Province of Cebu
Provincial seal of Cebu
Map of the Philippines with Cebu highlighted
Region	Central Visayas (Region VII)
Capital	Cebu City
Divisions
- Highly urbanized cities	3
- Component cities	6
- Municipalities	44
- Barangays	1,203
- Congressional districts	8†
Population	largest (if it includes highly-urbanized cities)
- Total (2007)	3,848,919 (includes highly-urbanized cities)
- Density	756/km² (6th highest)
Area	19th largest
- Total	5,088. In the Philippines, regions ( Filpino: rehiyon, ISO 3166-2PH) are administrative division that serve primarily to organize the 81 Central Visayas, one of the regions of the Philippines, is designated as Region VII The City of Cebu ( Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Sugbo, Filipino: Lungsod ng Cebu) is the capital of A city ( lungsod, or sometimes siyudad, in Filipino and Tagalog) is a tier of local government in the Philippines A city ( lungsod, or sometimes siyudad, in Filipino and Tagalog) is a tier of local government in the Philippines A municipality ( bayan, sometimes munisipyo in Cebuano or used infrequently in Tagalog) is a local government unit in the Philippines This article refers to a political administrative division See Barangay Ginebra Kings for other uses The House of Representatives of the Philippines ( Filipino: Kapulungan ng mga Kinatawan ng Pilipinas) is the lower chamber of the Congress of the Philippines 4 km²
Founded	April 7, 1521 and April 27, 1565
Spoken languages	Cebuano, English
Governor	Gwendolyn Garcia
† Includes the two districts of Cebu City

This article is about the province. Events 529 - First draft of Corpus Juris Civilis (a fundamental work in Jurisprudence) is issued by Eastern Roman Emperor Events 1124 - David I becomes King of Scotland. 1296 - Battle of Dunbar: The Scots are defeated "Cebuano" redirects here For the inhabitants of Cebu see Cebuano people Cebuano (Cebuano Sinugbuanon, "language English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Gwendolyn Fiel Garcia (born October 12, 1955) commonly known as Gwen is the Governor of the Philippine province of Cebu. The City of Cebu ( Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Sugbo, Filipino: Lungsod ng Cebu) is the capital of For the city, see Cebu City. The City of Cebu ( Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Sugbo, Filipino: Lungsod ng Cebu) is the capital of

Cebu is one of the provinces of the Philippines. The provinces of the Philippines are the primary administrative divisions of the Philippines. It lies to the east of Negros Island; to the west of Leyte and to the southeast is Bohol province. Negros is an island of the Philippines located in the Visayas, at. Leyte (ˈleɪti in English is an Island in the Visayas group of the Philippines. For the island see Bohol Island. Bohol is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central It is flanked on both sides by the straits of Bohol (between Cebu and Bohol) and Tañon (between Cebu and Negros). Cebu is located between 9°25'N and 11°15'N latitude and between 123°13'E and 124°5'E longitude in the center of the archipelago.

Cebu Island is a long narrow island stretching 225 km (140 mi) from north to south, surrounded by 167 neighboring smaller islands, that includes Mactan Island, Bantayan, Malapascua, Olango and the Camotes Islands. Cebu is an island of the Philippines. It is the main island of Cebu Province in Visayas. This page refers to the island in Cebu. For the battle that happened here see Battle of Mactan, For the airport of this island see Mactan-Cebu International Bantayan Island is an island in the Philippines located at the western portion of the northern tip of Cebu Island. Malapascua Island is situated in Daanbantayan, Cebu. Malapascua is a tiny island only about 2 The Camotes Islands are a group of four islands that form part of the province of Cebu, in the Philippines. Of the hundreds of small islands some are uninhabited which make them the targets of adventure-seeking tourists.

Cebu is known for its narrow coastlines, limestone plateaus, and coastal plains, all characteristics of a typical tropical island. Cebu also has predominant rolling hills and rugged mountain ranges traversing the northern and southern lengths of the island. Cebu's steep mountains reach over 1,000 meters. Flat tracts of land can be found in the city of Bogo and in the towns of San Remigio, Medellin, and Daanbantayan at the northern tip of the province. Bogo City ( Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Bogo, Tagalog: Lungsod ng Bogo) is a 4th class city in the province of Cebu San Remigio is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. Medellin is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. Daanbantayan is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines.

Its capital is Cebu City, the oldest city in the country, which forms part of the Cebu Metropolitan Area together with 6 neighboring cities Carcar City, Danao City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Naga City, Bogo, and Talisay City and 6 other municipalities. The City of Cebu ( Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Sugbo, Filipino: Lungsod ng Cebu) is the capital of FROM OLD INFOBOX map_file = Ph_locator_cebu_metro_cebupng | 100px | cities = 7 | municipalities = 6 | barangays = 349 | districts Carcar ( Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Carcar, Tagalog: Lungsod ng Carcar) is a 3rd class city in the province of Danao City is a 2nd class city in the province of Cebu, Philippines. The City of Lapu-Lapu is a 1st class highly-urbanized city in the province of Cebu, Philippines The City of Mandaue ( Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Mandawe; Tagalog: Lungsod ng Mandaue) is a 1st class city in the province For the city in Camarines Sur see Naga City Camarines Sur. For other uses see Naga. Bogo City ( Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Bogo, Tagalog: Lungsod ng Bogo) is a 4th class city in the province of Cebu Cebu is served by Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Mactan Island, thirty minutes drive from downtown Cebu City. Mactan-Cebu International Airport ( Filipino: Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Mactan-Cebu, Cebuano: Tugpahanang Pangkalibutanon sa Mactan-Sugbo) is This page refers to the island in Cebu. For the battle that happened here see Battle of Mactan, For the airport of this island see Mactan-Cebu International The City of Cebu ( Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Sugbo, Filipino: Lungsod ng Cebu) is the capital of

Cebu is one of the most developed provinces in the country and the main center of commerce, trade, education and industry in the central and southern parts of the archipelago. It has five-star hotels, casinos, white sand beaches, world-class golf courses, convention centers, and shopping malls.

The UK-based Condenast Travellers Magazine named Cebu the 7th best island destination in the Indian Ocean-Asia region in 2007^[1], 8th best Asian-Pacific island destination in 2005, and 7th in 2004.

Contents 1 Demographics 1.1 Literature 1.2 Languages 1.3 Religion 1.4 Population 2 History 2.1 The Magellan Expedition 2.2 The Spanish Conquest and Colonial Period 2.3 World War II 3 Infrastructure 3.1 Industrial Estates / Economic Zones 3.2 Electricity 4 Economy 4.1 Mandaue City 5 Education 5.1 Educational Center for 2/3 of the country 6 Media 7 Politics 7.1 Municipalities 8 Landmarks 9 Festivals 10 See also 11 Footnotes 12 External links

Demographics

Literature

Main article: Cebuano literature

Languages

Cebuano is the indigenous language of Cebu. Cebuano literature refers to the Literary works written in Cebuano, a language widely spoken in the Philippines. "Cebuano" redirects here For the inhabitants of Cebu see Cebuano people Cebuano (Cebuano Sinugbuanon, "language It is also spoken in most parts of Central and Southern Philippine Islands, including Bohol, western Leyte, Negros Oriental, the northern and eastern coasts of Mindanao, and parts of Bukidnon, Agusan, Surigao, Davao, Cotabato, and Zamboanga del Sur. For the island see Bohol Island. Bohol is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Leyte (ˈleɪti in English is an Island in the Visayas group of the Philippines. Negros Oriental (also called Oriental Negros) is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost Island in the Philippines. Bukidnon (būkĭd'nŏn Cebuano: Probinsiya sa Bukidnon; Tagalog: Lalawigan ng Bukidnon) is a landlocked province Agusan redirects here This page refers to the river For the provinces see Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur. The City of Surigao is a 2nd class city in the province of Surigao del Norte, Philippines. Davao Region, designated as Region XI, is one of the regions of the Philippines, located on the southeastern portion of Mindanao. Cotabato, formerly North Cotabato, is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the SOCCSKSARGEN region in Mindanao Zamboanga del Sur is a province of the Philippines located in the Zamboanga Peninsula region in Mindanao. Differences exist but in many of these places the variations are slight. ^[2] There are more than 20 million speakers of Cebuano. [1] Cebuanos are conversant in Tagalog, English, as well as other Visayan languages such Hiligaynon and Waray-Waray. Tagalog is one of the major languages used in the Philippines. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The Visayan languages of the Philippines, along with Tagalog and Bikol, are part of the Central Philippine language family Hiligaynon (or " Ilonggo " is an Austronesian language spoken in Western Visayas in the Philippines. Wáray-Wáray or Waráy (commonly spelled as Waray; also referred to as Winaray or L(ineyte-Samarnon) is a language spoken in the provinces

In the Camotes Islands, a language related to Waray-Waray called Porohanon is spoken. The Camotes Islands are a group of four islands that form part of the province of Cebu, in the Philippines. Wáray-Wáray or Waráy (commonly spelled as Waray; also referred to as Winaray or L(ineyte-Samarnon) is a language spoken in the provinces What distinguishes it from Cebuano is that what is normally "y" in Cebuano is "j" in Porohanon. So in Camotes, maajo kaajo (very good) is said instead of maayo kaayo.

In Bantayan Island, Bantayan Visayan is spoken. Bantayan Island is an island in the Philippines located at the western portion of the northern tip of Cebu Island. It is closer to Hiligaynon than it is to Cebuano. Hiligaynon (or " Ilonggo " is an Austronesian language spoken in Western Visayas in the Philippines.

Spanish is spoken by its mestizo and Spanish communities. Mestizo is a Spanish term that was coined during the Spanish Empire to refer to people of mixed European and Amerindian ancestry in Latin English is also used on education, media, commerce and the government; and Chinese is spoken mainly by its Chinese community. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States

Religion

The patron of Cebu is the Our Lady of Guadalupe. Our Lady of Guadalupe, also called the Virgin of Guadalupe (Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe or Virgen de Guadalupe is a 16th century Roman Catholic Mexican But most of the natives regard the Santo Niño de Cebu, the Holy Child Jesus as their patron saint. The Santo Niño de Cebú ("Holy Child of Cebu" is a Roman Catholic depiction of the Child Jesus, similar to the The statue is housed in the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño, San Nicholas de Tolentino is the oldest church but was partially destroyed during the war. It is the original place where the Spaniards erected the cross and first set foot and later transferred to its current location the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. Soon, the patron was changed to the Lady of Guadalupe to conform to canonical practice of having patron saints instead of Jesus Christ himself.

According to historical accounts, the Santo Niño was given by the Portuguese sea captain and explorer Ferdinand Magellan to the wife of the chief of Cebu. Ferdinand Magellan (Fernão de Magalhães fɨɾˈnɐ̃ũ dɨ mɐgɐˈʎɐ̃ĩʃ Fernando de Magallanes (Spring 1480 &ndash April 27 1521 Mactan Island, Cebu That act is depicted in Cebu's largest, most popular and largest cultural event, the Sinulog where street-dancing and loud drum beats preceded by a holy Mass is the main attraction. The Sinulog is an annual Festival held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City, Philippines.

Cebu has a Roman Catholic Archdiocese and has several major churches, including the Basilica Minore del Sto. Magellan's Cross is a Christian cross planted by Portuguese and Spanish explorers as ordered by Ferdinand Magellan upon arriving in Cebu Nino, the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, the San Carlos Church, the Sto. Rosario Parish Church, San Jose-Recoletos Church, Sacred Heart Church, etc. as well as several other non-Catholic churches and temples.

Population

In the Census of Population and Housing (Census 2000), Cebu City recorded a total population of 718,821 persons, 56,522 more compared to the 1995 Census of Population (POPCEN) results. The City of Cebu ( Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Sugbo, Filipino: Lungsod ng Cebu) is the capital of Metro Cebu (5 cities) and Cebu Province is estimated to have over 2. FROM OLD INFOBOX map_file = Ph_locator_cebu_metro_cebupng | 100px | cities = 7 | municipalities = 6 | barangays = 349 | districts 5 million inhabitants.

According to the latest census conducted by the government, as of August 2007, there were 798,000 people living in Cebu City, with over 3. 5 million in the entire province.

History

Before the arrival of the Spaniards, Cebu then known as Zubu (or Sugbo) was a trading post, with trade routes to Borneo, Indonesia, China and Arabia. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located at the centre of Maritime Southeast Asia. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The Arabian Peninsula (in Arabic: شبه الجزيرة العربية šibh al-jazīra al-ʻarabīya or جزيرة العرب jazīrat al-ʻarab)

The Magellan Expedition

Main article: Ferdinand Magellan

Losing favor for his plan of reaching the Spice Islands by sailing westward from King Manuel I of Portugal, Portuguese maritime explorer Ferdinand Magellan offered his services to the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V of Spain. Ferdinand Magellan (Fernão de Magalhães fɨɾˈnɐ̃ũ dɨ mɐgɐˈʎɐ̃ĩʃ Fernando de Magallanes (Spring 1480 &ndash April 27 1521 Mactan Island, Cebu The Holy Roman Emperor (Römischer Kaiser or Römisch-Deutscher Kaiser Romanorum Imperator was the elected monarch ruling over the many varying numbers of states Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was On September 20, 1519, Magellan led a flotilla of five ships with a crew of 250 out of the Spanish port of San Lucar de Barrameda enroute to the Spice Islands via the Americas and Pacific Ocean. Events 451 - The Battle of Chalons takes place in North Eastern France.

They reached the Philippine Archipelago on March 16, 1521. Events 597 BC - Babylonians capture Jerusalem, replace Jehoiachin with Zedekiah as king Raja Kolambu of Mazzaua in Mindanao told them to head for Cebu, where they could trade and have provisions. For other uses see Raja (disambiguation and Rajah (disambiguation.

Arriving in Cebu City, Magellan, with Enrique of Malacca as translator, befriended Raja Humabon of Cebu and persuaded the Raja of allegiance to Emperor Charles V of Spain. The City of Cebu ( Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Sugbo, Filipino: Lungsod ng Cebu) is the capital of Enrique ( en-REE-ke) is the Spanish variant of Heinrich of Germanic origin For other uses see Raja (disambiguation and Rajah (disambiguation. Later Raja Humabon and his wife were baptized as King Carlos and Queen Juana. The Santo Niño was presented to Cebu's Queen as a symbol of peace between the Spaniards and the Cebuanos. The Santo Niño de Cebú ("Holy Child of Cebu" is a Roman Catholic depiction of the Child Jesus, similar to the On April 14, Magellan erected a large wooden cross on the shores of Cebu. Events 43 BC - Battle of Forum Gallorum: Mark Antony, besieging Julius Caesar 's assassin Decimus Junius Brutus in Afterwards, some 800 native Cebuanos were baptized.

Hoping to make the new Christian King Carlos (Humabon) supreme in the region, Magellan be-friended Humabon and alliances developed between the two people. Magellan soon heard of a tribal ruler named, Lapu-Lapu, in nearby Mactan Island. Lapu-Lapu is also the name of the Grouper fish in the Philippines This page refers to the island in Cebu. For the battle that happened here see Battle of Mactan, For the airport of this island see Mactan-Cebu International It was thought that Raja Humabon and Lapu-Lapu have been fighting for control of the flourishing trade in the area.

On April 27, the historic Battle of Mactan occurred where Magellan was killed and his men were driven off the island by the natives of Mactan. Events 1124 - David I becomes King of Scotland. 1296 - Battle of Dunbar: The Scots are defeated The Battle of Mactan was fought in the Philippines on April 27 1521 According to historian and chronicler, Antonio Pigafetta, Magellan's body was never recovered despite efforts to trade for it with spice and jewels. Antonio Pigafetta (c 1491 was an Italian Scholar born in Vicenza.

Magellan's second-in-command, Juan Sebastián Elcano took his place and sailed the remainder of the fleet back to Spain, circumnavigating the world. Juan Sebastián del Cano, then Elcano ( Getaria, in the Basque province of Guipúzcoa, former Kingdom of Castile, Spain

The Spanish Conquest and Colonial Period

Survivors of the Magellan Expedition brought tales of a savage island in the Orient with them when they returned to Spain. Consequently, several follow-up expeditions were sent but all ended in failure.

Forty-four years after Magellan first set foot in Cebu, in 1565, conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi and his 500 armed soldiers together with several Augustinian and Franciscan friars arrived and declared that the Spanish crown succeeded in colonizing the islands. This article is about the Spanish explorer soldiers of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuriesfor other uses see Conquistador (disambiguation A Conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi ( 1502 &ndash August 20, 1572) also known as El Adelantado (The Governor and El Viejo (The Elder The Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo (died AD 430) are several Catholic Monastic orders and congregations The term Franciscan is commonly used to refer to members of Catholic Legazpi and his men then marched through Zugbo and bombarded the palisades of chieftain Rajah Tupas and destroyed the village. Rajah Tupas was the chieftain of Cebu son of Sri Parang -the limp and the nephew of Rajah Humabon. He and his men, later rebuilt it and called it Villa del Santíssimo Nombre de Jesús (Village of the Most Holy Name of Jesus). Thus, in 1569, it became the first Spanish settlement established by the Spanish Cortés in the Philippines. The Cortes Generales ( Spanish for General Courts or Cortes Españolas, Spanish Courts) is the Legislature of Spain.

On August 14, 1571, Cebu (Villa del Santíssimo Nombre de Jesús) became a Diocese. Events 1183 - Taira no Munemori and the Taira clan take the young Emperor Antoku and the three sacred treasures Legazpi departed for Manila in 1571, and employed garrisons, a governor and half of his soldiers in Cebu. Garrison (various spellings (from the French garnison, itself from the verb garnir, "to equip" is the collective term for a body of Troops

In 1860, Cebu opened its ports to foreign trade (Mojares xiv). Year 1860 ( MDCCLX) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year starting The first printing house ("Imprenta de Escondrillas y Cia") was established in 1873. In 1880, Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion was established. The first periodical ("El Boletin de Cebu") started publishing in 1886.

See also: Manila Galleon

June 12, 1898 marked the end of the Spanish era and the onset of the American regime. The Manila galleons or Manila-Acapulco galleons ( Galeones de Manila-Acapulco) were Spanish trading Ships that sailed once or twice Events 1381 - Peasants' Revolt: in England, rebels arrive at Blackheath. Year 1898 ( MDCCCXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common In 1901, Cebu became a municipality and on February 24, 1937 became a chartered city. Events 303 - Galerius, Roman Emperor, publishes his edict that begins the persecution of Christians in his portion of the Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

World War II

Cebu, being the most densely populated island in the country, served as a vital Japanese base during the Japanese occupation in World War II which began with the landing of the Japanese Imperial Army in April 1942. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Imperial Japanese Army ( IJA) ( Kyūjitai: 大日本帝國陸軍 Shinjitai: ja 大日本帝国陸軍 Romaji: Dai-Nippon Teikoku Almost three years later in March 1945, the Filipino and American forces landed and reoccupied the city.

Infrastructure

Industrial Estates / Economic Zones

• 13 locations

The Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) in Mactan Island has regular direct flights to (among others) Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei, Busan, Koror, Tokyo, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Shanghai and Doha, Qatar. Mactan-Cebu International Airport ( Filipino: Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Mactan-Cebu, Cebuano: Tugpahanang Pangkalibutanon sa Mactan-Sugbo) is There are also direct transfer flights via the capital's NAIA that readily connects the city to other destinations in the world.

With the number of weekly international flights to and from MCIA increasing, a new international terminal will be constructed starting 2006 and will be completed in four years

MCIA which has a capacity of 2 million passengers, will in future be purely devoted for domestic use.

The Cebu International Port is the biggest and main port of entry in the province of and Central Visayas Region. Its international port is a multipurpose terminal covering an area of 10 hectares.

Electricity

The city mostly gets its power from an interconnection grid with the Leyte Geothermal Power Plant which also powers majority of the Visayas Islands. There are also coal-fired power plants. Distribution of electricity is provided by the Visayas Electric Company (VECO).

Telecommunication facilities in the city are abundant provided by some of the country's largest telecommunication companies. Connections to the internet are also readily available (e. g. DSL/Broadband Connection).

The Cebu Business Park, a prime business and financial center in Metro Cebu Nearby is the Asiatown Information Technology (IT) Park, another business district that caters mostly to businesses related to the information technology (IT) industry such as software development, telecommunication, call centers, engineering research and development centers, among others.

South of the city is the South Road Properties (SRP) Special Economic Zone, a 300-hectare prime real estate zoned that would house a business district, a tourism zone, and an industrial area patterned after the nearby Mactan Export Processing Zone. Its main thoroughfare is the South Coastal Highway which stretches from downtown Cebu City up to Talisay City down south. A 1. 2 kilometer tunnel is currently being constructed at the highway's entrance in Cebu City to connect it with Sergio Osmeña Avenue which traverses the North Reclamation Area connecting with Ouano Avenue at the New Mandaue City.

Economy

Indicators (2005):

• Investments (US$ Million) -- 4,983. 60
• Total Exports (US$ Million) -- 2,846. 88
• Total Imports (US$ Million) -- 3,127. 16

Major Industries:

• Electronics / electrical equipment manufacturing, computers, metals and precision instruments, chemicals, industrial parts assembly, food processing, furniture, fashion accessories, gifts, toys and housewares (GTH), garments, stonecraft, shipbuilding, and mining.

Principal Exports:

• Semi-conductor devices, electronic timepieces, electronic components, wire harness, floppy disk drives, photographic equipment, garments, furniture, camera paraphernalia, car stereos, audio/video equipment, carageenan, fashion accessories, coconut oil, frozen shrimps, vehicle / machinery parts

Financial Systems:

• 50 Commercial Banks;
• 27 Rural Banks;
• 9 Savings Banks;
• 5 Gov't. Banks;
• 2 Off-shore Banks

With more than 80% inter-Island shipping based in Cebu and having the most domestic air and sea linkages, Cebu is the most accessible place to all points of the country and a major industrial, commercial, trade, and educational hub right in the strategic center of the archipelago.

Its extensive international port facilities, its accessibility to Asia and the rest of the world has led more than a hundred firms, with multinational companies like Mitsumi, Pentax Corp. , Marine Colloids, Fairchild Semiconductor, Tsuneishi Heavy Industries, Muramoto Audio-Visual, Lexmark International, Asahi Optical, Teradyne, NEC Technologies, Timex, Olympus Optical, United Technologies, Maithland-Smith, Taiyo Yuden, and others to set up manufacturing plants on the most successful industrial estates, leading the whole country in exports with growth rates for the past 5 years averaged close to 20% higher than that of the entire nation. Government support and incentives provide a major impetus for its growth.

Cebu's labor force is oriented towards non-agricultural lines and is rated one of the most productive. High domestic and foreign tourist arrivals, strategic central geographic location and accessibility, man and natural resources - all have fueled the robust growth of Cebu with an excellent economic track record and now the fastest growing economy in their country.

Cebu is home to some national and international corporations like AAA Commercial Broker & Consultancy Inc, Gaisano Group of Companies, Aboitiz Group of Companies, WG&A, Norkis Group of Companies, Bigfoot International, Lexmark Philippines Inc. , Lhuillier Jewellers, among others. Its international port (cargo and container) is currently one of the busiest in the country. Homegrown brands in the city have expanded throughout the past years finding a niche in the national and even in the international market like Penshoppe, Oxygen, Loalde, and Island Souvenirs. Other homegrown brands that have expanded outside the city and province include BO's Coffee Club, Julie's Bakeshop, Orange Brutus, Mother's Fried Chicken, among others.

Due to its burgeoning furniture-making industry, Cebu has been hailed as the furniture capital of the country. The Department of Trade and Industry in Cebu is aiming to develop this aspect of Cebu economy by specifically targeting small to medium enterprises or SMEs whose products are considered export-quality.

Cebu is also fast becoming an IT hub as many companies, either local or outsourced, are establishing their headquarters in Cebu. The city has become a site for various U. S. call centers and BPOs. Business process outsourcing or BPO is an emerging industry in the Philippines. The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, an organization of Cebu's businesses, are hedging the city's growth and economy on information and communications technology, with the aim of making it a premier ICT investment, software, and e-services hub in Southeast Asia.

Shipbuilding companies in Cebu have manufactured bulk carriers of up to 70,000 metric tons of deadweight (DWT), and double hulled fastcrafts as well. Deadweight tonnage (also known as deadweight and variously abbreviated as DWT, D

Mandaue City

This convention center serves as monument of this historical landmark, in recognition of Mandaue’s involvement in the international stage since the beginning of history. The City of Mandaue ( Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Mandawe; Tagalog: Lungsod ng Mandaue) is a 1st class city in the province

As venue of the 12th ASEAN summit, the city continues to play an important role in international relations, becoming the core of development and strengthening its role as the growth engine of the province of Cebu.

Education

Educational Center for 2/3 of the country

• Over 1,000 private and public elementary schools
• 200 secondary (high) schools
• 9 universities
• 29 colleges
• 10 manpower training centers
• Average annual population of 130,000 college students.

The elementary school is from grade 1-6. The high school program takes four years to finish; commonly taken after graduating from elementary school.

Among the prominent high schools of Cebu are Cebu City National Science High School, University of the Philippines high school, St. Theresa's College and several private schools that offer high school programs. The Cebu City National Science High School, commonly known as Sci-Hi is a Secondary Science public High School system located in Salvador St The University of the Philippines (or Unibersidad ng Pilipinas in Filipino and commonly abbreviated as U St Theresa's College, (also called STC) Philippines, is a Catholic private School for girls run by the Missionary Sisters of

Cebu is the main educational hub in the central region of the country. It has nine large universities each with a number of campus branches throughout the metro, and more than a dozen other schools and colleges specializing in various courses such as Medicine, Engineering, Nautical courses, Nursing, Law, Computer and IT, etc.

The most prominent of these universities are the Cebu Institute of Medicine (CIM), University of San Carlos (USC), Cebu Institute of Technology (CIT), University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R), University of Cebu, University of the Visayas (UV) University of the Philippines Cebu (U. Cebu Institute of Medicine (commonly referred to as CIM and Velez) is a Medical school in Cebu City, the Philippines. For the similarly named university in Guatemala see Universidad de San Carlos The Cebu Institute of Technology (CIT in the Philippines is a private Non-sectarian, Academic institution, providing basic and Higher The University of San Jose-Recoletos is a Catholic Private university founded on 1947 in Cebu City, Philippines by the Order of Augustinian University of Cebu (UC is an Educational institution located at Cebu City, Philippines. The University of the Visayas is an Educational institution located at Cebu City, Philippines. University of the Philippines Cebu College ( UP Cebu or UPVCC P. Cebu), and Cebu Normal University (CNU). Cebu Normal University was established in 1915 as a provincial normal school a branch of the Philippine Normal School. USC is often regarded as the country's oldest educational institution and is located in four campuses within Cebu City. U. P. Cebu is a branch of the renowned University of the Philippines System. The first university in Cebu is the University of the Visayas. It is located along Colon Street, the oldest street in the country. Cebu Normal University established in 1915 as a provincial normal school, a branch of the Philippine Normal School. It became an independent institution in 1924, a chartered college in 1976, and a university in 1998. It is one of the oldest educational institutions in Cebu, with the enviable reputation of having produced a great many outstanding educators and public figures.

Its newest university, Cebu Doctors' University (formerly Cebu Doctors' College) was elevated to university status on November 2004. Cebu Doctors' University is a medical university located in Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines. It is currently constructing a nine-storey main building at the Cebu Boardwalk in nearby Mandaue City. The City of Mandaue ( Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Mandawe; Tagalog: Lungsod ng Mandaue) is a 1st class city in the province

Among foreign students in Cebu are Iranians, Nepalese, Thais and Koreans. The Iranian people are a collection of Ethnic groups defined along linguistic lines as speaking Iranian languages. Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. The Korean people are an East Asian Ethnic group. Most Koreans speak the Korean language.

Media

Media Facilities:

• 7 local television channels
• 3 cable TV stations
• 20 FM & 13 AM radio stations
• A variety of local, national and international papers

Cebu has 3 local stations namely: Cebu! Television Channel 28, Real Cebu Television (RCTV - 36), and the Cebu Catholic Television Network (CCTN 47) (a religious station partly owned and endorsed by the Archdiocese of Cebu). Cebu! Television Channel 28 and the Real Cebu Television (RCTV - 36) are only seen on cable television and CCTN operates an UHF frequency on channel 47 on free TV. It can also be accessed through Skycable's channel 56.

Despite having these local stations, Cebuanos still prefer to watch the country's two dominant television networks namely: ABS-CBN Broadcasting and GMA Network.

While national newspapers have presence in the island, Cebu has three English-language local newspapers: The Freeman, Sun-Star - Cebu and Cebu Daily News whilst there are also Cebuano-language newspapers, SunStar SuperBalita owned by Sun Star and Banat News owned by the Freeman. "Cebuano" redirects here For the inhabitants of Cebu see Cebuano people Cebuano (Cebuano Sinugbuanon, "language As of 2005, each of the local dailies sell for P10 a copy, which is much cheaper than their national counterparts.

Politics

Cebu is currently subdivided into 9 cities and 44 municipalities. A city ( lungsod, or sometimes siyudad, in Filipino and Tagalog) is a tier of local government in the Philippines A municipality ( bayan, sometimes munisipyo in Cebuano or used infrequently in Tagalog) is a local government unit in the Philippines

Municipalities

Alcantara Alcoy Alegria Aloguinsan Argao Asturias Badian Balamban Bantayan Barili Boljoon

Borbon Carmen Catmon Compostela Consolacion Cordova Daanbantayan Dalaguete Dumanjug Ginatilan Liloan

Madridejos Malabuyoc Medellin Minglanilla Moalboal Oslob Pilar Pinamungahan Poro Ronda Samboan

San Fernando San Francisco San Remigio Santa Fe Santander Sibonga Sogod Tabogon Tabuelan Tuburan Tudela

Landmarks

• Magellan's Cross
• Fort San Pedro
• Basilica Minore del Santo Niño
• Magellan shrine
• Lapu Lapu shrine
• Cebu City Chinatown
• Cebu City Japantown
• Cebu City Koreatown
• Cebu Provincial Capitol
• Cebu International Convention Center
• Marcelo Fernan Bridge
• Taoist Temple

Festivals

• Sinulog. The Sinulog is an annual Festival held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City, Philippines. The Sinulog festival is Cebu's biggest and most popular festival. It is celebrated every 3rd Sunday of January. The feast is in honor of the holy image Señor Santo Niño de Cebú. The Santo Niño de Cebú ("Holy Child of Cebu" is a Roman Catholic depiction of the Child Jesus, similar to the Fiesta Señor, as it widely known, is the most celebrated among Cebu's festivals where people converge along the route of a grand solemn procession and partake in the gaiety amidst a mardigras parade immersed in vivid colors and the constant drums of the Pit Señor.

• Mantawi Festival

Unique and exotic, dance steps are accompanied by a different beat, played by a brass instead of the usual drum and bugle. The City of Mandaue ( Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Mandawe; Tagalog: Lungsod ng Mandaue) is a 1st class city in the province This makes up a one-of-a-kind festivity that entices and seduces the crowd to gather and witness one of the most anticipated celebration in the City of Mandaue, the Mantawi Festival.

In April 7, 1521, Magellan first sighted the island of Sugbo in search for food and supplies for his vessels’ voyage back to Spain. Events 529 - First draft of Corpus Juris Civilis (a fundamental work in Jurisprudence) is issued by Eastern Roman Emperor Mandaue at that time was called “Mantawi” - derived from a vine that grew abundantly in the coves of the area. This community with abundant vines has even been mentioned by Antonio Pigafetta as a flourishing settlement nearest to Sebu under the leadership of Datu Lambuzzan.

• Paskuhan. A Christmas celebration of songs and lantern making held during the month of December spread good cheers to local residents and visitors alike.
• Kadaugan sa Mactan. A one day re-enactment - held at the Mactan shrine - celebrated with much pomp and pageantry every 27th of April to commemorate the historic Battle of Mactan between the forces of Lapulapu and Magellan.
• Virgin of the Rule Fiesta. Held to honor the patroness of Opon on November 20-21, this religious and social event reveals the deep religious faith of the people and the penchant for merry making. A food fair, a procession and a coronation of the Fiesta Queen highlight the festivity.
• Semana Santa sa Bantayan.

A unique mixture of solemn religious rites and local celebration highlights the Holy Week activities in Bantayan Island. The normally quiet island is visited by relatives and friends of the residents, as well as tourists to experience the scenic rites and to cool off the summer heat in the beautiful white sandy beaches and clear tropical waters.

• Fiesta sa Carcar. Is celebrated on November 24-25 in honor of the town's patron, St. Catherine of Alexandria. Carcar town is noted for its old Spanish style houses in the quiet countryside setting. During fiestas, the residents would invite friends, relatives and town visitors into their homes to taste popular local delicacies. A lively and enjoyable event.
• Nuestra Señora de Regla Fiesta. Lapulapu City - Held to honor the patroness of Opon on November 20-21, this religious and social event reveals faith of the people and the penchant for merry making. A food fair, carnival, procession and a coronation of the Fiesta Queen highlight the festivity.
• Tagbo. Poro, Cebu - Celebrated every January in honor of Patron Santo Niño de Poro. Beloved memoir of a living past, Tagbo is the cornerstone from which this great municipality has sprung. Rich in cultural heritage and deep in spiritual values, Tagbo is a very significant event preluding the birth of a town every dear to the hearts of her sons and daughters.
• Sanayon. Agro-tourism festival in the southern towns of the second district about 100 km from the city. A month-long activity to spread out tourism to the coutryside.
• Tres de Abril Celebration. Celebrated every 3rd of April in commemoration of the Spanish resistance in the south. This historic battle under Leon Kilat's leadership gave Cebu the glory of being the first major island outside Luzon to oppose Spanish dominance. Pantaleón Villegas ( July 27, 1873 - April 8, 1898) better known as León Kilat ( Cebuano, "León of the Lightning"
• Siloy Festival. Celebrated every August 26 in the town of Alcoy. Alcoy is a 5th class municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines.
• Haladaya Festival. Celebrated during the summer in the town of Daanbatayan (see Datu Daya). Daanbantayan is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. Datu Daya is a legendary tribal chief in the place that is now known as Daanbantayan Cebu, in the Philippines.
• Bakasi-Dinagat Festival. Celebrated in the town of Cordova. The Municipality of Cordova or the island of Cordova is an island close to Mactan Island
• Pastores de Naga. A Christmas celebration held in the city of Naga. For the city in Camarines Sur see Naga City Camarines Sur. For other uses see Naga. It's origins is traced back to the 16th century as a way for the Spanish missionaries to Christianize the natives communities of southern Cebu.

See also

• Mandaue City
• Cebu City
• Metro Cebu
• Gamang Sugbo
• Cebu Provincial History Project

Footnotes

External links

• Guide to Living Your Life in Cebu Philippines
• Official Website of the Provincial Government of Cebu
• Cebu Daily News
• Cebu Island travel guide from Wikitravel
• Cebu at the Open Directory Project
• Cebu's Free Information Portal
• Cebu's Biggest and Most Active Online Community
• San Remigio Beach Club,Padi Dive Center
• WOW Philippines Tourism Ad

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