Chapter 13
1950's and the Economic Recession
* highlighted in violet is the approximate timeline or date
After the war in 1945, Iloilo infrastructure was heavily destroyed, compounded by great earthquake of 1948 which crumbled its colonial churches and buildings dealt a serious blow to Ilonggo morale. Thousands upon thousands of Ilonggos settled in Mindanao, another thousands moved to Guam, USA. Iloilo International Port became a battleground between two factions of labor unions. This is how Alfred W. McCoy described Iloilo as " Queen City of the South" in his book "The Queen Dies Slowly : The Rise and Decline of Iloilo City ".
Note: Alfred W. McCoy is a prolific American writer, doctor of Southeast Asian history with Grant Goodman Prize awarded by Association for Asian Studies in based in Michigan, USA due to his contribution for the study of Philippines. He wrote a book called “A Queen Dies Slowly: The Rise and Decline of Iloilo City.
The untold story of Ilonggos plight to Guam
Ilonggo were recruited to rebuild Guam
One of the most significant events after the World War II was the movement of Ilonggos to Agana, Guam. This place was devastated by the Japanese Occupation for 32 months. In 1944 a fierce battle to recapture it left the place in ruins. The indigenous chamorro workforce was exhausted, starved and demoralized. The government of United States looks for workforce to rebuilt it. This diverse workforce was tasked with the rebuilding of the US. military facilities and infrastructure. US Navy gave the contract to LUZON STEVEDORING CO. INC. (LUSTEVECO). The subsidiary in Iloilo was VISTRANCO's Union, the Consolidated Labor Union of the Philippines (CLUP) headed by Congressman Pascual Espinosa.
Ilongo Resiliency and Displeasure with the Tagalogs.
They came primarily as skilled laborers and professionals accountants, nurses, carpenters, masons, plumbers, electricians and engineers. Soon they were trapped in an economic stranglehold to seek risky lucrative work in faraway locations. Away from home for decades, strangers even to their own children, a life of struggle of loneliness, breakdown of marriage, underpayment, discrimination forge deep bonds of hope, friendship and love with each other.
Abuse reached Philippine Congress and Senator Rodolfo Ganzon
Philippine congressional investigations into “Camp Roxas living conditions" Mr. Edward “Pete” Grimm, the Chairman/CEO of LUSTEVECO made frequent Guam visits to make certain that the negative allegations were quickly investigated and where factual, cured within our very tight U.S. Navy budgets based on annual competitive bidding. It was difficult for the Consolidated Labor Union of the Philippines (CLUP), to function within a U.S. Navy reservation. So, after a few years, the union terminated its Guam role.
Magna Carta of Labor - authored by Ilongo Congressman
It was authored by Pascual Espinosa which provides minimum wage to ordinary workers. He is an Assemblyman of second district of Iloilo in Congress that covered the municipalities of Jordan, Buenavista and Nueva Valencia in Guimaras and the towns of Leganes and Pavia in Iloilo province and Iloilo City
Donald Marshall -The General Manager of Luzon Stevedoring Company
"There is a traditional trait of the Iloilo people regarding their workplace. When you put them on a ship, they become personally attached to it. They don’t even like to take time off and have a relief captain to get on the boat versus statesiders who, when they finish their shift, bring the boat to the dock for others to maintain. The Navy couldn’t believe our low maintenance costs on our equipment on Guam because our guys would personally take care of their units at night. A little extra lubrication, a little extra whatever. They were terrific custodians with U.S. Navy equipment.
"The Filipinos are tough people, particularly those from Iloilo! These fellows had their dreams of betterment for their families. So, no matter what hardships confronted them they persevered. You look today at what they were able to do for their families, it’s amazing! They’ve gone all over the United States where they are admired for contributing that drive to better themselves for the benefit of their dependents. MyRoxas/Busanda Filipinos, while lacking a “STANFORD degree”, taught me a lot about life and “How to Behave” which has been a cornerstone of my post-Roxas success. They’ll always be “family” to me!
1947 - UP Iloilo College founded
After the war, on 18 December 1945 the municipal board of Iloilo authorized a resolution for the opening of a branch of UP in Iloilo city mayor Fernando Lopez and the Iloilo City Council passed Resolution 485 appealing for the establishment of a Junior UP College in Iloilo.
On February 21, 1946 the Council reiterated to the UP Board of Regents (BOR) its request and through Resolution 461 unanimously approved by the Council on April 8, 1947, formally donated the pre-war city hall and its site of 10.8 hectares for the exclusive use of UP Iloilo College. UPIC was formally opened with Dr. Tomas Fonacier as its first dean on July 1, 1947.
It started with a lower division for third and fourth year high school students and an upper division for first and second year college levels. In just seven years, UPIC earned the status of being a full-fledged college and was renamed UP College Iloilo (UPCI) in 1954, offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs including a complete high school degree.
Labor Groups Brought Disaster to Iloilo Economy
The Consolidated Union of the Philippines (CLUP) controlled by the Family of Pascual "Pascualing" Espinosa, Sr and the Federacion Obreros de Filipinas (FOF)headed by Jose Ma. Nava and Family of Calle Valeria in order to seize control of the port.
The Caltex Depot was bombed by mid-50's. Iloilo port's infamy reached the shores of Manila and Cebu and it discouraged the entrepreneurs and investors to open up business in Iloilo. Passengers who are coming from different parts of the country feared of the port since not only these arrastres are rumored to do extortion to shipping companies and businessmen, but also pickpockets. The merchants fled the dying city.
The establishment of Iloilo Integrated Arrastre Services Corp. (Iliasco); where more prominent Shipping Companies, etc. were represented under the supervision of the Phil. Ports Authority
The Port of Iloilo weakens
As the price of sugar continue to drop, international ships became less in frequency to visit Iloilo port.
Decadence of Social Infrastructure
Majority of prosperous Ilongo hacienderos soon vacated Iloilo and settled in Manila and Negros Occidental. Others settled in America. National Government gross neglect of Iloilo and no competetive policy on economy left Iloilo struggling.
1957 - Iloilo Rizal College
1958 - Great Fire Swept Downtown
Source: Mill Hill Collection
Ilonggos Diaspora in Cotabato & Sultan Kudarat
President Elpidio Quirino on March 10, 1953 under Proclamation No. 376 or Philippine resettlement program allowed hundreds of thousands of Ilonggos (along with Ilocanos, Tagalogs, and others were settling in Cotabato (South and North was one at that time), and Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur provinces.
People of Leon San Miguel and Alimodian established Aleosan Town in Aleosan, Cotabato City, Kidapawan, Alaman, Suralla, Norala, Banga, Polomolok, Koronadal or Marbel and General Santos City. People of Cabatuan, Banate, Passi, Calinog, Anilao, Maasin, Lambunao, Barotac Nuevo, Barotac Viejo founded Tacurong, Isulan and Esperanza in Sultan Kudarat. Ilonggos migrated and lived in Cotabato Region and every household traced their origin from Iloilo- Tacurong is truly our sister city or a younger brother. The other one is Koronadal City,its called "The Ilonggo City Of Mindanao" where Ilonggos constitute up to 90% of population. Ilonggo culture had swept Cotabato Region .
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