The first branch of the country's first
known bank, the El Banco Espaņol Filipino de Isabel II (now Bank of the Philippine Islands),
was opened in Iloilo City in 1897. The choice of Iloilo as location of the first
outlet in Southeast Asia was deemed logical because of its flourishing contact with world commerce.
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The first Filipino tenor of consequence—the
first Filipino soloist of the Frankfurt Opera and the Philadelphia Orchestra (the second
is Cecile Licad) is an Ilonggo and the first Filipino violinist to make a debut at New York’s Carnegie
Hall is also an Ilonggo, Gilopez Kabayao.
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One of the first Filipino pianists to
be heard in Europe and to win major prizes in international piano competitions, Germany-based Ma.
Luisa Lopez Vito, is an Ilongga.
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First school for boys in the Philippines
was the Jesuit boarding school in Tigbauan, Iloilo founded by Jesuit Fr. Pedro Chirino in 1592.
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First school for girls outside of Manila is the Colegio
de las Niņas de Jose (now Colegio de San Jose) founded in 1872 by the daughters of Charity
of St. Vincent de Paul.
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First Provincial High School in the Country is the
Iloilo High School (now Iloilo National High School) established in 1902 with Mr. Lutz as
principal.
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First public elementary school in the country during the American
regime was the Baluarte Elementary School at Molo, Iloilo, founded by Rosendo Mejica in 1905
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First nursing school in the country was the College
of Nursing of the Iloilo Mission Hospital in 1907.
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First Chinese School in the Philippines was the Iloilo
Chinese Vocational School established in 1911. Later, it became Chinese Commercial School
and now, Iloilo Central Commercial High School.
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First provincial branch of the Philippine National
Library was opened in Iloilo in 1916 (closed 1970's) with Guillermo Restua as first librarian.
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Most number of state universities and colleges outside of Manila.
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Most number of barangay high schools among the provinces
in the country.
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Biggest school division in the country is the Division
of Iloilo.
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Biggest UP campus in the country is the University
of the Philippines in the Visayas Miagao Campus.
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Biggest school of fisheries in the country is the Iloilo
State College of Fisheries in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo.
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