REGION 6 WESTERN VISAYAS

Western Visayas

Is one of the regions of the Philippines, designated as Region VI.

It consists of 6 province and 16 cities making it the region with the highest number of cities.

Iloilo City is the regional center. Is composed of six provinces and the

highly urbanized cities of Bacolod and Iloilo.

AREA AND LOCATION

• Typically western Visayas is found on the west part of the major island of the Philippines which is Visayas it is surrounded by water.

Provinces Capital1. Aklan - Kalibo2. Antique - San Jose3. Capiz - Roxas City4. Guimaras - Jordan5. Iloilo - Iloilo City6. Negros Occidental - Bacolod

City

AKLAN Province

AKLAN

Its capital is Kalibo. Queen of the Philippine

FabricsRambutan Center of AsiaOriginally known as “Minuro

it Akean”

Geography

The province boasts high geographic diversity, ranging from white sandy beaches, mangroves and mountainous landscapes. It also boasts the river Akean, which appears unique due to its "boiling or frothing" appearance.

Industry & Economy

The province of Aklan is designated as a first class province.

Innovations were made out of this fabric to suit the demanding supply of the fashion market. Dyed abaca cloths are made into place mats. bags, wall decors, fans, etc.

Beyond Boracay and the Ati -atihan, one can also find a dream possession in the province - the Piña cloth, considered as the "Queen of the Philippine Fabrics," and other fineries made from it.

Piña Cloth/ Piña Fiber

The Piña cloth is considered a prime produce of Kalibo, weaved from its unique crude wooden or bamboo handloom that changed little from eight centuries ago.

AKLAN’s Tourist Attraction

Apart from its white sand beaches, Boracay is also famous for being one of the world's top destinations for relaxation. It is also emerging among the top destinations for tranquility and nightlife.

Is a feast held annually in January in honor of the Santo Niño concluding on the third Sunday, in the island and town of Kalibo, Aklan in the Philippines. The name "Ati-Atihan" means "to be like Aetas" or "make believe Ati's."

Ati-Atihan Festival

Freedom Shrine

Kalantiaw Shrine

Located within the town proper of Kalibo, The town's famous landmark where fierce battles ensued between the combined Filipino and American troops together with the Aklanon guerrillas during World War II. A Monument was built to signify the heroic stand of Aklanons. Mortar and other fragments of armaments can be found at the vicinity.

Locally known as Elephant Cave due to its appearance. Beautiful limestone formation of stalagmites, stalactites and other crystalline forms abound. It has a skylight in one of its chamber that lets in a soft glow of light in noon time.

Ignito Cave, Barauanga

ANTIQUE Province

ANTIQUE

The province's capital, San Jose. Located in the western portion of Panay

Island and borders Aklan, Capiz and Iloilo to the east, whilst facing the Sulu Sea to the west.

The province was known as Hantík, the local name for the large black ants found on the island. The Spanish chroniclers, influenced by the French, recorded the region's name as Hantique, which was then read as 'antique (silent 'h'). The locals then pronounced the name into its present name "Antique"

Historians believe that the earliest people who settled on the island of Panay were tribal Negritos or Atis.

ANTIQUE’s Tourist Attraction

Sira-An Hot Spring

Rafflesia is a genus of parasitic flowering plants.

The flowers look and smell like rotting flesh, hence its local names which translate to "corpse flower" or "meat flower"

Tibiao has the Bugtong Bato Falls and the

Fish SPA

Bugang River declared the cleanest body of water in the whole—where rafting and river boating can be experienced. This is the most developed tourism area with a tour package. Libertad is famous for its bariw mat and bag weaving.

Binirayan

Festival

Caluya, Hidden Gym in Antique

The Binirayan festival is an event celebrated in the province of Antique in the Philippines. "Binirayan" literally means "where they sailed to".

CAPIZ’s Province

CAPIZ Its capital is Roxas City Capiz is known for the

Placuna placenta oyster shell that has the same name locally and is used for decoration, and for making lampshades, trays, window doors.

The province is known as the Seafood Capital of the Philippines.

The birth place of former President Roxas.

CAPIZ’s Geography

Located at the northeastern portion of Panay Island, bordering Aklan and Antique to the west, and Iloilo to the south. Capiz faces the Sibuyan Sea to the north.

CAPIZ’s Industry & Economy

Dubbed as the “Seafood Capital of the Philippines”, Capiz boasts of its 80-kilometer coastline and wide expanse of swampy lands easily converted into fishponds. It holds one of the richest fishing grounds and a major contributor in the aquamarine industry of the Philippines.

CAPIZ’s Tourist Attraction

Roxas CityBirthplace of Manuel Roxas

Located in the city proper; a two-story hardwood stone house of the First President of the Third Philippine Republic President Manuel Roxas, now a historical shrine.

Ang Panubli-On (Roxas City Museum) originally built in 1910 as a water tank; it now stands as a museum. It has memorabilia of Illustrious sons and daughters of Roxas City; collections of religious icons, artifacts artworks.

Ang Panubli-On

People's Park (La Playa de Roxas)

Santa Monica Parish Church

Municipality of PilarBalisong Cave

Municipality of TapazPangilatan Falls

Moro Tower

Municipality of DumalagSuhot Cave And Spring

Built in 1814 in order to repel the invading Moors and Portuguese colonizers. These half-torn structures, 7 feet squares, 10 feet high, are vivid souls of the past. Before they were destroyed, they were twice their present height

GUIMARAS Province

GUIMARAS

Among the smallest provinces, its capital is Jordan

The island is located in the Panay Gulf, between the islands of Panay and Negros. To the northwest is the province of Iloilo and to the southeast is Negros Occidental.

GUIMARAS Industry & Economy

The province is basically agricultural with palay, coconut, mango, vegetables, livestock, poultry and fishing as major products. Its major industries are tourism, fruit processing, coconut processing, fish farming, handicrafts making, mining, quarrying and lime production.

Guimaras is well known for its agricultural crops, particularly mangoes, where some 50,000 of these trees are planted. The Guimaras Island is famous for producing some of the sweetest mangoes in the world.

GUIMARAS Industry & Economy

MangoMango jam and other products are available at the Trappist Monastery.

GUIMARAS Tourist Attraction

Beachfront of Alubihod Bay in Nueva Valencia

Raymen Beach Resort in Alubihod Bay

View of Guisi Beach from a nearby hill where an 18th century

lighthouse rests.

ILOILO Province

ILOILO

• Iloilo's capital is Iloilo City though the city itself is independent and not governed by the provincial government of Iloilo.

• Iloilo is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Iloilo occupies the southeast portion of Panay Island and is bordered by province of Antique to the west and province of Capiz and the Jintotolo Channel to the north. Just off Iloilo's southeast coast is the island province Guimaras, once part of Iloilo but now an independent province.

Languages

HILIGAYNON (informally referred to as Ilonggo)

is an Austronesian language spoken in Western Visayas in the Philippines. Hiligaynon is concentrated in the city of Iloilo and westside of Negros Occidental province.

ILOILO Tourist Attraction

The Iloilo Dinagyang Festival is a showcase of the rich heritage, colorful history, passionate devotion, and fun-loving spirit of the Ilonggo people. The festival traces its roots as a thanksgiving.

Dinagyang Festival

Jaro Metropolitan CathedralThe National Shrine of Our Lady of the Candles commonly known as Jaro Cathedral, the seat of the Archdiocese of Jaro, has two stairs attached to its façade leading to the miraculous image of the patron saint enclosed on a glass.

Miag-ao Church

The iconic Church of Sto.Tomas de Villanueva commonly known as Miag-ao Church, sits proudly in the municipality of Miag-ao. Constructed in 1787 and completed 10 years after, it is one of the four baroque churches in the Philippines inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Molo Church

The Parish of St. Anne in Molo takes pride in having a Gothic-Renaissance architecture. Its interior is flanked by five wooden altars but the main one appears to have been painted in gold.

San Joaquin Church

What makes San Joaquin Church unique is its striking pediment adorned by military relief motif featuring the triumph of Spanish Army of Africa over the Moroccan Army during the Battle of Tetuan in 1860. Sitting on an elevated hill near the shoreline, it was built out of limestone from the mountains of Igbaras and white corals from San Joaquin in 1869. San Joaquin Church was declared in 1974 as a National Cultural Treasure by the National Historical Institute.

Iloilo Beaches and IslandsLike most destinations in the Pacific, Iloilo is blessed with beautiful coastlines and islands teeming with scenic seascapes and diverse marine life. 

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL Province

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL

Its capital is Bacolod CitySugarbowl of the Philippines because,

Negros Occidental produces more than half the nation's sugar output.

Negros Occidental is rich in structures and buildings that are remnants of a once affluent lifestyle. The Palacio Episcopal (1930), San Sebastian Cathedral (1876), and the Capitol Building (1931) are popular landmarks.

It occupies the northwestern half of Negros Island; Negros Oriental is at the southeastern half. Across the Panay Gulf and the Guimaras Strait to the northwest is the island-province of Guimaras and the province of Iloilo on Panay island.Agriculture, Sugarcane, Corn

fishing industry One of the country's largest copper

mines is located in Sipalay City It is also the Business Process

Outsourcing (BPO) hub of the Western Visayas Region of the Philippines

• Negros Island was originally known to the natives as "Buglas". When the Spaniards arrived in April 1565, they named it "Negros" because of the dark-skinned natives they found. Two of the earliest native settlements were Binalbagan and Ilog which later became towns in 1572 and 1584, respectively.

Negros Provincial Capitol

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL Infrastructure

Bacolod-Silay International Airport

Panaad Park and Stadium

Bacolod City Domestic Airport

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL Tourist Attraction

Capitol Park and Lagoon

Negros Occidental, in the Philippines. One of the landmarks of the park is the carabao (water buffalo) being pulled by a woman. This carabao is located at the northern end of the lagoon. On the other end, there is also another carabao sculpture but the figure is being pulled by a man.

Maskarra Festival

San Sebastian CathedralIs a late 19th-century church in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental in the Philippines. It is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bacolod.

Ancestral home of the late Don

Generoso Villanueva

Home of the late Don Mariano Ramos

San Sebastian Cathedral

The RuinsThe Ruins in Talisay City,

Negros Occidental is what remained of the grand mansion that Don Mariano Lacson built, following the death of his first

wife, Maria Braga.Today, it is a tourist attraction

for its romantic, yet strong structures. Many interesting tales and facts lie within the

walls and posts that remained of the Ruins.

The Ruins

Mt. Kanlaon

Reported by : Jocelyn Alcalde