La Paz, Iloilo City – Wikipedia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

District of Iloilo City, Philippines

District of Iloilo City in Western Visayas, Philippines

La Paz ([laˈpas]) is one of the seven districts of Iloilo City in the Philippine province of Iloilo, on the island of Panay, in the region of Western Visayas.[1] It is the third-largest district by land area, after Jaro and Mandurriao. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 54,720 people. It was formerly known as Ilawod or “sea/wet land” together with Jaro which was referred to as Ilaya or “mountain/dry land”.[2]

It is known as the origin place of the popular Filipino noodle soup dish, La Paz Batchoy.

The La Paz District Plaza, also known simply as the La Paz Park in Iloilo, is the largest of the city’s six district plazas. It features a large football field where games are held on occasion. In front of the plaza is a red-brick church, La Paz Church.

History[edit]

La Paz was established in 1584 as one of the barrios of the town of Jaro, named Bagong Banera. It was only in 1856 that it was separated from Jaro and established as a pueblo (town) named Lobo.[3] It was later renamed to La Paz, which translates from Spanish as “peace”, is derived from its patron saint, Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje in Spanish; in English, Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage.

On July 16, 1937, La Paz was incorporated as a district of Iloilo City, along with the towns of Arevalo, Mandurriao, and Molo.

In 2008, La Paz’s sub-district of Lapuz was separated after the city council approved a resolution for its independence in order to have a separate police and fire stations.[4]

Culture[edit]

La Paz Batchoy[edit]

The La Paz Public Market in the district is often referred to as the specific birthplace of the Ilonggo noodle soup dish, La Paz Batchoy. It is a noodle soup made with pork offal, crushed pork cracklings, chicken stock, beef loin and round noodles.[5]

La Paz Fiesta[edit]

In honor of the district patron saint of La Paz, Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje (Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage), La Paz Fiesta, or the Feast of the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, is held annually in the district on May 24.

Barangays[edit]

La Paz district has 25 barangays.

Barangays Population

(2020)

Area Density
km2 sq mi /km2 /sq mi
Aguinaldo 1,492 0.07 0.027 21,000 54,000
Baldoza 6,149 0.32 0.12 19,000 49,000
Bantud 561 0.13 0.050 4,300 11,000
Banuyao 1,358 0.56 0.22 2,400 6,200
Burgos-Mabini-Plaza 1,802 0.24 0.093 7,500 19,000
Caingin 4,695 0.24 0.093 20,000 52,000
Divinagracia 784 0.09 0.035 8,700 23,000
Gustilo 2,436 0.11 0.042 22,000 57,000
Hinactacan 724 1.98 0.76 370 960
Ingore 4,246 2.83 1.09 1,500 3,900
Jereos 3,511 0.18 0.069 20,000 52,000
Laguda 291 0.05 0.019 5,800 15,000
Lopez Jaena Norte 1,849 0.11 0.042 17,000 44,000
Lopez Jaena Sur 2,179 0.23 0.089 9,500 25,000
Luna 578 0.11 0.042 5,300 14,000
MacArthur 577 0.04 0.015 14,000 36,000
Magdalo 850 0.10 0.039 8,500 22,000
Magsaysay Village 1,194 0.30 0.12 4,000 10,000
Nabitasan 3,281 0.80 0.31 4,100 11,000
Railway 1,277 0.07 0.027 18,000 47,000
Rizal 1,897 0.08 0.031 24,000 62,000
San Isidro 4,301 0.43 0.17 10,000 26,000
San Nicolas 1,409 0.15 0.058 9,400 24,000
Tabuc Suba 3,925 0.94 0.36 4,200 11,000
Ticud 3,354 1.17 0.45 2,900 7,500
District of La Paz 54,720 11.33 4.37 4,800 13,000
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority – Philippine Standard Geographic Code – Iloilo City – Barangays

Education[edit]

La Paz is home to two of the eight universities in Iloilo City, namely, West Visayas State University and Iloilo Science and Technology University. Other notable schools in the district are Western Institute of Technology, St. Therese – MTC Colleges, Hua Siong College of Iloilo, and Iloilo National High School.

Transportation[edit]

La Paz, like other districts of Iloilo City, is served mostly by passenger jeepneys, white metered taxis, and tricycles within the district. It is also the location of the headquarters of Panay Railways, which operated a railroad from Iloilo City to Roxas City from 1907 to the 1980s.[6]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Panes, Cornelio P. “Iloilo, My City, My Pride”. Archived from the original on January 21, 2012. Retrieved February 20, 2012.
  2. ^ Regalado, Felix B. (1973). History of Panay. Central Philippine University.
  3. ^ “La Paz Church History”. La Paz Church. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  4. ^ “City to recognize Lapuz as separate district from La Paz”. www.thenewstoday.info. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  5. ^ “La Paz Batchoy”. Explore Iloilo. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  6. ^ “Panay Railways”. www.thenewstoday.info. Retrieved August 12, 2022.

External links[edit]