By Rjay Zuriaga Castor
The Iloilo provincial government has confirmed that one of the original markers of the Arroyo Fountain, a declared cultural property in Iloilo City, is missing and may have been stolen.
In a public notice issued on January 7, the provincial government urged the public to report any attempts to sell the missing marker.
“If anyone is approached with an offer to purchase the missing marker, they are strongly urged to refuse and report the matter immediately to the police,” the notice read.
Under Presidential Decree No. 1612, also known as the Anti-Fencing Law, trading stolen goods is prohibited. Violators may face imprisonment and fines, with penalties depending on the value of the stolen property.
Nereo Lujan, head of the Provincial Information and Community Affairs Office, said the marker was removed during the fountain’s rehabilitation, which was completed in 2023.
The restoration work included steel panel grills, plumbing, electrical upgrades, and repainting. Despite showcasing the refurbished fountain in September 2024, the missing marker was already absent, as seen in photos from that time.
Daily Guardian has reached out to the General Services Office for clarification but has not received a response as of this writing.
The Arroyo Fountain, along with the Casa Real de Iloilo, was declared an Important Cultural Property by the National Museum of the Philippines in December 2022, ensuring its protection under the National Cultural Heritage Act.
Constructed in 1927 in front of the Casa Real de Iloilo (Old Iloilo Provincial Capitol), the neoclassical fountain was built to honor Senator José María Arroyo, who established the Iloilo Metropolitan Waterworks through Republic Act No. 3222.
The fountain features four female figures inspired by Grecian muses, originally depicted as nude but later clothed due to church influence.
It also serves as “Kilometre Zero,” the reference point for measuring distances from Iloilo City to other locations in Panay Island, the Western Visayas region, and the rest of the country.
