Fiesta sa Villa!

District of Arevalo (La Villa Rica de Arevalo), Iloilo  City’s Annual Fireworks Competition

Let’s HANGOUTin Arevalo. January 17, Sunday, 2010.

Villa orArevaloas it is popularly called today is one of the six districts of Iloilo City, in the Philippine province of Iloilo. It was originally founded as La Villa Rica de Arevaloby a Spanish official who built his mansion along the coastal settlement in the 16th Century. It was absorbed by Iloilo City during the 20thCentury along with the towns of Mandurriao, La Paz, Molo and the city of Jaro. Its historical church possesses one of the oldest Sto. Niño (Infant Jesus) figurines in the Philippines. Its prominent attraction is the Villa Beach along the coast which boasts several resorts and an outdoor nightlife such as open air restaurants and bars.

The District of Arevalo has thirteen barangays. This are Barangay Bonifacio, Calaparan, Dulunan, Mohon, Quezon, San Jose, Santa Cruz, Santa Molanida, Santa Felomina, Santo Domingo, Santo Niño Norte, Santo Niño Sur, Sooc, and Yulo Drive.

The annual fireworks display and competition is the highlight of the district’s annual patronal fiesta.It is a celebration in honor of the their patron, Sr. Santo Niño (Infant Jesus). The competition is a showdown between local fireworks makers and designers. The presentation is a deafening spectacle of elaborate and best-known fireworks: either the ones that produces sound; the ones that are mounted around the periphery of a wheel to rotate by rocket effect; the ones placed in the ground and emit balls or stars of fire at intervals; or the ones that explodes high in the air to produce any of the several types of display. Specifically, the celebration is for the entertainment purposes of the people of Arevalo and their way of frightening away bad luck.

photo and article source: iloilocity.gov and en.wikipedia.org