Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Iloilo (Philippines). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Jaro Cathedral, Iloilo Sports Complex, and Jaro Cathedral. Also, be sure to include University Church in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Iloilo (Iloilo).
Table of Contents
Jaro Cathedral
Jaro Cathedral, formally known as Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral and the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Candles, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Jaro. It is located in the district of Jaro in Iloilo City, Iloilo, on the island of Panay in the Philippines. It was placed under the patronage of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary.
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines formally declared the cathedral the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Candles (Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria) in February 2012. The cathedral is the second national shrine in the Visayas and Mindanao, the first being the Basilica del Santo Niño in Cebu. Likewise, it is also the second Marian dedicated declared "National Shrine" church or cathedral in Visayas and Mindanao (first National Shrine in Western Visayas).
The statue of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria (Candelaria) perched atop the façade of the cathedral, is the first Marian image canonically crowned personal by a Pope and Saint (John Paul II) in the Philippines and Asia. Also, through the said canonical crowning, the Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria has been declared as the official Roman Catholic patron of Western Visayas and Romblon[1]
Address: Jaro Plaza, Iloilo 5000 Iloilo City
Iloilo Sports Complex
Sports complex in Iloilo City, Philippines. Iloilo Sports Complex, also known as the Iloilo Sports Center is a multi-use sports complex in La Paz, Iloilo City, Philippines and is the venue of athletic events in Iloilo province and Western Visayas and occasionally hosts large gatherings such as concerts. Its main stadium, the Main Stadium, has a seating capacity of 7,000.
Iloilo Sports Complex includes an Olympic-size swimming pool, an oval running track, a football field, two volleyball courts, two basketball courts, two tennis courts and four badminton courts. An indoor gymnasium is located 200 meters away from the main site.
The athletics track underwent repair in 2014 which costed ₱100 thousand though it had to be rehabilitated again due to the number of sporting events hosted by the venue. The sports venue had to be closed in October 2015 for renovation works. The ₱18 million rehabilitation was completed in December 2015. The athletics track was rubberized and had its lanes painted. The football field also had its grass switched to another type of Bermuda grass.
It hosts the home matches of Iloilo F.A. football team. In February 2018, Kaya Futbol Club adopted the Iloilo Sports Complex as their home venue. Liga Futbol Inc. the organization that manages the Philippines Football League approved the usage of the field for league matches by Kaya on April 20, 2018. The club is set to play their first home league match against Global Cebu on May 2.[2]
Address: Magsaysay Rd, Iloilo
Jaro Cathedral
Cathedral in Iloilo City, Philippines. Jaro Cathedral, formally known as Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral and the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Candles, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Jaro. It is located in the district of Jaro in Iloilo City, Iloilo, on the island of Panay in the Philippines. It was placed under the patronage of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary.
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines formally declared the cathedral the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Candles (Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria) in February 2012. The cathedral is the second national shrine in the Visayas and Mindanao, the first being the Basilica del Santo Niño in Cebu. Likewise, it is also the second Marian dedicated declared "National Shrine" church or cathedral in Visayas and Mindanao (first National Shrine in Western Visayas).
The statue of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria (Candelaria) perched atop the façade of the cathedral, is the first Marian image canonically crowned personal by a Pope and Saint (John Paul II) in the Philippines and Asia. Also, through the said canonical crowning, the Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria has been declared as the official Roman Catholic patron of Western Visayas and Romblon[3]
University Church
The Central Philippine University Church, commonly referred as University Church, UC or CPU Church, is a Protestant church located on the campus of the Central Philippine University in Jaro District, Iloilo City, Philippines. Founded in 1913 by the missionaries under the auspices of the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society, the present church structure was built and completed in 1970 under the chaplaincy of Kenneth Losh, an American Baptist missionary. The church which is notable for its Malay architectural style, is a famous landmark in Iloilo City.
A distinct unit of the university, it is independent from it and is a member of the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches (CPBC), the oldest Baptist churches union in the Philippines.
The church seats almost 1,000 people. A denominational church, it hosts Sunday and mid-week Congregational Christian Protestant worship services. It functions also as a venue for several annual special events and convocations such as baccalaureate services, hooding ceremonies, health sciences ceremonies (nursing candle lighting, pinning and capping), and commencement exercises of the university's colleges and schools of graduate studies, law and medicine.[4]
St. Vincent Ferrer Seminary
College in Iloilo City, Philippines. The Seminario de San Vicente Ferrer, also known as San Vicente Ferrer, Seminario or Saint Vincent, is a college-seminary of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Jaro located in Iloilo City. It was founded in 1869 and is the first institution of higher education in the Western Visayas. It is the fifth oldest and the last seminary that was established during the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines. The Seminarians serve the nearby Jaro Cathedral which houses the miraculous statue of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de Jaro, the official roman catholic patron of Western Visayas.[5]
Rose Memorial Auditorium
Theater in Iloilo City, Philippines. The Rose Memorial Auditorium is a large multi-purpose theater on the campus of Central Philippine University in Jaro, Iloilo City. Rose is the largest auditorium and theater in Western Visayas with a seating capacity of 4000 and has hosted several international and local concerts, conventions and events from known from music groups and singers, and as well as conventions and summits of known public servants and organizations.
It was built as a memorial in honor of Francis H. Rose, one of American founding fathers of Central Philippine University along with the Hopevale Martyrs who died during the World War II.
The present day structure was built in the 1990s after the old one was burned down by fire. Recently, the Cultural Center of the Philippines has designated the Rose Memorial Auditorium for three-year Memorandum of Understanding, as one of the first batch of nine Cultural Center of the Philippines Regional Art Centers or Kaisa sa Sining Regional Art Centers in 2014.
With exception to the concerts that Rose hosts, it is also the venue for religious convocations of Central Philippine University and an biennial convention of the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches.[6]
Address: Iloilo, University Avenue cor. Church Road
Port of Iloilo
The Port of Iloilo in Iloilo City, Philippines, serves the province and city of Iloilo and the entire Panay Island, in Western Visayas of the Philippines. It is located away from the older port facilities on the Southern coast of Panay Island, in the Panay Gulf, and one of the country’s safest and most natural harbors. Guimaras Island shields the port from violent storms and makes it ideal for harboring ships and vessels.[7]
St. Barbara's Church
Church in the Santa Barbara, Iloilo, Philippines. St Barbara's Church can refer to any one of the many churches dedicated to Saint Barbara:[8]
Address: Santa Barbara, 5002 Iloilo City
Lopez Heritage House
The Lopez Heritage House or Mansion de Lopez is a national heritage house built in 1928 located at Jaro, Iloilo City by an Ilonggo statesman Don Vicente Lopez and his wife, Doña Elena Hofileña. The mansion was named after the couple's eldest daughter, Nelly Lopez y Hofileña. Due to its grandiose architecture highlighting the province's aristocratic past, it is regarded as the "Queen of Heritage Houses in Iloilo". On March 28, 2004, it was declared as a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Institute.
The house and its 4 hectares (9.9 acres) property are open for public tours and events.[9]
Jordan
Municipality in the Philippines. Jordan, officially the Municipality of Jordan, is a 3rd class municipality and capital of the province of Guimaras, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 39,566 people, making it the third largest settlement in the province.
With a wharf closest to Iloilo City and a central location, Jordan is also the commercial center of the island.
Jordan is bounded by the three municipalities of the province, Buenavista to the north, San Lorenzo to the east, and Sibunag to the south. Before founding of the five towns, the whole island of Guimaras was called "Himal-us". Across the Iloilo Strait from Jordan is Iloilo City on the island of Panay.[10]
Buenavista
Municipality in the Philippines. Buenavista, officially the Municipality of Buenavista, is a 2nd class municipality and the largest settlement in the province of Guimaras, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 52,899 people.
The town acts as a cheaper link between Panay and Negros, as opposed to taking a ship directly between the two islands.[11]