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This district in the City of Iloilo is a charmer. Its old Spanish town vibe and flavorful pork broth has placed it in the tourism map of this city and the country. Its Spanish-period plaza is always on the itinerary of guests visiting. But a closer exploration into its nooks and crannies would show you that its stories transcend through different periods of Philippine history, and that, there’s more to the prayers and broth of Iloilo’s district of Molo.  Revisiting the old town charm of the District of Molo in Iloilo. Originally referred to as the Parian district of Iloilo, Molo used to be a separate town of the province until it was absorbed as a district of the city in 1937. It used to be a settlement of Chinese traders who provided trade services to the Spaniards and Mexicans residing in the adjacent town, and now district, of Arevalo. It flourished, not only in wealth, but also on intellectual prominence during the 1800s hence the monicker of being the “Athens of the Philippines”. At present, the district’s Spanish-period plaza continues to be one of the prominent tourism icons in the city. Molo Church At the heart of the district’s tourism and pilgrimage map is the Spanish-period Santa Ana Parish Church, more popularly known as Molo Church. Completed in 1888, the church features a Neo-Gothic architectural style. Its two bell towers, with its spires and pointed arches, stands dominantly along the skyline of the district. Its age-old beauty is hard to miss since the church is a central part of Molo.  At the heart of the district is the feminist church - Santa Ana Parish Church. The Molo Church stands differently because of the 16 female saints that line the pillars of its nave. Dedicated to Molo’s Patron Saint, Santa Ana, her image is the centerpiece of its beautiful Neo-Gothic retablo. It is referred to as a feminist church because of this feature. The church was also popular before for its beautiful Biblical paintings that Dr. Jose Rizal, our National Hero, made a quick visit to Molo Church just to admire these art pieces. However, these artworks can no longer be seen in the church.
Molo Church became a refuge of Filipinos during World War 2. We can say that the church is a mute witness to the colorful history of this city. The National Historical Institute declared it as a national landmark in 1992. Molo Church is also the only Gothic church outside of Metro Manila. Convento de Molo The Convento de Molo is another heritage structure that sits adjacent to the church. Contrary to the usual assumption, the house is older than the church and was not built as a convent. The structure , built in the bahay-na-bato architecture, was originally the house of Pablo Araneta Y Soriano, a nationalist and revolutionary hero. He was one of the Ilonggo elites who formed the Comite Conspirador who mobilized revolutionaries against the Spanish forces. This would explain why the house bears the NHI Marker honoring Pablo Araneta.  The Convento de Molo was originally the home of local hero, Pablo Araneta. From the headquarters of the revolutionary forces, the house was later converted to the Convento de Molo. The convent would house the administrative office of the Molo Church. The structure was restored to its former glory and is one of the prominent structures at the district plaza of Molo. It sits right along the highway and could easily catch your attention for its architecture as it stands different from the ancestral houses in the area. It is void of the usual grand architecture of the houses that is common in the Iloilo. Molo Plaza Similar to most Spanish-period towns in the region, the Molo Plaza is a large open park at the heart of the district of Molo. The design is Greek inspired, immortailizing Molo’s monicker as the “Athens of the Philippines”. The most iconic feature of the plaza is its sculpture rendition of the life-size images of the Greek goddesses Aphrodite, Athena, Artemis, Demeter, Hera, and Hestia. These images complement the female saints of Molo Church. These Greek Goddesses and the Molo Church are the iconic images of Molo’s tourism.
The park also features a sculpture rendition of Maria Clara, opposite the images of the godesses. Interestingly, a sculpture of Pura Kalaw was also installed to honor the first Filipina Title Holder of the “Queen of the Orient”. The park comes alive in the early mornings and late afternoons where locals enjoy the cool afternoons of the park. You get to see locals sell their home-made delicacies or you can challenge locals for a game of chess while enjoying the cool breeze of the Molo Plaza. Late afternoons are the best time to capture great pictures of the Molo Church and Plaza with the sunset colors giving extra drama to the old charm beauty of the church and the plaza. Molo Mansion The Yusay-Consing Ancestral House, more popularly known as Molo Mansion, is probably the most popular and most photographed mansion in the province. The house was completed in 1926 and featured a Neoclassical-art deco architecture. It was originally called the Lacson-Yusay Ancestral House after the original owners of the house - the couple Dona Petra Lacson and Estanislao Yulo Yusay. The two-story house exuded an air of grand elegance with its intricate exterior design, complete with a fountain along its driveway. Its azotea or balcony offers an amazing view of the Molo Church.  The Molo Mansion is the most popular ancestral homes in the District of Molo. The house was later on inherited by the daughter, Rosario Yusay, and her husband Timoteo Consing, Sr. It was renamed to the Yusay-Consing Ancestral House. The house was later sold to the SM Group in 2014 which prompted fears and reactions that it might be demolished. The Molo Mansion is an example of adaptive reuse where the original structure was kept in its stately form. The mansion now houses a souvenir shop and a part of its courtyard was converted into a cafe area for guests and visitors. Rosendo Mejica Historical Landmark and Museum Hidden along the busy streets of Molo is a modest home where an influential Ilonggo was born - Rosendo Mejica. He was the first certified public accountant from the province, established the first public school building in Iloilo, and founded the longest-running Hiligaynon newspaper, Makinaugalingon. He has devoted 30 years of his life in public service that paved the way to the construction of the Molo Boulevard and the Old City Hall. His contributions has been recognized by the National Historical Institute with a marker installed in his birthplace. The modest two-story house sits along Locsin Street. The house is well-kept and his legacy lives on with a museum that was dedicated to him. Unfortunately, I was not able to check out the museum at the time of my visit. Although the house seemed well-kept, I think that it needs to be given extra attention for its cultural and historical value. It was good that I was able to research on it and that pushed me to check it out. New Carpenter’s Bridge New Carpenter’s Bridge is one of the 7 bridges under the tourism program of Iloilo’s 7 Bridges of Blessing. The bridge was named after the first civilian governor of the Moro Province, Frank Watson Carpenter. He was responsible for the implementation of the budget system in the 1907 insular government.  The Carpenter's Bridge is a crucial link between the Districts of Molo and Mandurriao. The bridge is referred to as the Bridge of Love. It is a 114.80-meter bridge spanning the Iloilo River and connects the districts of Molo and Mandurriao. It is also part of the beautiful Iloilo Esplanade that runs along the length of the Iloilo River. Molo Cemetery My biggest find when I explored Molo was the Molo Cemetery. It was one of the few cemeteries that is art-deco themed. It captured my attention after seeing their collection of massive art-deco mausoleums when I was heading back to my hotel. So I returned the next day to explore this unique cemetery.
The entrance of the cemetery stands unique with its Egyptian-styled portal. It is believed that the style is the only one in the country. At the end of its walkway is an art-deco simborio with a massive tower entrance. The solid structure bears the word “Memoriam”. The cemetery has a wide collection of art-deco mausoleums that add character to the cemetery. The Molo Cemetery was a good find for someone like me who finds dark tourism interesting. Snack Find: Molo Soup Molo Soup is a pork-based soup that is simple and savory. Its history can be traced from the early Chinese residents of Molo, which was then called Parian. Ground pork is wrapped in molo wrappers and boiled in a water with sautéed garlic and topped with green onions. The soup is rich and savory.  Ending a day of exploring with a hot bowl of Molo Soup. One of the best places to enjoy this soup is at the Panaderia de Molo. The “panaderia” is easy to find since it is situated along the main highway of Molo. The bakery also has baked goodies that go well with this popular soup. Sipping the broth that originated in Molo is a great way to end a day of exploring this homey town. POST TRAVEL NOTES A closer look at Molo has given me a different appreciation of this district in Iloilo City. Don’t get me wrong, the Molo Plaza Complex continues to amaze me. Only this time, I got to see beyond the faith and soup of Molo. Exploring its streets was like walking into the different decades of Molo, from its Spanish influences to the present. The town was like a time-capsule of sorts that give you a glimpse of its glorious past.  Get ready to explore another off beat town in Cebu. Where are we heading next? Often times, we get immersed with the usual popular spots when we visit places. But a little effort to take a few more steps or to be a bit more curious could yield to new experiences and information that’s been there all along. It is just that we have been too occupied with what we are used to that we don’t notice the rest. Just stay curious when you travel and be surprised. Check out my Molo and Jaro Travel Video on my Youtube Travel Channel:
Getting there: There are regular flights to Iloilo from major hubs in the country and in some select international stations. From the airport, you can take a van to SM City Iloilo. You can then take the airconditioned mini-buses with the Molo or Muhon sign. Ask the conductor/driver to drop you off at the Molo Plaza. Shoutout to my travel buddies - HULL & STERN Dry Bags for keeping my stuff safe and “dry during my travels. Get 5% off on your Hull & Stern dry bag purchase on the Hull & Stern website when you use the code - marc7del.
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Marc del Rosario
I believe in education, entrepreneurship, and caring for the environment. 
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