The document describes sights around the city of Iloilo on the island of Panay in the Philippines. It details views of the Guimaras Strait from Fort San Pedro, including sights of the island of Guimaras and pump boats transporting people between the islands. It recommends a restaurant at Fort San Pedro known for its barbecue chicken overlooking the strait. The fort contains a monument commemorating the 1616 discovery of a statue of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary. The document observes poverty in the area but notes that residents seem happy, and that road rules in the Philippines are more suggestions than enforcements.

1. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
1
written & photographed by: fergus jm ducharme
Fort San Pedro
Sights & Sounds of Ilo²

2. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
2

3. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
3
From the Dock at San Pedro you can clearly see
the summit of Balaan Bukid across the Guimaras
Straight – the cross marks the spot.

4. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
4
The Guimaras Straights are pretty quiet at just past
10:00AM; but pump boats are still working between
Jordan Wharf & either the Parolla or Ortiz Docks on
the Ilo² side.

5. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
5

6. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
6
The Shanty Town facing the Guimaras Straights where the Ortiz Pump Docks
are located. Believe it not, it’s also a popular swimming hole. Personally, I
wouldn’t vouch for the “cleanliness” of the water anywhere along the Ilo² sea
front.

7. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
7

8. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
8

9. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
9

10. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
10
The pump boats head to the Jordan Wharf on Guimaras Island about every 5
minutes and it only takes about 15 minutes to complete the crossing.

11. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
11
And those pump boats carry about 45 people and most often will wait in their
slip until they have a full load and no one seems to mind, ‘cause they’re never
more than a few minutes waiting to fill up their loads.

12. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
12

13. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
13
Now we move into the Fort San Pedro
Drive-In. When I first saw it I thought,
wow that’s an odd place for a drive-in
theatre…

14. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
14
Well it’s not a movie drive-in. It’s what any
reasonably smart person would know is a drive-
in restaurant. And apparently, these guys, I’m
told, serve the best BBQ Chicken in Ilo²

15. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
15
Just think about it, having a great BBQ chicken
dinner while overlooking the Guimaras Straights
up close and personal!

16. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
16

17. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
17
That’s the Jordan Wharf in the distance with
an abandoned sugar mill on the far left of the
photo.

18. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
18
Our Lady of the Holy
Rosary oversees the
activities in the Fort
area & the harbour.

19. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
19
The plaque on The Monument of Our Lady
reads:
This monument stands as a memento of
the historical finding of the miraculous
image of our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary
in Fort San Pedro by Captain Diego
Quinones and his Filipino Spanish soldiers
on September 30, 1616. It was constructed
by the Iloilo Devotees on the occasion of
the solemn coronation of the Holy Image
on 8 October 1970. The Holy Image is
enshrined and venerated at the San José
Placer Church , Plaza Libertad, Iloilo City.

20. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
20

21. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
21
Leaving the Fort San Pedro in search of
“The Wreck of the Road” and Nilo…

22. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
22
It is an interesting view too!
Don’t you think?

23. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
23
One of the things you really have to get used to
when you live here or anywhere in the Philippines.
Is the poverty and the way people have to live as a
result. But no one seems to mind – people here
always give you impression they are happy no
mater what.

24. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
24
And there is no such thing as the rules
of the road. As a friend once told me:
“Oh they exist, but there is absolutely
no enforcement and as a result they are
mere suggestions.

25. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
25
Jomarie Acallar: friend, navigator, facilitator &
assistant discoverer
Nilo Jimeno: friend, pilot, facilitator & assistant
discoverer
Thank You!

26. 30 January 2015
Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-
Commercial, No-Derivatives, 4.0 International License
26