ILOILO CITY—A mural is the latest addition to Iloilo’s growing collection of public art.

Walking along Esplanade 8, where the Iloilo River meets Muelle Loney Street near the Capitol, you must have noticed a vibrant mural brightening the corner of Solis Street. That eye-catching art work is titled “Paghili-usa,” and it has transformed a wall marked with graffiti into a tribute to Ilonggo spirit, culture, and history.

(A beloved landmark facing the mural is Nora’s Eatery, where locals from all walks of life congregate daily. It is known for Ilonggo dishes—true comfort food for the community—and is a staple in the city’s culinary scene.)

Unveiled last June 28, “Paghili-usa,” which means “unity” in Hiligaynon, spans 6 x 25 meters. It was created through Ugnayan 2 (Iloilo), a collaborative project that brought together artists and art collectives from Luzon and the Visayas, with the support of the city government.

Luzon was represented by the Linangan Collective led by Manny Garibay and composed of Ces Eugenio, Lorebert Maralita, Otto Neri, Art Sanchez, and Salvi. Pancho Alvarez of Studio Maya also participated.

The Visayas collectives were represented by Edmar Colmo (Baysulangpu Artists Society), Jeanroll Ejar (Hiugyon), Kirby Guihem (Himbon Contemporary Ilonggo Artists Group), Lord Charles P. Franco and Roneal H. Torres (Kikik Kollektive), Steve Magbanua (Ogtonganon Visual Artists League), Roland Llarena (Sigahum Artists), and G. Mogato (Tagatig Artists Hub). Also spotted at work on the mural was young emerging artist Kyra Uygongco. Negros was represented by Jan Llague (Orange Project).

Fittingly, “ugnayan” in Hiligaynon speaks of connection, coordination, and relationship—perfectly capturing the mural’s message and the spirit of the collaboration behind it.

Shared meals and community

“Paghili-usa” takes inspiration from history and captures Iloilo’s transformation from the past to the present. It highlights the importance of the Iloilo River and Muelle Loney as key parts of the city’s identity as a bustling port during the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade, as the Philippines’ textile hub, and eventually as a major sugar-producing region in the 19th century.

Prominent in the mural are two powerful symbols: a long communal table and the act of sharing food—a recognition of the Filipino tradition of salo-salo. This table becomes a metaphor for cultural dialogue, where colonizers, traders, and local communities connected through shared meals. Each dish reflects diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and traditions—flavors that tell stories.

The mural thus serves as a reminder of the cultural significance and power of eating together. Throughout history, shared meals have meant more than nourishment; they have functioned as a vital form of cultural dialogue. From communal feasts like the Dinagyang Festival to cosmopolitan repasts that present food as art, the shared table has shaped identity, memory, and connection—core elements that speak volumes about Iloilo’s rich gastronomy.

Communal eating has long been tied to survival and ritual in tribal and agrarian societies, marking harvests, rites of passage, and religious ceremonies. In ancient Greece, symposiums blended food with discourse, reinforcing civic and philosophical life. Among indigenous communities, meals have served to pass on roles, values, and oral histories.

As cultures collided in the course of trade, migration, and colonization, food became a crossroads of exchange, tension, and even revolution. Tables reflected power and resistance, blending traditions into new, hybrid identities, and broader historical shifts.

These cultural patterns are reflected in Iloilo’s own past and present, where food continues to symbolize trust, belonging, cooperation, and alliance.

Today, communal dining remains a vibrant form of cultural expression. Potlucks, festivals, and cross-cultural meals foster connection and diplomacy, reinforcing the idea that food can bridge divides and build community.

In Iloilo, the shared table remains a powerful space for cultural dialogue, capturing the Ilonggo’s timeless language of hospitality, memory, and belonging.

The mural highlights Iloilo’s rich, multicultural roots, conveying that culture thrives when people gather, and that food, like history, gains its deepest meaning when shared with unity and understanding. This is the essence of the words paghili-usa and pakipag-ugnayan, as exemplified by artists from Luzon and the Visayas.

One sun, one humanity

At the center of the mural is a radiant sun that symbolizes the source of all living energy, without which life would not exist. More than a visual centerpiece, the sun evokes hope, equality, and our shared humanity—whether in times of abundance or hardship, as was seen in Iloilo during the pandemic and even in periods of political polarization.

The sun is shown connecting people—symbolic, perhaps, of society’s class structure, where its light narrows the triangle of inequality and bridges social divides. It reflects shared moments of community and stands as a strong reminder that regardless of race, class, culture, or background, we all live under the same sun and sky.

“Paghili-usa” is more than a mural; it is a living canvas of Iloilo’s past and present, a mirror of its evolving identity. It challenges viewers to recognize the strength in diversity, the beauty in shared struggles, and the joy in gathering together.