Formerly known as Pueblo Hinulawan, Toledo City is a second-class city in the province of Cebu with a population of about 152, 960 people according to the 2007 census.
It was on June 19, 1960 that Toledo attained the status of a chartered city.
The city is administratively subdivided into 38 barangays, namely: Awihao, Bagakay, Bato, Biga, Bulongan, Bunga, Cabitoonan, Calongcalong, Cambang-ug, Camp 8, Canlumampao, Cantabaco, Capitan Claudio, Carmen, Daanglungsod, Don Andres Soriano (Lutopan), Dumlog, Ibo, Ilihan, Landahan, Loay, Luray II, Juan Climaco Sr. (Magdugo), Gen. Climaco (Malubog), Matab-ang, Media Once, Pangamihan, Poblacion, Poog, Putingbato, Sagay, Sam-ang, Sangi, Santo Niño, Subayon, Talavera, Tungkay, and Tubod.
It was made into a city in 1961 for a large part due to the Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corporation in Barangay Don Andres Soriano. Although not as progressive as Cebu's other cities, it is unique and is strategically located—in that it is the only city in the province which is on the western seaboard (Danao, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, and Talisay being on the east), facing Negros Oriental.
Toledo lies on Tanon Strait across from Negros Island and the city of San Carlos, Negros Occidental. Toledo City is home to the Philippines' largest copper mine, owned by Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corporation; concentrates from the mine are shipped from the port of Sangi near Toledo. Low-quality coal has also been mined in the area, but little coal is mined today. Important local crops include maize (corn) and coconuts.
Toledo is connected to Cebu City, the provincial capital and second largest Philippine metropolitan area, by two stretches off-road that crossing the rugged spine of the island: the Naga-Uling Road and the alternate Manipis Road. A ferry runs between San Carlos and Toledo. During harvest season, migrant sugar workers from Cebu Island travel from Toledo to San Carlos to work in the sugar fields of Negros.
History
The Founders of Hinulawan (1861 - 1869)
Toledo City came from Old Hinulawan and New Hinulawan. Old Hinulawan is now presently called Daanglungsod. New Hinulawan is presently called Toledo (on the present site).
Old Hinulawan (1861)
The town of Hinulawan of 1861 was a settlement of more than fifty families. Its abundant seas and river also called Hinulawan was a typical pueblo situated along the shore of Tañon Strait. The town is southwest of Hinulawan river.
The town was bounded on the south by thick mangroves and nipa swamps extending to at least a kilometer, and fertile farmlands and coconut trees beyond as far as Ibo river. It was bounded the Tanon Strait on the north and northwest, by uplands and hills covered by thick forests as far as Tubod on the south and southwest and on the northeast by the Hinulawan river.
Hinulawan was already a flourishing trade center even before it became a town in 1861. It was where people from other areas came to meet, bringing with them their farm products and articles of trade. They traded with locals and foreigners. Some of these foreigners settled and intermarried with the locals, which contributed to the growth of Hinulawan from a mere sitio of Balamban into a progressive town.
On June 3, 1863, a series of earthquakes shook Hinulawan. The first tremor caused the newly built school to kneel. Several houses were destroyed. The church facade collapsed and many settlers were hit, killed and others wounded from falling debris. The second tremor completely destroyed the church and the convent. The earthquake caused the lowlands to crack in different directions. The stonewalls along the river banks crumbled. The ground sagged causing seawater and river water to rush in, flooding the town to the waistline. Another tremor, and the town of Hinulawan was completely destroyed. The survivors were rescued by neighboring sitios from the highlands.
The following days after the earthquake, the refugees were helped by the residents of Tubod, made clearings in the nearby virgin forest and plateaus among which was a cemetery where they buried their dead. They rebuilt their cogon-roofed houses on these clearings.
Other refugees and their descendants decided to go back to the old site of Old Hinulawan after many years when its depressed lowlands had gradually regained its original level. This new barangay (district) is currently named Daanglungsod. Majority chose to remain in this new site and for many years strived hard to regain the prosperity they once had in the ruined town of Old Hinulawan.
Later, to protect New Hinulawan from pirate attacks which were frequent in the towns that line the Tañon Strait, the town built a bulwark (a defense grid). This bulwark was made of chopped and piled up stone blocks. This bulwark was destroyed by age and its remnants were buried in the sand during the construction of the old municipal, which was in turn destroyed to the Philippine Commonwealth troops and Cebuano guerrillas during World War II.
