Iloilo does not only offer famous travel destinations but also good delicacies. Have a bite of pleasure on the famous Iloilo's original BISCOCHO.
The Biscocho bakeshop has been there for decades and it hasn’t changed much. Their stores are almost always packed with people buying Ilonggo delicacies from butterscotch, barquillos, piyaya, banana marble, and of course the ever famous biscocho (toasted bread coated with milk and sugar).
One of the older and bigger shops can be found in the district of Jaro, just across the road from Jaro Plaza and Cathedral. If you are in a hurry for your flight, you can get some of them at the Iloilo Airport itself.
SM and Gaisano supermarkets may also have them but they might not be as freshly baked as the ones you buy from the main branch.
And another thing, "Don't go home without it".
thanks, pinoytravelblog.com
Iloilo’s Original Biscocho Haus
Magdalena Jalandoni House and West Visayas Writers
Visitors to Iloilo City should not miss the Magdalena Jalandoni house. Jalandoni (1891-1978) is regarded as the “Grande Dame of Hiligaynon Literature,” and was the first to receive the Republic Cultural Heritage Award for Literature in 1969. The University of San Agustin, in celebration of its 50th year, also recently published her book titled Labi sa Bulawan, a three-act play written in 1932 that was toured in the various schools in the province of Iloilo. Interestingly, she wrote her first corrido when she was ten and her first novel Ang mga Tunok sang Isa ka Bulak when she was 16, an age when most girls were just waiting to charm their princes.
The house, which looks like a castle, is heavily protected with barb wires. But one needs to notify the keeper of the house, Jalandoni’s niece, days in advance, to get a visit clearance. Jalandoni’s contemporaries include novelist Angel Magahum, poet Delfin Gumban, poet Serapion Torre, poet-translator (from Spanish) Flavio Zaragoza Cano, essayist-journalist Rosendo Mejica, zarzuela masters Jose Ma. Ingalla and Jose Ma. Nava, playwright Miguela Montelibano, essayists Augurio Abeto and Abe Gonzales, the young novelist Ramon L. Musones, and the poet Santiago Alv. Mulato. The triumvirate of Gumban, Torre and Zaragoza Cano also ruled it out for years in poetry, their rivalry often magnified by the public balagtasan or poetic joust.
Thanks to EDSA Revolution of 1986, there is now an emergence of Kinaray-a writing along with Aklanon writing, and multilingual writing in the West Visayas region. The prestigious Palanca Awards has, in 1997, also included Hiligaynon short story, alongside that of Cebuano and Iluko, among its categories.
Important young writers in West Visayas today include (Hiligaynon) Alicia Tan-Gonzales, Peter Solis Nery, Edgar Siscar, Resurreccion Hidalgo, Alfredo Siva, Alain Russ Dimzon; (Kinaray-a) Ma. Milagros C. Geremia Lanchica, Alex C. de los Santos, John Iremil E. Teodoro, Jose Edison C. Tondares, Maragtas S. V. Amante, Ma. Felicia Flores; (Aklanon) Melchor F. Cichon, Alexander C. de Juan, and John E. Barrios.
Visitors can set out next to the nearby Biscocho Haus, located along Lopez-Jaena street. The store offers kinihad, banana marble, angel toast, paborita, ugoy-ugoy, pulceras, pacencia. It is interesting how specialty stores in the country become “hauses” as attested to by the store across from it—Squid Hauz.
Visitors to the nearby Graciano Lopez-Jaena house could be in for a disappointment. There is just the historical marker and a vacant lot behind the wall. One could not help but wonder how one of the country’s hero, or for that matter, his descendants, could not have left any decent house. It is ironic that across it stood the much-preserved building of The Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches.
thanks, http://www.ncca.gov.ph
Iloilo Fort San Pedro
Fort San Pedro, down Gen. Hughes highway, was built by the Spaniards in the early 1600’s and was attacked by the Dutch, British, American, Japanese troops. The fort no longer exists, what remains are a few large stones facing the sea which were once part of a bastion of the quadrilateral fort. It was built in 1616 to guard the island against the Dutch and other invaders the place. The fort was already in disrepair in the turn of the 20th century. It deteriorated further due to neglect, and was totally damaged during World War II. Whatever remained was torn down to make way for a park. A lighthouse and the image of the Christ marks the spot where the fort stood.The Fort, these days, has become no more than a promenade area for both young and old, much like Manila’s Roxas boulevard. Across from it lay quietly the Guimaras islands, purported to be the island of the sweetest mangoes in the whole of the country.
Molo church,"The Church of 16 Women Saints"
An Iloilo City tour is not complete without a visit to the nearest church—the Molo church. The historical marker reveals that it is home to sixteen women saints. Even our National Hero Jose Rizal had to see this place for himself en route to Dapitan. Inside, lining up the church on both sides are sixteen women saints in various iconic representations: St. Monica holding a bloody heart, St. Margarita crushing a dragon-like creature, St. Clara with a chalice, St. Lucia holding out a plate with her eyes in it, St. Isabel de Hungria with flowers abloom on her skirt,and St. Magdalene with a skull, among others.
Iloilo, Glance at the city....
55 minute plane ride from Manila, Philippines is Ilolio City. It is located at the southern part of Panay Island surrounded by the provinces of Aklan, Capiz, and Antique. Known as the"City Of Love", Iloilo is the center of commercial and trade of Western Visayas, with commercial, industrial development and rural banks, financial and investment houses, insurance companies, and realestate agencies and developers. It is also the center of education with the biggest names of schools and universities on it.
Agriculture and fishing are the major industries in the province. Rice is the major crop in the province of Iloilo. Fish and marine products are considered the main source of livelihood in the first and fifth districts of Iloilo. There are also non-traditional products in the province which include processed food, fruits and vegetables, gifts, furniture, and others. Traditional products include sugar, coco oil, and lime products, among others.
There are 114 private and government banks all throughout the province and city of Iloilo, in addition to 40 rural banks found in most municipalities, at least 6 malls, and many department stores.
Iloilo city welcomes its visitors with its various tourist destinations, good food and friendly people.