The Philippines Today, Yesterday, and Tomorrow
Eiffel Tower in Iloilo? This is a photograph of Felix Laureano of Catedral de Jaro with a bamboo tower that was built to mark the Eiffel Tower’s inauguration during the 1889 Paris Exposition. The Cathedral is dedicated to Nuestra Señora de Candelaria. The church built before 1726 was damaged in an 1824 earthquake and was … Read more
Bullfighting in Iloilo During the mid-19th century under Spanish occupation in the Philippines, bullfighting, or corrida de toros, gained popularity as a form of entertainment among the Spanish elite and local elites who sought to emulate Spanish customs. The Spanish authorities promoted bullfighting as a symbol of Spanish culture and power, and it became a … Read more
Spanish Female Bullfighters in Iloilo A rare example of Felix Laureano’s Iloilo photo studio work (along Calle Iznart), Senoritas toreras de la cuadrilla del apodera de Armengol, is proof that Iloilo by the mid-19th century not only attracted European opera singers but also female bullfighters from Spain. Only Manila and Iloilo boasted of having bullrings … Read more
Heritage Churches of Iloilo Iglesia features the work of Ilonggo artist Cristhom Selibio Setubal who uses found and disposed objects to recreate the likeness of Iloilo heritage churches. Through waste materials like aluminum sheets, espresso pods, computer parts, beads, chicken wire, and copper wire, he creatively highlights the details of these well-loved structures. Setubal’s process … Read more
Meet the Flora of Sibuyan Nepenthes Sibuyanensis A critically endangered carnivorous pitcher plant species endemic to Sibuan Island and commonly found on the slopes of Mt. Guiting-guiting. Nepenthes Armin A tropical plant found on Sibuyan Island, named after Armin Rios Marin, to honor the environmental activist and local hero. Dillenia Sibuyanensis More commonly known … Read more