A walk through Ilonggo creativity
There are so many reasons to fall in love with Iloilo.
We love the gentility of the Ilonggos, their soulful cuisine, centuries-old churches, ancestral mansions, and historical districts. Iloilo so charmingly juxtaposes the old and the new: the cobblestoned roads and colonial structures that take you back in time; while nearby there’s the leading-edge Megaworld Iloilo Business Park with its contemporary museums, festive mall, plush hotels, modern offices and residential buildings.
Now, Iloilo gives us a reason to fall in love with her all over again, as a destination for art lovers. The Iloilo Business Park has just launched its Art Walk where, following a curated trail or even just wandering about, you will come across paintings, sculptures, installations, murals and photographs that tell the stories that matter to Ilonggo creatives. The art is a feast for the senses—moving, joyful, at times sad and yet always optimistic, a reflection of the Ilonggo spirit that can see beyond life’s tragedies to a hopeful future.
The Iloilo Business Park, located at the former Mandurriao airport (hence the long Megaworld Boulevard, which used to be the runway), was designed to be a lifestyle and business township that fosters the arts, heritage and creativity with exhibits and festivals, installations and performances, cuisine and music. It is home to the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art, the first museum of contemporary art in the Visayas when it opened eight years ago. Next door, the Brandy Museum offers guided tours that end with a tasting.
In recognition of all this, Megaworld Iloilo Business Park was declared Iloilo City’s Center for Arts and Culture by Mayor Raisa Trenas-Chu on July 9, 2025.
Harold Geronimo, vice president and head of PR and Media Affairs, tells us, “Megaworld was really overwhelmed with the declaration of the mayor, and we committed to the city government to continue with programs that would showcase Ilonggo artistry and creativity in our townships. We already have the existing museums; we have exhibits in the malls, but more than that, we should be a well-rounded township for arts and culture.
“The Art Trail is part of those many programs that allow Ilonggo arts and culture to be showcased not only in one place but in many areas of the Iloilo Business Park. That is why, since we have a walkable township, the entire township is like a museum, like a huge gallery, an expansive one.”
The genius of utilizing the IBP’s buildings is that, one, they can be visited 24/7 because they house BPOs. Second, the glass walls of the ground floor of each business tower allow you to view the works even without going inside.
The Art Trail can be covered in a leisurely couple of hours. To cover every stop, start at the Palladium at one end of the IBP. What you are looking for is actually on the ground, a pattern of blues that reflect the building’s color scheme. Incorporated into the pavement art is a cycling motif inspired by the annual biking festival. Best appreciated from an aerial view, this is the work of Marie Danielle Cabalum-Desamparado and her husband Dominic Desamparado.
Head now towards Plaza del Gado, which is anchored by a statue of Panay hero General Martin Teofilo Delgado. You will find the plaza ringed by colorful pavement art by the same husband-and-wife team. Go to the second floor of the Casa Emperador building to appreciate the work from an aerial perspective. Entitled “Ilomination,” it was inspired by the annual light parade that takes place during the Dinagyang festival. And much further on in the trail, the sidewalk of the Iloilo Convention Center also sports pavement art to reflect the iconic wave-like façade of the convention center.
Just beyond Plaza del Gado, the colorful buntings of KTown beckon you down a wide pedestrian road past a giant cube painted with festive scenes by local artists, and murals by the Desamparados as well.
Your next stop would be One Global Place Tower B, where the artwork of the group Kikik (cicada) Kollektive speak to the sadness and the trauma of OFWs. They leave their families to earn the money needed to construct houses of concrete, as reflected in the cement pillows of a sleeping child.
Right across is One Global Center Tower A, where Exit Studio artist Kyle Francis Dile explains that the exhibit “Youth Ta!” reflects “our younger selves, when life was without burdens.” That’s because today, life feels like it’s rushing by, but nothing is really changing.
We proceed next to Two Global Center Tower A, where sculptures of AR (Art Revolution) Sculptura fill the space. The husband-and-wife team of Margarette Albacete Pampliega and Joseph Carl Albert Evidente Pampliega produce art within a local cultural context, such as in their functional Datu chair which turns into the giant face of a datu at the back! AR Sculptura is also behind Pagsinapol, an outdoor sculpture that is now a landmark at IBP. Its name means “convergence” and also signifies progress. The sculpture itself is a work in progress with more elements to be added over time.
Moving on to Two Global Center Tower B, artist Mann Cayona explains that he completes his woven artworks by creating two separate paintings with different stories, “destroying” them and then weaving them together to create a new story. His exhibit entitled “Hingabut” (Pursuit) is about rising above false accusations and using experiences of betrayal as a driving force to move forward.
At the next stop, One Techno Place Tower B, the Panes Art Gallery current exhibit is entitled “Mimosa,” inspired by the fairy folklore of Western Visayas. The works are a collab between husband and wife Mae Tamayo Panes and Felipe Panes, combining woven fabric and woodwork to unite traditional textile and sculptural craftsmanship.
Across at One Techno Place Tower A, the collective Rahmag (meaning a gentle light, such as that emanating from luminous insects or sea creatures) is about harvest, mountains, hablon and anything that has a rural representation of what is happening in Antique.
At Three Techno Place A, Ogtonganon Visual Artist League (OVAL) is a group of artists from Oton who seek to provide a platform for artistic expression, support aspiring artists and environmental consciousness.
Over at Three Techno Place B, the Taga Tig Tigbauan Artists Hub is the official artists organization of Tigbauan, 21 kilometers away from Iloilo City. They promote their vibrant culture and heritage through exhibits, murals, photography, sculpture, drawing, and digital arts.
Finally, a photography exhibit by Lens from Expertise brings together 11 professionals, a visual anthology of diverse journeys—the value of seeing the world through different lenses.
Apart from the Art Trail, the current Paraw Regatta installation at the Festive Walk Mall atrium is a tribute to the paraw, the colorful sailboats that carried datus over from Borneo hundreds of years ago. They are part of the heritage and cultural identity of Iloilo.
Beyond the art in museums and public spaces, Ilonggo creativity is celebrated in the world-class hotels of the Iloilo Business Park. The newly opened, musically themed Belmont Hotel has a gallery honoring singer-songwriter Jose Mari Chan, and at its all-day dining café you can order a deliciously sticky salpicao, native chicken crispy wings and a slew of delicious pastries and coffees with an Ilonggo twist.
After all, Ilonggo heritage extends beyond art and architecture to its UNESCO-recognized cuisine. At the Richmonde Hotel Iloilo, guests can experience Degustacion, a signature dining concept with beautiful presentations of heritage Ilonggo dishes that have been elevated to the next level of sophistication without losing their homey goodness. Not to be missed is the comforting soup tinuom, the carnivore delight that is karne frita, and a chocolate tablea cheesecake topped with a sprinkling of tul-tul salt.
“We are not focused only on visual arts but also culinary arts, music and performing arts,” says Harold Geronimo. “We’ve reached out to the arts community of Iloilo, to Ilonggo artists to know their needs, what they want to do and how we can support them. Our township has a lot of venues where we will be able to help local artists to showcase their artistry.”
With Megaworld encouraging and promoting the arts of Iloilo, making them accessible and part of everyday life, the Iloilo Business Park becomes an even more vibrant place in which to live and work. For those of us who come to visit, it has become a rich source of inspiration as we fall in love with the generous creative spirit of the genteel Ilonggos.
