Roadtrip to Iloilo's Deep South: Guimbal

The quaint municipality of Guimbal.

I had a very special weekend spent with Councilor Christy Love Custodio of Guimbal. A super-mom/netpreneur-turned-public servant, Christy dabbles with the various obligations she has to fill in—and she does it great with poise and bearing! Christy works as a web-based project manager for his foreign clients, while staying true to her vow as a wonder-mom. Just this May, she won a seat at the municipal council of Guimbal, a charming town in Iloilo’s Deep South. I met her at the SEM Trends Forum last July 5. She was actually one of our speakers and I was lucky to win a prize that included free entrance to GarinFarm, situated on the slopes of San Joaquin, Iloilo’s southernmost municipality right next to the province of Antique. Of course, I was even luckier to have Christy as my tour-guide. It was indeed a memorable Saturday with all the talking and hiking and eating right in front a scene to behold!

I took a 45-minute bus ride from Iloilo City to Guimbal. I was curious about the name Guimbal. Christy told me the name of the municipality was derived from a musical instrument called guimbal. When the Spaniards arrived, they found out that the settlers were using the instrument to warn the people of the coming of the raiding Moro pirates who used to loot the town and capture the natives which they sold as slaves in Mindanao. To show gratitude to the instrument, with high spirit and pride as the unconquered people, the inhabitants named their settlement Guimbal.

The Municipal Hall of Guimbal

The Coliseum-inspired ampitheatre at the heart of Guimbal's plaza.

The centuries-old Guimbal Church.

Records show that Guimbal was established by the as a pueblo civil in 1703 with Bernardo Angan as the first leader.

I find Guimbal quaint and homey. Here, it really feels like everyone knows everyone else. The Public Plaza has been hailed as the Luneta of southern Iloilo for its well-mowed lawn, the beautiful ornamental plants and landscapes that never failed to attract picture-taking enthusiasts. In fact, just walking around the plaza will make you feel Guimbal’s rich history that lives on to this day, something that Guimbalanons are very proud of.

The imposing municipal hall is also a sight to behold. It fact it has earned the moniker “Parthenon of Western Visayas.” In front is the Athenian-style open coliseum with an amphitheater that hosts a variety of cultural shows, festivals and programs.

But the focal point of this pueblo is the 400-year old Parish of Nicholas of Tolentino which was made from adobe stones called igang and coral stones quarried from Guimaras. It was built in 1774.

Another interesting site is Guimbal is Moro watchtower, which the locals call Bantayan. These are the 17th century structures used as Spanish outposts to protect the town against Moro pirates. Like the church, it was also constructed through forced labor. There used to be four structures along the town's shorelines. Today, there are only three, which was restored back its original structure with the help of the Department of Tourism.

We also passed along a steel-bridge, which Christy proudly told me, is the longest steel-bridge in Western Visayas. This bridge is one of the oldest of its kind in the Philippines, having been commissioned by US President Roosevelt. It is approximately 0.350 kilometers long and made of Pittsburgh Steel, which were imported from Virginia, USA.

About the Author 

Christian George Acevedo is a book worm, mentor, and scholar of wide-ranging interests. He has authored hundreds of articles for various websites, and his expertise ranges from online marketing and finance to history, entertainment and many more. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Tumblr. Contact Christian at powerwordsonlinewriting@gmail.com.