During the 50th Regular Session of the 15th Sangguniang Panlalawigan ng Iloilo held at the Session Hall of the Iloilo Provincial Capitol, Iloilo City, the Provincial Board officially approved Provincial Ordinance No. 2026-05-22, formally declaring the Municipality of Pavia, particularly Barangay Anilao, as the “Sorbete Capital of Iloilo.”
Authored by Hon. Jo Jan Paul “JP” J. Peñol, sponsored by Hon. Nielito “Doc Darling” C. Tupas, and co-sponsored by Hon. Nathalie Ann F. Debuque and all members of the 15th Sangguniang Panlalawigan, the landmark ordinance recognizes Pavia's unparalleled contribution to the preservation, development, and promotion of the province's rich culinary heritage through its historic sorbete industry.
The declaration pays tribute to generations of Pavianhon artisans whose craftsmanship transformed a humble street delicacy into a cultural symbol deeply woven into the identity of Iloilo.
The ordinance traces the origins of the local sorbete industry to the early 20th century in Barangay Anilao, where pioneering families overcame the challenges of limited refrigeration through innovative hand-crafted production methods that would eventually shape an industry spanning decades.
Via Board Member Sir JP Peñol