The thriving sons and daughters of Panay were also influential to the pioneering days of Mindanao Island. The rice paddies of Mindanao have served as an enduring testament of the Ilongos’ diligence and industry; they had braved through homesickness and taught the early tribal folks of Mindanao the trade of rice farming. Mindanao’s rice farms were pioneered by the Ilongos of the Visayas and others from the North.
Here is an amusing trivia I found about Panay Island, the homeland of the Ilongos. Our Ilongo males are fondly called Toto as a sort of endearment, the way the Ilocanos call their sons as Balongs or the Cebuanos’ Dodongs. Upon arrival at the Iloilo International Airport, I used the urinal inside their restroom. Surprisingly, the urinal is unlike any other urinals I was familiar with. Maybe, I am just too naive to write about this trivial observation. I was accustomed to familiar brand names of urinals like Lafonza, the American Standard and cheaper brands like Royal Tern, but here, inside the airport’s restroom you will find an uncommon brand name, Toto! Yes! Toto is the brand name of their urinals.
Anybody can verify this, as you visit Panay Island through the Iloilo International Airport. Toto will literally greet you at the restroom, through their unusual choice of urinals’ brand.