8/12/2019 10 Things You Need to Know About Ilonggos

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10 Things You Need To Know About

Ilonggos

Like some kind of positive racism, Ilonggos are known to be malambing(gentle, soft-spoken). It is a

quality that haunts any Ilonggo whenever they go to another city and are candidly asked to speak the

Hiligaynon language. Apparently, the sing-song pattern/intonation of the language tickles the people who

come from other regions.

Another form of identity attached to an Ilonggo is the kind that gets depicted in film and television:

the atsayor housemaididentity. While it is true that a lot of Visayans (locally called Bisaya, a name

technically exclusive to those who are Cebuano-speaking Visayans) move to Manila to work as

househelp (submitting themselves to be called one name altogether: Inday), this does not define the

Visayan peoples in general. In fact, our world from down here is far grander and more bizaare than what

most cosmopolites are used to.

Sizing up an Ilonggo is perhaps one of the most difficult things anyone can attempt to do. What makes an

Ilonggo an Ilonggo? What makes them unique? The long-winding history and physical and social

elements come into play in shaping a true-blue Ilonggo. Of course, anyone who comes from somewhere

would have the same, but for now, this blog is dedicated to Ilonggos in a simple kind of paradigm:A

Guide to Understanding an Ilonggo.

1. Ilonggos are generally gentle. We speak softly. There is always a certain amount of meekness in the

way we say things, and a smile usually accompanies it. The smiles are most often genuine, unless you

are given the sarcastic treatment which you would be able to sense too. This is one quality that never

gets old and we take pride on this, lest we are challenged beyond tolerance.

2. Ilonggos are laid back. It is seldom that Ilonggos rush over work, or appointments or meals. They like

things to go winding and taking it easy. It can be annoying to people whose idea of good food is take-out,

but down here in Iloilo, we take our sweet time and it aint a bad thing because

3. A lot of Ilonggos are rich. This part deserves an entirely separate blog to explain this bit of information,

but to put it simply: Iloilo was the first Queen City of the South and was the center for trade and

governance outside Manila. Iloilo has countless banks in every street and corner and families still keep

the traditions of the old rich.

4. Ilonggo women are beautiful its like an Inside-Out kind of beauty. Add that quality to the genteel

language and you get a Filipina as described in myth-like stories. As for the men, the Negrenses hold the

title in terms of having more goodlooking males. Whether this has something to do with geography or the

volcano, I have no idea.

5. Ilonggos are the most discriminating foodies. Because good food is a way-of-life in Iloilo (even the

poorest can manage to serve proper food to their families here), do not attempt to promise any earth-

shaking food experience that you are not sure of. Although the typical Ilonggo would still compliment your

food suggestion, you sure will be the next table topic once they get back to the comforts of their comidor.

6. Ilonggos have a difficulty showing appreciation to a particular performance. Clapping seems like a

struggle. To make an Ilonggo crowd give a standing ovation is close to getting a miracle. This behavior

can be attributed to the elitist quality that have been passed on from the Ilonggo familia regalsystems.

7. Ilonggos never, ever show their real financial status with the way they dress or behave in public on a

regular occasion. You would see millionaires walking downtown in short pants. Women who own lands of

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epic proportions do groceries at a wet market and would ride the jeepney. When in social gatherings,

the old rich NEVERtalk about their wealth and will not attempt to even give you a hint.

8. Ilonggos do not like being belittled. There is quite a good amount of pride running through our veins.

Once this part is ticked, it can be dangerous. An outraged Ilonggo is very difficult to appease and are not

easily forgiving.

9. Ilonggos are extremely stingy. In a good way, not too much of a Scrooge. They always say ang hirap

ng buhay(life is difficult)but really, that is more like a way of letting you know that youre splitting the bill.

In some places, lean months are pronounced (like August til September). In Iloilo it isnt really an issue.

10. Ilonggos consider laughter as an assurance that everything is going to be alright. We have been

through horrible times and have made it to the headlines, but we continue to celebrate the goodness of

life and come together as a community of strong regional identity.

And another thing:

11. Ilonggos are very religious, prayerful and spiritual. I am not saying this just because we are the last

stronghold of the Spaniards during the liberation thus acquiring an extraordinary loyalty to the doctrines of

the church, but maybe thats the kind of effect on anybody who comes from a family that equates being

an Ilonggo to being religious too. Its not a bad thing, so there.