SM City Iloilo Mall
 SM City is the biggest and most popular mall in Iloilo, having a gross floor area of 101,735 square meters. It was opened on June 1999 and is built on a 17.5 hectare prime real estate.
 It's a regular boxed-type 4-storey SM mall. The Supermarket, Activitiy Center, and Fast food restaurants are located on the Lower Ground Floor. The Department Store, Retails Shops and Botiques, and Fast Food Restaurants on the second. The 8 cinemas on the third and lastly, a vacant space for exhibits on the 4th floor.
A new addition in the mall's features, is a garden park located at the parking area where coffee shops abound.
 SM City Iloilo, located along Diversion Road, is a very prominent landmark in Iloilo since it is the first to greet visitors when planes land in the airport. Everybody in Iloilo know where it is, so it shouldn't be hard to find.
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Calle Real (Royal Street)
 Calle Real is the old name of the Iznart and J.M. Basa Streets, which is lined by businesses owned mostly by Filipino-Chinese traders. The street boasts of buildings that date back during the Spanish and American colonial periods.
Calle Real was also known as the “Escolta of Iloilo”. It was the site of most of the city's European, Chinese and American retail stores, with property values markedly high along it.
J.M. Basa is a shopping and business district of the city. Here you can find a wide array of products distinct from what you find in malls which are a lot cheaper and more reflective of Ilonggo culture.
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Museo Iloilo
 An impressive collection of Iloilo's cultural heritage which includes stone age native pottery; fossils; jewelry; burial sites; trade pottery from China, Annam and Siam; era photos. Mementos and war relics; a British sunken ship; Spanish-era Filipino sculpture; and modern art done by Ilonggo artists and craftmen.
Museo Iloilo, the first gov't sponsored museum outside Metro Manila, was designed by Ilongo architect Sergio Penasales, the same architect who did Antique’s Barbaza Catcholic Church --the church that was said to have the “most modern architectural style in the whole province of Antique.” Museo Iloilo’s permanent exhibit covers the cultural history of Western Visayas from prehistory to contemporary history. Inside is the carbon-q4 dated fossils, the swords and spears of the Mondo tribe of Panay, and the permanent exhibit showing an Ati family. What could surprise any visitor is the santo entiero or the dead Christ with a white hanky around its head. It looks so much like a preserved body of a dead person especially with the shriveled skin at its shoulders.
Other artifacts are statues, reliefs (one of a female saint holding her lopped-off breast), crosses, weapons of the Mondos (descendants of pre-Malay Indonesians), burial urns, blue and white ceramics, prehistoric tools, a tableau of the Last Supper and other things of interest that have made this museum stake a claim on being the best outside Metro Manila.
Museo Iloilo is found in Bonifacio Drive, just beside the Iloilo Provincial Capitol and the Department of Tourism Regional Office. Entrance Fee is P5.00
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Pototan
Pototan is an agricultural municipality located 30km from Iloilo City. It is best known as the Christmas Capital of Western Visayas for its IWAG festival during the yule tide season. The town has also one of the widest, cleanest and beautiful plazas in the province. It contains an obelisk, a lagoon, a historical marker, a skating rink and an astrodome for sports and cultural presentations. Lined with stately Indian and mahogany trees, the plaza also serve as an tree park - a haven for children and promenaders.
Pototan is the top rice-producing town in the Province of Iloilo, a trademark that the Pototanons are being proud of. it is dubbed as the Rice Granary of Western Visayas.
:: History ::
When Datu Ramon, the first inhabitants of Pototan, established a settlement he found an abundant growth of "Putat" trees in the area. From then on the place was known as "Kapututan", which was shortened to "Pototan" during the Spanish period.
During the precolonial period, Datu Ramon, a grandson of Datu Puti, established a settlement at what is now Barangay Naslo. However, due to the hilly terrain and the difficulty in securing their water supply, they moved to a place more accessible to the Suague River. This signalled the first inhabitance of the town which was then called "Kapututan". Development in this town continued and further flourished when the natives leared the techniques of trade and commerce from Chinese traders, who arrived in the middle of the 16th century.
After the arrival of the Spaniards, new changes where brought about in the town when the colonizers introduced Catholicism to the natives. Education was also introduced, although only to a privileged few. To improve the economic and social condition of the place, the Spaniards and built roads and bridges. The Spaniards also constructed the Municipal Hall under the supervision of Tomas Sajen and Don Escribano with the local residents as the labor force. The structure survived World War I and in the early 1950s it was restructured into what is now known as the Western Visayas Provincial Hospital. In 1874, the Pototanons were given the opportunity to run their own political affairs with the appointment of Juan Marcelo as the first Kapitan Municipal. This form of government continued until the arrival of the Americans.
:: Tourism ::
Christmas Capital of Western Visayas (Dec. 16 - Jan 3)
A kaleidoscope of multicolored lights in a 6 ha. plaza with dancing fountain & food festival. IWAG Festival of Lights has become a tradition Pototanons look forward each year. It has become a Festival of dazzling loghts, nightly cultural shows, food fair and the yearly tradition of lighting up homes with beautiful lights. Today Pototan is declared by the Dept. of Tourism as the "Christmas Capital of Western Visayas.
:: Profile ::
Demography
Population: 60,127 (2000 Philippine Census)
Population Density: 651 persons per sq.km.
Number of Households: 10,021
Number of Households in Poblacion: 1,359
Average Number of Persons per Household: 6
Growth Rate: 2.1%
Population Estimate (2006): 69,335 Geography and Accessibility
Land Area: 94 sq.km or 9,400 hectares
Land Use
- Residential - 159.17 hectares
- Commercial - 10.8 hectares
- Industrial - 17.65 hectares
- Institutional - 66.61 hectares
- Open space - 1,352.81 hectares
There are two rivers and nine creeks that traverse the Municipality. These are the Suague from the mountains of Calinog. In both rivers, irrigation dams were built which provide most of the water needed by the lowlands for agriculture, thus enabling the farmers to harvest as much as thrice a year. These rivers and creeks also drain the town of excess water during rainy season.
Accessibility: It is accessible to all forms of transportation - trucks and buses, jeepneys, automobolies and motorcycles. A sizeable number of tricycle ply its towns and barangays roads allowing for fast and easy travel. This is also accounts for ease by which farmers bring their produce to the town market.
Economic Profile
Major Industries: Major industries includes rice mills, hog farms, poultries and telephone companies.
Agriculture: Out of 94,494,.5290 square meters or 9,449.45 hectares, 85% or a total of 7,559.56 hectares are being utilized for agricultural purposes. Pototan is now the top rice producing town in the Province of Iloilo. Also noteworthy is the fact that it has produced many outstanding farmers through the years.
Income Class: Third Class Municipality
Education
The Municipality of Pototan is divided into two districts, each serving 14 complete elementary schools for a total of 28 public elementary schools. There are three secondary schools, namely: Jamabalud, Palanguia and Pototan National High Schools.
The West Visayas State University Pototan Campus (formerly Pototan collage of Arts and Sciences) Offers collage education and also extends it's services to Out of School Youth by conduction Non-formal education.
Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion (operated by the Hijas de Jesus Sisters), and the West Visayan Academy are the towns two private schools.
Presently, student-teacher ratio is one teacher to every 50 pupils; classroom-student ratio is one for every 50 pupils
Health
The Iloilo Provincial Hospital and the Mental Facility are found in the Municipality. Recently, the Iloilo Drug Rehabilitation Center was opened. There is also a Municipal Health unit and health centers in different barangays.
Sports and Recreation
Pototan has 103,643 square meters of land devoted to sports and recreation activities. There is an "Astrodome" under construction which can hold up to 5,000 persons. A Municipal Museum and public library is located in the town plaza beside the Astrodome.
Protective Services
Pototan has 36 members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and 10 fire fightersthat provide protective services to 60,127 people living in 9,449,459.2 hectares of land. Four patrol cars two fire- trucks and a radio transceiver provide facilities to the PNP and BFP forces. A122.25 square meter police headquarters houses three detention cells.
:: Cityhood of Pototan ::
THE COMMITTEE on Local Government, under Representative Emilio Macias II (2nd District, Negros Oriental), adopted a resolution exempting certain municipalities, due for conversion into cities, from the income requirement under Republic Act 9009. These municipalities are those whose conversions into cities were embodied in bills filed in Congress before June 30, 2001.
House Joint Resolution 01, introduced by Rep. Carmen Cari (5th District, Leyte), seeks to exempt 22 municipalities from meeting the income requirement of P100 million as provided for under RA 9009 or the law increasing the income requirement for municipalities to become cities.
Rep. Cari said 55 bills seeking to convert certain municipalities into cities were filed during the 11th Congress covering the period 1998 to 2001. Of this number, 32 were enacted into law, one was rejected in a plebiscite and 22 bills were not acted upon because of the impeachment proceedings in Congress against former President Joseph Estrada.
The 32 bills that became law complied with the previous income requirement of P20 million as provided under Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991. RA 9009 was subsequently enacted in June 2001.
“In the interest of fairness and justice to the 22 municipalities which were found to be qualified under the old provision of the Local Government Code, like the 32 municipalities which had already been elevated to city status, there is a need to offer a legal remedy to local government units affected by the implementation of RA 9009,” Rep. Cari stated.
The 22 municipalities are: Carcar, Cebu; Binalbagan, Negros Occidental; Baybay, Leyte; Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro; Bogo, Cebu; San Francisco, Agusan del Sur; Bayugan, Agusan del Sur; Pontevedra, Negros Occidental; Lamitan, Basilan; San Juan, Metro Manila; Tandag, Surigao del Sur; Tabuk, Kalinga; Batac, Ilocos Norte; Naga, Cebu; Borongan, Eastern Samar; Claveria, Misamis Oriental; El Salvador, Misamis Oriental; Opol, Misamis Oriental; Catbalogan, Samar; Pototan, Iloilo; South Davao, Davao City; and Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte.
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Dinagyang 2006 Schedule of Activities
January 18, 2006 (Wednesday)
4:30 A.M. - 5:00 A.M Opening Salvo Walk with Sr. Sto. Niño Penitential foot Procession San Jose Parish Church to 9 Barangays around San Jose Church
5:30 A.M. Turning Over Ceremony for Incoming Hermano & Hermana Mayores 2006 San Jose Parish Church
January 18 – 27, 2006 5:30 A.M. - 7:00 P.M. 9 Novena Masses and Chaplet to Sr. Sto. Niño San Jose Parish Church
January 20, 2006
(Friday)
1:00 P.M. Re-enactment of first arrival of the image of Sr. Sto. Niño from Basilica del Sto. Niño de Cebu, Cebu City Iloilo Airport
2:00 P.M. Mass for Opening Salvo San Jose Parish Church
3:00 P.M. Opening Salvo Plaza Libertad to main streets in the City
Miss Dinagyang Casual Wear
January 21, 2006
(Saturday)
5:00 A.M. Dawn Marian Procession to Fort San Pedro San Jose Parish Church to Fort San Pedro
6:00 A.M Healing Mass Fort San Pedro
7:00 A.M Opening of Dinagyang Golf 2006, 5th Mayor JPT Cup Iloilo golf and Country Club, Sta. Barbara, Iloilo
8:00 A.M. Opening of the 2nd Iloilo Dinagyang Badminton Tournament Iloilo Sports Covered Gym
8:30 A.M.- 12:00 NN Mass for Barangay Children with games and snacks
3:00 P.M. Opening Parade of Jaro Agro-Industrial and Charity Fair 2006 Jaro Plaza, Jaro District, Iloilo City
January 21-23, 2006 Dinagyang Golf 2006, 5th Mayor JPT Cup Iloilo golf and Country Club, Sta. Barbara, Iloilo
January 21, 27 & 28, 2006 2nd Iloilo Dinagyang Badminton Tournament Iloilo Sports Covered Gym
January 21- February 3, 2006 Jaro Agro-Industrial & Charity Fair 2006 Jaro Plaza, Iloilo City
January 22, 2006
(Sunday)
8:30 A.M – 12:00 NN Medical Mission
January 24, 2006
(Tuesday)
10:00 A.M. Healing Mass for the Sick, Aged and Abandoned Children San Jose Parish Church
January 24 – 25, 2006 Night Final Rehearsal, Tribes Parade Route
January 25, 2006
(Wednesday)
5:00 P.M. Coronation of Princess Isabel 2006 and Dinagyang Niño Ambassdor 2006 San Jose Parish Church
5:00 P.M. Dinagyang Beat Competition
7:00 P.M. Miss Dinagyang Pageant
January 25 – 29, 2006 Trade Exhibits
January 26, 2006
(Thursday)
8:00 A.M. Dinagyang Bulilit Competition
January 26 – 29, 2006
2:00 P.M.- 12:00 MN Iloilo Hotel Resort and Restaurant Association (IHRRA) Food Festival Delgado St., Iloilo City
January 26, 2006 (Thursday)
5:00 P.M. Chinese New Year
January 27, 2006
(Friday)
5:30 A.M., 7:00 A.M., 8:30 A.M., 10:00 A.M Novena Masses and Chaplet to Sr. Sto. Niño San Jose Parish Church
3:00 P.M. Fluvial Procession and Foot Parade Assembly: Fort San Pedro, Custom House, Iznart St., J.M. Basa St., Plaza Libertad & San Jose Parish
4:30 P.M. Blessing of children, Pregnant Mothers and Sto. Niño Images San Jose Parish Church
January 28, 2006
(Saturday)
5:00 A.M. Dawn Procession with Mother Mary
6:00 A.M. Healing Mass Fort San Pedro
7:00 A.M. Mass for Kasadyahan San Jose Parish Church
8:00 A.M. Kasadyahan Competition Freedom Grandstand and other stages
4:30 P.M Solemn Foot Procession of the Miraculous Image of Sr. Sto. Niño San Jose Parish Church, Rizal St.,Iznart St., Plazoleta Gay, J.M. Basa St., Plaza Libertad & back to San Jose Parish Church
8:00 P.M. Religious Sad-sad to Sr. Sto. Niño (one hour dancing, singing and petitions with candles and images of Sto. Niño) In front of San Jose Parish
January 29, 2006
(Sunday)
6:30 A.M. Solemn concelebrated mass for Dinagyang Ati-Tribes San Jose Parish Church
8:00 A.M. Dinagyang Ati Competition Freedom Grandstand and other stages
10:00 P.M. Awarding Ceremonies Freedom Grandstand
2:00 P.M. - 12:00 MN Food Festival Delgado St., Iloilo City
January 30, 2006 (Monday)
5:30 P.M. Thanksgiving Mass with all members of 2006 Dinagyang Festival Executive and Working Committees San Jose Parish Church
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Sarabia Manor Hotel and Convention Center
 Location: 101 General Luna Street Iloilo City Strategically located at the heart of Metropolitan Iloilo, Sarabia Manor Hotel and Convention Center, is the premiere address of business travelers, diplomats and tourist, who were captured by Ilonggo’s gracious and unequalled hospitality. The hotel’s 184 well appointed hotel rooms and suites in two building, the Corporate Wing and Manor Wing are designed to give unparalleled comfort and satisfaction. Room amenities include NDD and IDD telephone with Bathroom extension, cable TV, mini bar, refrigerator, hot and cold shower and modern bathroom amenities with bathtub. 
Sarabia Manor Hotel and Convention Center also boasts its banquet and convention facilities. From small private gatherings to the most extravagant receptions, numerous function rooms provide convention organizers and association executives, flexibility in holding conferences and meeting from a circle 10 to a group of 1,000 persons or a choice of 1,500 capacity for al fresco venue.
Numerous specialty restaurants in the hotel offer a wide selection of international and local cuisines
Café Salvatore, a 24-hour coffee shop serving steaks, grills and international dishes, seafoods and house specialties like callos, lengua and crispy pata. Nightly live entertainment and buffet specials that offer wide array of exciting concoctions can also be enjoyed.
Freddy’s Bar and Restaurant is an all American and Mexican Bar and Resto, serving Chef Specials, high steaks, pizzas, baby backribs, tacos, charbroiled burgers, US Beef Lamp Cajun Angels, fried chicken and sausages.
Tinagong Dagat Poolside Lounge, an open air pool terrace serving continental dishes and tropical drinks, barbeque pork rib, crispy pork knuckles, seafoods, specialty sausages and local dishes.
Suehiro, an authentic Japanese restaurant, serving sashimi, sushi, tempura, teppanyaki, and bento boxes. The Restaurant also offers Japanese Dinner Buffet every Wednesdays and Fridays.
Club Bwana is the ultimate party place to meet after dinner. Dance away and enjoy our specialty drinks and light pica pica like gambas, chorizo, calamares, beef ribs, sautéed mushrooms, sisig and others.
Other hotel dinning and entertainment outlets include Al Dente Ristorante Italiano, Citrus Global Bistro, Tam Nak Thai Restaurant, Roponggi Music Lounge, Salsa Sudada, Regalitos Gift Shop and Perk Central.
Hotel facilities like olympic size swimming pool, business center, travel agency, beauty salon, car rental, gift shop, fitness center, laundry shop and ample parking space can also be enjoyed.
So if you’re thinking of a business or pleasure visit, make Sarabia Manor Hotel your home.
Sarabia Manor Hotel and Convention Center, Iloilo’s Premiere Hotel Destination.
For inquiries and reservations, please call (33) 3351021 to 32 or email at reservation@sarabiamanorhotel.com. You can also visit hotel website www.sarabiamanorhotel.com
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Jalandoni Bridge Project
 In line with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s vision of a strong republic through interregional and interprovincial development program, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has come up with another high-impact project that will certainly benefit the commuters especially the Ilonggos. The bridge project, which is envisioned to form part of Iloilo’s road network, will be located in the central portion of Iloilo River, connecting the city proper and La Paz District. It will cross towards the north side of the river in Barangay Nabitasan, traversing mangrove and fishpond areas.
An essential part of the Iloilo River Rehabilitation Project (IRRP), the DPWH has proposed for the construction of Jalandoni Bridge and its approaches, as well as related road components such as flyover, Iloilo Boulevard, and access roads.
The Jalandoni Bridge Project includes the construction of 170 linear meters of pre-stressed concrete girder bridge on bored pile foundation consisting of two (2) spans of 25 meters and four (4) spans of 30 meters. (Completed)
Since it is not feasible to construct the Jalandoni Bridge without considering the related components, the DPWH has proposed to include construction of the fly-over, the Iloilo Boulevard, and access roads.
Phase II, which will cost P95 million, is the Construction of the Jalandoni Bridge Access Road leading to Hechanova Streets and Boulevard. (Completed)
Phase III, amounting to P60 million, is the Construction of Jalandoni Bridge Access Road Leading to Diversion Road and Boulevard. (U/C)
Phase IV, the Construction of Dungon Bridge, has an estimated cost of P32 million. (U/C)
And lastly, Phase V, the Construction of Fly-over along General Luna, will amount to P30 million.
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Jaro Cathedral and Belfry
 The Jaro Cathedral was built in 1864, the year the district was named a diocese by Pope Pius the IX, by order of His Grace Mariano Cuartero, first bishop of Jaro. Destroyed in the quake of January 1948 and restored by order of His Excellency Jose Ma. Cuenco, first archbishop of Jaro in 1956. The cathedral's style is basically Baroque, with the addition of Gothic elements over many renovations.
The Lady of the Candles is the only rose among the all-male collection of statues which line the walls of the cathedral's interiors. The Jaro Cathedral is the first and only cathedral in Panay built in 1864.
The cathedral is home to the Nuestra Senora de la Candelaria (Lady of the Candles), who is perched on a glass encased shrine carved out of the facade. The limestone is said to be continuously growing, and in fact had become too large to fit into its original niche just above the present one. Her shrine is visited often by many devotees who believe the statue to be miraculous. This 400-year-old image is the focus of an annual fiesta.
Ruined by 1948 earthquake, but now restored. One of the few belfries in the country that stands apart from the church.
Baptized here was Graciano Lopez Jaena, patriot and orator, in December 20, 1856.
A high point in the history of the cathedral was the visit of Pope John Paul VI, conducting a mass in 1982. He set a crown upon the Lady of the Candles, and declared it the Patroness of the Western Visayas.
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Iloilo Airport of International Standards Renders
 The new Iloilo Airport, located 19 kilometers north of Iloilo City, will be a trunkline airport of international standards located at the Sta. Barbara-Cabatuan site and will replace the existing Mandurriao domestic airport. The project will cover the acquisition of 200 hectares of land.
The scope of work includes the 2,500 m x 45 meters runway, 48,000 sq. meters apron, 3,000 m x 30 meters access road, passenger terminal which is about 12,000 square meters, cargo terminal building, administration building, 35 meters high tower and operation building, central plant building, maintenance building and equipment, crash-fire-rescue station and equipment, and many others.
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It's a regular boxed-type 4-storey SM mall. The Supermarket, Activitiy Center, and Fast food restaurants are located on the Lower Ground Floor. The Department Store, Retails Shops and Botiques, and Fast Food Restaurants on the second. The 8 cinemas on the third and lastly, a vacant space for exhibits on the 4th floor.
SM City Iloilo, located along Diversion Road, is a very prominent landmark in Iloilo since it is the first to greet visitors when planes land in the airport. Everybody in Iloilo know where it is, so it shouldn't be hard to find.
