I'd just like to get 2 packs every few days. I can't collect anything anymore. He is here everyday there's a restock. Then more come and I can't just wait in line.... I have a job....
We always talk about Iloilo’s heritage. We talk about Calle Real, old buildings, churches, ancestral houses, food, festivals, and all the things that make the city special. And yes, all of that deserves to be preserved and promoted.
But sometimes I wonder, are we overlooking Muelle Loney?
Pirme lang Megaworld, K-Town, malls, cafés, and new commercial areas ang ginadayaw sang mga tawo. Nami man gid sila, and I get why people enjoy them. But at the same time, daw ka sayang nga may ara kita isa ka historical waterfront nga daw wala gid gina-highlight enough.
Muelle Loney is not just a road beside the river. It is not just a cargo area or a place people pass by. The wharf played a big role in Iloilo’s trade, transport, and growth. We even had a working train passing through the area before. Back then, Iloilo already had a functioning wharf, port activity, railway movement, and a city connected to commerce. Daw kadako sang history niya, pero daw kulang gid ang recognition.
I know nga may revitalization project man sa Muelle Loney, especially for cargo and passenger use, and that is important. I’m not saying that should stop. A working wharf can still be a working wharf. But why can’t part of it also be developed and promoted as a heritage waterfront for Ilonggos and tourists?
And honestly, how do we get people to actually go there and enjoy it?
Dinner river cruises.
Not something extravagant or super luxurious. Just a simple, well-planned river cruise where people can enjoy local food, music, the river, and Iloilo’s sunset skyline. Something that gives people a real reason to visit.
That’s why I imagined the area looking something like this: a proper dock and boarding area for the cruises, a linear wooden deck by the water, flowers and benches along the promenade, heritage signages, a visible Muelle Loney sign, an organized night market near the Freedom Grandstand, and a few places where people can sit, eat, and enjoy the view. Clean, warm, and inviting. Not overdeveloped, not mall-like, but still lively.
Imagine going there in the late afternoon, walking by the river, having coffee, seeing the flowers and lights, boarding a dinner cruise, then watching the sunset with old Iloilo as the backdrop. Daw nami tani. Not because it is fancy, but because it feels like Iloilo.
We already have Iloilo Sunset Boulevard kag Esplanade, and that is beautiful too. But Muelle Loney is different because it has history. It has Aduana, the wharf, the river, the Freedom Grandstand, and the story of old Iloilo.
Daw ka damo gid sang potential sang city. Not every place worth visiting has to be a mall or a commercial strip. Sometimes, the most meaningful places are already there. We just need to stop overlooking them.
Muelle Loney could still be a working wharf, but also a heritage waterfront that Ilonggos can be proud of.
Mayor Trenas and other Iloilo politicians and LGUs, haha,basi pa Lang.
I am not going super fast of course. Just when I have some time. Is Pro worth it so I can it scan in? The sealed makes it harder. Organization is terrible for me.
It's been back and forth for months now. I'd be pissed if I was Zumi. He had the mayor spot for like 3 weeks, then ACFa came in.