Iloilo City is a conglomeration of former cities and towns in the Philippines, which are now the geographical or administrative districts (boroughs) composed of seven: Arevalo, City Proper, Jaro, La Paz, Lapuz, Mandurriao, and Molo. All administrative districts are divisions of the lone congressional district of Iloilo City, and each is composed of barangays (barrios), with a total of 180 city barangays.
The City of Iloilo was originally referred to only as what is now known as Iloilo City Proper until July 16, 1937, when the surrounding municipalities of Arevalo, La Paz, Mandurriao, and Molo were consolidated with the city after it was re-chartered by the American government.[1] The city of Jaro followed suit and was absorbed into Iloilo City on January 7, 1941. The sub-district of Lapuz became a separate district from La Paz on December 17, 2008, making it the seventh and youngest district of Iloilo City.[2]
Iloilo City is composed of one legislative district, which has been divided into seven administrative districts, each of which consists of barangays.
City Proper is the second-most densely populated district and the heart of Iloilo City.[3][4] It serves as the civic center of the city, housing the seat of the city and provincial government buildings, as well as other local, provincial, and regional government offices of the Western Visayas region.[5] All the economic activities in the city have been mainly concentrated in the district since the 19th century; however, in the 21st century, they have slowly shifted to the districts of Mandurriao and Jaro due to a lack of space for new developments in the old City Proper.[6] Iloilo City Proper is known for its late 19th and early 20th century commercial structures, such as the Eusebio Villanueva Building, the Javellana Building, the Aduana Building, etc., which can be found on every major street of the district.
Iloilo City Proper has the most barangays in Iloilo City with a total of 45 barangays. City Proper is the second-most densely populated Iloilo City district with a population density of 12,435 people per square kilometer.
La Paz is the city's third-largest district by land area. It is known as the birthplace of the popular Filipino noodle soup dish, La Paz Batchoy.[7] The district features the largest district plaza in Iloilo City. It is home to numerous notable institutions in the city, namely, West Visayas State University, Iloilo Science and Technology University, Western Institute of Technology, St. Therese – MTC Colleges, Hua Siong College of Iloilo, etc.
The district of La Paz has 25 barangays.
Jaro is the largest and most populous district of the city, comprising 35% of the city's total land area and 29% of the city's population. It is the center of faith in the Western Visayas region, being home to the Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral, the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Jaro, the metropolitan see that covers the whole province of Iloilo, as well as Antique, Guimaras, and Negros Occidental. Jaro being a former city on its own with a large population of Spanish Filipino residents, it is home to a large number of old mansions and heritage houses such as the Lopez Mansion, the Lizares Mansion, the Ledesma Mansion, the Casa Mariquit, etc. The district is also home to Central Philippine University, which has been ranked as the first Western Visayan university on the list of Asia's and the world's best universities by Quacquarelli Symonds.[8] Jaro, along Mandurriao, is home to modern large developments in the city, namely Sta. Lucia Land's Green Meadows East township, SM Prime's 48-hectare SM Jaro township, etc.
The district of Jaro has a total of 42 barangays.
Molo is the most densely populated district, with a population density of 13,797 people per square kilometer, as well as the second-most populated district. It is famous for its Gothic-Renaissance Molo Church and several old heritage houses, including the Yusay-Consing Mansion, more popularly known as the Molo Mansion.[9][10] Pancit Molo is the district's most popular dish, which is a pork dumpling soup made with wonton wrappers.[11] Molo was known as the Chinese district of Iloilo, which is the area that the Chinese Filipino residents of Iloilo lived in. It is also hailed as the "Athens of the Philippines," being the birthplace of numerous great philosophers and political leaders in the country.[12]
Molo District is composed of 25 barangays. The barangay of Calumpang in Molo is Iloilo City's most populous barangay, with a population of 15,994 people (2020 census). Molo is also the most densely populated district in Iloilo City, with a population density of 13,797 people per square kilometer.
.jpg/1280px-Iloilo_Convention_Center_top_view_(Megaworld_Boulevard,_Mandurriao,_Iloilo_City;_10-22-2022).jpg)
Mandurriao is the second-largest district by land area and the third-most populous. It is known for its modern, large mixed-use developments, such as Megaworld Corporation's Iloilo Business Park, Ayala Land's Atria Park District, SM Prime Holdings' SM Iloilo Complex, Gaisano Group of Companies' Iloilo City Center, etc., where the majority of the city's high-rise buildings are located. It is also home to many upscale restaurants, bars, nightclubs, hotels, condominiums, and business process outsourcing (BPO) offices, as well as the largest mall in Iloilo, SM City Iloilo.[13]
The district of Mandurriao is divided into 18 barangays.
Arevalo is the westernmost and farthest district from Iloilo City Proper. It is well-known for its seafood restaurants along the seashores of Villa Beach, which hosts the Paraw Regatta Festival, annually. The district's parish, the Archdiocesan Shrine of Santo Niño de Arevalo, is home to Santo Niño de Arévalo, the third-oldest Santo Niño figure in the Philippines.[14] It is also home to Camiña Balay nga Bato, a heritage house and a restaurant in the district that was constructed in 1865.
The district of Arevalo has 13 barangays.
Lapuz is the geographically smallest and least populous district in Iloilo City. It is considered the gateway to Iloilo City, being the location of the Iloilo International Port, the Iloilo Ro-ro (roll-on, roll-off) Port, and the Iloilo Fastcraft Terminal.[15]
The district of Lapuz has 12 barangays.