo" (Spanish: Ilongo/Ylongo), a term that also denotes the ethnolinguistic group and cultural identity of native Hiligaynon speakers in Iloilo. The distinction between "Hiligaynon" and "Ilonggo" remains ambiguous, with many locals describing Hiligaynon as the language and Ilonggo as the identity or culture tied to Iloilo.

Religion

Jaro Cathedral is the seat of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Jaro.

Iloilo City is a significant religious center in the Philippines, shaped by 300 years of Spanish colonization that established a predominantly Catholic population. Over 90 percent of residents adhere to the Roman Catholic Church, with Protestant denominations (5 percent), Iglesia ni Cristo (2 percent), and the Philippine Independent Church or Aglipayans (1 percent)—a form of Episcopal Anglo-Catholicism—representing notable minorities.

The statue of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria (Our Lady of Candles) in Jaro Cathedral, the Roman Catholic patron of Western Visayas.

Jaro has long been a hub of Christian institutions. The Spanish introduced Roman Catholicism, establishing the Archdiocese of Jaro, while American colonial rule brought Protestantism, leading to the founding of key institutions. The Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral, designated a National Shrine—the second in Visayas and Mindanao and the first Marian-dedicated shrine outside Luzon—is the seat of the Archdiocese of Jaro and a focal point for devotion to Our Lady of Candles, the patroness of Western Visayas and Romblon, alongside Saint Elizabeth of Hungary. The archdiocese, one of the country’s oldest and largest, began as a parish in 1587, covering Cabatuan, and Maasin. It became a diocese in 1865 under Pope Pius IX, with jurisdiction over suffragan bishops in Mindoro, Palawan, Zamboanga, Iloilo Province, Negros Oriental, Guimaras, San Jose de Buenavista, Capiz, Bacolod, San Carlos, and Kabankalan. Elevated to a metropolitan archdiocese by Pope Pius XII, it later ceded territory to form the dioceses of Zamboanga (1910), Bacolod (1932), Mindoro (1936), Capiz (1951), and the Territorial Prelature of San Jose de Antique (1962), though the latter remains partially under its purview.

Jaro Evangelical Church is the first Baptist Church in the Philippines.

The Church of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in La Paz serves as the episcopal seat of the Diocese of Iloilo for the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Aglipayan Church). Protestantism, introduced by Americans after the 1898 Treaty of Paris, grew due to Iloilo’s economic prominence in the early 1900s and the religious freedom upheld by the American colonial government. Presbyterians established the Iloilo Mission Hospital in 1901, the first American and Protestant hospital in the Philippines. Baptists founded the Jaro Evangelical Church in 1900—the first Baptist and second Protestant church in the country after Manila’s Central United Methodist Church—the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches, and Central Philippine University in 1905, funded by John D. Rockefeller, marking it as the first Baptist and second American university in Asia. Seventh-day Adventists, arriving later outside the early Protestant comity agreement, established the Jaro Adventist Center, the first organized Adventist church outside Manila. Other Christian groups, such as Iglesia ni Cristo and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have a presence, alongside non-Christian communities including Muslims from southern Philippines, Sikhs from Indian immigrants, and Taoists and Buddhists from Chinese immigrants.

• 
  Jaro Cathedral is the seat of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Jaro.
• 
  San Jose Church is regarded as the first ever church in Iloilo City.
• 
  Molo Church is the only Gothic-style church outside Metro Manila.
• 
  Arevalo Church is home to the Santo Niño de Arevalo, the third oldest image of the Holy Child in the Philippines.

Economy

Skyline of Mandurriao, the new central business district of Iloilo City.

Iloilo City has the second-largest economy in the Visayas, after Cebu City, with a gross domestic product (GDP) of ₱145.05 billion in 2022. It serves as the economic hub of Western Visayas for trade, commerce, finance, technology, medical tourism, hospitality, real estate, tourism, education, and industry. Key sectors include port management, telecommunications, utilities, banking, retail, real estate, tourism, and business process outsourcing (BPO). The local government supports economic growth by offering incentives such as income tax holidays and free permits and licenses to businesses in targeted investment areas.

Historically, Iloilo’s economy thrived during the Spanish colonial period, when sugar was its primary export. The opening of its port to international trade in 1855 fueled a sugar boom, generating immense wealth and establishing affluent families—such as Lacson, Locsin, Ledesma, Montinola, and Lopez—whose legacies endure today. This prosperity positioned Iloilo as the Philippines’ second-most important economic center after Manila. However, post-World War II, the sugar industry declined, diminishing the city’s economic stature.

Poverty incidence of Iloilo City

2.5 5 7.5 10 12.5 15 2000 10.67 2003 9.70 2006 4.90 2009 7.57 2012 5.98 2015 13.51 2018 3.48 2021 3.30 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

A resurgence began in the 21st century, catalyzed by the opening of the Iloilo International Airport in 2007, which replaced the old Mandurriao airport. Now the fifth-busiest airport in the Philippines, it spurred development, including Megaworld Corporation’s transformation of the decommissioned airport site into a business park. This, alongside investments from other developers, revitalized the economy. Today, Iloilo leads Western Visayas in bank savings deposits and accounts (ranking third nationally), boasts one of the country’s busiest ports with the Port of Iloilo, and has the lowest crime rate and corruption levels nationwide. It also has the highest life expectancy in Visayas and Mindanao, a significant middle-class population, tops the national happiness index, and is recognized as the most business-friendly city.

SM Strata houses IT-BPO companies like Teletech, EXL Service, Hinduja, and Legato Health.

In 2023, Iloilo City’s economy grew by 10.5 percent, the fastest in Western Visayas and the second-fastest among highly urbanized cities (HUCs) in the Philippines, with its gross domestic product (GDP) rising from ₱145.05 billion in 2022 to ₱160.28 billion. The service sector dominates with an 87.7 percent GDP share, led by wholesale and retail trade (contributing 2.3 percentage points to growth), alongside banking and IT-BPO, while industry accounts for 9.9 percent and agriculture, forestry, and fishing 2.4 percent. Key industries like accommodation and food services (48.3 percent growth) and transportation and storage (18.9 percent).

Stronghold Insurance Corporate Office

The banking sector, tracing back to the Spanish-era sugar boom when Banco Español-Filipino (now Bank of the Philippine Islands) and Philippine National Bank opened their first branches outside Manila, ranks third nationally in deposits, fueled by OFW remittances, local industries, and IT-BPO growth; it hosts LifeBank MFI, the country’s third-largest microfinance institution, and Queen City Development Bank, both headquartered locally. The IT-BPO and knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) sectors thrive, leveraging high literacy and English proficiency, with Megaworld’s Iloilo Business Park hosting firms like Transcom Asia, StarTek, and Reed Elsevier, supported by annual IT graduates from various universities in the city.

Tourism

Dinagyang, one of the largest festivals in the country.

Tourism significantly boosts Iloilo’s economy, with the city serving as Western Visayas’ gateway. Festivals like Dinagyang, Kasadyahan, Paraw Regatta (Asia’s oldest sailing event), and Fiesta de Candelaria draw thousands annually. Monikers such as "City of Love" and "City of Mansions," coupled with initiatives like thoroughfare beautification and park development, enhance its appeal. Attractions include heritage landmarks, museums, art galleries, parks, and a vibrant nightlife centered at Smallville Complex. Iloilo’s Spanish-era heritage—featuring centuries-old churches, historic edifices, and mansions of prominent families—attracts sightseers eager to explore its past. The city is also a gastronomic hub, renowned for dishes like La Paz Batchoy, Pancit Molo, Kansi, Laswa, KBL (Kadyos, Baboy kag Langka), Chicken Inasal, Tinuom, and KMU (Kadyos, manok, kag ubad), popularized nationwide.

In 2018, Iloilo recorded 1,242,087 tourist arrivals—the highest in Western Visayas—including 1,154,550 domestic visitors, 70,787 foreigners, and 16,750 overseas workers. This rose by 11.59 percent in 2019, reaching approximately 1.39 million, and hit 1.4 million in 2020 despite global challenges.

Shopping and retail

Main articles: SM City Iloilo, Festive Walk Mall, Gaisano Capital, and Robinsons Malls

SM City Iloilo is the largest mall in the city as well as in Western Visayas.

Iloilo City, Western Visayas’ shopping hub since colonial times, saw retail flourish post-independence. Hoskyn's Department Store, opened in 1877 on Calle Real, was the Philippines’ first department store, introducing fixed pricing and offering diverse goods from English wool to machinery. Acquired by the Que family post-World War II, it became Washington Supermart. Marymart Shopping Center opened in 1972, followed by SM Delgado in 1979—the first SM outside Manila—and The Atrium in 1993, a hotel-retail mix.

Modern malls includes SM City Iloilo, opened in 1999, which is the city's largest mall,Robinsons Iloilo, Robinsons Jaro, Gaisano Capital La Paz, Gaisano Capital Iloilo City Center, and Megaworld’s Festive Walk Iloilo and Festive Walk Parade—the latter the country’s longest dining strip. Additional shopping centers include CityMall Tagbak, CityMall Parola, Jaro Town Square, GT Mall Molo, City Times Square, and The Shops at Atria by Ayala Malls. Upcoming mall developments include SM City Jaro, Sta. Lucia Mall, and Atria Gardens. Beyond the city center, malls on Iloilo City’s outskirts cater to growing suburban demand. Vista Mall Iloilo, part of the 500-hectare Vista Estate township, is located in Oton. Other malls, including Robinsons Pavia, GT Plaza Pavia, and CityMall Ungka, are situated in Pavia.

Culture

Culture and tradition play a vital role in shaping Iloilo City’s heritage. Home to numerous cultural institutions, including national museums, and a wealth of heritage houses and mansions, Iloilo has earned monikers like "Museum City" and "City of Mansions."

Museums

The National Museum of the Philippines – Western Visayas housed in the old Iloilo Provincial Jail turned museum.

Iloilo City hosts a diverse array of museums spanning ancient and contemporary art, cultural and economic history, and science, serving as repositories of its rich heritage. Artifacts predating the Spanish era—such as pottery, porcelain, gold, and plates—unearthed across Iloilo are displayed in these institutions, alongside works by notable Filipino artists with roots in the region. Collaborative efforts between the city government and stakeholders have elevated cultural awareness, leading to establishments like the Western Visayas Regional Museum of the National Museum of the Philippines, housed in the restored former Iloilo Provincial Jail, and its regional headquarters in the refurbished old Jaro Municipal Hall. Other museums feature memorabilia of prominent figures and families, artworks, and artifacts.

Camiña Balay Nga Bato is a bahay na bato heritage museum.

Key institutions include Museo Iloilo (the first government-built museum outside Manila), the Museum of Philippine Economic History, the Museum of Philippine Maritime History, the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art (ILOMOCA) at Casa de Emperador in Iloilo Business Park, the Henry Luce III Museum and Library at Central Philippine University, the University of San Agustin Museum, UPV Art Gallery, John B. Lacson Foundation Museum of Maritime Culture and Craft, and the Rosendo Mejica Museum. ILOMOCA, Megaworld Corporation’s first museum project and the first in Visayas and Mindanao dedicated to modern and contemporary art, spans 3,000 square meters with five exhibit rooms, including The Hulot Exhibit on the ground floor, showcasing local and international artists like Salvador Dalí, Marc Chagall, and Joan Miró. The Museum of Philippine Economic History, the country’s first of its kind, occupies a restored building once owned by Ynchausti y Compania, featuring 13 galleries with looms from Miag-ao (the former Textile Capital), T’nalak from Mindanao, and gold accessories from Pampanga, reflecting Iloilo’s historical economic prominence as the "Queen City of the South." The Henry Luce III Museum, funded by the Henry Luce Foundation, holds the region’s largest library and collections like the Meyer Asian Collection and Second World War documents, plus the UNESCO-inscribed Hinilawod Epic Chant Recordings. Heritage house museums in the city includes Camiña Balay Nga Bato, a 19th-century ancestral home in Arevalo, and Casa Mariquit, Iloilo’s oldest house in Jaro. Agatona 1927 Museum Cafe blends heritage with a modern café experience. The Brandy Museum, the first and only museum in the Philippines dedicated to brandy.

Festivals

An Ati dancer-warrior performs at the annual Dinagyang Festival.

Iloilo’s cultural identity, deeply influenced by Hispanic traditions, shines through its festivals, earning it the title "Festival Capital of the Philippines." The Dinagyang Festival, held every fourth Sunday of January, honors the Santo Niño de Cebu, is one of the largest and most popular festivals in the Philippines, while the Kasadyahan Festival, the preceding Saturday, features a competition of regional festivals. The Jaro Fiesta or the Feast of Our Lady of the Candles, held February 2, is the largest Marian festival outside Luzon, honoring the Virgin of Candelaria, patron of Western Visayas and Romblon, with pageantry, a carnival queen from wealthy Spanish-Filipino families, cockfighting at Iloilo Coliseum, and an agro-industrial fair at Jaro Plaza. The Iloilo Chinese Lunar New Year, celebrating the city’s centuries-old Chinese community, is the largest such celebration outside Manila’s Binondo, rooted in Molo’s history as the second-oldest Chinatown after Binondo. The Festival of Lights and Music at Central Philippine University, the region’s longest-running university-based Christmas festival since 1991, illuminates its 24-hectare Jaro campus from December to January 6 with lights, carnival rides, and bazaars. The Paraw Regatta in February, Asia’s oldest traditional sailing event, includes competitions and festivities in Arevalo. Recent additions like the Iloilo Summer Arts Festival (April-May since 2020) and the Iloilo Arts Festival (December since 2021) highlight Ilonggo visual and performing arts.

Public arts

Iloilo’s local government promotes the city as the "Art Capital of the Philippines" by transforming public spaces into canvases for murals and paintings depicting its history and culture, with support from local artists and real estate developers. A notable example is the 3D mural of Dinagyang warriors at Iloilo River Esplanade, enhancing cultural awareness through public art displays.

Entertainment, film and performing arts

Iloilo Convention Center in Iloilo Business Park

Spanish and American colonial influences have left a lasting mark on Iloilo’s entertainment, film, and performing arts, flourishing since the Port of Iloilo opened to international trade. The annual Iloilo Film Festival, held during Dinagyang, screens diverse films, while the Iloilo Convention Center in Mandurriao, designed by Ilonggo architect William Coscolluela with inspiration from Dinagyang and Paraw Regatta, offers a 3,700-seat main hall and rooftop for events since 2015. The Rose Memorial Auditorium at Central Philippine University, the region’s largest theater with over 4,000 seats, hosts the Bombo Music Festival and is a designated Cultural Center of the Philippines Regional Art Center. Though old cinemas on Calle Real have faded, modern mall cinemas screen national and international films, supported by the Film Development Council’s Cinematheque theater. Universities like the University of San Agustin (USA Troubadours) and Central Philippine University (CPU Bahandi Singers, CPU Handbell Choir, CPU Sari-Saot Dance Troupe) contribute to cultural performances, often backed by national cultural agencies.

Cuisine

The official logo of Iloilo City for UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy

A bowl of La Paz Batchoy

Iloilo, dubbed the "Food Haven of the Philippines" and the country’s first UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, blends Eastern and Western culinary traditions due to its historical role as a major port. Three centuries of Spanish influence introduced dishes like menudo, afritada, lechon, adobo, and estofado, while Asian roots emphasize rice as a staple. Signature Ilonggo dishes—such as La Paz Batchoy (a noodle soup with pork organs and chicharon), Pancit Molo, Kansi, KBL (Kadyos, Baboy kag Langka), KMU (Kadyos, Manok kag Ubad), Chicken Inasal, Tinuom, and Laswa—reflect Chinese and Spanish impacts. Mang Inasal was founded in 2003 by Edgar Sia in Iloilo City as well. Historic bakeries like Panaderia ni Paa (1900s), Deocampo (1800s), and Panaderia de Molo (1800s) produce biscocho and barquillos. The city also has a variety of restaurants offering Italian, American, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, German, and Thai cuisines, alongside luxury hotel dining.

Media

See also: List of television and radio stations in Iloilo City

Iloilo City’s media include English tabloids like Panay News, The Daily Guardian, News Express, and Sunstar Iloilo, with Hublas of Panay News as the sole Hiligaynon tabloid, and Cream Magazine, a glossy lifestyle publication since 1989. Bombo Radyo Philippines, one of the largest radio network stations, was founded in Iloilo City in 1966. Television began with DYAF-TV in 1964, evolving into ABS-CBN’s TV Patrol Panay on Channel 10 by 1998; GMA’s TV-6 Iloilo (now Channel 7) started in 1967, upgrading in 1998; and other stations like PTV (1992), IBC (1977), GMA News TV (2010), and TV5 Iloilo (2012) provide local programming. RMN’s BEAM TV 26, relaunched in 2010 with digital broadcasting by 2012, enhances coverage from Guimaras.

Government

Iloilo City Hall is the seat of city government

Iloilo City serves as both the regional capital of Western Visayas and the provincial capital of Iloilo Province, functioning as a key economic center in the Philippines. Classified as a first-income-class, highly urbanized city (HUC), it hosts regional and provincial offices of national government agencies and operates independently from Iloilo Province, meaning its residents cannot vote for provincial officials.

The city is governed by the Mayor of Iloilo City, the chief executive, assisted by a vice mayor, and represented by a lone congressman in the House of Representatives. The Iloilo City Council, a 15-member legislative body, is elected during general elections alongside the mayor and vice mayor, convening monthly at Iloilo City Hall in sessions open to the public, with decisions typically prepared by various boards and committees. The city is subdivided into 180 barangays, each led by a barangay captain elected in national barangay elections. In 1955, Rodolfo Ganzon became the first popularly elected mayor, notable for authoring the Iloilo City Freedom Law, which restored residents’ rights to elect their mayor, vice mayor, and 10 councilors across the city’s seven districts.

City Government of Iloilo
Mayor
	Jerry P. Treñas (NUP)
Vice Mayor
	Jeffrey P. Ganzon (NUP)
Sangguniang Panglungsod Members
	Sedfrey L. Cabaluna (NUP)			Rex Marcus B. Sarabia (NUP)
	Jose Maria Miguel S. Treñas (NUP)			Candice Magdalane A. Tupas (LDP)
	Alan Acepcion Zaldivar (NUP)			Johnny Y. Young (NUP)
	Frances Grace V. Parcon-Torres (NUP)			Romel D. Duron (NUP)
	Urminico M. Baronda Jr. (NUP)			Ely A. Estante Jr. (NUP)
	Rudolph Jeffrey O. Ganzon (NUP)			Plaridel C. Nava (PROMDI)
ABC President
vacant
SK Federation President
vacant

Infrastructure

Transportation

Streets and highways

Benigno S. Aquino Jr. Avenue, a major thoroughfare in the city.

Iloilo City's major roads include Benigno S. Aquino Jr. Avenue (Diversion Road), McArthur Drive, General Luna Street, Avanceña Street, E. Lopez Street, Pres. Corazon C. Aquino Avenue (Circumferential Road 1), Iznart Street, and Muelle Loney Street. Benigno S. Aquino Jr. Avenue, an eight-lane main road with a protected bike lane and two-lane service road, connects Iloilo City to Pavia, Santa Barbara, and Iloilo International Airport. Passenger jeepneys—distinctive for their sleek, sedan-like "passad" design—white metered taxis, and tricycles dominate city travel, with jeepneys serving fixed routes on major and secondary roads and tricycles covering community streets. Large passad jeepneys, buses, and mini-shuttle vans link Iloilo City to the broader province, Panay, and beyond via roll-on, roll-off (RO-RO) ferry services of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway, reaching Metro Manila, Mindoro, Batangas, Cebu, Negros and Mindanao.

Passad Jeepneys of Iloilo City.

Iloilo City pioneered modern public utility jeepneys (PUJs), adopting mini-bus-like designs in contrast to the national phase-out of older jeepneys under President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration. In March 2019, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board launched a Premium Point-to-Point Bus Service, offering express routes to airports in Cabatuan, Kalibo, and Caticlan (Boracay). Six integrated transport terminals encircle the city: the Iloilo North ITS Terminal (North Ceres Bus Terminal) in Tagbak, Jaro, serves northwestern Iloilo, Passi City, and northwestern Panay (Capiz, Aklan, Boracay); the Iloilo Central Line ITS Terminal (Pavia Peoples Terminal) in Ungka, Jaro, connects central Iloilo; the Aleosan ITS Terminal in Hibao-an, Mandurriao, links upland areas like San Miguel, Alimodian, and Leon (including Bucari); the Iloilo South ITS Terminal (South Ceres Bus Terminal) in Mohon, Arevalo, covers southern Iloilo and Antique; the Iloilo North Coast ITS Terminal in Ticud, La Paz, reaches northern coastal towns like Carles (Sicogon Island, Islas de Gigantes); and the Festive Walk Transport Hub in Mandurriao, within Iloilo Business Park, provides a modern transit point for passengers within the city and nearby areas.

Cycling

Protected bike lane along Benigno S. Aquino Avenue

Iloilo City, dubbed the "Bicycling Capital of the Philippines," has cultivated a robust cycling culture through its modern economic renaissance, by the local and national government efforts and stakeholder collaboration to promote bike-friendly infrastructure. The city boasts nearly 100 kilometres (62 mi) of bicycle lanes, with the longest along Diversion Road. Most sections of the Iloilo River Esplanade also serve as bicycle lanes. In 2019, the Dutch government helped make the city even better for bikes.

Rail

From 1907 to the 1980s, Panay Railways operated a railroad from Roxas City to the port area of Muelle Loney along the Iloilo River in Iloilo City. In 2022, Panay Railways announced its opening to foreign ownership to reconstruct its former train lines, which will reconnect the major cities in Panay, including Caticlan in Malay, Aklan.

Air

Iloilo International Airport terminal building

Iloilo International Airport, the fifth-busiest in the Philippines, is the major airport serving Iloilo City. It is 19 kilometres (12 miles) northwest of the city in Cabatuan on a 188 hectares (460 acres) site. It was opened to commercial traffic on June 14, 2007, replacing the old Iloilo Airport in Mandurriao. The new airport inherited its IATA and ICAO airport codes. It is linked to the city through Benigno S. Aquino Jr. Avenue and served by metered taxis, airport shuttle vans, multicabs, and P2P buses. The privatization of the airport is in the pipeline, with Filipino billionaire Manny Villar’s Prime Asset Venture Incorporated (PAVI) as the proponent with the largest proposed budget at ₱20 billion.

Iloilo International Airport Routes

International

Hong Kong, Bangkok-Don Mueang (starting March 31, 2025), Singapore

Domestic

Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Clark, Davao, Dumaguete, General Santos, Legazpi, Manila, Puerto Princesa, Tacloban, Tagbilaran, Zamboanga

Sea

Visayas Container Terminal, formerly known as Iloilo Commercial Port Complex

The Port of Iloilo, a primary seaport in the central Philippines, is located on Panay’s south coast along the Panay Gulf. It comprises several major facilities, including the Iloilo Commercial Port Complex (ICPC), which occupies 20.8 hectares of reclaimed land. In 2024, International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) secured a 25-year deal to develop and manage the ICPC, renaming it the Visayas Container Terminal (VCT). The Iloilo Domestic Port Complex (IDPC), near Fort San Pedro, handles ferries to other islands. Muelle Loney, opened in 1855, now accommodates smaller ships and fast ferries to nearby islands. The Port of Iloilo ranks third in ship visits (11,853), fourth in cargo volume (491,719 million metric tons), and fourth in passenger traffic (2.4 million) annually.

The ferry port in Parola, City Proper, uses small boats to connect to Guimaras. Roll-on, roll-off (RO-RO) ferries also serve nearby islands. The Iloilo Fish Port Complex (IFPC) in City Proper, spanning 21 hectares, is the main fish trading hub in the Visayas, supplying stores, hotels, and markets locally and internationally. In March 2022, it received ₱570 million to develop a fish plant, canning area, and new energy source.

Utilities

Panay Energy and Development Corporation's Coal power plant in Ingore, La Paz

Iloilo City gets its power from two big plants in Barangay Ingore, La Paz. The Panay Power Corporation runs a 72 MW diesel fuel power plant, and the Panay Energy Development Corporation (PEDC) runs a 164 MW coal power plant. PEDC plans for a third coal plant to the existing 164 MW setup, which will make an extra 150 MW, bringing the total to 404 MW for Panay and Guimaras islands.

For a long time, the Panay Electric Company (PECO) handled power distribution since 1923, making it one of the oldest private power companies in the Philippines. Now, MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power), owned by Spanish-Filipino billionaire Enrique K. Razon, has taken over. MORE Power is the only power company in the city and is introducing modern power services in the city, including the installation of an underground cabling system.

Metro Pacific Iloilo Water (MPIW) is the city’s sole water supplier. It established a joint venture with Metro Pacific Water (MPW) and Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD) to improve clean water supply for Iloilo City and as well as the whole Iloilo metropolitan area. In 2025, MPW began construction of the Metro Iloilo Desalination Facility, which is set to become the largest desalination facility in the Philippines.

Healthcare

The CPU–Iloilo Mission Hospital is the first American and Protestant hospital in the Philippines.

The Iloilo City Health Office, in collaboration with the Department of Health (DOH), oversees the planning and implementation of city government healthcare programs, including free immunizations for children targeting seven major diseases: smallpox, diphtheria, tetanus, yellow fever, whooping cough, polio, and measles. The city operates health centers in its barangays under the City Health Office’s supervision, complementing a robust network of public and private facilities.

Three government-run hospitals serve the city: West Visayas State University Medical Center (WVSUMC), Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC), and the under-construction Iloilo City Hospital (ICH). WVSUMC, commonly known as Don Benito, managed by West Visayas State University, primarily caters to indigent patients and hosts DOH auxiliary centers like the WVSU/DOH Regional Cancer Center, with a 10-story WVSU/DOH Regional Lung and Heart Center in development. WVMC, the region’s largest referral public hospital operated by the DOH, features a six-story heart and lung specialty building, a three-story dialysis unit, a two-story main building with administrative and emergency services, and a five-to-six-story annex. ICH, under construction in San Pedro, Molo, is a city government initiative to meet the healthcare needs of indigent residents, comprising a five-story main hall, a medical arts building, and the USWAG Iloilo City Molecular Laboratory.

Private and church-affiliated hospitals significantly enhance Iloilo’s healthcare landscape. Iloilo Mission Hospital (IMH), founded in 1901 by Presbyterian missionary Joseph Andrew Hall as the first Protestant and American hospital in the Philippines, pioneered nursing education with the Union Mission Hospital Training School for Nurses in 1906 (now Central Philippine University College of Nursing), producing the country’s first nursing graduates and top board performers. It serves as CPU’s university hospital. St. Paul’s Hospital Iloilo (SPH Iloilo), established in 1911 by French Catholic missionaries with American Catholic support, is the oldest Daughters of Saint Paul of Chartres hospital in the Philippines and an affiliate of St. Paul University Iloilo. Both are heritage healthcare institutions.

Healthway Qualimed Hospital Iloilo is the first Ayala/Qualimed Hospital in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Other private facilities include The Medical City-Iloilo (TMC Iloilo), the first TMC hospital in Visayas and Mindanao, and Healthway QualiMed Hospital Iloilo (HQHI), formerly QualiMed Hospital Iloilo, the first Ayala Corporation hospital outside Luzon, both equipped with state-of-the-art technology. Additional private hospitals are Metro Iloilo Hospital and Medical Center (MIHMC), Medicus Medical Center (MMC), Iloilo Doctors’ Hospital (IDH), Medicus Cancer Institute (MCI), Asia Pacific Medical Center–Iloilo (APMC Iloilo), Seamen’s AMEOSUP Hospital, and the under-construction Supercare Medical Services/Center. Notable maternity centers include the La Paz Maternity and Reproductive Health Center (LMRHC) and CPU Birthing Center, further diversifying the city’s healthcare offerings.

Education

Main articles: List of universities and colleges in Iloilo, List of colleges and universities in the Philippines, and Education in the Philippines

Central Philippine University is the first Baptist and second American-founded university in the Philippines and in Asia.

Chapel of the University of San Agustin, the first Augustinian university in Asia and the Pacific, and the first university in the Western Visayas.

University of the Philippines Visayas – Iloilo City campus's main building.

Iloilo City serves as the primary educational hub of the Western Visayas region, with the city and Iloilo Province collectively hosting ten prominent universities. The city itself is home to eight higher education institutions.

Central Philippine University (1905) was established in through the efforts of American Baptists, supported by a grant from American industrialist and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller. It holds the distinction of being the first Baptist-founded university and the second American-established university in the Philippines and Asia. Recognized as a leading institution in Western Visayas, CPU has earned accolades from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and is listed in top Asian university rankings by Quacquarelli Symonds (2021-2023), Times Higher Education (2023), and AppliedHE (2023). Its nursing school, founded in 1906 as the Union Mission Hospital Training School for Nurses, was the first of its kind in the Philippines, while its university hospital, Iloilo Mission Hospital, was the country’s inaugural American Protestant hospital.

The University of San Agustin (1904) was founded by Spanish Augustinians. It is the first Augustinian university in Asia and the Pacific and achieved university status in March 1953, marking it as the first university in Western Visayas. Other private institutions in Iloilo City include: St. Paul University Iloilo (1946) was established by American Catholics with assistance from the French Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres, and operates as part of the St. Paul University System; University of Iloilo (1947) was initially founded by the Lopez family and is now managed by the PHINMA Education Network; John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University (1948) was established by Juan Bautista Lacson and is the first maritime university in the Philippines.

Three government-owned universities operate in Iloilo City: University of the Philippines Visayas (1947) is an autonomous unit of the University of the Philippines System, maintaining a satellite campus in Iloilo City where the old Iloilo City Hall now serves as its administration building and art gallery, with its main campus in Miag-ao, Iloilo, and has been designated by CHED as a Center of Excellence in Chemistry; West Visayas State University (1902) was formally established under the guidance of American Thomasites within the Philippine Normal School system, and is recognized by CHED as a Center of Excellence in Teacher Education and a Center of Development in Nursing; Iloilo Science and Technology University (1905) was founded as a trade school by Americans succeeding a Spanish-era arts and trade school, holding a CHED Center of Development in Teacher Education.

Beyond these, a new campus of National University (1900) is under construction next to SM City Iloilo in Mandurriao. The Ateneo Graduate School of Business, part of Ateneo de Manila University (1859), operates a satellite campus at Ateneo de Iloilo (1958), offering a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program as a step toward establishing a full university. Philippine Christian University (1946) and Guimaras State University (1964) also maintain smaller extension programs in the city.

The Iloilo City Community College (ICCC), administered by the city government in collaboration with CHED, provides affordable undergraduate degrees. Additionally, Iloilo City hosts numerous private colleges and schools, including Iloilo Doctors' College (1972), Westbridge School for Boys (PAREF), St. Therese – MTC Colleges, Western Institute of Technology (1964), and religious institutions such as Ateneo de Iloilo, Angelicum School Iloilo (1978), and Colegio de San Jose (1872)—the oldest girls’ school in Western Visayas. Religious training centers like St. Joseph Regional Seminary, St. Vincent Ferrer Seminary (1869), and Mill Hill Formation House. The Department of Education – Division of Iloilo City oversees 88 private schools and 52 public schools.

Notable people

Main article: List of people from Iloilo

Sister cities

Iloilo City is twinned with:

International

• Stockton, United States, 1956
• Hågat, Guam, 1994
• Qingdao, China, 2000
• Guigang, China, 2004
• Guangxi, China, 2010
• Huaibei, China, 2012
• Dededo, Guam, 2012
• Palembang, Indonesia, 2016
• Quanzhou, China, 2020
• Wuhan, China, 2021
• Dobong-Gu, South Korea, 2024

Domestic

• General Santos, South Cotabato, 1980
• South Cotabato, 1980
• Quezon City, Metro Manila, 1994
• Mandaue, Cebu, 2007
• Bacolod, Negros Occidental, 2010
• Rosario, Batangas, 2011
• San Juan, Metro Manila, 2013
• Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat, 2014
• Koronadal, South Cotabato, 2014

Friendship cities

Iloilo City also has friendly relations with:

• Seattle, United States, 1980
• Icheon, South Korea, 1995
• Brisbane, Australia, 2000
• Tongyeong, South Korea, 2003
• Hsinchu, Taiwan, 2004
• Bilbao, Spain, 2007
• Kaoshiung, Taiwan, 2007
• Daly City, United States, 2011
• Makati, Metro Manila
• Puerto Princesa, Palawan
• Taguig City, Metro Manila
• Tagum, Davao del Norte

See also

• Calle Real
• Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Jaro
• Iloilo City Proper
• Metro Iloilo–Guimaras

External links

• Official website
• Iloilo Travel Website Archived January 13, 2018, at the Wayback Machine
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code