Sunburst Park Iloilo (formerly Iloilo Freedom Grandstand)

The Sunburst Park was the former location of the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand.
We really loved how the old Iloilo grandstand was converted into a small city park. Highlights of this park include a memorial to the brave Ilongos who fought during World War 2 and a statue of General Peralta who was the leader of Filipino Guerrillas on Panay during the war. A nice park to both meet up, relax and reflect.

The Sunburst Park in Iloilo City was named after the US Army 40th Infantry "Sunburst" Division, which helped free Panay from Japanese control at the close of WWII. Located along J in front of the Iloilo Customs House. The park was once called as Plaza de Aduana, after the Spanish term for customs. Sunburst Park is more than a monument; it is a living testament to the Ilonggos' fight and success over the invaders.

On January 11, 2018, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) formally handed over Sunburst Park to the Iloilo City Government. The ceremonies were led by TIEZA COO Pocholo Joselito Paragas and Iloilo City Mayor Jose Espinosa III. As the American soldiers marched on Iloilo City, civilians welcomed them with presents of eggs, fruit, and candy prepared from camote and coconuts. Since then, the plaza has been called as Sunburst Park in honor of Brush and his soldiers.

The park includes a walkway, a chess playground, benches for visitors, a parking area, a statue of Macario Peralta, and a designated Sunburst area.