Pagsinapol monument celebrates Iloilo’s cultural spirit

Megaworld’s new public landmark honors Ilonggo artistry, heritage, and unity.

Laser lights swept across the evening sky as the pulse of Dinagyang drums filled Iloilo Business Park, setting a dramatic stage for the unveiling of Pagsinapol, a new monument celebrating the city’s enduring spirit of creativity and togetherness.

Presented by property developer Megaworld, the landmark now rises at the heart of the sprawling township as a tribute to Ilonggo heritage, public art, and the community’s shared cultural identity.

The monument takes its name from “sinapol,” a Hiligaynon word associated with togetherness and coming together.

Its sculptural form reflects the passion, resilience, and imagination that have long shaped Iloilo’s artistic community.

Created by AR Sculptura, Pagsinapol was designed by husband-and-wife artists Margarette Albacete-Pampliega, the firm’s principal architect and environmental planner, and Joseph Carl Albert Pampliega, its interior designer and sculptor.

Their work transforms the public space into more than a visual centerpiece, offering residents and visitors a place where contemporary design, local memory, and civic pride converge.

Leading the ceremonial lighting were Megaworld President and CEO Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso, Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu, and Jose Arnulfo Batac, head of the Iloilo Business Park Center of Arts and Culture.

They were joined by the monument’s creators, Emmanuel Gemora of the Iloilo Heritage Council, Iloilo Arts Festival Assistant Director Jay Treñas, and architect Wilfredo Sy.

As the monument came alive, the celebration expanded into a vivid showcase of Ilonggo performance.

Folk dancers, a Dinagyang tribe, and Iloilo Danceport Zumba performers brought rhythm and movement to the gathering, reinforcing the monument’s message of unity through the arts.

The guest list reflected the city’s broad network of leaders from business, hospitality, tourism, media, and culture.

Megaworld executives Harold Geronimo, Jogie Viceo, Don Earl Caagbay, Daisy Villanueva, and Jennifer Palmares-Fong joined the celebration, underscoring the company’s commitment to developing spaces that place culture at the center of community life.

Also seen at the event were Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo General Manager Nathalie Lim, Belmont Hotel Iloilo General Manager Joy Alonte, Iloilo Festivals Foundation Chair Judgee Peña, and Iloilo City Tourism Officer Junel Ann Divinagracia.

Award-winning Ilonggo filmmakers Bobby Rodriguez and Kevin Piamonte were among the creative personalities who lent the occasion an unmistakably local character.

For all its scale and visual impact, Pagsinapol carries a simple but resonant message: A city moves forward when its people create, remember, and grow together.

Illuminated against the Iloilo skyline, the monument stands as both a new destination and a lasting declaration that the city’s heritage will remain visible, its artistry will remain vital, and its future will continue to be shaped by collective imagination.