Dancing till the sunrise

Written by Emily Choong

Photographs by Emily Choong

Background

     Iloilo Esplanade was originally an alternative route for bikers to ease the traffic during peak hours. This 1.3-kilometer long stretch, completed in August 2012, became a popular spot for locals to jog and do aerobics. It has also become a popular area for tourists to take a stroll and appreciate the view of life along the riverside. According to one of the student guides, dragon boat practices are also held at the river nearing competitions.

The morning crowd at the Esplanade

Five In The Morning

     Every morning without fail, an aerobics session is held from 5 a.m. - 6 a.m led by a freelance fitness coach. Accompanying the workout is a track of catchy music which can be heard all the way from University of Philippines, Visayas where we were staying. During the course of the trip, I went to the Esplanade three times, and every time I was overwhelmed by the number of people working out. Approximately one hundred people are present every day, consisting of teens, adults and senior citizens. The moves of the workout are fairly simple and can be done by everyone. People are also free to move at their own pace, but personally, I think the music really pumps up your mood and motivates you. At the end of the session, people usually give a small donation of PHP 10 in the little green buckets provided. While some leave the Esplanade, others will begin jogging along the 1.3-kilometre stretch.

Just keep moving...

The jogging track

What I Found Interesting

     Firstly, allow me to share something about myself. I am NOT a morning person, I do not usually go for jogs at parks, and I am even less likely to participate in aerobics. Thus, I was quite surprised by how motivated I felt to wake up extremely early in the morning and head to Iloilo Esplanade for a good workout with a few friends. Back in Malaysia, I would only wake up at 10 am and head to the gym once or twice a week in the evening - barely staying for an hour. But here I am in the Philippines, waking up at 5 am to exercise. Exercise!

The sunrise at the Esplanade

     Sure enough, the other travelers thought I was being ridiculous considering the number of sleepless nights we've all had from the late night activities and staying up writing articles to update our loyal readers. Regardless, I thought I'd give it a few shots to experience the fitness lifestyle in Iloilo.

    An early morning public workout was really something fascinating. It gave me the idea that Filipinos like to keep fit and physically healthy. I thought it's a pretty amazing culture considering that the amount of rice they consume every day is ridiculously high (they eat rice for breakfast, lunch AND dinner!). Ultimately, what motivated me to wake up so early to work out at Esplanade was the thought of people getting together to fulfill the same purpose at 5 a.m. every day, something which impressed me because of the spirit of togetherness I felt each time I was there with them.

Blogger Profile

Emily is currently pursuing her second year at Monash University majoring in Psychology and Communication. She believes that food is the best way to a girl's heart. 'In Search of Iloilo' marks the first time she has set foot in the Philippines.