Barotac Viejo, Iloilo is the ancestral town of my Mother. It is the town where I spend my teenager years- elementary and high school years, 1941-1953. It was a 3rd class municipality at that time.
- Agriculture & Fishing: A large portion of the town's massive land area is used for farming. Locals make a living by growing rice, corn, and sugarcane, or by fishing in the town's coastal waters.
- Tourism Growth: The Department of Tourism Region VI named Barotac Viejo a top tourist destination in the province. Popular natural and resort spots, such as Nagpana Falls, draw many visitors and create local jobs.
- Business & Infrastructure: The addition of the new Savemore Market Barotac Viejobrings modern convenience and fresh groceries to residents. A 2.2-kilometer bypass roadis being constructed to ease traffic and boost local trade.
- Culture & Festivals: The town has a strong cultural heartbeat. Residents celebrate with events like the annual Patronal and Municipal Fiesta, which features parades, drum and lyre corps, and community street dances.
- The People: The municipality includes a mix of coastal and upland barangays (villages). It is also home to indigenous communities like the Aeta, who share their traditions with visitors. []
- Water Supply: Like many rapidly developing towns, Barotac Viejo occasionally experiences water supply issues, requiring help from local government units and the BJMP to deliver water to facilities. [1]
- Environmental Pressures: The expansion of farming creates challenges, like the loss of watershed forests and risks of flooding, which the wider province is trying to address.
Despite these growing pains, the town continues to push forward with its "Asenso Barotac Viejo" (Progress Barotac Viejo) movement, creating a blend of traditional provincial life and modern growth.
Coronation Night. 2026 Fiesta, June 29, 2026 * see the 1953 Version with my Photo on it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barotac_Viejo
Town Fiesta, 1953 Coronation Night-Public Plaza 
I am one of the Consorts ( 3rd Guy from the Left)
1945-1951- My elementary and high school years were in the town of Barotac Viejo, Iloilo. The town is the ancestral home of my Mother, Paz Barrido Balleza Katague
Here's a brief description of the town, I wrote in 2009.
Barotac Viejo, Iloilo(BVI) is a 4th class municipality about 60Km North of Iloilo City. Iloilo is one of the four provinces in Panay Island. Panay Island is part of the Western Visayas Region of the Philippines. The Visayas Region is the Central Part of the Philippine Archipelago.
BVI is the town where I grew up. It is the town where I finished my elementary school years. It is also the town where I finished high school. In 1951 I graduated valedictorian of my high school class. It is the town where I have both pleasant and unpleasant memories of my childhood and teen-aged years.
My childhood memories of the American-Japanese war occurred in the town proper, foothills, seacoasts and jungles of this town.
https://chateaudumer.blogspot.com/2026/03/my-childhood-memories-of-world-war-2.html
When I left BVI in 1951 to pursue my college degree in Iloilo City and later in Diliman, Quezon City, BVI was a 4th class town with less than 5000 residents. In 2015, Wikipedia states that is now a 3rd class municipality, with a population of around 45,000. When I left BVI in 1955, there was the elementary and high schools, public market, Cockfighting Arena, the Catholic Church, the Post office and one gas station, a couple of hardware stores, a Chinese bakery and may be 100 residential homes in the town proper.
Today this 4th class town has more buildings both for business and private homes. The local high school was named a national agricultural high school. Part of the land for the school was donated by my uncle ( Jose Balleza) and my mother Paz Balleza . When I left the town in 1955, the mayor of the town was Luis Tupas, a relative of my mother. Today the local politics, are still controlled by the Tupas family and their clan.
In 2005, my wife and I accompanied by my sister visited our parents grave site .
Me and Macrine(RIP) with sister Amor at the Cemetery.
Our old house (located at the back of the Post Office) was gone. The only thing that remained was the foundation stone with the engraving Dolce Building, 1952.
Tears from my eyes flowed like a gentle rain, when I saw that foundation, recalling the pleasant memories of my teen-age years. The house (photo below) is gone but my memories of Barotac Viejo, Iloilo will live forever.💚
Our ancestral Home-The Dolce Building, 1953- My Home during my elementary and high school years in the Philippines. The other side of the street is the Municipal Building and the Office of the Mayor and the Catholic Church a 2 minute walk uphill.
Meanwhile, here are some photos taken during the 2026 Town Fiesta, June 29, 2026, Feast of St Peter and Paul from FaceBook Page. The following is a 6-minute video of the 4-days of celebration culmination in the coronation night.
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