Cebu City (Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Sugbu; Filipino: Lungsod ng Cebu) is a first class highly

urbanized city in the island province of Cebu in Central Visayas, Philippines. Though the
seat of government and capital for the province, it is governed independent and separate
from it. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 922,611, making it the fifth
most populated city in the nation and the most populous in the Visayas. [3] In the 2016
electoral roll, it had 630,003 registered voters.[4] Cebu City is a significant center of
commerce, trade and education in the Visayas.

The name "Cebu" came from the old Cebuano word sibu or sibo ("trade"), a shortened form
of sinibuayng hingpit ("the place for trading"). It was originally applied to the harbors of the
town of Sugbu, the ancient name for Cebu City. Sugbu, in turn, was derived from the Old
Cebuano term for "scorched earth" or "great fire"

SPANISH PERIOD

On 7 April 1521, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan landed in Cebu. He was

welcomed by Rajah Humabon (also known as Sri Humabon or Rajah Humabara), the
grandson of Sri Lumay, together with his wife and about 700 native islanders. Magellan,
however, was killed in the Battle of Mactan, and the remaining members of his expedition
left Cebu soon after several of them were poisoned by Humabon, who was fearful of foreign
occupation. The last ruler of Sugbu, prior to Spanish colonization, was Rajah Humabon's
nephew, Rajah Tupas.

On 13 February 1565, Spanish conquistadors led by Miguel López de Legazpitogether with

Augustinian friars whose prior was Andrés de Urdaneta, arrived in Samar, taking
possession of the island thereafter. They Christianized some natives and Spanish remnants
in Cebu. Afterwards, the expedition visited Leyte, Cabalian,
Mazaua, Camiguin and Bohol where the famous Sandugo or blood compact was performed
between López de Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna, the chieftain of Bohol on 16 March 1565.
The Spanish arrived in Cebu on 15 April 1565. They then attempted to parley with the local
ruler, Rajah Tupas, but found that he and the local population had abandoned the town.
Rajah Tupas presented himself at their camp on 8 May, feast of the Apparition of Saint
Michael the Archangel, when the island was taken possession of on behalf of the Spanish
King. The Treaty of Cebu was formalized on 3 July 1565. López de Legazpi's party named
the new city "Villa de San Miguel de Cebú" (later renamed "Ciudad del Santísimo Nombre
de Jesús)." In 1567 the Cebu garrison was reinforced with the arrival of 2,100 soldiers
from New Spain (Mexico).[a] The growing colony was then fortified by Fort San Pedro.
By 1569 the Spanish settlement in Cebu had become important as a safe port for ships
from Mexico and as a jumping-off point for further exploration of the archipelago. Small
expeditions led by Juan de Salcedo went to Mindoro and Luzon, where he and Martín de
Goiti played a leading role in the subjugation of the Kingdoms of Tundun and Seludongin
1570. One year later, López de Legazpi departed Cebu to discuss a peace pact with the
defeated Rajahs. An agreement between the conquistadors and the Rajahs to form a city
council paved the way for the establishment of a new settlement and the construction of the
Christian walled city of Intramuros on the razed remains of Islamic Manila, then a satellite
state of the Bruneian Empire.
In 1571, the Spanish carried over infantry from Mexico, to raise an army of Christian
Visayan warriors from Cebu and Iloilo as well as mercenaries from the Tagalog region, and
assaulted the Sultanate of Brunei in what is known as the Castilian War. The war also
started the Spanish–Moro Wars waged between the Christian Visayans and Muslim
Mindanao, wherein Moros burned towns and conducted slave raids in the Visayas islands
and selling the slaves to the Sultanates of the Malay Archipelago and the Visayans fought
back by establishing Christian fort-cities in Mindanao, cities such as Zamboanga City.
On 14 August 1595, Pope Clement VIII created the diocese of Cebu as a suffragan to
the Archdiocese of Manila.
On 3 April 1898, local revolutionaries led by the Negrense Leon Kilat rose up against the
Spanish colonial authorities and took control of the urban center after three days of fighting.
The uprising was only ended by the treacherous murder of Leon Kilat and the arrival of
soldiers from Iloilo.[14] On 26 December 1898, the Spanish Governor, General Montero,
evacuated his troops to Zamboanga, turning over government property to Pablo
Mejia.[15] The next day, a provincial government was formed under Luis Flores as president,
General Juan Climaco as military chief of staff, and Julio Llorente as mayor.

Tourism is a thriving industry in Cebu. It hosted the 1998 ASEAN Tourism Forum. The city
also hosted the East Asian Tourism Forum on August 2002, in which the province of Cebu
is a member and signatory.
Views of Cebu City and its skyline can be seen from villages and numerous gated
communities located on its mountainsides.
There is a significant number of Filipino-Spanish heritage buildings in Cebu City such
as Fort San Pedro, Basilica del Santo Niño, Magellan's Cross, and the Cebu Metropolitan
Cathedral.[48] The city hosts the Museo Sugbo and Casa Gorordo Museum. The Cebu Taoist
Temple is also situated within the city.
The city mostly gets its power from an interconnection grid with the Leyte Geothermal
Power Plant, which also powers the majority of the Visayas.[57][58] Cebu is also powered by a
coal-fired thermal plant with two units each generating 52.5-MW and 56.8-MW,[59] a 43.8-
MW diesel power plant and 55-MW land-based gas turbine plants located at
the Naga power complex which is planned to be rehabilitated and replaced with 150-MW
coal units by 2016 and to be completed by 2019.[60]
Telecommunication facilities, broadband and wireless internet connections are available
and are provided by some of the country's largest telecommunication companies.
In the 1998, the 15-hectare (37-acre) Inayawan Sanitary Landfill was constructed to ease
garbage disposal within the city. After 15 years, the landfill reached its lifespan and
the Talisay city government recently allowed Cebu to temporarily dump its garbage in its
own 2-hectare (4.9-acre) landfill.[61][62] In 2015, Cebu appropriated a total of ₱2.5 million to
close and rehabilitate the landfill at Inayawan.[63]

Cebu is one of the oldest towns in the Philippines. With a rich historical past, Cebu’s
history goes way beyond 439 years ago when the island became a province at the start
of the Spanish colonization. If you’re a History junkie this claim is evident when you visit
its heritage sights such as old churches and ancestral houses, tourist attractions like the
Magellan’s cross and Lapu-lapu shrine, and the city proper itself.

Cebu celebrates its annual Sinulog Festival with colorful parades and street parties in
honor of the miraculous image of the Santo Niño. A not to be missed event in the
Philippines every month of January! Pit Senyor!

Cebu is the home of the best lechon makers and purveyors of the Philippines. In every
grand occasion, the star and the center piece of Filipino buffets is lechon. The word
“lechon” came from the Spanish term that refers to a roasted suckling pig. Lechon is a
skewered whole pig roasted over charcoal, a popular dish in the Philippines.