Jaro, Iloilo City

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jaro is one of the six districts of Iloilo City, in the Philippine province of Iloilo.. It was one of the most economically-advanced areas of Iloilo City even during Spanish occupation of the Philippines (1521-1898). It was also the center of power in the region during the Spanish rule of the Philippines.

Located between Dungon Creek and the Jaro River, the district of Jaro fulfills the ideal design for establishing communities during that era: a site between two rivers, with a church and plaza in the center, and homes of affluent families in the vicinity. The church is the famous Parish of Our Lady of Candles, also known as the Jaro Cathedral, the headquarters of the Archdiocese of Jaro and the site of a miraculous statue of the Virgin Mary, of which the representation of such was beatified by the late Pope John Paul II in 1982.

Jaro's celebration of the Feast of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria (Our Lady of the Candles) every February 2 is well-known in the Philippines. The fiesta features pageantry with a fiesta queen from one of the prominent families of the place, and a cockfight at the Coliseum, where big-time players from the Philippines converge.

The district is notable for its large amount of nineteenth century architecture. Jaro is also the hometown of Graciano Lopez Jaena, who along with Jose Rizal established the Illustrados, a group of Filipino students studying in Spain. Straddling the main plaza is the antique Jaro Catheral and Palasyo, the Archbishop's residence.