The Visayas, or the Visayan Islands, are one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Luzon and Mindanao. Located in the central part of the archipelago, it consists of several islands, primarily surrounding the Visayan Sea, although the Visayas are also considered the northeast extremity of the entire Sulu Sea. Its inhabitants are predominantly the Visayan peoples.
Panay Gulf is an extension of the Sulu Sea, reaching between the islands of Panay and Negros in the Philippines. The gulf contains the island-province of Guimaras and extends into the Iloilo Strait, between Panay and Guimaras, and into Guimaras Strait, between Guimaras and Negros. Guimaras Strait connects Panay Gulf with the Visayan Sea.
Iloilo, officially the Province of Iloilo, is a province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is the City of Iloilo, the regional center of Western Visayas. Iloilo occupies a major southeast portion of the Visayan island of Panay and is bordered by the province of Antique to the west, Capiz to the north, the Jintotolo Channel to the northeast, the Guimaras Strait to the east, and the Iloilo Strait and Panay Gulf to the southwest.
Guimaras, officially the Province of Guimaras, is an island province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. The capital is Jordan, while the largest local government unit for it is the municipality of Buenavista. The province is situated in Panay Gulf, between the islands of Panay and Negros. To the northwest is the province of Iloilo and to the southeast is Negros Occidental. The whole island is part of the Metro Iloilo–Guimaras, one of the twelve metropolitan areas of the Philippines.
Western Visayas is an administrative region in the Philippines, numerically designated as Region VI. It consists of six provinces and two highly urbanized cities. The regional center is Iloilo City. The region is dominated by the native speakers of four Visayan languages: Hiligaynon, Kinaray-a, Aklanon and Capiznon. The land area of the region is 20,794.18 km2 (8,028.68 sq mi), and with a population of 7,954,723 inhabitants, it is the second most populous region in the Visayas after Central Visayas.
Buenavista, officially the Municipality of Buenavista, is a 2nd class municipality and the largest settlement in the province of Guimaras, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 52,899 people.
Jordan, officially the Municipality of Jordan, is a 3rd class municipality and capital of the province of Guimaras, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 39,566 people, making it the third largest settlement in the province.
Iloilo City, officially the City of Iloilo, is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines on the island of Panay. It is the capital city of the province of Iloilo, where it is geographically situated and grouped under the Philippine Statistics Authority, but remains politically independent in terms of government and administration. In addition, it is the center of the Iloilo–Guimaras Metropolitan Area, as well as the regional center and primate city of the Western Visayas region. According to the 2020 census, Iloilo City has a population of 457,626 people. For the metropolitan area, the total population is 1,007,945 people.
Sibunag, officially the Municipality of Sibunag, is a 4th class municipality in the province of Guimaras, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 23,162 people.
San Lorenzo, officially the Municipality of San Lorenzo, is a 5th class municipality in the province of Guimaras, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 29,444 people.
Oton, officially the Municipality of Oton, is a 1st class municipality in the province of Iloilo, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 98,509 people making it as the most populous town in the province and the entire Panay island.
Mandurriao Airport(IATA: ILO, ICAO: RPVI), also known as Iloilo Airport during its operation, was the main airport serving the area of Iloilo City and the province of Iloilo in the Philippines. The airport was located five kilometers northwest of downtown Iloilo City in the district of Mandurriao. It was the fourth-busiest airport overall and the busiest domestic airport in the Philippines, accommodating over 700,000 passengers and over 5,000 tons of cargo in 2005. During the construction of the new Iloilo International Airport, it was also known as Iloilo–Mandurriao Airport.
The Hiligaynon people, often referred to as Ilonggo people or Panayan people, are the second largest subgroup of the larger Visayan ethnic group, whose primary language is Hiligaynon, an Austronesian language of the Visayan branch native to Panay, Guimaras, and Negros. They originated in the province of Iloilo, on the island of Panay, in the region of Western Visayas. Over the years, inter-migrations and intra-migrations have contributed to the diaspora of the Hiligaynon to different parts of the Philippines. Today, the Hiligaynon, apart from the province of Iloilo, also form the majority in the provinces of Guimaras, Negros Occidental, Capiz, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and North Cotabato.
The legislative districts of Iloilo are the representations of the province of Iloilo in the various national legislatures of the Philippines. The province is currently represented in the lower house of the Congress of the Philippines through its first, second, third, fourth and fifth congressional districts.
Iloilo City Proper is a district in Iloilo City, in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. It is the second-most densely populated district, after Molo. It serves as the civic center of the city, housing the seat of the city and provincial governments, as well as other local, provincial, and regional government offices. The district also houses the majority of the city's financial institutions, where banks and other firms can be found on every corner of the streets. Iloilo City Proper is the current economic and financial center of Iloilo. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 46,350 people.
Metropolitan Iloilo–Guimaras, also shortened as Metro Iloilo–Guimaras or simply MIG, is a metropolitan area in the Visayas in the Philippines. It consists of the highly urbanized city of Iloilo City; the regional agro-industrial center of Pavia; the municipalities of Cabatuan, Leganes, Oton, San Miguel, and Santa Barbara; and the neighboring island province of Guimaras, with its five municipalities of Jordan, Buenavista, Nueva Valencia, San Lorenzo, and Sibunag.
The Port of Iloilo in Iloilo City, Philippines, serves the province and city of Iloilo and the entire Panay Island, in Western Visayas of the Philippines. It is located away from the older port facilities on the Southern coast of Panay Island, in Panay Gulf, and one of the country’s safest and most natural harbors. Guimaras Island shields the port from violent storms and makes it ideal for harboring ships and vessels.
The Guimaras State University is a public research university in the Philippines. It is mandated to provide undergraduate and graduate courses in technology education, agriculture, fisheries, engineering, arts and sciences, forestry, business, health, computer, criminology, nautical and short-term vocational-technical and other continuing courses. It is also mandated to promote research, advanced studies, extension work and progressive leadership in each area of specialization. Its main campus is located in Buenavista, Guimaras.
McLain Airstrip, also known as Guimaras Airstrip or Guimaras Airport, is an airstrip located at Brgy. McLain, Buenavista, Guimaras. Envisioned as the future unified international airport for the cities of Bacolod and Iloilo by former Guimaras Gov. Emily R. Lopez, the project was mothballed mainly because of the opening of the international airports in Cabatuan, Iloilo, serving Iloilo City, and Silay City, serving Bacolod City, and when Gov. Lopez retired from politics in 2004.
The Governor of Iloilo is the local chief executive of the Philippine province of Iloilo. The governor holds office at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol located at Bonifacio Drive, Iloilo City. Like all local government heads in the Philippines, the governor is elected via popular vote, and may not be elected for a fourth consecutive term. In case of death, resignation or incapacity, the vice governor becomes the governor. Along with the governors of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras and Negros Occidental, he sits in the Regional Development Council of the Western Visayas Region.
