The Queen City of the South

CEBU, Philippines – There are two things most prevalent in the national consciousness today – the fiesta of the Santo Niño and the visit to the country by Pope Francis. In Cebu City, of course, the papal visit takes a backseat to the Sinulog celebration, especially that Cebu is not part of the Pope’s itinerary. The Cebuanos are a very religious people; perhaps Cebu’s being the starting place of the Christianization of the country is partly a reason.

Cebu City is the capital of the province of  Cebu  and is the “second city” of the  Philippines, being the center of  Metro Cebu, the second most populous metropolitan area in the Philippines after  Metro Manila. According to the 2010 census, the city has a population of almost 900,000 – making it the fifth most populated city in the country.

Owing to its strategic central location, Cebu City is a significant hub of commercial activities, trade and education in the  Visayas  and Mindanao. Hence, it is called “The Queen City of the South.” Cebu is the main domestic shipping port of the Philippines and is home to about 80 percent of the country’s domestic shipping companies.

Traces of its colorful history and rich heritage can still be found in Cebu City today. Old structures still stand in city’s Parian district, the epicenter of the so-called Old Cebu. The area extends to Colon Street, the oldest street in the country, with the Basilica del Sto. Nino and Magellan’s Cross, the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, Cebu City Hall, Fort San Pedro and Plaza Independencia on the fringes. All these points of interest can be covered on foot in one go.

Cebu’s Parian prides of old houses that have been converted into museums, most notably the Casa Gorordo, the Yap-Sandiego House, and the Jesuit House. The Heritage of Cebu Monument, at the small Parian Plaza, depicts scenes from the city’s history – from the pre-Spanish era up to the recent times.

The name “Cebu” came from the old  Cebuano  word  “sibù,” meaning “barter” or “trade,” a short for  “sinibuay’ng hingpit,”  or “the place for trading.” It was originally applied to the harbors of the town of Sugbo, the ancient name of the city, derived from the Old Cebuano term for “scorched earth” or “great fire.”

Visitors to Cebu easily reach the city by sea or by air. The Mactan Cebu International Airport is only a little than 30 minutes away to Cebu’s main commercial zone. And passenger seacrafts conveniently connect the city to the neighboring islands.

Since the much touted “Ceboom,” a term coined from the words “Cebu” and “boom,” of the early 1990s, Cebu has had gone through substantial economic development. Businesses have flourished, and many international brands have since located in the city.

The South Road Properties, a 300-hectare prime property development project on a reclaimed land located a few meters off the coast of Cebu’s central business district, has begun to bubble up lately.  Entertainment, leisure, residential and business-processing industries are scheduled to open in the area soon.

But it’s not all business in Cebu. The many top-rate hotels and leisure destinations in the city provide good respite for the work-worn. And the city’s proximity to resorts and beaches at the neighboring islands all the more make Cebu attractive to tourists and visitors. The high domestic and foreign tourist arrivals have fueled the city’s tourism industry.

The city overflows with visitors during the Sinulog festival – considered as “the biggest fiesta of the Philippines!” These past days hotels and pension houses have stretched their accommodation limits. In response to this annual situation, the city government has set up a temporary center for visitors who could no longer be accommodated in lodging houses.

The Cebuano cuisine is also a popular attraction. Various heirloom recipes produce delights that keep visitors coming back. The famous Cebu lechon is considered as “the best pig in the world.”

In many ways, Cebu City is queen city indeed. And it reigns everyday – not only at Sinulog time.