Region 6: Western Visayas ••• Iloilo

Jaro

Formerly called Salog, a Hiligaynon word meaning water current, Jaro was originally independent town but it is now a district of Metro Iloilo. The name Salog was hispanized to Xaro or Jaro. The Augustinians placed the spiritual administration of Jaro under Oton in 1575 and remained Oton's visita until 1584. In 1587, Jaro became an independent parish. For lack of personnel, the Augustinians gave up administration of Jaro in 1587, but took it back in 15i8 with Fr. Juan Villamayor appointed as prior. In 1613, the Augustinian visitor Diego de Guevara ordered Jaro reduced to the status of visita (probably because the Dutch had attacked and destroyed Jaro in 1614) and placed under Catmon (Santa Barbara); but the order was not carried out. A council on 31 October 1636 authorized changing Jaro's patron from Navidád de la Virgen to Nuestra Señora de Candelaria. Jaro first town site was at Alanga (La Paz), but after a series of slaving raids, Fr. Bernardino Alisen transferred the town to its present site around 1720; Fr. Juan Aguado his successor completed the relocation from 1742-46.

On 27 May 1865, the diocese of Jaro was created by splitting the once extensive diocese of Cebu. Territorially Cebu covered Mindanao, Guam and the Marianas. With the split, Jaro assumed jurisdiction over western Mindanao while eastern Mindanao remained with Cebu. Cebu lost its jurisdiction over Guam and the Marianas with the Treaty of Paris which defined Philippine territory in 1898. Jaro became the center of a diocese, the fifth to be established during Spanish colonial times, and the only new one to be established in more than three hundred years. The Dominican Mariano Cuartero was appointed first bishop of Jaro.

In the 20^th century, Jaro became an affluent suburb of Iloilo. For many years there was only one bridge across the river and this lead to Jaro. The bridge to La Paz was wooden and had a limited load bearing capacity, thus all traffic in and out of Iloilo City passed through Jaro. Jaro, once farmlands, became the center for schools and large convents of priests and nuns. Located along E. Lopez St., Colegio de San José, founded on 1 May 1872 is one of the oldest education institutions in Iloilo.

Mansions of Jaro

Around Jaro cathedral and along the main road (called Luna at its southern end and E. Lopez at its northen end) that connects with Iloilo are rows of large mansions. Sitting on wide tracts of former farmlands (some on a hectare of property or more) are houses in various styles, most built in the 1930s. Notable are three houses contiguous to each other, all belonging to the Lopez clan. A large Renaissance type villa, set back deeply from the street by a wide formal garden is called the Nelly Garden; beside it is the residence of former vice-president Fernando Lopez, and after is an example of the Art Deco "boat house." This Deco house is being restored. Moving north and nearer the cathedral is the delicately designed Montinola Residence, referred to as "Antillan" because some critics note affinities with tropical architecture in the Antilles. Along a side street perpendicular to E. Lopez is the Ramon Lopez residence. The residence is near the Dellota and Jesena houses, noted for their collection of santos. Visits to these collections may be arranged. Near the cathedral is the Montinola residence known for its elegant, ceremonial staircase and a tower where a playhouse has been built. The half-size house comes complete with half-size furniture. Leaving Jaro for the neighboring towns like Saravia, you pass by the grand Lizares mansion. In its heyday it stood on one of the largest piece of urban property marked by gates which still stand. The house is an eclectic mix of styles, the façade decorated with Italian mosaics. None of these houses are open to the public since they are still residences. However, you can view them or photograph them from the street. The Lizares mansion is now Angelicum, a school run by the Dominicans. Permission to view the interiors might be secured from the families or from the Dominicans in the case of Angelicum.

Sta. Isabel de Hungria Cathedral

Although the Cathedral is presently named after St. Elizabeth, the patroness of Jaro is Candelaria, whose feast is celebrated on 2 February. The first church and convento of Jaro was built at Alanga. Frs. Francisco de Santa Maria Oliva and Francisco Ramirez laid out new plans for the town and built the parochial buildings, however, they were destroyed when the Dutch attacked on 12 October 1614. Fr. Pedro del Castillo built a new and stronger church and convento (1639-44). The building were damaged by a typhoon around 1686. After a series of slave raids, the town, devastated by the attacks, was transferred to its present site between 1722-44. Fr. Juan Aguado built a church and convento which were damaged by an 1824 earthquake. Fr. José Alvarez restored the church, tower and convento from 1833-35, setting up a brick kiln on the church site for this purpose. Fr. Francisco Aguería drew up plans for a new church, gathered material, had bricks baked and lumber procured from Negros and Iloilo. In 1865, the Augustinians handed over the parish to become the episcopal see of Jaro, Bp. Cuartero implemented Fr. Aguería's plan. The church was damaged by the earthquake of 1848; of the bell tower all but the first floor remained. Damaged by war, the church was repaired and renovated. The façade was renovated during the Papal visit of John Paul II in 1971, with the addition of a balcony above the main door.

Heritage Features: Galende claims that only the remaining portion of the tower and the church plans can be attributed to the Augustinians. Early 20^th century photographs show a squat church with a wide central nave and lateral aisles built lower than the nave. From a triangular pediment curved lines link the laterals with the main section of the façade. Pilasters decorate the façade, pairs of them flanking the arched portal. The church has a similar silouhette to Guimbal. The bell tower is separated from the church, in a manner reminiscent of Ilocos churches. The three story structure had a ribbed dome roof, its lower floor was quadrilateral decorated by a clustering of pilasters at the corners. The upper floors also quadrilaterals have truncated corners. Similar clustering of pilasters decorate these higher registers. Oculi, circular and arch windows pierce the stone and brick wall of the tower. Restored recently using reinforced concrete with a brick facing, the present tower departs from the older plan by being more slender and simplifying the ribbed dome.