The 10 chieftains from Borneo arrived near the Siwaragan River, present day San Joaquin, Iloilo during the early 13th century. This after they bought Panay Island from Negrito leader Marikudo with a gold hat and necklace.
Marikudo
The Spaniards landed in Iloilo in 1556 and immediately built a community in Onton, then known as Ogtong. By 1581, the colonial government moved the capital of the province to La Villa de Arevalo.
In 1700, the Spaniards again transferred the seat of government to the Irong-Irong. The word "Irong-Irong" comes from "ilong-ilong" or "nose like", which describes the shape of the narrow piece of land traversing two rivers to form the angle of a "nose" on which the city of Iloilo was established.
At Irong-Irong, the Spaniards constructed a fort, Fort San Pedro, and later dubbed it as Iloilo which eventually became the name of the province and its capital city.
Iloilo officially became a province during the American Period on March 10, 1917.
The Ilonggos or Hiligaynons are renowned for their hospitality and amiable, leisurely view of the world. This was illustrated years ago when Iloilo landlords spent liberally the riches they accumulated from selling sugar. But when the price of sugar dipped during the early 1980s, the landlords were forced to a reality check. The grand old mansions of Iloilo now remain as a reminder of that once glorious past. But Iloilo has since diversified and now is one of the vibrant cities of the Philippines.
Iloilo is also famous for its dialect, Ilonggo, which is notable for its slow, gentle, and seductive cadence. In Tagalog, the tone can be closely described as "malambing".
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