The iconic Delgado monument in Iloilo Business Park
Iloilo City’s rich history is present in every corner but there is one landmark that is hard to miss - the 8.8-meter bronze statue of the greatest Visayan revolutionary General Martin Delgado in Iloilo Business Park (IBP).
A bit of history. General Martin Delgado was born to a rich Spanish mestizo family in Sta. Barbara in November 1858. After he completed his studies, he became a school teacher. He was appointed as commander of the Filipino volunteer militia organized by the Spanish government when the Americans were already gaining ground against Spain in the Philippines. But eventually, Delgado and his men joined the revolution against Spain. On November 17, 1898, he raised the Philippine flag at the plaza of Sta. Barbara, the first time that the national flag was hoisted outside the island of Luzon. In 1899, he was appointed as the civil and military governor of Iloilo Province. Delgado waged war against the Americans but he eventually surrendered. When the first elections were held in 1902, he was elected as governor of Panay.
Atty. Helen Catalbas, director of the Department of Tourism Region 6, said that General Delgado played a vital role in the freedom that Ilonggos enjoy today. He stood his ground and his act of heroism was an act of victory, thus he was a great leader and inspiration. She encouraged Ilonggos to awaken a General Delgado in all of us by practicing patriotism in our hearts and deeds.
The statue was first made in clay, then fiberglass, and eventually cast into bronze by Serran-Pagan himself. It took almost a month for the statue to arrive in the Philippines from China where it was created, but the overall design and preparation of the massive art piece took more than three years to be completed.
“I feel really proud because General Martin T. Delgado deserved this honor for having sacrificed his life for Iloilo. The bronze sculpture has the durability of thousands of years. His legacy will be an inspiration to future generations. My gratitude to his family, the people of Iloilo, and to Dr. Andrew L. Tan and his company Megaworld for giving me the opportunity to create this monument and commemorate the famous son and hero of Iloilo,” shares Serran-Pagan.
During the official unveiling of the statue held last January 19, 2019, Serran-Pagan said, “Delgado was an amazing man and his story touched me. It was not enough for me to make a sculpture. I had to dig into his life. That took me on a journey of knowing him. I met his family, the historian Demy Sonza, the director of Sta. Barbara museum and the people who were close to him. His mission was to liberate his people from the Spanish and American administrations because this is the land of the Filipino people. I want to pour all that in my sculpture.”
Just recently, Serran-Pagan was feted with the Lorenzo de Medici Medal of the Arts in Miami, Florida for his valuable contribution to the arts in the world. The recognition was bestowed upon him by Prince Lorenzo de Medici himself, the direct descendant of the Renaissance sponsor of the Arts.
With over 250 exhibitions across 20 countries, international news agencies and organizations consider Serran-Pagan as a western artist who had more exhibitions in Asia. He earned a master’s degree in Anthropology from New York University and Ph.D. from City University New York. Serran-Pagan’s artworks are collected by major museums around the globe, including the Guggenheim Museum in New York.
IBP was recently named by the prestigious Philippine Property Awards as the Philippines’ “Best Township Development”, the IBP highlights the importance of art in further developing communities. Perfectly blending urban architecture with art, history, and culture, the 72-hectare Megawold township has become the place where art enthusiasts discover more about their craft at the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art (ILOMOCA). The museum happens to be a sanctuary where Ilonggos and tourists alike can feed their love for the arts with various paintings and sculptures from local and international artists.
For more about Iloilo Business Park, like and follow their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/IBPofficial/
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| The General Delgado statue stands proudly at the Casa de Emperador, Megaworld Iloilo Business Park. |
A bit of history. General Martin Delgado was born to a rich Spanish mestizo family in Sta. Barbara in November 1858. After he completed his studies, he became a school teacher. He was appointed as commander of the Filipino volunteer militia organized by the Spanish government when the Americans were already gaining ground against Spain in the Philippines. But eventually, Delgado and his men joined the revolution against Spain. On November 17, 1898, he raised the Philippine flag at the plaza of Sta. Barbara, the first time that the national flag was hoisted outside the island of Luzon. In 1899, he was appointed as the civil and military governor of Iloilo Province. Delgado waged war against the Americans but he eventually surrendered. When the first elections were held in 1902, he was elected as governor of Panay.
Atty. Helen Catalbas, director of the Department of Tourism Region 6, said that General Delgado played a vital role in the freedom that Ilonggos enjoy today. He stood his ground and his act of heroism was an act of victory, thus he was a great leader and inspiration. She encouraged Ilonggos to awaken a General Delgado in all of us by practicing patriotism in our hearts and deeds.
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| Spanish sculptor Gines Serran-Pagan (middle) with IBP Vice President for Sales Jennifer Palmares-Fong, Department of Tourism 6 Director Atty. Helen Catalbas and General Martin Delgado's grandson Martin Lucio Delgado and great-grandson Monsignor Jomarie Delgado |
ICONIC MASTERPIECE
The General Delgado statue stands proudly at the Casa de Emperador inside IBP as a tribute to the Ilonggo hero’s historic feat. This masterpiece was created by Spanish sculptor Gines Serran-Pagan, one of the world’s most renowned international contemporary artists.The statue was first made in clay, then fiberglass, and eventually cast into bronze by Serran-Pagan himself. It took almost a month for the statue to arrive in the Philippines from China where it was created, but the overall design and preparation of the massive art piece took more than three years to be completed.
“I feel really proud because General Martin T. Delgado deserved this honor for having sacrificed his life for Iloilo. The bronze sculpture has the durability of thousands of years. His legacy will be an inspiration to future generations. My gratitude to his family, the people of Iloilo, and to Dr. Andrew L. Tan and his company Megaworld for giving me the opportunity to create this monument and commemorate the famous son and hero of Iloilo,” shares Serran-Pagan.
During the official unveiling of the statue held last January 19, 2019, Serran-Pagan said, “Delgado was an amazing man and his story touched me. It was not enough for me to make a sculpture. I had to dig into his life. That took me on a journey of knowing him. I met his family, the historian Demy Sonza, the director of Sta. Barbara museum and the people who were close to him. His mission was to liberate his people from the Spanish and American administrations because this is the land of the Filipino people. I want to pour all that in my sculpture.”
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| Spanish sculptor Gines Serran-Pagan with his masterpiece, the General Delgado statue |
THE ARTIST
Born in Ceuta, Spain, Serran-Pagan has devoted his life to developing communities by combining art, anthropology, history, and culture. Some of his remarkable sculptures include The Pillars of Hercules: Abyia and Caipe and The Union of the World: Monument to World Peace, deemed to be the largest works of art depicting classic mythology in the contemporary world which are both in Gibraltar.Just recently, Serran-Pagan was feted with the Lorenzo de Medici Medal of the Arts in Miami, Florida for his valuable contribution to the arts in the world. The recognition was bestowed upon him by Prince Lorenzo de Medici himself, the direct descendant of the Renaissance sponsor of the Arts.
With over 250 exhibitions across 20 countries, international news agencies and organizations consider Serran-Pagan as a western artist who had more exhibitions in Asia. He earned a master’s degree in Anthropology from New York University and Ph.D. from City University New York. Serran-Pagan’s artworks are collected by major museums around the globe, including the Guggenheim Museum in New York.
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| Gines Serran-Pagan with his children and great-grandchildren of General Martin Delgado |
ARTS, HISTORY, CULTURE, AND PROGRESS
“We are very happy to have such an iconic masterpiece here in Iloilo Business Park, especially one that bears the stamp of artistic greatness courtesy of Gines Serran-Pagan. This status is truly a fitting reminder of the continued emergence of Iloilo as a progressive city that puts the arts, history, and culture at its very core,” said Kevin L. Tan, executive vice president, and chief strategy officer of Megaworld, the largest property developer in the Philippines and the company behind IBP.IBP was recently named by the prestigious Philippine Property Awards as the Philippines’ “Best Township Development”, the IBP highlights the importance of art in further developing communities. Perfectly blending urban architecture with art, history, and culture, the 72-hectare Megawold township has become the place where art enthusiasts discover more about their craft at the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art (ILOMOCA). The museum happens to be a sanctuary where Ilonggos and tourists alike can feed their love for the arts with various paintings and sculptures from local and international artists.
For more about Iloilo Business Park, like and follow their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/IBPofficial/
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| Gines Serran-Pagan with his children, Megaworld SAVP and Head of Public Relations and Media Affairs Harold Brian Geronimo, IBP Vice President for Sales Jennifer Palmares-Fong, Richmonde Hotel General Manager Nat Lim and other VIPs during the official unveiling of the General Delgado monument. |
