Located inside an enclosed park at Punta Engaño on the northern side of Mactan are two monuments one a hundred years older than the other commemorating the events of 1521.

When Spanish soldiers led by Magellan were quelled by islanders led by Lapu-Lapu. The monuments are along the road that leads to Shangri-La Mactan.

Heritage site: Ironically, a monument to the vanquished Magellan was built about a century ahead of one dedicated to the conqueror, Lapu-Lapu. Erected in the 1866 at Punta Engaño to honor Magellan at the spot where he is said to have died, the monument was part of a project in the 19th century to restore the glory of Cebu. When Legazpi moved the capital to Manila, and with it followed the lucrative international trade through the galleons, Cebu, the Philippines’ first capital, languished. It was in economic doldrums until the 19th century when Spain turned to the development of the islands as the galleon trade came to a close in 1815. Spanish and Chinese mestizos were the most active in the local economy, owning large tracts of land and trading vessels, operating a network of agents in the Visayas and Mindanao, and offering loans and insurance. Cash crops were farmed on a large scale and Cebu became an important regional port. When in 1860, international ports were opened all over the Philippines, including Cebu, the economic stranglehold of Manila ended. The relative prosperity brought by new economic opportunities spurred Cebu’s elite to celebrate the Hispanic character of Cebu. Around this time the octagonal kiosk that houses Magellan’s cross near the Santo Niño Basilica in Cebu was also built.

The Magellan monument consists of a plain obelisk on whose apex rests a sphere. The obelisk is mounted on a tall plinth and the plinth rests on a tripartite structure: an octagonal base on which rests a tall quadrilateral structure, divided into two parts. The lower part is decorated with high relieves of vases, and the upper part is pierced by narrow arches. On the monuments are inscribed texts honoring Magellan. A low fence surrounds the monument.

A heroic sculpture of the chief of Mactan who defeated Magellan, Lapu-Lapu stands near the Magellan monument. Lapu-Lapu, sculpted with great realism, stands tall, with a shield held by his left and while a curved kampilan sword, drawn is held by his right. The sculpture celebrates the readiness of the brave warrior to confront aggressors.

Source: cebudaily.com

Commissioned by the Archdiocese of Cebu, the Heritage of Cebu Monument is a sculptural tableau built by renowned artist Eduardo Castrillo featuring some of Cebu’s important heritage sites and events. The monument, which was then turned over to the city government, was in turn recently turned over to the officials of Barangay Parian. It was reported that P3-million would be needed to clean it up and restore it.

Within the vicinity of the monument is the Yap-Sandiego House and the Jesuit House of 1730. A few walks away from it too is the Casa Gorordo.

The saga in stone… and brass, a tonnage of history and heritage. The “Heritage of Cebu” Monument is huge and hefty; it can probably surpass the lives of the other structures in historical Parian. It is meant to last, as the artist always points out.

It rises somewhat oddly in what was once an ordinary neighborhood constantly overlooked and agitated by the flow of traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian. Technically, a choke point. But with The Heritage, it will be like saying, “ Look ay, our history!”

Or, look at what you are, and be proud for being a Filipino. Emerging from the ground the size of a basketball court, the bulky, brass structure thrusts upwards the central image of a crucifix, around its foot, Cebu’s historical milestones figure into a chronological narrative in concrete and brassy odds and ends.

Circumnavigating Heritage is making a turn around Cebu’s history in five minutes. It’s like feeling the past in its most tangible from seeing the brave chieftain from Mactan and his grip on the hilt of an emergent people, or being right at the docks trading silk and bead yourself – like ancient ghosts brushing through your skin.

The Heritage is about the Filipino through time transmogrified into metal and stone. The work is done… everyone of the city will see the first ever “The Heritage” in its rightful illumination.

With a spirit stouter this time, Filipinos have this to show for their guests. You have The Heritage you can point with a firmer finger, “That’s us.”

The Jumalon Butterfly Sanctuary offers an exclusive abode to the butterflies as they are not controlled within an enclosure, but rather able to fly liberally in the area. At approximately 50 different types of rare and exotic butterflies composes the area. An average visitor may be able to spot at least 10 to 15 of these butterfly types on any given day. There are also over 100 different types of plant species that provide food for the butterflies, making it a paradise for those nature lovers.

The museum serves as a comprehensive source of education. Complete life histories of butterfly species are also available in the sanctuary. This serves as a precious tool for biology students working on their theses.

The oldest existing collection of butterflies with specimens dating back to the 1930’s and some of the most wanted butterflies in the world can also be found.

The sanctuary also houses an Art Gallery which depicts paintings and art works of the late Professor Julian Jumalon. It also features a description of the artist professor’s dedication to art and a collection of the paintings including a number of his lepido-mosaics, cottages utilizing butterfly wings as its medium.

The sanctuary and gallery is located in Macopa St. Basak, Pardo, Cebu City, Philippines.

History

Dr. Jumalon amassed a vast collection of butterflies through his travels and by trading local Philippine species with foreign ones. Jumalon’s fascination with Lepidopterans did not just end in having them preserved and framed. He wanted the butterflies close by especially the rare ones. So to invite these insects he planted his residence with butterfly food plants. He also caught live specimens and released them in his garden.

At his death, a foundation was created by his children to foster to his collection and the compound which, prior to the founder’s death, has become a tourist attraction.

Inside the compound is a salon and garden. The garden is a collection of a hundred butterfly food plant species. Among these plants flutters around 50 local and foreign species of butterflies. Some rare species are kept in captivity.

Inside the salon is Dr. Jumalon’s collection of butterflies and other insects. Also found inside is the histories of butterfly species. The salon also houses the paintings and other works of Dr. Jumalon, who was also an artist. Most popular among his works is his mosaics made entirely of butterfly wings (lepido mosaic). These mosaics depict several places around Cebu City. There is a mosaic of Colon Street as how it looked during Dr. Jumalon’s times.

Today, the museum is currently managed by Humaida Jumalon, daughter of the late renowned lepidopterist, Professor Julian Jumalon. Curator and owner Humaida noted that butterflies are specific to a particular plant for the laying of their larvae (young). If a plant becomes extinct or scarce, it will also mean the existence of that particular butterfly is threatened. To prevent this, she actively and publicly lobbies for the plants perpetuation. Many are considered as weeds and are slowly being denuded from the riverbanks. To inform the public about the need to preserve butterfly ecosystems, she is in the process of writing a book on Philippine flora specifically to encourage and sustain butterflies in our midst.

Aside from plants, Humaida is knowledgeable about scents that attract butterflies.. Butterflies are attracted to a flower for nectar and scents are a “come hither” signal. She demonstrated to us how some locally manufactured perfumes entice the fluttering beauties. It was fun to see the butterflies hover around as soon as she sprayed the fragrance. To further lure the butterflies to her garden, Humaida adorned the place with brightly colored sponges drenched with her formulated syrups aimed at keeping the butterflies healthy.

To help sustain the museum and to raise much needed funds, the sanctuary sells cultured butterflies, which are popularly used for release at weddings and parties. These help to propagate the butterfly population in the wild.

Jumalon Butterfly Sanctuary remains open for the general public from 0800hrs to 1700hrs daily. There is a nominal entry fee that is charged from the visitors, which amounts to around PhP 50.00.

The contact detail of the butterfly sanctuary in Cebu City is as follows:

Jumalon Butterfly Sanctuary, Museum and Art Gallery – 20-D Macopa Street, Basak, Pardo, Cebu City. ☎ +63.32.2616884. Curator/Owner: Ms. Humaida Jumalon

Source: explorecebu.com

In recent years, Fuente Osmeña Circle has become a focal point of politicking between the Cebu Provincial Government and the Cebu City Government. Despite being the capital of the province of Cebu and seat of its government (the Cebu Provincial Capitol is in Cebu City), Cebu City is classified as a Highly Urbanized City and is therefore independent of any province (i.e., Cebu, the province, has no jurisdiction over Cebu City aside from its properties like the Capitol building). Anyway, the Cebu Provincial Government is asserting that Fuente Osmeña Circle is the property of the province and urges the Cebu City Government to turn it over.

Source: vistapinas.com

The smallest, oldest triangular bastion fort in the country was built in 1738 to repel Muslim raiders. In turn, it served as a stronghold for Filipino revolutionaries near the end of the 19′th Century. This served as the nucleus of the first Spanish settlement in the Philippines.

The fort is triangular in shape, with two sides facing the sea and the third side fronting the land. The two sides facing the sea were defended with artillery and the front with a strong palisade made of wood. The three bastions were named La Concepcion (SW); Ignacio de Loyola (SE), and San Miguel (NE). It has a total inside area of 2,025 sq. Meters. The walls are 20 feet (6.1 m) high, 8 feet (2.4 m) thick and the towers are 30 feet (9.1 m) high from the ground level. The circumference is 1,248 feet (380 m). The sides are of unequal lengths and the one fronting the city is where one may find entry into the Fort. Fourteen cannons were mounted in their emplacements most of which are still there today. Work first started on May 8, 1565 with Miguel Lopéz de Legazpi breaking ground.

Little was known about the activity of the fort from the time it was built until two centuries later in 1739 when the King of Spain, Philip II desired information regarding the island of Cebu, Governor General Tanon, who was the Spanish ruler of the Islands at the time made the following reports:

“Fuerza San Pedro, the fort is described as built of stone mortar with a terraplein where guns are mounted. The fort contains the necessary buildings. The largest of these buildings was the “Cuerpo de Guardia” where the personnel that manned the fort lived. Adjacent to it was the “Vivende del Teniente” which was the living quarters of the lieutenant of the Fort. In between the aforementioned buildings is a well. At one corner attached to the walls of the bastion San Miguel (NE) was the “Alamazaros del Rivera” (powder magazine where the fort’s supply or arms and gunpowder from Manila were stored).”

Timeline

The date of construction of the stone fort is uncertain. Although there are claims that a Jesuit Antonio Campioni built a stone fort in 1630, and the gate of fort bears the date 1738 together with the arms of Castile and Leon. It is certain, however, that the fort underwent major renovations in the late 1800s as part of a building program to improve Cebu City.

The victory of the Americans led by Commodore Dewey at the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898 marked the end of the Spanish era in the Philippine Islands. The fort was then surrendered by the Spaniards to the Cebuano revolutionaries.

Fort San Pedro became a part of the American Warwick Barracks during the American Regime. In later years from 1937 to 1941 the barracks was converted into a school where many Cebuanos received their formal education. During World War II from 1942 to 1945, Japanese residents of the City took refuge within the walls. When the battle to liberate the City of Cebu from the Imperial Japanese Forces was fought, the fort served as an emergency hospital for the wounded.

From 1946 to 1950, Fort San Pedro was an army camp. After 1950, the Cebu Garden Club took over and fixed the inner part and converted it into a miniature garden.

Although already in ruins, the upper deck was utilized for different offices. First, as a clinic of the City Health, as office of the Presidential Arm and Community Development then the City Public Works Unit used the ruins of the Lieutenant’s Quarters as its field office.

In 1957 Mayor Sergio Osmeña Jr. jolted the public with his announcement to demolish Fort San Pedro and erect on the spot a new City Hall. This started a movement against the demolition idea. Articles voicing opposition appeared in the local dailies and magazines in Cebu City and in Manila. Finally, confronted by civic leaders and society heads at his Cebu City Hall office, he gave up his idea and said he will use instead the space behind the fort.

In the very same year, the city council commissioned “The Lamplighter”, a religious sect, to manage a zoo subsidized by the city within the fort courtyard.

By 1968, the facade, quarters and walls of the original structures of Fort San Pedro were so obliterated that only the two towers were recognizable. Plans for the restoration of the fort was started and the zoo was relocated.

Plans and estimates for the restoration of the fort were completed by Architect Leonardo Concepcion, who had completed his MA in Restoration in Madrid. The project was jointly funded by the Board of Travel Industry (now Department of Tourism), the Cebu City Government, and the Cebu Zonta Club.

The Fort San Pedro Restoration was a tedious, time and labor consuming project. To restore the fort as close to the original as possible, coral stones which were hauled from under the sea along Cebu coastal towns were utilized. Delivered crudely cut to the restoration site, the fort laborers did the final cutting and polishing to make the blocks fit each other.

Work progressed slowly but the facade, the main building, (Cuerpo de Guardia), the walk and the observatory roof garden were faithfully restored after one and a half years. To make the project functional; the restored main building serves then as the Cebu Office of the Department of Tourism, the Lieutenant’s Quarters now houses a museum, the inner court is an open air theater and its immediate vicinity as a park.

At present, it is under the care and administration of the City of Cebu, as a historical park. The land on which it is situated is, however, owned by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

These days, part of the fort is a museum. Inside the fort houses the legacies of the Spanish Government. The well preserved Spanish artifacts such as Spanish documents , paintings and sculpture. A large statue of Legazpi and Antonio Pigafetta may be seen outside the fort walls.

Source: en.wikipedia.org

Developed by Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, the place became the center for commercial activities in downtown Cebu. Through the years, Colon remained the lifeline of trade and commerce in colonial Cebu. It was in Colon where the first business establishments and offices where built and flourished in Cebu. It was also the place where most happenings took place such as social and cultural events. The street similarly has become a witness to the rise and fall of Cebu’s economic and political competence over the years.

Labeled as the center of commerce and trade, many universities were built near or along Colon Street such as University of Cebu, University of the Visayas, University of San Carlos, and University of San Jose-Recoletos.

Colon Street is now lined with many big commercial establishments. Investors believe that profit is halfway achieved once they invest in Colon. Jeepneys, taxis and buses as well have replaced the calesas (horse-drawn carriage) of long ago as the means of public transportation that move in and out of this street.

In 1990’s, the malling culture of America arrived in Cebu. Malls of various sizes began to sprout almost simultaneously all over the metro, leaving businesses in Colon threatened. Businessmen then observed an evident decrease of customers and cebu city shoppers in Colon. A number of business establishments were even closed then. Shoppers preferred an air-conditioned and more relaxing ambiance of a mall. However, in recent years, a surge of shoppers has been noticed. The main draw obviously is the cheap merchandise and reasonable price of goods from the many bargain stores. People from different walks of life visit this place in search of low-priced and economical goods. Business owners coming from nearby provinces of Cebu consider Colon as an ‘easy on the pocket’ spot for shopping.

Colon never lost its position as the bargain hunters’ paradise. Most old stores and even the newer shops on Colon offer much cheaper prices compared to their counterparts in the malls, making them the primary choice for most shoppers. Colon shops are a one-stop shop where you can buy everything with price tags assuredly lesser than other places in Cebu.

An annual tiange (open-air market) has been held since the year 2000. It is one of the main attractions of this street where shoppers are said to double in number. The activity has been patronized mostly by the common people of Cebu. It’s like revisiting an old street, and re-visioning it. It takes people back on a journey to that time when it was the main commercial street in all its grandeur, a locality of its own, and yes, with an overwhelming character.

When Christmas draws near, Colon is the perfect location to visit. Shoppers congest Colon Street as they search for good value for their money. It’s a one-stop shopping street where you can buy everything you want and need. It’s a place where leisure and commodities are combined. Fashion jewelry, Ready-to-Wear, shoes, bags, among others. After a tiresome day of shopping, Colon treats you with the movie houses located along the street. Fast Food and commonplace restaurants are also there catering to your appetite. colon street Pamper yourself with the luxury of shopping in temperature-controlled department stores. Indulge your worn-out legs with convenient taxis and colorful Jeepneys dashing all over the street willing to serve you with the best service they could give. Colon guarantees quality service to all customers, the only place where shopping is made even more exciting and pleasurable.

So if you think paying less and buying more is impossible, think again, as business owners in Colon make that happen. Experience the magnetism of Colon Street!

Source: cebu-philippines.net

Old furniture and paintings are also displayed in this museum of Cebu. The courtyard of the museum is very beautiful. The museum premises are well maintained and beautified.

About Casa Gorodo Museum

Alejandro Reynes Y Rosales built the house, which became famous as the home of Juan Gorordo in the middle of 19th century. Four generations of Gorordo family have stayed in this home including Juan Gorordo.

In the year 1980, Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. acquired the home. After restoration, the home was turned into a museum and opened to the common people. On 24th September, 1991, National Historical Institute Board, under resolution number 4, declared the house as a historical landmark of the nation.

Address and Timings of Casa Gorodo Museum

Tourists can visit the museum from Mondays thru Saturdays from 9:00 AM – 12:00 NOON and then again from 1:00 PM – 5:30 PM.

The address of the Casa Gorordo Museum is:

Casa Gorordo Museum – 35 Lopez Jaena Street, Cebu City, Philippines. ☎ +63.32.2555645, telefax: ☎ +63.32.2532380. Curator: Mr. Charles Muertegui.

Source: mapsofworld.com

Foundation of the Church

The convent of the Sto. Niño de Cebu was founded by Fr. Andres de Urdaneta on April 28, 1565 , the very day the Legazpi-Urdaneta expedition arrived in the island. On May 8 of the same year, when Legaspi and his men planned the urbanization of the city, they allotted a “place for the church and the convent of San Agustin, “where the Santo Niño image had been found.”

In 1599, the convent was made a house of studies of grammar, headed by the Visayan linguist, Fr. Alonso de Mentrida. It also served as a rest house for missionaries working in the province and as a retirement home for the aged and the sick, usually attended to by a lay brother.

The church has always been the Sanctuary of the Sto. Niño, under the custody of the Augustinians. The number of priests assigned to the church varied from three to five aside from one or two lay brothers.

Devotion to Sto. Niño

The Chapter held on August 6, 1578 recommended to all the fathers “that prayers to the Sto. Niño be offered every month as was the custom before.” In 1641, the father provincial ordered that the feast of the Sto Niño be celebrated on January 14 “with all the possible solemnity, mass and sermon, since He deserves all the affection from us, being the Dulcisimo and most affectionate patron of our province.”

Fr. Nicolas de la Cuadra (1731) was very instrumental in spreading the devotion of the Sto. Niño. He led an exemplary life, had writings and solemn rites which he established in the sanctuary, and acquired many jewels for the decoration of the statue.

Fr. Nicolas de la Cuadra (1731) was very instrumental in spreading the devotion of the Sto. Niño. He led an exemplary life, had writings and solemn rites which he established in the sanctuary, and acquired many jewels for the decoration of the statue.

The first novena to the Santo Niño was introduced by Fr. Mateo Diez, rector of the sanctuary in 1889, under the Cebuano title Novena ug pagdayeg sa Sto. Niño Jesus nga guisimba sa cyudad sa Sugbu, printed in Mandaluyong, Asilo de Huerfanos, 1888. This novena has been reprinted countless times.

Up to this time, the number of Sto. Niño devotees who follow the novena and attend mass every Friday keeps on increasing.

Construction of the Church

• 1566 – the first church believed to be built on the site where the image of the Holy Child was found was destroyed by fire. It was said to be built by Fr. Diego de Herrera using wood and nipa.
• 1605 – Fr. Pedro Torres started the construction of a new church, again made of wood and nipa. It was finished in 1626 but was again burned in 1628.
• 1628 – Fr. Juan Medina started the construction of another church, using stone and bricks, a great innovation at that time. The construction was stopped because the structure was found to be defective – the bricks used seemingly “melted” upon contact with air.
• February 29, 1735 – Father Provincial Bergaño, Governor-General Fernando Valdes, Bishop Manuel Antonio Decio y Ocampo of Cebu and Juan de Albarran Prior of the Santo Niño, started the foundations of the present church, using stone. A lot of help came. Fr. Antonio Lopez, prior of San Nicolas, assisted also together with the people of his district. The residents of Talisay also did four weeks of work and Fr. Francisco Aballe also tried to help with his parishioners from Mactan.

The materials used

The stones were quarried from Capiz and Panay by an army of bancas. The molave wood came from the mountains of Talisay and Pitalo and was transported in bancas hired in Argao and Carcar. Fr. Albarran confessed that there was much difficulty in quarrying the stones. Despite the seemingly impossible task, Fr. Albarran was not discouraged. He used white stones to make the lime, with one banca transporting some 400 pieces of stones. There was also another obstacle: the lack of chief craftsmen and officers which forced Fr. Albarran to acquire some knowledge of architecture.

The church was finished not later than 1739. According to an author named Vela, “the church has all the characteristics of a solid construction to withstand all the earthquakes…” And true enough, the church withstood all earthquakes.

The original features of the church have been retained except for the windows added by Fr. Diez in 1889. In 1965, both church and convent underwent a bigger restoration on the occasion of the fourth centennial of the Christianization of the country. The face lifting was made with utmost respect for the historical character of the old structure.

Cardinal Hildebrando Antoniutti, Papal Legate to the Philippines , conferred upon the church the title of Basilica minore, a special privilege granted to the Augustinian Order by the Pope Paul VI. On the other hand, the former President Ferdinand Marcos declared the Sto. Niño Basilica a national shrine because of its historical significance.

Style of the Church

• Facade – a blending of Muslim, Romanesque and neo-classical features – all set in what has otherwise been described as a high degree of integration. The façade is preserved in its original stone texture and natural color, conveying an air of simplicity of line and elegance.
• Bell tower – serves as a counterbalance to the convent located on the opposite far end. It has two blind and open windows alternating in shape, ending up in triangular pinnacles with a circular disc crowned by balusters and a bulbous dome of Muslim influence.
• Center section – the focus of attention. The arched main entrance is balanced by the side rectangular corners. A double-edged triangular pediment crowns the facade.

The Shrine

Santo Niño Image

The image of the Santo Niño, which is kept in the parish convent, is considered the oldest religious relic in the Philippines. This was the image that Magellan gave to Queen Juana as a gift during the baptism of King Humabon and his wife Queen Juana on April 14, 1521.

Forty-four years later, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi with Fr. Andres de Urdaneta arrived in Cebu and formally Christianized the Cebuanos on April 27, 1565. However, they found the natives hostile and set the village on fire. It was in one of the burnt houses that Juan Camus, a soldier, found the image of the Santo Niño unscathed.

Since then, the miraculous image has been venerated by the Cebuanos and became the patron of Cebu. At present, the original Santo Niño adorned with gold and precious stones is enshrined in glass located on the left side of the Basilica altar for public veneration.

The Pilgrim’s Center

The Sto. Niño Friday Novena and Mass devotees keep increasing over the years and could easily fill the Basilica beyond its capacity. To accommodate this growing number of devotees who come to hear mass in the basilica, a pilgrim center was built within the church compound opposite of the Basilica and Holy Mass is celebrated on Fridays and other Religious Festivities are held here in the open-air, theater-like structure.

Completed in September 1990, this open-air structure can accommodate 3,500 people and was constructed from the generous contributions from Sto Niño devotees around the world. The basement of the Pilgrim’s Center houses the Basilica del Sto. Niño Museum.

Basilica del Sto. Niño Museum

The Basilica Del Sto. Nino Museum is located at the basement of the Pilgrim’s Center. It houses the Santo Niño vestments in various sizes. Valuable jewelry from rings to necklaces are placed in one display cabinet, gifts of devotees offered to the Santo Niño for his use during his feast on the third Sunday of January.

A camarera dresses up the original Santo Niño a day before the feast and during the procession on his feast day. Most of the Santo Niño’s vestments are of 17th-18th century style, design and quality including those of the priests’ and the collection of calices, patenas, ciborium, and venajeras. These are church pieces used during liturgical services.

Basilica del Sto. Nino Museum – Basilica del Sto. Nino Basement, Pilgrim’s Center, Osmena Blvd., Cebu City, telefax: ☎ +63.32.2550608. Curator: Fr. Rene Posa, OSA. Acting Curator: Fr. Dominador Besares, OSA. Open from Tuesdays thru Sundays 8:00 AM – 11:45 AM, 1:30 PM – 4:45 PM.

Basilica del Santo Niño Religious Shop

Located on the south wing of the Basilica, connecting the convent and the church is the Basilica Reliogious Shop. Religious articles are sold in this store as well as souvenir items and recuerdos of the Sto Niño.

The shop is open from 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM, Mondays thru Saturdays.

Source: basilicadelsantoninodecebu.org.ph

Getting In

By plane

You must have an ongoing flight ticket or a visa in your passport when flying to the Philippines as your carrier will not allow you to board without one. In practice, this may not actually be true.

Mactan-Cebu International Airport (IATA: CEB) (ICAO: RPVM). This international and domestic airport is a modern alternative to the congested Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila. There are numerous direct daily flights to and from Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong and scheduled flights to Japan, Qatar, Malaysia, Taiwan, and China. Aside from this, the airport serves several seasonal charter flights to Russia, China, the United States, and other nations.

Mactan-Cebu International Airport is also the main domestic hub outside Manila with a variety of flights around the Philippine archipelago such as Manila, Kalibo, Puerto Princesa, Boracay, Clark (just near Angeles City), Siargao (Surigao), Zamboanga, Davao, Bacolod, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, Cotabato, Camiguin, General Santos, and Tacloban, among others.

Passport control and baggage handling is fairly fast and efficient. The airport is on Mactan Island in Lapu-Lapu city. It takes about 20-30 minutes to get to the actual city of Cebu. From the Airport you will need to hire a taxi. If you are staying at one of the nicer hotels they usually can send a free van to pick you up at airport. If you forgot to ask for this you may find that the van of your hotel is there to pick someone else up and you can hitch a ride if there is room. Facilities and amenities at the airport include a shopping center, duty-free shop, souvenir shops, cafés, business centers, food shops, communication facilities, banking facilities, car rentals, hotel and resort reservations, and beauty and health services.

Visitors from North America, Europe, Middle East, and the rest of the world may fly first to Singapore or Hong Kong or Seoul or Kuala Lumpur or Doha to catch a flight to Cebu. If you don’t mind braving the horrendous traffic and the cacophonic noise of Manila, you will get a faster connection to Cebu, for there are more than 20 flights daily between the two cities or almost two flights every hour. There are also flights to Cebu from Clark International airport, from which there are further flights on discount airlines to Macau, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Singapore and other points.

The cheapest airlines to travel on are Cebu Pacific, PAL Express, South East Asia Airlines (SEAir) and ZestAir. Other airlines that service Cebu include SilkAir.

By boat

Cebu City’s domestic port is the country’s busiest. Cebu City is home to almost 80 percent of the country’s passenger vessels. The country’s largest shipping lines, namely WG&A, Sulpicio Lines, Trans-Asia, George & Peter Lines and Lorenzo Shipping Lines, are headquartered in Cebu.

Large passenger ferries with a capacity of 2,000 to 4,000 passengers ply the more distant routes such as Manila, Davao, Butuan City, Zamboanga and Cagayan de Oro. Medium-sized vessels such as the roll-on/roll-off (roro) types ply nearer destinations while fast ferries transport passengers to and from neighboring islands in two hours or less depending on the destination.

Getting around

The simplest way to get around is by hopping on a taxi. Almost all of the taxis that you will find in Cebu are metered taxis. A typical trip can cost about PhP 60.00 – PhP 70.00 or slightly more than a U.S. dollar if one goes by the meter. Currently, flag down rate is at PhP 30.00 and PhP 2.50 per succeeding 200 meters and PhP 2.50 per waiting time of two minutes. Drivers however may bargain if they notice that you are a tourist, hence the cost of the trip may double in price. However, you have the option not to agree and may report such to local authorities. If you know the name of the building, establishment, area or street you wish you reach, this is still the fastest way to get to your destination. Most drivers know where almost everything is. If they don’t, then simply flag down another one. If the driver is pleasant then it is nice to pay PhP 10.00 – PhP 20.00 extra for nice service and a bit more if he loads or unloads your bags. Most drivers do not have, or will tell you they do not have change, so be ready with 50’s and 20’s if you are going on short trips.

It is best to avoid the “Private” taxis. They take advantage of tourists and they charge 5-10 times the price that should be paid. You will find these taxis at the some of the nicer hotels, they are called “Hotel” taxis and are usually owned by the hotel to make extra money, they will charge you PhP 500.00 for something that should cost PhP 60.00. Some hotels make it very hard for other taxis to pick you up at their hotel and you may need to walk outside to save money. Another place that uses private taxis is the airport. The arrivals terminal only allows taxis that have a special airport permit that costs thousands of pesos per month, but these taxis get to charge you a much higher price. If you want to avoid them simply ask a porter for help and ask for a metered taxi, you go up a ramp and there are a large number of metered taxis waiting for you. You can also wend your way upstairs to departures where there are lots of metered taxis dropping off. Fare from downtown to Ayala Center or SM City Cebu should be around PhP 150.00 on the meter. You may be told “500″ by the driver. Just grab the door handle and say “what, you don’t have a meter?” Don’t travel unless the meter is used!

Alternatively, if you opt for more adventure, then do as the locals and catch a colorful jeepney. Simply ask around for which route to take. They are available 24 hours and cover most of the nooks and crannies of the city. Airport to Lapu-Lapu City (LLC) costs about PhP 7.00 while across the bridge to Mandaue or Cebu City costs more than PhP 10.00.

Buses are also available but these tend to ply exclusively along the north-south route.

Sight-seeing

There are historical and famous places in Cebu City that is a must see.

• Basilica of Santo Niño (Basilica del Santo Niño (Basilica of the Holy Child)), Osmeña Boulevard, ☎ +63.32.2556697. A large and venerable church that traces its history to the founding of the convent of the Santo Niño de Cebu in 1565. It contains a statue of the Santo Niño (Holy Child) that regarded as the oldest religious relic in the Philippines. The statue was presented by Ferdinand Magellan to Queen Juana during the baptism of King Humabon and his wife Queen Juana on April 14, 1521. The natives of Cebu were formally Christianized by Miguel Lopez de Legaspi and Father Andres de Urdaneta on April 27, 1565. However, as they found the natives hostile, the village was set on fire. Later on, in a burnt-out house, a soldier named Juan Camus found the statue untouched. This was proclaimed a miracle. The statue, adorned with gold and precious stones, is in a glass case to the left of the altar. The church sees a constant stream of devotees praying at pews in the sanctuary and in front of statues of saints. The Basilica del Santo Niño Museum (open Tue-Sun 08:00-11:45, 13:30-16:45 – FREE ENTRANCE) contains the vestments used to dress the Santo Niño and jewellery offered to the Santo Niño for use during his feast on the third Sunday of January.
• Casa Gorordo Museum, 35 Lopez Jaena Street, ☎ +63.32.2555630 (chp@rafi.org.ph, telefax: ☎ +63.32.2555630). Open Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00. A well-preserved Spanish colonial mansion constructed largely of wood, set in a pleasant, manicured garden. The lower floor has a collection of old tools, and an air-conditioned room that has changing displays such as art exhibitions. The more interesting upstairs level was the former living quarters of the Gorordo family. It features lovely carved wooden furniture and a wide patio. The kitchen is particularly interesting, as it contains a traditional dirt stove, a wooden food safe, and a traditional dish drying rack fitted to the outside of the window. Fee (Adult): PhP 70.00.
• Cebu Parkmall and Cebu International Convention Center
• Cebu Provincial Museum (Museo Sugbo), (a short taxi ride from Fort San Pedro). The museum is housed in the former Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center, but don’t worry as its interior is newly renovated. It contains artefacts relating to the history of Cebu. Unfortunately it is in a rather unlikely location; not many tourists visit the area as it is largely undeveloped with overrun buildings nearby. Nonetheless, it is only a short taxi ride from Fort San Pedro.
• Colon Street. Brave the cacophanous traffic to see the oldest street in the Philippines with some nice worn-out classical buildings dating back to the American Era. At night, this street transforms into a market with good buys everywhere. Be wary of pickpockets though.
• Fort San Pedro (Fuerza de San Pedro). The smallest Spanish outpost in the Philippines during the colonial era. It has a small museum showcasing the wreckage and treasures from the sunken San Diego galleon from Mexico. The area, which used to be scenic, is unusually chaotic due to the construction of the subway section of the coastal road linking Southern Cebu to the North Reclamation Area.
• Fuente Osmeña
• Heritage of Cebu, (eastern end of Colon Street). A massive and particularly detailed monument showcasing the heritage of Cebu from the old Spanish to the American colonial era.
• Lapu-Lapu Monument, Lapu-Lapu, Mactan Island. Lapu-Lapu was a local hero who fought and killed Ferdinand Magellan during the historic Mactan Landing in 1521. A small marker to Magellan is nearby. A few minutes’ walk away is Shangri-La Mactan Hotel Resort and Spa, which is a tourist spot in its own right. The compound is a large park where visitors (even if they don’t stay in the hotel) can roam the huge reception and its environs. Check out the beach, the chapel, the spa and the various restaurants.
• Life-size statues of popes, Stations of the Cross and Mysteries of the Holy Rosary in Danao City.
• Magellan’s Cross, Plaza Sugbo, off Magallanes Street (between the Colegio de Santo Niño (south of the Basilica of Santo Niño) and Cebu City Hall – if you approach the Basilica from Osmeña Boulevard, walk through the courtyard of the Basilica and the Colegio to reach the Plaza). An octagonal building decorated with murals containing a large wooden cross that commemorates the Portuguese conquistador Ferdinand Magellan who planted a wooden cross upon converting the original inhabitants to Christianity. A plaque states that the visible wooden cross contains the original cross, but some historians say the original cross was reduced to firewood by local inhabitants when the Magellan fleet headed elsewhere. Take time to appreciate the various candle sellers who dance around during worship and while selling the candles.
• Mount Manghilaw
• Santa Rosa Falls
• Taoist Temple. Visit the temple for a unique look at the island’s Chinese heritage. The Chinese make up a significant part of the population, with much of the locals having full, half or part Chinese ancestry.
• Tops Skyline Garden

What to do

• Cebu City is well known for two spacious and modern malls outside Manila. SM City Cebu and the Ayala Center Cebu are the most famous and luxurious shopping centers at the heart of the city. Boutique shops, mini-malls, themed malls, fine and alfresco dining include ParkMall, Banilad Town Center, among others.
• Fuente Rotunda is an especially scenic spot at nights. Many locals hangout here inside the park premises near the fountain. A variety of shops, fastfood chains, a mall, eateries, and restaurants surround the area. Be sure to bring a camera to take a shot where the old style province meets the vibrant and sophisticated urban lifestyle. Fuenta Rotunda is the arguably the center of the city with roads stretching out into different parts of the city. One road leads to General Maxilom Avenue, where most of the Cebu night life exists. Disco bars, coffee shops, comedy bars line this busy avenue with bars opening at around 8:00 PM. They usually close when the last customer leaves.
• Another stretch from Fuenta Rotunda is the Osmena Blvd. With bars, restaurants, and coffeeshops leading all the way to the Provincial Capitol, which is particularly scenic at night. The Provincial Capitol is by far the largest provincial Capitol building anywhere in the entire archipelago. Its original design is a miniature of the White House and was built during the American Era.
• Just in one of the roads near Fuenta is Larsian BBQ. The locals here love and eat and the barbecue in this place is one of the best and the cheapest around the city. The barbecue portions are small so you have enough space to store dessert. Try various kinds of barbecued local delicacies not for the faint of heart: innards, coagulated blood, squid, hotdogs aside from the usual pork and chicken varieties.
• Head to Ice Castle, one of the local favorite halo-halo shops. Halo-halo is a local dessert that comes from the Filipino word ‘halo’ which means ‘mix’. With shaved ice, ube (purple yam), leche flan (creme caramel), corn kernels, corn flakes, gelatin, shaved coconuts and practically anything are mixed together and topped with a scoop of ice cream or more.
• Just adjacent Robinson’s Mall is the Crown Regency Cebu which is the tallest building in the city. Adventure seekers may head to the top floor to experience a breathtaking view of this modern city and its environs. You may also opt to join in the Xtreme Rides that literally puts you on the edge of the city, or you may walk around the edge of the building (don’t worry, safety cables are attached) to experience this once in a lifetime experience. All of these you can enjoy for a small fee.
• Go to Tops, which literally sits at the top of the Mt. Busay for an unobstructed view of the entire city at night. A few shops and restaurants stand along the way for a short stop.
• Waterfront Hotel Lahug/Mactan Airport is a five-star hotel with a very notable castle-like structure that dwarfs the city. It has several boutique shops, award winning restaurants all aptly priced for a five hotel. It also has a Duty Free Boutique Shop and a Duty-Free Grocery and Appliance Center, quite similar to the one at SM Northwing but with a more classy ambiance. It also houses a branch of Casino Filipino where you can gamble your life away.
• Head to Cebu’s old quarters in Carlock Street and try riding a horse drawn carriage called a tartanilla. Remember to negotiate with the driver before taking a ride.
• The island gets especially busy on the third Sunday of January due to the Sinulog Festival. It is the local way of honouring the Child Jesus. Main thoroughfares around the city are blocked for an all-day and all-night loud and colourful street party. Don’t forget your dancing shoes!
• Try riding in the most colorful and most popular mode of transportation in the country: the jeepney. Unlike in Metro Manila, Cebu jeepneys are far more colourful with drivers having a little more respect to their passengers. (They simply don’t start driving until all passengers have either seated or disembarked completely. Manila jeeps tend to run even if your one foot is still on the street.) Cebu jeeps also have numbers or route numbers, unlike in Manila. You won’t have to read every jeep’s routes if you have seen their numbers. Fares start at PhP 7.00; or 12 US cents.
• The Marcelo Fernan Bridge or Second Mactan Bridge offers some interesting views of the city at night, and is even picturesque from below. Arrange for a taxi to take you there.
• Spend a day at paradise in one of Mactan’s numerous beaches, or Olango Wildlife Sanctuary which is just a short boat ride away. (Well, it might not be a good idea to go there if Avian Flu measures are in force.)
• Try visiting Crocolandia for witnessing different sizes of crocodiles, snakes, deers and birds. In order to get there, you’ll have to ride a jeepney that travels to Talisay (PhP 12.00 from City Link Van-For-Hire Terminal to Talisay). Just ask the driver if he/she is familiar with Crocolandia, usually you will be dropped at the Eskenita. From there you have to ride a “trisikad” where its fare would cost you only Php 5.00. The entrance fee of Crocolandia is only PhP 80.00.

Best Buys

Cebu City has many shopping malls – the biggest being SM City Cebu, which is a four-level shopping mall with a huge department store, supermarket, movie theater and over 200 shops and restaurants. A more upscale shopping mall is the Ayala Mall, it also has a large department store, two supermarkets and a movie theater, and it offers more restaurants and stores that appeal to tourists. These are modern buildings with lots of western goods in addition to local stores. There are other, older and smaller malls dotted all over the city, such as Country Mall, Robinson’s Mall, e-Mall, Mango Square and Cebu Parkmall. In addition to this there are many stores and places to stop. One nice place is the Colon part of the Old Downtown.

If you need to fix something there are hardware stores in all of the malls. Cebu Home and Builders Center along AS Fortuna-Mandaue, Mactan (near old bridge) and Cebu Parkmall is the home depot style that carries the most complete line for finishing and building materials. There is a large warehouse store called Makro, located near SM that offers good prices on goods in bulk. Another great place to buy household goods on the cheap is White Gold, also near SM. For furniture the two best places to go is Sun Gold and Mandaue Foam, just remember to ask for at least 10-20% off the price. If you want to buy groceries just like you would get at home the two supermarkets located in Ayala Mall are by far the best choice. You may opt for SM Supermarket in SM City or for best value go to SaveMore Supermarket in Mactan Marina Mall, E-Mall (Elizabeth Mall) and it’s largest branch in VisMin at Cebu Parkmall.

Bookstores

• Fully Booked, Level 2, The Terraces, Ayala Center Cebu, Cebu Business Park, ☎ +63.32.4171007, ☎ +63.32.4171400 (fb_cebu@fullybookedonline.com). A modern Borders-like bookshop with a good selection of imported fiction and non-fiction books, and a smaller collection of books about the Philippines. There is an in-shop cafe.
• National Book Store, AYALA CENTER: Second Level, Ayala Center Cebu, Archbishop Reyes Avenue; MANGO CEBU: Ground Floor, Mango Plaza, General Maxilom Avenue (corner with J. Osmeña Street); SM CITY CEBU: Upper Ground Floor, SM City Cebu, North Reclamation Area, AYALA CENTER: ☎ +63.32.2314006, ☎ +63.32.2314090; MANGO CENTER: ☎ +63.32.2554832, ☎ +63.32.2554644; SM CITY CEBU: ☎ +63.32.2315496, ☎ +63.32.2315498 (info@nationalbookstore.com.ph, AYALA CENTER telefax: ☎ +63.32.2313858; MANGO CENTER: ☎ +63.32.2547334; SM CITY CEBU: ☎ +63.32.2315497). AYALA CENTER and SM CITY CEBU: 10:00-21:00; MANGO CENTER: Mon-Sat 09:00-20:00, Sun 09:00-19:00. Visit this chain of bookshops located in Ayala Center Cebu, Mango Cebu and SM City Cebu for good deals on local and foreign books, academic texts and stationery.

Where to eat

The great thing about Cebu is that, while being an island paradise, on the one hand, it’s also a sophisticated city, with a wide range of pretty decent restaurants to choose from.

Cebu has Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Italian, Continental, Fusion, and of course local Restaurants. It also has International Cuisine like American, Spanish, Thai and Indian. For tourists the two best areas to find great restaurants are Ayala Mall and IT Park. Ayala Center Cebu recently opened a modern extension called The Terraces with an abundance of food choices adjacent to Marriott Hotel. It also has two grocery stores with large sections of food imported from the rest of the world. The IT Park has over 20 great restaurants and most of them are open 24 hours a day. Both of these eating areas offer free Wi-Fi.

On the other hand, SM City Cebu also opened an extension to the main mall called SM Northwing with more than 10 choices of local and international cuisines waiting to be discovered.

Street-food abounds in Cebu and is amazingly cheap. You can buy all sorts of Philippine delicacies from the many street stalls scattered around Cebu City. Traditional Marinated Sweet Pork or Chicken Barbeque on sticks is a must-try, along with “Halo-Halo”, a refreshing mix of grated ice, sweet beans, tropical fruits and ice cream.

Best Theme Restaurant “OUT of AFRICA BBQ STEAKHOUSE” PARKMALL, Exotic Foods, Crocodile, Ostrich, Wild Boar, Carabao, Turtle, Deer,Lamb, Venison. Kebabs. Museum Ambiance: 100 year old Antiques, Paintings, Sculptures. Upstairs: Safari Lodge Function Room.

• Cielo, 2nd Level, The Forum, Archbishop Reyes, ☎ +63.32.4129887, cielocebu@gmail.com. Open daily, except Mon., 11:00-14:00 and 18:00-24:00. Lounge is open till sunrise on weekends. Cielo is an authentic Italian restaurant with a contemporary bar and lounge, the interior and music is quite reminiscent of NY City. Specialties include gourmet pizzas, pasta, osso buco, scallopini ala marsala and traditional Italian desserts such as bread pudding, panna cotta, tartufo.
• The Jungle Restaurant and Entertainment – Mactan Island – Native Filipino Style Foods, served in a Native basket with a banana leaf. International foods also available, Japanese, Korean, European, Western. Plus the Filipino/International Cultural Show which comes with your meal. Enjoy a great meal and watch dances from the Philippines, Korea, Japan, India, Hawaii. And the best is the FIREDANCERS.
• La Buona Forchetta da Paolo Ristorante Pizzeria at the Advent Business Center (139 Acacia St, Kamputhaw) is popular among foreign residents for offering authentic Italian cuisine at reasonable prices. Equally noteworthy Italian restaurants are La Tegola (with outlets in Busay and Banilad) and Brescia (Salinas Drive, Lahug), which also has a wide range of imported wines.
• Se Bens Authentic Cebu Lechon/Bens Lechon – We accept orders for Manila, Aviation Approved Packing. Please call ☎ +63.9173232888, ☎ +63.32.4204320 for your orders. Popular for its Native Cebu Lechon, Bens Lechon has branches in SaveMore in Mactan Marina Mall, Airport Road going to the Mactan-Cebu International Airport opens daily and in SaveMore at Parkmall Mandaue. And its newly opened Lechon and Grille located across SM City Cebu on the Cebu Famous STK Food Street offers Su-Tu-Kil or locally refered to as “STK” – Sugba, Tuwa and Kinilaw, offering Sinugbang Panga, tuna belly, squid and the famous Bisaya (Native) Chicken, our must-try Pochero or Bulalo, Calderetang Kambing along with other Filipino dishes for locals, local tourists and foreign tourists. Everyone is welcomed to enjoy the Filipino Foods together with Cebuano Hospitality to complete your visit to Cebu. Please call for directions and reservations at ☎ +63.32.4129799 or email them at sebenslechon@gmail.com.
• Golden Cowrie in Salinas Drive and SM Mall are without doubt the best native food in the city at reasonable price.
• Giuseppe’s in Marie Luisa Drive, Banilad has the best authentic pizza in the province. The rest of the menu at this excellent Italian restaurant is good if not a little expensive.
• KK’s Malaysian Restaurant in the IT Park prepares some of the best wok cooked food around. Fresh, authentic and driven by a team of father and his 2 sons.
• Spice Fusion in Banilad Town Centre and a new branch in SM offer a wide selection of SE Asian food.
• Hola Espanol for that perfect Spanish cuisine while in the Philippines. Try their Paella Negra, and other paella varieties.
• A Taste of Mandarin for one of the best Cantonese cooking, in Gaisano Country Mall.
• CNT Lechon for the authentic and the best Cebu Lechon (roast suckling pig). Their restaurant branch is alfresco and is located outside SM City Cebu. Remember what Filipinos say all the time: The best lechon is from Cebu. The best lechon in Cebu is from CNT. So this is simply the best of the best! It is also possible to bring back some piece (or whole!) of the finest lechon to friends and family as far as Hong Kong by asking the personnel to provide you a take out box for a nominal fee.
• Jo’s Chicken Inato for that delectable inasal or Chickecn barbeque, a local favorite.
• Alberto’s Pizza, opposite Vicente Sotto Hospital in B. Rodriguez Avenue, offers a good and rather affordable locally made thin crust pizza.
• Ang Manok ni Senor Pedro specializes in Lechon Manok or roasted chicken which is a local favorite.
• Chika-an, Cafe Laguna, Lighthouse Restaurant, Gerry’s Grill, La Mesa Grill have quite similar themes: Filipino cuisine, with varying budget levels. The first three being quite pricey but good; the other two being priced like almost all usual restaurants.
• Moon Cafe for that Mexican chimichangga, very well priced with a traditional Mexican ambiance.
• The more adventurous can choose from numerous franchises that offer local Cebuano fare: Goodah-Gud, Neo-Neo, Tsibogs, Ang Manok ni Senor Pedro (to name a few). The first three, Goodah-Gud, Tsibogs and Neo-Neo, have an almost identical theme – you can choose from a selection of fresh seafood and meat which can be cooked any way you like (that is, grilled, steamed, baked, etc.). A popular term for a combination of dishes is called Su-Tu-Kil, short for “sugba” (grilled), “tula” (soup-based/with broth), and “kilaw” (raw, soaked/pickled in vinegar).

Desserts, Pastries and Cakes

• Postrio Bakery and Cafe – Cebu-based bakeshop and cafe.
• Red Ribbon Bakeshop – Nationwide bakeshop owned by the Jollibee corporation with several outlets in Cebu.
• Chedz Designer Cakes – Cebu-based bakeshop specializing in designer birthday and wedding cakes.
• Goldilocks – Nationwide bakeshop with outlets in Cebu.
• La Marea – Cebu-based bakeshops specializing in cakes.
• Leonas Cakes and Pastries – Cebu-based dessert and pastry shop with several outlets in Cebu. Try their Banana Walnut Cake! It’s simply the best!
• Dessert Factory – Dessert restaurant in Ayala Center Cebu.
• Cebu La Fortuna Bakery – Try their masi, a Chinese-Filipino sweet product of crush nuts and sugar wrapped in rice paste. This is their only excellent product; the others may not be worth much for a try.

Social Drinking

• Mango Avenue and Mango Square is where the bulk of the nightlife is located. The typical venues are nightclubs, bars and KTV’s. There is also a variety of strip clubs lined up on Mango Avenue leading up to Mango Square. There are also dispersed strip clubs and local-frequented bars off the beaten track. Ask a local taxi driver of their whereabouts.
• Juliana’s, a large dance club in Mango Square, is crowded every night of the week. A local beer will cost you only PhP 45.00. The more expensive drinks are around PhP 280.00. Excellent bar staff. This establishment is especially popular with young Japanese and Korean tourists.
• Se Bens Authentic Cebu Lechon offers the Authentic Cebu Lechon Taste and Quality with other pulutan menus with your favorite beer along with its Native Filipino short orders such as Pochero or Bulalo on its newly opened restaurant and grille. Visit Se Bens to experience the Cebuano Hospitality.
• Waterfront Hotel and Casino Cebu – Gamble away your kid’s college fund and drink all night in this 5-star hotel and entertainment center.
• Crossroads is an array of shops and restaurants that offer an alternative nightlife to IT Park which is just nearby.
• The Jungle Restaurant and Entertainment, Mactan Island – Also offer’s a full Bar. We carry over 175 different cocktails, shooter, shots, liquors, sprits, shakes, juices, beers. Imported and local. Have your drinks after dinner and laugh, scream, participate in the most exciting and fun International Cultural Performances you will find nowhere else but only in Cebu. The ONLY place in Mactan Island that offer’s such a variety of different shows.

Accommodations

Budget-wise

• Bodo’s Bamboo Bar Resort, Pasol, Alcoy 6023, Cebu, Philippines, ☎ +63.32.4839119. This stunning spacious resort in the south of Cebu has been built on a heightened plateau, of approx. 1 hectare. Due to the heightened location and the spaciously distributed buildings, a pleasant breeze constantly blows through in the whole resort. Best rates on official website start at PhP 1,340.00.
• Gran Prix Econotel Cebu, 3rd Floor Coast Pacific Business Center Corner F. Ramos St. and General Maxilom Avenue, Cebu City, Philippines, ☎ +63.32.254.9169, +63.32.2533072. Gran Prix Econotel Cebu officially rolled out its red carpet to both foreign and local travelers, as the newest and the most innovative econotel in Cebu. The first of its kind in the Visayas, Gran Prix Econotel Cebu takes pride in its personalized, efficient and fast service, comfortable accommodation, affordable rates and perfect location. Best rates on official website start at PhP 999.00.
• Sugbutel Bed & Bath, S. Osmeña Street, North Reclamation Area, Cebu City, ☎ +63.32.2328888. Check-in: 2:00 PM; Check-out: 12:00 PM. Located within a 3-5 minute walk from SM City Cebu Mall complex, Sugbutel (www.sugbutel.com) is the best and the most affordable hostel accommodation in Cebu and has a fully airconditioned accommodation area with free Wi-Fi internet access, 24-hour security with CCTV cameras, 24-hour back-up generator plus an entertainment area with its widescreen LCD TV. ONLY PhP 250.00 (approximately US$6)/person/night.
• LJD Dormitory, 0363 Tudtud Street, Nasville Nasipit, Talamban, Cebu City, ☎ +63.32.3454486. Check-in: 6:00 AM; Check-out: 5:00 AM. LJD Dorm is in the heart of Cebu City at the fringe of the universities, business and commercial district and is close to several restaurants, parks and malls. The amenities are flexible depending on the needs of the clients and tenants. Catering, loading, computer services, game and sports facilities are also available… they’ve got everything right where you want it. PhP 500.00 (approximately $ 11.00) /unit/night.
• Days Hotel Cebu, Airport Road, Matumbo Pusok Hills, Mactan Island, ☎ +63.32.4955381/telefax: ☎ +63.32.4955386. Situated right in the emerging investments powerhouse of Cebu, Days Cebu Airport Hotel Mactan – enjoys the accessibility of the two-minute drive to the new Mactan-Cebu International Airport plus the added advantage of the single biggest instrument of the development for the island, the Mactan Export Processing Zone. It is just a 30-minute drive to Cebu City, shopping malls and the financial district. With its ideal location, Days Hotel Mactan – Cebu is the most convenient place to stay while doing business or simply jetsetting in the south.
• Cebuview Tourist Inn, 200 Sanciangko Street, ☎ +63.32.2548333/telefax: ☎ +63.32.2549777. Located in the seedy downtown area, near all jeepney routes. Unsafe, has a bad reputation with pimps strutting their stuffs right at the very entrance. PhP 640.00.
• Casa Rosario, 101 F. Ramon Aboitiz Street, ☎ +63.32.2535134. This is a simple yet a very relaxing and customer-friendly place to stay. High speed internet is available in selected rooms. Best rates on official website start at $ 18.00.
• Cebu Northwinds Hotel, Salinas Drive, Lahug, ☎ +63.32.2330311 (info@cebunorthwinds.com, telefax: ☎ +63.32.2325507).
• Century Hotel, Corner Colon and Pelaez St., ☎ +63.32.2551341 to 1347; ☎ +63.32.2551652 (telefax: ☎ +63.32.2551600). Offers budget accommodation rates that are very backpacker-friendly. Current daily rates (as of 25.Jan.2009): PhP 550.00 single/double room; PhP 790.00 triple room; PhP 860.00 family room (1 double, 3 single beds). All with cable TV, hot and cold water (shower) and airconditioned. Single rooms go for PhP 385.00 ($ 8.00), PhP 440.00 (with cable TV); double economy for PhP 444.00 ($ 9.00); double standard for PhP 484.00 ($ 10.00), PhP 539.00 (with cable TV); double deluxe for PhP 594.00; twin for PhP 627.00; family for PhP 737.00, and suite rooms for PhP 902.00 ($ 19.00).
• Golden Valley Hotel, 155 Pelaez Street, ☎ +63.32.253.8660 (telefax: ☎ +63.32.2538482). A new, clean and friendly hotel in the downtown area. Best rates on official website start at PhP 750.00 ($ 15.00).
• Hotel de Mercedes, 7 Pelaez Street, ☎ +63.32.253.1105 (telefax: ☎ +63.32.2533880). Your comfortable stay in Cebu City, Philippines is assured at Hotel de Mercedes. Its wide range of services and facilities plus their 110 fully airconditioned rooms fitted with all modern amenities ensure a relaxing and worry-free stay. Best rates on official website start at $ 15.00.
• Island and Sun Beach Resort
• Kiwi Lodge, 1060 G Tud Tud Street, Mabolo, ☎ +63.32.2329550 (telefax: ☎ +63.32.2329550). KIWILODGE is a family-run hotel in Cebu, Philippines owned, built, and operated by the Dunlop family since 1998. The Dunlop family have lived in Cebu for many years, and have created a comfortable relaxing atmosphere for travelers. It is centrally located in the city between Ayala Center and SM City Cebu, the two largest malls in Cebu, the pier (shipping port) for those island forays, as well as to the midtown and historical downtown areas, about 5 mins. from the bar nightlife and only 30 mins. to the airport. Our airconditioned rooms are clean with ensuite bathrooms with hot water. Details with regard to bookings, inquiries, off-season discounts, and monthly discounts are available in our website, www.kiwilodge.org. Our friendly and helpful staff are only too happy to help you with your queries. The large bar and Western style restaurant provides cold beer and a large array of Western style food, catering for the foreign traveler in Cebu. The Bar is open from 0700 – 2300. Many patrons are expatriates who live in Cebu and are very helpful in giving advices on ‘how to’ or ‘where to’ on things around Cebu and the nearby islands. Make yourself welcome and don’t hesitate to ask for any information about Cebu or the Philippines. Our restaurant has a selection of over 80 favorite dishes from Britain, Australia and of course, New Zealand. The menu selection ranges from our ever popular all-day breakfast (real bacon and eggs (cooked in any way you like)) to “down under” meat pies, fish and chips, right through to roast dinners using imported lamb and beef. Best rates on official website start at $ 20.00.
• Pier Cuatro Hotel, 3rd Avenue, North Reclamation Area, ☎ +63.32.2367437. Check-in: 12:00; Check-out: 12:00. The most convenient place for people looking to do business in the city’s port area. 24/7 room service and complimentary in-room Wi-Fi in all rooms.
• Stakili Estaca Beach Garden Resort, Km. 23 Estaca, Compostela Cebu, ☎ +63.32.4258188 (telefax: ☎ +63.32.4258062). Set on a beachline that stretches up to 1.2 kilometers and covered by tall palms, balete trees and other tropical greens, the Stakili has 40 rooms of varying sizes and features giving guests the comfort of home. Best rates on official website start at $ 15.00.
• Westpoint Inn, 297 Don Gil Garcia St., ☎ +63.32.2543433 (telefax: ☎ +63.32.2544524). This budget hotel is simple yet elegantly designed with a warm and friendly atmosphere any business or leisure traveler would appreciate. Best rates on official website start at $ 13.00.
• San Remigio Beach Club, Prime Movers Compound, Bacalla Subdivision, Holy Name St., Mabolo, Cebu City, Philippines, ☎ +63.32.2310382 , ☎ +63.32.4224070, ☎ +63.32.2317075. Price: PhP 1,500.00.

Mid-range

• Diplomat Hotel, 90 F. Ramos St., Cebu, Philippines, ☎ +63.32.2530099. Diplomat Hotel enjoys a central location in downtown Cebu. It is about 40 minutes from the airport and only 15 minutes away from the nearest ferry station. Rest comes easy in the comfort of the 100 airconditioned rooms at Diplomat Hotel. Relish the convenience of having a cable TV, mini-bar, room safe, and hot & cold shower at your disposal.
• Alta Cebu Resort, Tugbungan, Pilipog, Cordova, Cebu 6017, ☎ +63.32.4967881, ☎ +63.32.4967812, ☎ +63.32.4967399. Alta Cebu Resort is Cebu’s newest 4-Star Resort. It is only 3 miles away from Lapu-Lapu City, and a short 4 mile drive from the Mactan-Cebu International Airport. For as low as $ 49.00, you can get a premiere room that will let you experience the feel of living in an authentic native jungle village with all modern conveniences. Best rates on official website start at $ 49.00.
• Rajah Park Hotel, Fuente Osmeña, ☎ +63.32.4123337 (telefax: ☎ +63.32.4124899). The eight-story Cebu Hotel offers 89 standard and deluxe accommodations. Most of the rooms have a great view of Fuente Circle, a beautiful park. Each airconditioned guest room at Rajah Park is elegantly decorated and is equipped with modern amenities to ensure your stay is as comfortable as possible. $ 35.00 for the basic up to $ 100.00 for a huge suite.
• SDR Serviced Apartments, Mactan Island, ☎ +63.32.2383929 (telefax: ☎ +63.32.3407902). SDR Serviced Apartments is just 3 minutes from the airport. Excellent value for money. All apartments have kitchen and full cooking facilities. Their smallest rooms are huge: 36.5 sq.m. (390 sq.ft.) Their nightly rate is only $ 33.00 for the studio. They also have huge 2 bedroom loft apartments 65.74 sq.m. (720 sq.ft.). When you consider the rooms, they are equal to any 4-star hotel, modern and include free Wi-Fi (4 Mb), cable TV, DVD Player and a large refrigerator with freezer.
• Casa del Mar Golf Resort, Brgy. Maño, Bancasan, San Remigio. Casa del Mar Golf Cebu Resort’s charming Spanish architecture and cozy Mediterranean interiors are embraced by Cebu’s pristine white sand beach and crystal clear waters. Offering unmatched and premier elegance and comfort, this golf and dive hotel is designed in the tradition of classic upscale resorts Cebu is famous for. Best rates on official website start at $ 63.00.
• Castle Peak, F. Cabahug cor. Pres. Quezon St, Villa Aurora Mabolo. Rates: Standard – PhP 1,188.00/2; Superior – PhP 1,388.00/3; Deluxe – PhP 1,688.00/4; Executive Suite – PhP 1,888.00/5; Castle Peak Suite – PhP 2,488.00/6; extra bed – PhP 400.00.
• Cebu Grand Hotel, Cebu Capitol Complex, North Escario St., ☎ +63.32.2546331 (telefax: ☎ +63.32.2546363). Guests of Cebu Grand Hotel can expect comfortable and budget-friendly accommodations from this cheerful boutique hotel! All of its 99 rooms are tastefully appointed with all the necessary amenities. Best rates on official website start at $ 36.00.
• Cebu Midtown Hotel, Fuente Osmeña, ☎ +63.32.2539711 (telefax: ☎ +63.32.2539763). The ten-story Cebu Hotel offers 200 standard and deluxe accommodations with breathtaking panoramic views of the city. Each airconditioned guest room at the Cebu Midtown is elegantly decorated and is equipped with modern amenities to ensure your stay is as comfortable as possible. Best rates on official website start at $ 39.00.
• Costabella Beach Resort, Buyong, Mactan Island, ☎ +63.32.2314244 (telefax: ☎ +63.32.2314415). This scenic resort in Cebu, which takes its name from the Spanish for ‘beautiful coast,’ lives up to its name by offering its guests a scenic coastal view, complete with white sandy beaches and green tropical palms and foliage leading you to an awe-inspiring expanse of Philippine ocean. Best rates on official website start $ 70.00.
• Crown Regency Residences, V. Rama Avenue, Guadalupe, ☎ +63.32.2557541 to 48 (telefax: ☎ +63.32.2555060). Crown Regency Residences has of unmatched accessibility with its strategic location along V. Rama Avenue, Guadalupe. This places the hotel minutes away from the provincial capitol, historic Fuente Osmeña and Guadalupe Church. Each of Crown Regency Residences’ 167 rooms is designed to provide a homey ambience to ensure your utmost comfort. Best rates on official website start at $ 32.00.
• Crown Regency Hotel and Towers, Osmeña Blvd, ☎ +63.32.4187777 (telefax: ☎ +63.32.4187161). The Crown Regency Hotel & Towers is a newly launched hotel in Cebu City, standing over Fuente Osmeña. This two-tower structure – one stands 23 storeys, the other 38 – holds 18 floors of a full-amenity hotel, as well as a medical diagnostic building, several shops, and office space. Best rates on official website start at $ 80.00.
• Nalusuan Island Cebu Resort and Marine Sanctuary, Olango Reef, Cordova, Mactan, Cebu, Philippines, ☎ +63.32.4924388 (telefax: ☎ +63.32.4258062). This Cebu beach resort lets you fully enjoy aqua sports activities like wave runners, jet skiing, scuba diving, and water skiing. Snorkel in the protected coral garden and marvel at the beauty of the Philippines’ marine life. The Nalusuan experience so truly rustic and back-to-nature that, from 08:00 up to 18:00. Daily, this island paradise resort is powered by two things: the sun and the smiles of its staff! Best rates on official website start at $ 30.00.
• The Golden Peak Hotel and Suites, ☎ +63.32.2339770 (sales@goldenpeakhotel.com, telefax: ☎ +63.32.2315611). The Golden Peak Hotel & Suites is conveniently located at the center of Cebu’s commercial and financial district. It is within walking distance to major commercial and shopping areas and is less than 30 minutes away by car from the Mactan-Cebu International Airport. All 140 guestrooms and suites are gracefully designed with a view of dynamic cityscape. These rooms are equipped with satellite cable TV, bath tub, centralized aircon, telephone with IDD and NDD facility. Sales & reservations, Gorrordo Avenue corner Escario Street, Cebu City, Philippines. Rates start at PhP 1,900.00.

Splurge

• Alegre Beach Resort, Calumboyan, Sogod, Island of Cebu, Philippines, ☎ +63.32.2556388. Located along the northern part of Cebu, Philippines, Alegre Beach Resort is sought for its quaintness and breathtaking scenery. Spend your holiday in a world all your own, walking along the pristine white sand beaches and basking in the brilliant sun. Alegre offers options for romance, dun and relaxation for vacationers of all ages, making your stay an unforgettable experience. Best rates on official website start at $ 190.00.
• Badian Island Resort and Spa Cebu, Badian Island, ☎ +63.32.4751103 (telefax: ☎ +63.32.4751101).
• Cebu Hilton Resort and Spa, Mactan Island
• Crown Regency Suites Mactan, Maximo Patalinhug Jr. Avenue, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, ☎ +63.32.3414586 to 94 (telefax: ☎ +63.32.3414595). Crown Regency Suites is comfortably close to the Mactan Export Processing Zone II and is only minutes away from one of the world’s best beaches and the Mactan-Cebu International Airport. Best rates on official website start at $ 85.00.
• Mactan Island Shangri-La Resort and Spa, Mactan Island.
• The Marco Polo Cebu Plaza, Cebu Veterans Drive, Nivel Hills, Lahang, ☎ +63.32.2531111 (telefax: ☎ +63.32.4172980).
• Marriott Hotel, Ayala Business Park.
• Plantation Bay, Marigondon, ☎ +63.32.3405900 (telefax: ☎ +63.32.3405988).
• White Sands at Maribago Beach, Mactan Island, ☎ +63.32.2337893 (telefax: ☎ +63.32.2337891). Cebu White Sands Beach is situated on the east coast of Mactan Island off the main island of Cebu.
• Waterfront Airport Hotel and Casino Mactan, 1 Airport Road, Lapu-Lapu City, ☎ +63.32.3404888 (telefax: ☎ +63.32.5340862). If your routine calls for the most convenient location, this hotel is located literally a stone’s throw from the airport terminal. Five-star accommodations and a variety of amenities, facilities, and services make it a no-brainer for a Cebu business trip or vacation.
• Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino Mactan, 1 Salinas Drive, Lahug, ☎ +63.32.2326888 (telefax: ☎ +63.32.2326880). The Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino is a mere 30 minutes away from the airport, and with its ideal location in the heart of the Cebu capital, this hotel provides a luxurious and opulent home base from which to do business or explore this historic island.
• Cordova Reef Village Resort, ☎ +63.32.2381878, ☎ +63.32.2363343, ☎ +63.32.2363344, ☎ +63.32.4968079. The resort is surrounded by the Camotes Sea in the east and the Bohol Strait. It is located at the coastal town of Cordova, Mactan, Cebu, Philippines. Room Rate starts at $ 150.00+.
• Island and Sun Beach Resort, ☎ +63.32.2381878, ☎ +63.32.2363343, ☎ +63.32.2363344, ☎ +63.32.4968079. Island and Sun Beach Resort nestles in Hilutungan Island, Cordova, Cebu, Philippines. It houses a total of 25 Deluxe Rooms with 5 Single Deluxe Villas and 20 Double Deluxe Villas, all of which have aircondition, cable TV, refrigerator, bathtub, private toilet and bath with hot & cold water, and a fully stocked mini-bar. Room rate starts at $ 188.00+.
• The Resort Club at Hilton Cebu, ☎ +63.32.4927788. The Resort Club at Hilton Cebu lies 10 minutes away from the Mactan-Cebu International Airport. It is close to Magellan’s Cross, Mactan Island Aquarium Museum, and Tops (a sightseeing spot offering a view of Cebu City). Some of their facilities include a swimming pool, spa, salon, and Internet access within the resort’s premises. Room rate starts at $ 250.00.

Consulate Offices

• Austria – CRM Bldg., Escario cor. Molave St., Cebu City, ☎ +63.32.2310605, ☎ +63.32.231-4030. Honorary Consul: Mr. Arcadio C. Alegrado.
• Belgium – 6/F Insular Life Bldg., Gorordo Ave., Cebu City, ☎ +63.32.2315331, ☎ +63.32.2322676. Honorary Consul: Mr. Enrique L. Benedicto.
• Canada – 45/L Andres Abellana St., Cebu City, ☎ +63.32.2563320, ☎ +63.32.2544749. Honorary Consul: Mr. Robert O. Lee.
• Chile – Aboitiz Bldg., Banilad, Cebu City, ☎ +63.32.2312580, ☎ +63.32.2310633. Honorary Consul: Mr. Luis M. Aboitiz.
• Denmark – Unit 903, 9th floor Keppel Centre, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City, ☎ +63.32.2331328, ☎ +63.32.2331323. Honorary Consul: Mr. Sabino Dapat.
• France – Blue Planet, 556 Juan Luna Ave., Mabolo, Cebu City, ☎ +63.32.2320935, ☎ +63.32.2320936. Honorary Consul: Mr. Richard Fourteau.
• Japan – 12/F Metrobank Plaza Bldg., Osmena Blvd., Cebu City, ☎ +63.32.255-0287 to 89. Honorary Consul: Mr. Takashi Suzuki.
• Mexico – Mezzanine Floor, Wee Bldg., 424 Gorordo Ave., Cebu City, ☎ +63.32.2332785, ☎ +63.32.2332792. Honorary Consul: Mr. Louis G. Ugarte.
• Netherlands – Mathaphil Compound Tipolo, Mandaue City, ☎ +63.32.3461823. Honorary Consul: Mr. Roberto E. Aboitiz.
• Norway – Aboitiz & Co. Bldg., Banilad, Cebu City, ☎ +63.32.2323133, ☎ +63.32.2320396. Honorary Consul: Mr. Andoni F. Aboitiz.
• Panama – 103-107 Plaridel St., Cebu City, ☎ +63.32.2547025. Honorary Consul: Mrs. Emily B. Chioson.
• People’s Republic of China – Cebu Fil-Chinese Volunteers, Don Julio Llorente St., Capitol Site, Cebu City, ☎ +63.32.2563400, ☎ +63.32.2563456. Honorary Consul: Mr. Wu Liangi.
• Portugal – Cadiz Steel Corporation, Tingub Road, Mandaue City, ☎ +63.32.3440233, ☎ +63.32.3466293. Honorary Consul: Mr. Samuel L. Chioson.
• Slovak Republic – Grand Cement Manufacturing Corp., 6/F Insular Bank Bldg., Gorordo cor. Maxilom Ave., Cebu City, ☎ +63.32.2315333, ☎ +63.32.2314825. Honorary Consul: Mr. Antonio Chiu.
• Spain – 476-G Molave St., Lahug, Cebu City, ☎ +63.32.2311329, ☎ +63.32.2315159. Honorary Consul: Mr. Jaime R. Picornel.
• Sweden – 415 Gorordo Ave., Lahug, Cebu City, ☎ +63.32.2333106. Honorary Consul: Mr. Jose B. Sala.
• Switzerland – Diplomat Bldg., Ramos St., Cebu City, ☎ +63.32.2537012, ☎ +63.32.2537078. Honorary Consul: Mr. Markus Stern.
• Thailand – Eastern Shipping Lines Bldg., M.J. Cuenco Ave., Cebu City, ☎ +63.32.2329511, ☎ +63.32.2546202. Honorary Consul: Mr.Roy L. Chiongbian.
• Turkey – B. Benedicto & Sons, Inc., 103-107 Plaridel St., Cebu City, ☎ +63.32.2544624, ☎ +63.32.2550113. Honorary Consul: Ms. Leontina L. Benedicto.
• United Kingdom – Villa Terrace, Greenhills Road, Casuntingan, Mandaue City, ☎ +63.32.3460525, ☎ +63.32.3460269. Honorary Consul: Ms. Moya Jackson.
• United States of America – 3rd Floor, PCIB Bldg., Gorordo Ave., Cebu City, ☎ +63.32.2311261 to 63. Consular Agent: Mr. John F. Domingo.

Embassies of major tourist arrivals in Cebu with no Consulate in Cebu City:

• Australia – 104 Paseo de Roxas cor. Perea St., Legaspi Village, P.O. Box 1274 Makati City.
• Germany – Botschaft, 777 Paseo de Roxas, Solid Bank Bldg., MC P.O. Box 992 Makati City.

Getting out

• The island of Cebu is made up of various cities, small municipalities and towns. The most prominent, and perhaps, well visited are the three main cities in the island: Cebu City (the capital of the island), Mandaue City, and Lapu-Lapu City (where the airport is located).
• A day trip to the northern and southern municipalities and towns are recommended if you are looking for unspoiled beaches (and if you are trying to get away from the populated and commercial beaches of Mactan island). Hop on a car and head to the towns of Moalboal, Danao, Liloan, Bantayan, Minglanilla, and many more to experience the best beaches in the country.
• When traveling to the south of Cebu, forget about driving along choked South Expressway. Head the South Coastal Road for a scenic drive down south. The South Coastal Road cuts travel time from the city to the Hispanic town of Carcar by almost an hour. And oh, on a clear day, you can see the mountains of Bohol island on the horizon.
• The Mactan Cebu International Airport has two terminals situated next to each other under one terminal building. If you arrive by car, you will arrive at the International Departures first before the Domestic Departures area. Expect to pay PhP 200.00 for domestic flights and PhP 550.00 for international flights.
• A day trip to Bohol, Ormoc is possible with a variety of fast passenger ferries that service the islands.

Source: wikitravel.org

The city is located on the eastern shore of Cebu and was the first Spanish settlement in the Philippines. Cebu is the Philippines’ main domestic shipping port and is home to about 80% of the country’s domestic shipping companies. Cebu also holds the second largest international flights in the Philippines and is a significant centre of commerce, trade and industry in the Visayas and Mindanao region. According to the 2007 Philippine census, the city has a population of about 798,809 people.

Cebu City is the centre of a metropolitan area called Metro Cebu, which includes the cities of Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and Talisay. Metro Cebu has a total population of about 2 million people. The Mactan-Cebu International Airport, located in Lapu-Lapu City is only a twenty-minute drive away from Cebu City. To the northeast of the city are Mandaue City and the town of Consolacion, to the west are Toledo City, the towns of Balamban and Asturias, to the south are Talisay City and the town of Minglanilla. Across Mactan Strait to the east is Mactan Island where Lapu-Lapu City and an aquarium attraction are located.

History

Before being colonized by Spain in the 16th century, Cebu was a trading settlement with a Islamic and Animist population. On April 7, 1521, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan landed in Cebu. He was welcomed by Rajah Humabon, the chieftain of Cebu, who together with his wife and about 700 native islanders, were baptized by the Spaniards on April 14, 1521. Magellan, however, failed to successfully claim the Philippines for the crown of Spain, having been slain by Datu Lapu-Lapu, a chieftain in Mactan Island on April 27, 1521 in the Battle of Mactan.

On April 27, 1565, Spanish explorers led by Miguel López de Legazpi, together with Augustinian Friar Andrés de Urdaneta, sailing from Mexico, landed in Cebu. The Spaniards established settlements, trade flourished and renamed the city on January 1, 1571, from San Miguel (Saint Michael) to Villa del Santísimo Nombre de Jesús (Village of the Most Holy Name of Jesus). During this six year period of exploration and conquest by the Spaniards, Cebu City was the capital of the Spanish East Indies.

Cebu City attained the status of a charter city in 1936.

Culture

Cebu City is a significant cultural centre in the Philippines. The city’s most famous landmark is Magellan’s Cross. This cross, now housed in a chapel, was supposedly planted by Ferdinand Magellan when he arrived in the Philippines in 1521. It was encased in hollow tindalo wood in 1835 upon the order of the Augustinian Bishop Santos Gómez Marañon to prevent devotees from taking it home chip by chip. The same bishop restored the present template or kiosk, located at the present Magellan street between City Hall and Colegio del Santo Niño. Revered by Filipinos, the Cross of Magellan is a symbol of the beginning of Christianity in the Philippines.

A few steps away from the Magellan’s Cross is the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño (Church of the Holy Child), an Augustinian church which was elevated to the rank of basilica in 1965 during the 400th year celebrations of Christianity in the Philippines, held in Cebu. The church, which was the first to be established in the islands. It is built of hewn stone, and features the country’s oldest relic, the image of the Santo Niño de Cebu (Holy Child of Cebu).

This religious event is celebrated on the islands cultural festivities known as the Sinulog festival, held every third Sunday of January which celebrates the festival of the Santo Niño, the patron saint of Cebu. The Sinulog is a dance ritual of pre-Hispanic indigenous origin. The dancer moves two steps forward and one step backward to the rhythmic sound of drums. This movement resembles somewhat the current (sulog) of the river. Thus, the Cebuanos called it Sinulog.
Procession during the Feast Day of the Santo Niño.

When the Spaniards arrived in Cebu, the Italian chronicler, Antonio Pigafetta, sailing under convoy with the Magellan expedition, offered, as a baptismal gift, to Hara Amihan, wife of Rajah Humabon and later named Juana, the image of the Santo Niño. The natives likewise honored the Santo Niño de Cebu in their indigenous Sinulog ritual. The Sinulog ritual was preserved but limited to honoring the Santo Niño. Once the Santo Niño church was built in the 1500s, the Christian Malay people started performing the Sinulog ritual in front of the church, the devotees offering candles and the native dancers shouting “Viva Pit Señor!” (Hail Mister).

In the 1980s and 2000s, the city authorities of Cebu made the Sinulog Festival part and parcel of the religious feast of the Santo Niño de Cebú to its cultural event.

Government

Cebu City is an independent and chartered city. Registered voters of the city cannot vote for provincial candidates unlike its nearby counterparts (Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and Talisay cities) that form part of Metro Cebu. It is the capital of the province mainly because the provincial capitol is located in it. There were proposals however during the time of Governor Emilio Mario Osmeña to establish an “administrative district” that would be independent from Cebu City. This would literally mean carving out Cebu City’s Barangay Capitol where the provincial capitol and other provincial offices are located. The plan however didn’t push through and was even followed by other proposals like the transfer of the capital to Balamban.

Cebu City is governed mainly by city hall, composed of one mayor, one vice-mayor and sixteen councilors (eight representing the northern and eight representing the southern region). Each official is elected publicly to three year terms. The chief of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) and the President of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation also managed in the city council. The day to day administration of the city is handled by a city administrator.

Tomas Osmeña is the mayor of Cebu City. He was elected in 1988 and re-elected in the 2004 Philippine elections. Michael Rama is the vice mayor.

Economy

Cebu City considered as one of the most progressive city in the Philippines. It’s rivalry city is Davao City since Davao city holds the record as the progressive city in the south with high income compare to Cebu City. About 80 percent of the island vessels operating in the country are also based there. Recently, the entry of business process outsourcing (BPO) firms such as call centres have contributed much to the growth of the local economy. Such has made the city together with the nearby cities that form part of Metro Cebu as the country’s second important economic centre.

It was built by the city’s government through a loan and is envisioned to play a driving role in the economy especially that congestion, given the fact that most of the city’s land area is mountainous, would definitely be an issue in the future.

Most businessmen have acknowledged that the city must work hard in attracting direct foreign investments.

Geography

Cebu City is politically subdivided into 80 barangays.

North district

• Adlaon
• Agsungot
• Apas
• Bacayan
• Banilad
• Binaliw
• Budla-an
• Busay
• Cambinocot
• Capitol Site
• Carreta
• Cogon Ramos
• Day-as
• Ermita
• Guba
• Hipodromo
• Kalubihan
• Kamagayan
• Kamputhaw (Camputhaw)
• Kasambagan
• Lahug
• Lorega San Miguel
• Lusaran
• Luz
• Mabini
• Mabolo Proper
• Malubog
• Pahina Central
• Pari-an
• Paril
• Pit-os
• Pulangbato
• Sambag 1
• Sambag 2
• San Antonio
• San José
• San Roque
• Sirao
• Santa Cruz
• Santo Niño
• T. Padilla
• Talamban
• Taptap
• Tejero
• Tinago
• Zapatera

South district

• Babag
• Basak-Pardo
• Basak San Nicolas
• Bonbon
• Buhisan
• Bulacao
• Buot-Taup
• Calamba
• Cogon Pardo
• Duljo-Fatima
• Guadalupe
• Inayawan
• Kalunasan
• Kinasang-an
• Labangon
• Mambaling
• Pahina San Nicolas
• Pamutan
• Pasil
• Poblacion Pardo
• Pung-ol Sibugay
• Punta Princesa
• Quiot
• San Nicolas Proper
• Sapangdaku
• Sawang Calero
• Sinsin
• Suba
• Sudlon I
• Sudlon II
• Tabunan
• Tagba-o
• Tisa
• Toong

Cebu City has a land area of 291.2 square kilometres and about 55.9 square kilometres is classified as urban, while 235.2 square kilometres is classified as rural. To the northeast of the city are Mandaue City and the town of Consolacion, to the west are Toledo City, the towns of Balamban and Asturias, to the south are Talisay City and the town of Minglanilla. Across Mactan Strait to the east is Mactan Island where Lapu-Lapu City is located. Further east across the Cebu Strait is the Island of Bohol.

The city is politically subdivided into 80 barrios or barangays. These are grouped into two congressional districts, with 46 barrios or barangays in the northern district and 34 barrios or barangays in the southern district.

Infrastructure

The Cebu Metropolitan Area has all the necessary infrastructures sufficient enough for its pace of urbanization. The city is readily accessible by air via the Mactan-Cebu International Airport located in Lapu-Lapu City which has direct international flights to Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, China, Palau, Malaysia, Taiwan, Qatar, South Korea and other domestic destinations. There are many international and cargo airlines flying to Cebu, such as Cathay Pacific, Silk Air, Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Korean Air, China Southern Airlines, Asiana Airlines, China Airlines, China Eastern Airlines and FedEx, 2GO, Pacific East Asia Cargo Airlines respectively. There are also direct transfer flights via the capital’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport that readily connects the city to other destinations in the world. The city mostly gets its power from an interconnection grid with the Leyte Geothermal Power Plant which also powers the majority of the Visayas Islands. There are also coal-fired power plants though these have been controversial due to its impact to the environment. Another coal-fired power plant is nearing completion and is envisioned to make the city independent from the interconnection grid once completed. Distribution of electricity is provided by the Visayas Electric Company (VECO).

The city is served by a domestic and international port which are handled by the Cebu Port Authority. Much of the city’s waterfront is actually occupied by the port with around 3.5 kilometres of berthing space. The domestic port readily gives access to nearby islands and provinces. The city’s central location makes it as an ideal transshipment hub. It is in fact home to more than 80% of the country’s interisland vessels plying domestic routes mostly in the Visayas and Mindanao.
Cebu Coastal Road at the SRP (South Road Properties).

The South Road Properties (SRP)is a 300-hectare prime property development project on a reclaimed land located a few metres off the coast of Cebu’s central business district. It is registered with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and is funded by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation(JBIC). Traversing the property is a 12 kilometres, four-lane highway known as the Cebu Coastal Road that provides the motorists with a good view of Cebu’s south coast and the nearby island of Bohol.

Telecommunication facilities, broadband and wireless internet connections are available and are provided by some of the country’s largest telecommunication companies.

In the 1990s the Inayawan Sanitary Landfill was constructed to ease garbage disposal within the city. It is however nearing its lifespan although the Provincial Government is planning to build two sanitary landfills to serve both the northern and southern parts of Metro Cebu including Cebu City. In June 2005, the city fully implemented the segregation of wastes as mandated by law.

Mass transportation throughout the city and the metropolitan itself is provided by jeepneys, buses and taxis. There were previous plans of setting up a mass railway system but it was deemed not feasible as of the moment due to the high construction cost that it will entail and the uncertainty of making the routes profitable.

Education

Cebu City is one of three centers of education in the country, the other is being the Manila Metropolitan Area and Metro Davao. It currently has nine large universities each with a number of campus branches throughout the city and more than a dozen other schools and colleges specializing in various courses such as Medicine, Engineering, Nautical courses, Nursing, Law, Computer and IT and among others.

Among these schools is the oldest educational institution in the Philippines, the University of San Carlos. It has four campuses around the metropolitan area. Before gaining university status, it was originally called Colegio de San Ildefonso and was established in 1595 by the Jesuits. It is currently headed by the SVD.

The University of the Philippines, Visayas, located at Camputhaw in the district of Lahug in Cebu City currently has 8 courses and has plans of expansion and development.

Another catholic university in Cebu City is the University of San José-Recoletos which was established in 1947. According to its profile, it offers an academic environment equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and technologies conducive to the academic development in consonance with the Roman Catholic faith. It is currently headed by the Augustinian Recollects and has 2 different campuses within the city excluding a new campus outside the city located in the Municipality of Balamban.

Cebu Normal University was established in 1915 as a provincial normal school, a branch of the Philippine Normal School. It became an independent institution in 1924, a chartered college in 1976 and a university in 1998. It is one of the oldest educational institutions in Cebu City.

The newest university, Cebu Doctors’ University (formerly Cebu Doctors’ College) was granted university status on November 2004. It is the only medical university in the Philippines and has just recently relocated to a nine-storey main building at the Cebu Boardwalk in neighboring Mandaue City thus closing its old campus near the then Cebu Doctors’ Hospital (now Cebu Doctors’ University Hospital).

The University of Cebu in Banilad opened in June 2002, first had a modern eight-storey building. With the projected increase in enrollment in SY 2004-2005, a nine-storey building was constructed in the same campus. This is one of the campuses that the University of Cebu (UC) have. The University of Cebu’s main campus offers a variety of courses such as Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT), HRM, Computer Engineering, BSED and others.

The Asian College of Technology, established in 1988 as the Asian Institute of Technology, is known for its best computer training. It has two campuses in the city, one located in Bulacao and the other along P. del Rosario St.

Also located in the city is the University of the Visayas.

Other noteworthy institutions in the city includes Velez College, Southwestern University and the Cebu Institute of Technology.

Many foreign students also come to Cebu City to study. Most of them are Iranians and Nepalese who come to take up medical courses. In recent years, many Koreans have come to Cebu to study English.

Cebu City has 68 public elementary schools, 23 national high schools and 28 night high schools. These night high schools are operated by the city government.

Tourism

Tourism continues to contribute much to the local economy, not just of the city itself, but to the entire province. Because of this, the city hosted the 1998 ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF). The city also hosted the East Asian Tourism Forum (EATOF) on August 2002, in which the province of Cebu is a member and signatory.

On early 2007, Cebu Plaza hotel was formally reopened under a new name, Marco Polo Plaza, after more than two years of closure. The hotel complex was formerly occupied by Cebu Plaza which was the first deluxe hotel in the province. It opened in the early 1980s and was viewed by some as a symbol of the province’s economic growth.

There are a number of significant Spanish colonial buildings in Cebu City, including the Basilica Minore del Santo Nino, Fort San Pedro, Casa Gorordo Museum and Magellan’s Cross.

There are a number of shopping centres in the city, the most popular of which are the SM City Cebu, Ayala Center Cebu, Robinsons Plaza and Gaisano Malls. There are also other smaller shopping centres and stand-alone department stores. Throughout the years however, the establishment of large shopping centres offers some sort of a town centre environment which have become popular. Recent development and expansion of existing shopping centres have also given the shoppers a new variety of choices in the city such as SM Cebu’s “Northwing”, a multi-level annex building with multilevel parking and Ayala Center Cebu’s “Leisure Oasis”, a development that consists of redefining Cebu’s shopping experience through the newly re-designed Ayala Shopping complex. There is also the Carbon Market, a farmer’s market in the city.

Away from the city, is the Cebu Taoist Temple, a Buddist temple situated in Beverly Hills. The Taoist Temple gives a commanding view of Cebu City and the nearby cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu. Views of Cebu City can also be seen from villages and gated communities located on the mountains.

The Cebu Reggae Festival is a popular Filipino Reggae and Roots music festival, formerly known as the “Cebu Bob Marley Day Festival”, it now has become one of the Philippines’s largest annual Reggae Festivals, in Cebu City, dubbed “The Reggae Capital of the Philippines”.

The city also has a sport institution, the Cebu City Sports Complex which exhibits sporting and festival events.

Source: en.wikipedia.org