Known as the oldest city in the Philippines and considered as the second most significant metropolitan centre in the Philippines, Cebu City is the capital city of the province of Cebu and the second city in the Philippines.
Located to the northeast of Cebu City is the city of Mandaue and the town of Consolacion, to the west are Toledo City and the towns of Balamban and Asturias, to the south are Talisay City and the town of Minglanilla. To the east across Mactan Strait is the island of Mactan where the city of Lapu-Lapu is located. Further east across the Cebu Strait is the island of Bohol.
The city is politically subdivided into 80 barangays. These barangays are grouped into two congressional districts, with 46 barrios or barangays in the northern district and 34 barrios or barangays in the southern district.
The barangays belonging to the North District are Adlaon, Agsungot, Apas, Bacayan, Banilad, Binaliw, Budla-an, Busay, Cambinocot, Capitol Site, Carreta, Cogon Ramos, Day-as, Ermita, Guba, Hipodromo, Kalubihan, Kamagayan, Kamputhaw, Kasambagan, Lahug, Lorega San Miguel, Luz, Mabini, Mabolo Proper, Malubog, Pahina Central, Pari-an, Paril, Pit-os, Pulangbato, Sambag 1, Sambag 2, San Antonio, San Jose, San Roque, Sirao, Santa Cruz, Santo Niño, T. Padilla, Talamban, Taptap, Tejero, Tinago, and Zapatera.
The South District barangays are: 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, Tagbao, Tisa, and Toong.
Cebu City is the centre of a metropolitan area called Metro Cebu, which includes the cities of Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and Talisay. It is situated on the eastern shore of the province of Cebu. It 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.
The city is also famous of its very colorful festival popularly known as the SINULOG FESTIVAL. It is 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.
History
Cebu was a trading settlement with an Islamic and Animist population before being colonized by Spain in the 16th century. 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 Santissimo 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 became a charter city in 1936.
Education
Cebu City is one of two centers of education in the country, the other one being the Manila Metropolitan Area.
Cebu City houses several large universities which include the University of the Philippines (Visayas), the University of San Carlos, the University of San Jose-Recoletos which is a catholic university, the Cebu Normal University, the Cebu Doctor’s University, the University of Cebu in Banilad, the Asian College of Technology, and the University of the Visayas.
Other noteworthy institutions in the city includes Velez College, Southwestern University and the Cebu Institute of Technology.
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.
Getting There
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. It is only a twenty-minute drive away from Cebu City.
