Get to know more about Metro Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - Metropolitan Cebu, or simply Metro Cebu, (Cebuano: Kaulohang Sugbo, Filipino: Kalakhang Cebu), is the main urban center of the province of Cebu in the Philippines.

Metro Cebu is located along the central eastern portion of the island including the nearby island of Mactan. It accounts for 20 percent of the land area and 60 percent of the population (2007 census) of the entire province of Cebu.

Metro Cebu is a metropolitan area that is located in Cebu City, the capital of Cebu and the regional center of Central Visayas with twelve surrounding cities and municipalities.

It is comprised of Carcar City, Cebu City, Compostela, Consolacion, Cordova, Danao City, Lapu-Lapu City, Liloan, Mandaue City, Minglanilla, Naga City, San Fernando and Talisay City.

The Metropolitan Cebu Development Council is a body mandated to formulate development plans for the Metro Cebu area and coordinate their implementation. Unlike the Metropolitan Manila Development  Authority, the MCDC does not have legal and institutional powers.

The provincial capitol, the central business district, major educational institutions and the international port are all located in Cebu City while major industrial companies and factories are located in Mandaue.

The international airport and the export processing zone are located in Lapu-Lapu in Mactan Island. Danao is primarily a mining city while Talisay is a residential city with its income generated by small and medium sized businesses.

History

Cebu City was a fishing village and farming settlement governed by Visayan native chieftains who traded with the neighboring islands of Malaysia and Indonesia.

On April 7, 1521, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan arrived in Cebu. Magellan failed to successfully claim the Philippines for the crown of  Spain as he was slain on Mactan Island on April 27, 1521 by its chieftain Datu Lapu-lapu.

On April 27, 1565, Spanish explorers led by Miguel López de Legazpi arrived in Cebu. The Spaniards renamed the city on January 1, 1571, from San Miguel (Saint Michael) to Villa del Santissimo Nombre de Jesús (Town of the Most Holy Name of Jesus). The island was a former capital city of the Spanish East Indies before the capital city was moved to Manila in 1571.

Mandaue City then was known as Mandani ruled by her chieftain Aponoan. She was formally constituted into a "pueblo" (people) between 1580 to 1700 and was officially known as the Población de Mandaue (Town of  Mandaue) in 1899. It emerged into the industrial city of Mandaue. Mandaue became a chartered city on June 21, 1969 through Republic Act 5519. It was considered a highly urbanized city in the year 1991.

The City of Talisay was a former Augustinian order hacienda (estate) in 1648 and became a municipality in 1849. On December 30, 2000, Talisay became a component city by virtue of Republic Act 8979.

Lapu-Lapu City was originally referred to as "Mactan." It later became the town of Opon in 1730, the 7th town founded by the Augustinian Friars in Cebu. The town of Opon became a city on June 17, 1961. It largest district, Lapu-Lapu City, was named after Datu Lapu-Lapu.