iloilo\'s firsts

Perhaps, no other province in the Philippines has a record of so many "FIRSTS' as the province of Iloilo.  The following list is by no means complete:

1. Iloilo is site of the Malayan landing in the Philippines, according to the Maragtas Legend.

2. The first school for boys in the Philippines was founded in Tigbauan by the famous Jesuit priest and historian, Pedro Chirino in 1592.

      3. The first [lace to put up a Christian church in the Philippines was Jalaud (Dumangas) in what is now the barangay of Ermita, in 1566.

4. Iloilo is the first city outside Manila to have a foreign business house (Loney & Co.) and the first foreign

vice-consul.

         5. The first province to export sugar to Australia.

        6. The only province to have two cities during the Spanish time: Iloilo City, chartered in 1890, and Jaro in 1891.

         7.The biggest province in the Philippines in population, income and economic production during the 19^th century.

8.  The best and biggest producer of textile during the Spanish era.

9.  The first city outside Manila to have electricity, telephone, telegraph, railway, ice plant, automobile and other modern conveniences.

10. The first province outside Luzon to fly the Philippine National Flag (in Sta. Barbara, Nov. 17, 1898)

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