CEBU, Philippines — Even during the Spanish, pre- and post-war periods, downtown Cebu City was already a bustling center for trade and commerce, with Chinese and local merchants alike putting up small and medium-scale businesses, some of which still stand to this day.
As development expanded to the other parts of the city, however, the downtown area has eventually lost its shine as Cebu’s prime commercial district.
Hoping to revive this lost glory, City Councilor Jerry Guardo now intends to convert the entire downtown area into a Chinatown center.
In his proposed measure introduced before the council, Guardo said the creation of a Chinatown in Cebu City will recognize the contribution of the private sector, especially the people with Chinese ancestry, in the economic growth of the city’s downtown area.
“The whole downtown area of Cebu City, the prime commercial district of the city, is languishing at the business cellar and needs to be afforded attention and concern by the city government as it was once the proud business center of our Tsinoy brothers and would be future tourist destination for the city,” Guardo’s proposed ordinance reads.
If approved, his draft measure will pave the way for the creation of the Cebu City Chinatown Development Council (CCCDC) which will formulate guidelines to carry out the objectives of the ordinance.
CCCDC will be composed of the mayor as the chairman; City Council’s chairman on culture and tourism as vice chairman; and the chairmen of council committees on infrastructure and on trade and industry as members.
Other members will be the head of Department of Engineering and Public Works, city planning officer, Cebu City Transportation Office head, Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources head, representative from Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and a representative from Chinese educational institution, among others.
Under the plan, the Cebu City Planning and Development Office will be designated to define the bounds of the downtown area covered by the Chinatown center.
CCCDC will be made to prepare and adopt a development plan which includes a welcome arch into the Chinatown, as well as other architectural, landscape, and engineering designs. It will also formulate the guidelines for the implementation and monitoring of the plan.
The plan shall see to it that the Chinatown is accessible and its facilities enhanced.
Guardo has proposed that the city government appropriate P2 million as initial funding for the improvement of structures like the installation of welcome arch, among others.
To ensure that the Chinatown will be visited by tourists and residents, cultural activities shall be done that would feature activities like a Chinatown festival during Chinese New Year. A night market will be also institutionalized.
Reactions
The FREEMAN visited yesterday some downtown shops run by owners with Chinese lineage, and at least two were not very keen on Guardo’s proposal.
Jeffrey Tan, owner of Cebu Bike Authority which has been operating for 16 years, said the city should not single out the Chinese traders.
“Dili lang ko uyon tingali kay luoy man sad ning mga Pilipino diri nga mga dili Chinese nga businessmen. Sukad sauna, wala pa na ma-tawo si Jerry Guardo, ing-ani na man ni daan. Unya usbon niya, dili maayo… Karon makita man nimo nga bisag asa, naay mga Japanese businessmen diri sa Cebu, mga Tagalog, Muslim naa,” Tan said.
Tan has also observed that in the last decade or so, businesses in downtown area have not been making profit. Proof to this is some Chinese-run businesses that have stopped operating.
Sharmane Po, daughter of William Po who owns Conching Electrical Supply, likewise expressed concerns that the establishment of a Chinatown may be unfair to non-Chinese traders.
“That would be good ‘cause ma-(recognize) balik ang history kay mga Chinese pud raba ang mostly naka-influence sa mga business here in Cebu. But then, luoy pud ang uban nga mga Muslims nga nag-struggle pud kay nagsugod-sugod pud raba sila og business even though ang uban dili legal, but then ila man pud nang livelihood,” said Sharmane.
Conching Electrical has been running for more than 20 years already.
Sharmane said the city government should instead allow other businesses in downtown area to prosper, rather than make it exclusive to Chinese businessmen.
Guardo, however, stressed that the proposed ordinance will be subjected to a public hearing first so stakeholders can air their sentiments.
For now, the proposed measure was referred to City Council’s committee on laws, ordinances, and styling, as well as to the Cultural Historical Affairs Commission, for their comments and recommendations.
(Editor's Note: An article shared by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. during one of the previous editions of Gabii sa Kabilin pointed to the entire Cebu City of old as already one big Chinatown.) — Mary Kristine M. Cameros, CNU Comm Intern /JMD (FREEMAN)