Iloilo’s Firsts and Oldests

Perhaps, no other province in the Philippines has a record of so many “FIRSTS” and “OLDESTS” as the province of Iloilo. The following list is by no means complete:

1. The only province to have two cities during the Spanish time: Iloilo City, inaugurated February 7, 1890; and Jaro, chartered March 7, 1891.
2. The first provincial high school in the country was the Iloilo High School.
3. The first golf course in Southeast Asia was the Iloilo Golf and Country Club in Sta. Barbara town was established in 1907.
4. The first Filipino to fly a passenger plane – Jose Tinsay of Jaro in 1925 flying the Curtiss Oriole, the first passenger plane flying the route Iloilo – Negros.
5. The first school for boys in the Philippines was founded in Tigbauan, Iloilo, by Jesuit priest and historian, Pedro Chirino, in 1592.
6. The first place to put up a Christian church in the country was Jalaud (now Barangay Ermita in Dumangas town) in 1566.
7. The first city outside Manila to have a foreign business house (Loney and Co.) and the first foreign vice-consul.
8. The first Filipino to earn Doctor of Laws degrees from Oxford University – Melquiades Gamboa of Jaro.
9. The biggest province in the Philippines in population, income, and economic production during the 19th century.
10. The first department store in the country (Hoskyn and Co.) was established in 1877 by Herbert Peter, Henry, and Franklin Hoskyn.
11. The first concrete road in the country was the road from Forbes bridge to the Jaro Plaza called the “Montinola Highway”. It spans from the Forbes Bridge to the Jaro Plaza and it was cemented in 1910 with cement imported from Japan.
12. The first city outside Manila to have electricity, telephone, telegraph, railway, ice plant, automobile, and other modern conveniences.
13. The first province outside Luzon to fly the Philippine national flag, in Sta. Barbara town on Nov. 17, 1898.
14. The best and biggest producer of textile during the Spanish era.
15. The first city outside Manila to have direct shipping links with Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, Europe, and the United States.
16. The first commercial airline in the country was Iloilo-Negros Air Express Co. (INAEC). Its inaugural flight from Iloilo to Manila was on February 3, 1933, with a Stinson 3-motor plane.
17. The first Philippine airline after World War II was organized by Ilonggo brothers Eugenio and Fernando Lopez, Far Eastern Air Transport, Inc. (FEATI)
18. The first elementary school in the country established under the Americans was the Baluarte Elementary School in Molo, Iloilo City in 1905 by its founder Rosendo Mejica.
19. The first Protestant barrio in the country was Barangay Calvario in Janiuay.
20. The first Baptist church in the country was the Jaro Evangelical Church established in 1901. 
21. The first luxury liner in the country was the SS Don Esteban of the De la Rama Lines. It was built in 1935 at Kiel, Germany at a cost of more than Php 1 million pesos. 
22. The first city to have double-decked buses, modern cinema houses, and theaters outside Manila.
23. The first city to have a car assembly plant (Taller Visayas de Strachan and MacMurray Ltd.). The plant assembled the German car “Daimler” in the 1920s. 
24. The first Filipino to launch the Propaganda Movement in Spain – Graciano Lopez Jaena of Jaro
25. The only Filipino nominated by the Spanish monarch to the Supreme Court of Cuba – Raymundo Melliza of Molo. Melliza held a doctorate of law from Universidad Central de Madrid, a good friend, and classmate of national hero Jose Rizal, and later became the second provincial governor of Iloilo. 
26. The first city outside Manila to have modern cinema houses and theaters.
27. The first Filipino Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science – Victorino Domondon
28. The first Filipino doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology – Felipe Landa Jocano of Cabatuan
29. The first Filipino Doctor of Education – Pedro E.Y. Rio of Iloilo City.
30. The first Filipino woman Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering – Josette Garcia Portigo of Pototan.
31. The first Filipino to win the US Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest US military honors, during World War II – Capt. Jose Calugas of Leon.
32. The first provincial capital to have electricity – starting 1890.
33. The first Filipino soldier in the American army to win medals for heroism and courage from the government of the United States, Belgium, and France during World War II – Sgt. Ramon Subejano of New Lucena.
34. The first Asian to win the Bowl Hygia award in Pharmacy – Rosita Jara Mesa.
35. The first most bemedalled Filipino girl swimmer – Nancy Deaño of Dingle.
36. Asia’s first chess grandmaster – Eugene Torre of La Paz.
37. The first Filipino woman to win a cultural heritage award – Magdalena Jalandoni of Jaro.
38. The first Filipino feminist – Pura Villanueva Kalaw of Molo – she was also the first Miss Philippine Carnival in 1908, Asia’s first national beauty pageant.
39. Youngest mayors of Iloilo – Lee Ann Debuque of Anilao and Braeden John “BJ” Biron of Barotac Nuevo both 22
40. The first openly gay mayor of Iloilo – Geffre Alonsabe of Alimodian
41. The first bookstore in the Visayas and Mindanao – Libreria la Panayana established in 1877 by Mariano Perfecto 
42. The only province to have an antibiotic drug named after it – Ilozene and Ilotycin which are brands of erythromycin, a wonder drug developed from a soil sample from Iloilo.
43. The first Filipino girl to be called the fastest woman in Asia – Inocencia Solis of New Lucena.
44. The first province to export sugar to Australia starting in 1859. (Also exported sugar to United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States)
45. The first gravity irrigation system outside Luzon – the Sta. Barbara Irrigation System constructed in 1924.
46. The best-organized guerilla unit during World War II under Gen. Mariano Peralta
47. The first guerilla unit to contact, by radio, Gen. Douglas MacArthur and President Quezon during World War II.
48. The first modern and most beautiful custom house in the country.
49. The first government-constructed museum building in the Philippines – Museo Iloilo.
50. SM Delgado – the first SM Mall built outside Metro Manila, and the fourth SM branch in the country. Opened in 1979.
51. The number one food-producing province of the Philippines today.
52. The first and only town in the Philippines to produce four justices of the Supreme Court, seven senators, seven governors, and seven cabinet members.
53. The site of the first international research center in the fishing industry, the SEAFDEC in Tigbauan.
54. The first and only maritime university in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia – John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University.
55. The first city, which initiated a free education program is the elementary schools by eliminating the matriculation fees and providing free school supplies, and the elimination of tuition fees in public secondary schools.
56. The first successful compact farm in the country – Tagsing Buyo, Sta. Barbara.
57. The first Asian to play for Europe’s top football club, Spain’s Barcelona FC – Paulino Alcantara
58. The first Visayan to be beatified on March 5, 2000, and later will be canonized as the second Filipino saint – Blessed Pedro Calungsod of Molo, Iloilo.
59. Panay’s largest and most beautiful church during the colonial period was the Oton church.
60. Iloilo is the site of the Malayan landing in the Philippines, according to the Maragtas legend.
61. The first community school movement originated by Supt. Jose V. Aguilar
62. Dinagyang Festival of Iloilo City is the first festival in the world duly recognized and supported by the United Nations to promote its millennium development program. 
63. New Iloilo City Hall – the first green government building in the Philippines
64. The oldest Chinese settlement in the country – Molo. When the Spaniards arrive in Iloilo in 1570, they reported a large number of the Chinese community.
65. The first Philippine festival mascot – Dagoy, Dinagyang Festival’s official mascot
66. The Esplanade (Esplanade 1 – 9) – the first linear and longest park in the country. 
67. The first seat of Alcaldia de Panay with jurisdiction over Panay, Romblon and Western Negros. 
68. The first province to produce many millionaires and the first city to have a millionaire’s row.
69. The first community school movement originated by Supt. Jose V. Aguilar.
70. The first intrusion by the British into the Philippines was in 1587 when Sir Thomas Cavendish attacked the Arevalo shipyard in an attempt to destroy the galleon “Santiago” which was then under construction. 
71. The first province to import some machine equipment directly from Europe – starting 1863.
72. The biggest public school division in the country is the Division of Iloilo.
73. The first American vice-consulate in the Philippines, established in 1864, with Wright B. Loring as the first US vice-consul in Iloilo.
74. The first province to have a Protestant community; a Protestant cemetery was established at Iloilo in 1866.
75. The oldest existing college in Western Visayas – Colegio de San Jose, was founded in 1872.
76. The first drama in Hiligaynon, “Ang Babaye Nga Huwacan,” was written by Cornelio Hilado in 1878 and first published in 1884.
77. The first bank outside Manila – the Iloilo branch of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, established on April 2, 1883.
78. The first provincial branch of the Chartered Bank – opened on April 4, 1883.
79. The first newspaper and printing press outside Luzon – El Porvenir de Visayas, founded in 1884 by Diego Jiminez Frades.
80. The first province to have a cosmopolitan or international business community. By the 1880s, Iloilo already had vice consulates or consular agencies for Great Britain, United States, Switzerland, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, France, Netherlands, and Germany. Aside from citizens of these countries, there were also Lebanese, Chinese, Indians, Armenians, and other nationalities in Iloilo.
81. The first province to have a college offering courses in commerce, engineering; chemistry, arts, and trades – the Escuela Professional de Oficios y Artes founded by Royal Order on 9 May 1890.
82. The first city outside Manila to have a telephone system – starting June 1, 1894, covering Iloilo, La Paz, Jaro, Mandurriao, and Molo.
83. The first city, after Manila, to be connected to the major cities of the world by cable – beginning November 6, 1897.
84. The first provincial branch of the Banco Espanol Filipino de Isabel II (now Bank of the Philippine Islands), opened in 1897.
85. The oldest machine shop in the South – Taller Bisayas de Strachan & MacMurray, first established in the 1890s and incorporated in 1919.
86. The oldest bakery in the Visayas and Mindanao – Panaderia de Molo establish in 1899 by Marciana Jason.
87. The first hospital put up by the Americans in the Philippines – Iloilo Mission Hospital, founded in 1900.
88. The first nursing school in the islands – Nurses Training School of Iloilo Mission Hospital (now CPU College of Nursing) founded in 1906. It produced the first Filipino graduate nurses in 1909.
89. The first Filipino-Chinese association – the Iloilo Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, formed in 1911.
90. The first and only railway line outside Luzon – Philippine Railway Co. – was constructed starting 1906.
91. The first novel in Hiligaynon, “Benjamin” by Angel Magahum, was published in 1907.
92. The oldest existing school paper in the Philippines – The Central Echo of Central Philippine University, first published in 1916.
93. The first, and now the oldest, almanac in the Visayas and Mindanao – Almanaque Panayanon, founded by Mariano Perfecto in 1884.
94. The oldest existing Chinese school outside Luzon – Iloilo Chinese Commercial School (now Iloilo Central Commercial School), was founded in 1911.
95. The first provincial library – established on October 29, 1916, as the first branch of the National Library.
96. The oldest international business organization in the nation – Iloilo International Chamber of Commerce, organized by Esteban de la Rama in 1924.
97. The oldest press club in the Philippines – Iloilo Press Club (which was previously named Iloilo Press and Radio Club) founded in 1936 by Exequiel Villalobos (Iloilo Press Club today). 
98. The first and biggest sugar bulk handling plant in Asia – owned by VISTRANCO, at Jordan, Guimaras.
99. The first novel was written by a Filipino on the war to be published abroad – “Without Seeing the Dawn” by Stevan Javellana in 1948.
100. The first zarzuela in Hiligaynon, “Ang Capitan,” by Valente Cristobal, staged in Iloilo in 1903.
101. The first “Farmers School of the Air” – Uwa Mangunguma, was founded by Pacifico Sudario in 1954.
102. The first Filipino bishop – Felipe Molina y Figueroa, who was born in Arevalo in 1672 and became bishop of Nueva Caceres in 1723.
103. The first Filipino to serve as honorary vice-consul for a foreign country – Claudio Lopez, vice-consul for Portugal, whose service started in 1877.
104. The last military leader outside Luzon to surrender to the Americans during the Filipino-American War – Quintin Salas of Dumangas.
105. The first Filipino cabinet member under the Americans and the first solicitor-general – Gregorio Araneta.
106. The first Filipino priest to obtain the doctor of Canon Law degree from the Universidad de Salamanca – Father Amado Panes Perfecto of Passi.
107. The first presiding officer and youngest member of the First National Assembly – Nicholas Jalandoni of Jaro.
108. The Old Iloilo Provincial Capitol (Casa Real de Iloilo) – the oldest existing provincial capitol in the islands. It was built in 1840.
109. The first Filipino Ph.D. in soil science – Marcos Alicante of Maasin. He became the first director of the Bureau of Soils.
110. The first Filipino director of the Bureau of Agriculture – Adriano Hernandez of Dingle from 1916 to 1925.
111. The first Filipino to obtain a doctorate in pharmacology in America – Joaquin Maranon of Mandurriao.
112. The first winner of the Zobel Prize for Literature – Francisco Gomez, in 1921 for his novel, “La Carrera de Candida.”
113. The founder of the Cooperative Movement in the Philippines – Tomas Confesor of Cabatuan.
114. The first Filipino to be elected vice president of an International Labor Congress – Francisco Varona of Arevalo at New Orleans in 1921.
115. The only delegate to sign the 1935 Constitution with his blood – Gregorio Perfecto of Mandurriao (he represented Manila in the convention).
116. The only Filipino elected to the Senate but died before he could take office – Potenciano Trenas, elected in 1934.
117. The biggest single donation to the Philippine government was made before the war by Don Esteban Jalandoni, consisting of wide tracts of land in Iloilo and Negros to be used for educational purposes.
118. The first Filipino sisters to win the Medal of Isabella la Catolica from the Spanish government – Jovita and Ramona Avancena.
119. The first Filipino lady to be admitted to the exclusive US Congressional Ladies Club – Sofia Reyes de Veyra of Arevalo. She was also the first Filipina to be voted “the most popular woman of the Philippines” in a nationwide poll conducted by the Philippine Free Press in 1932.
120. The First Woman Line General of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, First Woman Batallion Commander and First Woman Military Pilot was BGen. Ramona Palabrica-Go of San Enrique.
121. The first to introduce the budgetary system in the Philippines – Miguel Unson of Molo in his capacity as Secretary of Finance.
122. The first Filipino to win the US Congressional Medal of Honor – Jose Calugas of Leon.
123. The first Ilonggo Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philipines – Major General Rafael Jalandoni who was appointed by President Roxas in 1946.
124. The only man to occupy four cabinet positions under one administration – Rufino Hechanova under President Diosdado Macapagal.
125. The first Filipino president of Central Philippine University – Rex D. Drilon of Dumangas.
126. The only Filipino who has been elected thrice to the vice presidency – Fernando Lopez.
127. The first Filipino grandmaster in chess – Eugene Torre.
128. The first Visayan supreme bishop of the Philippine Independent Church – Msgr. Macario V. Ga of Buenavista, Guimaras.
129. The first Filipino secretary of the Department of Mindanao and Sulu and the first governor of Agusan, Teopisto Guingona of Buenavista.
130. The first elected senator without opposition – Francisco Zulueta of Oton who won in the Senatorial District in 1934.
131. The first Filipino lady to become president of two Sugar Centrals – Rosario Lopez de Santos, who headed the Central Santos Lopez in Barotac Nuevo and the Philippine Starch and Sugar Company in Janiuay.
132. The only poet to reject a major national prize in the face of President Quezon – Flavio Zaragoza Cano during the first Commonwealth Literary Contest.
133. The only seminary in the Philippines that has produced two archbishops of Manila – Seminario de Vicente Ferrer, Jaro; alma mater of Msgr. Gabriel Reyes, the first Filipino Archbishop of Manila, and Jaime Cardinal Sin.
134. Dr. Josette Biyo – One of few Filipinos whose name was used in naming an asteroid – “Planet Biyo” or 13241 Biyo (1998 KM41). She was a teacher at Philippine Science High School cited for winning the 2002 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Louisville, Kentucky. She was the first Asian teacher to win the Intel Excellence in Teaching Award.
135. Oton, Iloilo – is the place of origin of the pre-Hispanic medieval gold death mask, unearthed in the 1960s. The mask is dated from the late 14th to the early 15th century A.D. Now declared a National Cultural Treasure.
136. Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral (also called the Church of St. Elizabeth of Hungary) – National Shrine of Our Lady of Candles – first national Marian shrine in the Visayas. Declared in 2012.
137. Iloilo Paraw Regatta Festival – “The Oldest Traditional Craft Event in Asia” and “The Largest Sailing Event in the Philippines”, judged as the Best Sports Tourism Event in 2009. The first race was held in 1973.