Isabel II reigned as queen of Spain between September 29, 1833, and September 30, 1868. She is the country’s sole reigning monarch. According to the inscription, the women of Villa gave the crown to Spanish Queen Isabella II.
The Connection Between Reyna Isabel II and Iloilo
It was during her time when Iloilo was opened to international trade by royal edict on September 29, 1855, primarily to sell sugar and other goods to America, Australia, and Europe. For centuries, the port of Iloilo had been involved in trade with various Asian nations as well as inter-island trade within the Filipino archipelago. But this international access to direct exporting and importation boosted agriculture and industries in the regions surrounding the town and province of Iloilo.
The emergence of large-scale commercial weaving in the latter half of the 18th century, Iloilo’s opening to international trade in 1855, and the rise of the sugar industry were the primary drivers of the city’s contemporary economic change.
The monument honoring Queen Isabella II is located in the municipality of Arevalo, Iloilo (right) (left). Pedro Casanave took this photo between 1915 and 1919.
Why the Monument Was Erected Close to the Church of Arevalo
In a post made by Mr. Nereo Cajilig Luján via his Facebook account, there are several justifications for the placement of a monument of the crown of Queen Isabella II of Spain next to the Arevalo Church in Iloilo City.
Others contend that it has something to do with Iloilo’s reputation as the Queen City of the South. Some claim that is a replica of the crown that was purportedly discovered by a farmer from the site of a former Jesuit chapel.
The “Corona” was built in honor of Queen Isabella II of Spain after she agreed that the parish should continue to be managed by secular clergy, according to the late Rodolfo Alcantara, a historian and former councilor of Iloilo City.
Declaration as an Important Cultural Property
The Corona de Reyna Isabel II Monument was designated an Important Cultural Property (ICP) in September 2019. As assessed by the National Museum, an ICP is a cultural property with outstanding cultural, artistic, and historical significance to the Philippines (NM).
Regarding this proclamation, NM Director Jeremy R. Barns wrote to Mayor Jerry P. Treas.
According to Barns, they will organize any subsequent ceremony that might be organized to recognize the historic landmark.
“The Monument to Isabel II, and its setting pertaining to the surrounding plaza in Arevalo, Iloilo City, as an Important Cultural Property, was among presumed cultural properties approved by the panel and affirmed by the director for issuance of an official Museum Declaration,” Barns stated.
A group of experts was promptly assembled on June 27 and, according to Barns, they proposed and evaluated the list of putative cultural properties for classification as an ICP.
The goal is to follow the relevant sections of the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 and Presidential Decree No. 374, also known as the Cultural Properties Preservation and Protection Act.
Read also: List of Iloilo City Cultural Heritage Sites
*This content is for informational and feature purposes only and does not constitute educational or teaching references.
