A walk down Cebu's memory lane

CEBU, Philippines - Once again the biggest fiesta of the Philippines is drawing multitudes of faithful and revelers to the Queen City of the South. People from far and wide are coming to Cebu for the Sinulog Festival and the Fiesta Senor, the former being the secular celebration and the latter the religious. But for sure the great majority of the visitors want to experience both.

But while visitors are in the city, their whole time will not be fully filled up with all Sinulog and church activities, of course. In between events, there are going to be short lulls. Even a short few minutes could feel like a lot of idle time if there’s nothing else to fill it with.

There’s a lot to spend time at in Cebu. And it’s not only the giant shopping malls in the city. For a more dramatic experience, the better option would be to explore this very historic place. The city’s present downtown area itself is already a portal for a walk down memory lane along the corridors of Old Cebu and beyond.

It was from this small district that the whole place throbbed. The tribe of Rajah Hamabar and Hara Humamay was located here. Then, with the coming of the Spaniards, the place became the epicenter of business and politics of Sugbu. 

There are still traces of those olden times today. A quick walking tour around the area will cover spots that still ring with the kind of life the Cebuanos of old lived.   

Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. Formerly called San Agustin Church, the Basilica is said to stand right at the spot where the image of the Santo Niño was found unscathed among the ashes of a burned-down shanty. The original structure was built in 1565 by Spanish friars Andrés de Urdaneta and Diego de Herrera, both of the Order of Saint Augustine. The church has since undergone major renovations, but it is still a very old church.

Magellan’s Cross. Just a few steps from the gate of the Basilica Minore del Santo Nino on the City Hall side is the kiosk said to house the original Cross planted by Ferdinand Magellan at the shore upon reaching Sugbu village on March 16, 1521. The kiosk supposedly stands on the very spot where Magellan planted the Cross. 

Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral. As the Christian faith began to proliferate in the place, several more churches were built. One of the first additions, and perhaps the oldest after San Agustin Church, is the Cebu Cathedral. Now known as the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, it is the ecclesiastical seat of the Archdiocese of Cebu.

Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral Museum. Right across a narrow street from the Cathedral is the museum that contains antique religious icons and ritual paraphernalia from all over Cebu province. Opened in November 2006, it is the ecclesiastical museum of the Archdiocese of Cebu.

Plaza Hamabar. Fronting the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral Museum, again across a narrow street, is a small plaza that’s said to be where the house of the legendary Rajah Hamabar or Humabon once stood.  

Jose R. Gullas Halad Museum. It is a musically-themed museum very near the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, established as a tribute to the musical heritage of Cebu. The museum features music sheets and musical instruments that once belonged to persons that have since become symbols of the Cebuano musical genius. Museum visitors may also listen to recordings of classic Cebuano songs.

Colon Street. A very short distance from the JRG Halad Museum is the original stretch of Colon Street, the oldest street in the country, constructed under orders of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. It extends from the corner of D. Jakosalem Street to the junction of Mabini Street. Colon has since been extended southward many times its original length.

Heritage of Cebu Monument. It is a tableau depicting significant and symbolic events in the history of Cebu, way back from the time of Rajah Humabon to the beatification of the Cebuano martyr, Pedro Calungsod. The monument stands near the Mabini Street end of Colon Street, where the small Plaza Parian used to be. Parian was the center life in Old Cebu.

Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House. The house is touted as one of the oldest existing residential houses in the Philippines. It was built between 1675 and 1700. The original owner was a Chinese merchant named Don Juan Yap and his wife, Doña Maria Florido. The couple’s descendants have converted the house into a mini museum.

Museo Parian sa Sugbo. Also called 1730 Jesuit House, the museum used to be the convent where the Jesuits of the San Juan Bautista Church, near Plaza Parian, lived. It is now in private ownership and converted into a museum dedicated to preserving the memory of Old Cebu. 

Within the periphery are also found several other interesting spots – the Casa Gorordo at Parian, and Fort San Pedro and Plaza Independencia at the port area near the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. It also takes just a short walk to reach these spots, these are equally must-see places if one’s time allows.  Erol Grape and Marigold Fabia(FREEMAN)