I love old photographs, especially the ones shared in the Old Iloilo Facebook group. So many gems that capture how much my hometown, Iloilo City, has changed over the past century. Imagining the stories behind and around old photos has become a source of inspiration or reflection in my writing.

This is a photo of the intersection of Plazoleta Gay and Calle Ledesma. The picture was probably taken in the mid 1940s, I suspect, based on the names of the stores seen around. Notice the intersection of cultures at this very intersection: American/ English, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, and, of course, Filipino.

There’s also a very interesting fact about this photo that is more personal to me. Though I grew up in Iloilo, I somehow never realized until just now that Plazoleta Gay and Calle Ledesma intersect. That’s interesting, and quite romantic actually, because of my grandparents. My grandma was Ledesma and my step-grandpa was Gay. The intersection is the physical embodiment of two families merging. I just love that. My history, my family, will forever be rooted in Iloilo City. And it feels like we’ll always be able to find the road home.

This page contains Amazon affiliate links.