At the opening of Lopez Museum exhibit at UP Visayas, Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Trenas (far left), Ilonggo statesman and former senator Franklin Drilon (center), Lopez Museum and Library head Mercedes Lopez Vargas
When I flew to Iloilo, I expected to enjoy the fiesta mood, to eat plenty of delicious food, and to be witness to things that I don’t normally get to see in Metro Manila. It was just meant to be a work trip to visit the opening of the new Lopez Museum and Library exhibit at the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV), Sown by the Traveler: Women and Migrants in Philippine Art.
This opening coincided with the city’s Dinagyang Festival.
It was all ramping up to be a simple work trip. What I didn’t expect was ultimately to be green with envy, and also inspired by the sense of community Ilonggos have. Although I was born and raised as GenZ, and was present for the push of individualism by the millennials in the 2010s, the era of the internet, I see that community seems to be the new buzzword on the internet of late. There is a growing movement of classes and social gatherings, as people “long for community.” With the tanking economy, the rising political tensions both domestic and international, and the long-term effects of the global pandemic, younger generations are in search of a community, however that might look for us now.
Iloilo Mayor Raisa Trenas, former senator Franklin Drilon, Lopez Museum head Mercedes Lopez Vargas view the exhibit.
What surprised me about the Dinagyang was how many Ilonggos are still deeply connected to the roots of their ancestors. During my free time, I visited an Ilonggo friend and spoke about what I observed from my time in Iloilo so far. It amazed me that there were still people who knew their ancestral roots and were so connected to their identity, beyond just being Filipino, with a lot of pride in their province. It wasn’t something I was familiar with, as many of my friends were raised in Manila and had little connection to the provinces their families hailed from.
I’d always wondered what it meant to be a part of a community, whether as a citizen of the Philippines or as part of a minority group, the LGBTQ+. The concept of community was amorphous, tied together by traits and rules I could never really seem to grasp. We talk about community like making friends, yet it never felt as concrete of a vision until I landed in Iloilo.
The featured artists for the museum’s newest exhibit.
Not only were Ilongos deeply connected to their ancestral roots, but also, the current generations of Ilonggo families are more than willing to contribute to helping nurture the culture. This became so evident in the opening of the Lopez family exhibit on January 23 at the UPV campus. The Lopez family, originally from Jaro, Iloilo, contributed art from their collection to the UPV’s Museum of Art and Culture in the hope of highlighting Filipino talent and contributing to the arts scene of their home province.
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It was more than simply contributing, though; it was their way of giving back to the province they call home and identify with strongly.
The newest art collection features women and migrant artists, with pieces from Anita Magsaysay-Ho, Nena Saguil, Alfonso Ossorio, Juvenal Sanso, Macario Vitalis, and Fernando Zobel. The exhibit will run until June 6
If you find yourself in Iloilo looking for things to do, I’d more than recommend a trip to the museum. The newest collection features women and migrant artists, with pieces from Anita Magsaysay-Ho, Nena Saguil, Alfonso Ossorio, Juvenal Sanso, Macario Vitalis, and Fernando Zobel. The exhibit will run until June 6, so don’t waste your time and book those tickets!
Author on the main street for Dinagyang with friends.
It was so interesting to experience so many aspects of Ilonggo culture in my short time there. From the exhibit opening to the loud drums and bright visuals of the Dinagyang, there was an undercurrent of pride and joy to be Ilonggo through it all. I felt my heart sing as I watched people beam with pride as they celebrated a key part of their identity, something I haven’t experienced.
Watching the Dinagyang was awe-inspiring, as I found myself entranced by the bright costumes and deafeningly loud drums. Each of the tribes took from a particular specialty or story (as far as I could infer) from Iloilo, and communicated it through song and well-choreographed dance. Every visual piece was elaborate, and the percussion felt in my chest and carried over into the day.
The new adult in me finds that social connections in Manila feel transactional: “I offer you this in exchange for social connection.” It feels rushed as we check boxes as quickly as possible so as not to waste our time, and being fragile and giving any “off vibes” immediately gets us crossed out of someone’s list. Relationships are transient and fleeting most days, until you finally find someone who checks the boxes just long enough so that vulnerability becomes a possibility.
Yet somehow in Iloilo, I never felt that. There was a sense of togetherness and, well, community, a willingness to lend a hand and a lack of hesitation to do so. I’m sure there are communities in Manila akin to the one in Iloilo, and to compare them without nuance would be doing Manila a disservice.
But I don’t know! Similar to a foreigner who fell in love with Siargao, I felt the same way for Iloilo in my short time there. I tend to feel elated knowing I get to come home to Manila after out-of-town trips, and yet, for the first time, I was torn about leaving Iloilo. I know now what it’s like to already be planning my next trip back to a place just as I leave it.
In my time in Iloilo, I felt I finally saw the idea of community in action, with the Dinagyang only heightening that feeling. I learned that community is connecting with one’s roots and with those around you in the present. Community is about being willing to help without expecting anything in return. And it’s about raising the living standard for everyone around you.
Peter De La Cruz, third generation owner of Iloilo’s Madge Cafe.
Who knew that such a short trip would help find the answers to a question I’ve been pondering for so long?
