status of a city during Spanish and early American colonial periods. The city acquired its royal title "La Muy Leal y Noble Ciudad" (The Most Loyal and Noble City) on March 1, 1898, given by Queen Regent Maria Christina of Spain due to the loyalty stand by the Ilonggos to the Spanish crown during the Philippine war of independence. It is likewise one of the few Spanish Royal Cities in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era in the Philippines. The Mayor of Iloilo City (Alcalde) is the chief executive and is assisted by the vice mayor (vice-alcalde) which governs the city. The city is also represented by a congressman in the House of Representatives of the Philippines. The Iloilo City Council (Filipino: Sangguniang Panglungsod ng Iloilo and Spanish: Consejo de Ciudad de Iloilo) is the local legislative assembly. Its 15-member council is elected concurrently with general elections, held at the same time with the national elections including for the city and vice mayors. The Council convenes every month at the Iloilo City Hall (Ayuntamiento de Iloílo), and the meetings are open to the public. The matters on which the councillors decide have generally already been drafted and discussed by various boards and committees. Iloilo city is sub-divided into 180 barangays or "barrios" each govern by a Barangay Captain or Chairman held through a national barangay election. In 1955, through the efforts for a liberal appointing of a new city mayor, Rodolfo Ganzon became the first mayor that won through a popular election process. Ganzon is widely remembered by his constituents for having authored and sponsored the Iloilo City Freedom Law which restored to the people of Jaro, La Paz, Molo, Arevalo, Manduriao and Iloilo City proper their constitutional right to elect their own mayor, vice mayor and 10 councilors. Culture Cultures and traditions has a crucial role that shaped Iloilo's cultural and heritage sphere apart from the being the Regional Center of the Western Visayas region. Cultural and heritage consciousness is held in much broad public attention and fervor among the various stakeholders with the help of the government. Iloilo holds many cultural institutions especially national ones and heritage houses and mansions that contributed to Iloilo's long held monikers as "Museum City of the Philippines" and the "City of Mansions." Museums The city has a number of museums ranging from fields of ancient and contemporary art, cultural and economic