Exploring the Remarkable Transformation of Iloilo City from 2006 to 2023

Look at how much things have changed in 17 years – compare these two photos side-by-side!

A couple of photos circulating on social media have been trending in the past few days. These photos have the same location and shot angle, but were taken 17 years apart.

Mandurriao District in Iloilo City has seen some serious urban transformation recently – they are the prime example of city progress and development. And now, we have two photos that show just that.

The old photo was taken back in 2006 by photojournalist Tara Yap. It’s a great image of the iconic runway of Old Iloilo Domestic Airport, plus a portion of the Diversion Road from Dungon to SM City Iloilo.

Photographer Jedrick Solinap recently recreated the same shot and angle from 2023 and shared it online.

It was an awesome display of urban progress done right!

5 Most Notable Differences and Improvements

1. Increased Number of taller buildings

From what I observed, it looks like over 25 tall buildings (5 stories or higher) have been built since 2006. The majority of those are in urban areas belonging to Megaworld and San Rafael.

2. Old Airport to Iloilo Business Park

Ms. Yap’s photo shows the hard-to-miss runway surrounded by a vast expanse of green. This is one of the most significant developments in Iloilo City in the last decade. The Old Iloilo Airport is now an urban paradise, a township developed by Megaworld Corporation called the Iloilo Business Park.

The runway is now a portion of what is now called the Megaworld Boulevard.

3. Diversion Road Widening

Talk about an upgrade! Benigno Aquino Avenue used to just be a narrow highway in 2006 but now it’s got 8 lanes, service roads, bricked bikeways and lovely tree-lined pedestrian lanes. Private homes had to be demolished to make way for this progress. It not only improved the flow of traffic but also opened up many commercial opportunities.

4. Old Salt Beds to a Commercial Hub

Back then, Smallville and Donato Pison Avenue were a vast, swampy salt bed, far from the bustling commercial complex that it is today.

5. SM area improvements

In 2006, SM City was the mall to end all malls in the region, but it pales in comparison to what it is now. Currently, it has two ‘points’, the North and the South, making the mall much larger than before. Across the mall, there are two hotels, Injap and Zuri, as well as an office tower, Strata.

If you need more information about preselling units in Megaworld Iloilo Business Park, contact Senior Sales Manager, Ernest Ian Jagorin. You may use the links below.