PUBLIC space is central to political and social life in cities like Iloilo. Streets, squares and parks are places for protesting, socializing, and encountering difference. They contribute to a city’s vibrancy and livability, and to the well-being of urban residents.
Impressions of a city are formed mainly by the quality of public spaces. If they are not pleasant and preserved, or if they transmit a sense of insecurity, people seldom return. Good planning of these spaces should therefore be the rule, not the exception.
The city government of Iloilo knows this, and so it has embarked on redeveloping and improving its public plazas — Plaza Libertad, Molo, La Paz, Jaro, Arevalo, and Mandurriao.
Public areas shape community ties in neighborhoods. They are environments for interaction and exchange of ideas that impact the quality of the urban environment. Public spaces also present health benefits, both physical and mental: people feel better and tend to be more active in attractive, public spaces.
The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, the National Museum and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines are helping Iloilo City improve its plazas and making them cultural heritage tourism zones. They are powered by Republic Act 10555 – the “heritage law” declaring the Jaro Cathedral, Molo Church, the Iloilo City Central Business District, Fort San Pedro, Jaro Plaza Complex, Molo Plaza Complex and Plaza Libertad Complex as “cultural heritage tourism zone”.
Iloilo city government architect Regina Gregorio says the revitalization of the district plazas aims to bring back community patronage and appreciation of public open spaces where “‘everyone knows every Juan, a diminishing trait in an urbanized society.”
The historic Plaza Libertad – known as Plaza Alfonso XII during the Spanish colonial period – was the first to undergo a major redevelopment. Next were Molo’s plaza and the Jaro Plaza (Graciano Lopez Jaena Shrine, Jaro Plaza bandstand), and also those of Arevalo, Mandurriao and La Paz.
A good public space is one that encourages people to live together effortlessly. It is the vitality of spaces that attracts people. What guarantees this vitality is the possibility of enjoying urban spaces in various ways. This is what’s being envisioned for Iloilo City’s public plazas./PN
