History of Cebu Province

Cebu is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. Its capital is Cebu City and is composed of Cebu Island plus neighboring small islands. Cebu is one of the most developed provinces in the country. The metropolitan area of Cebu City (which includes Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City) is second only to Metro Manila in population.

Cebu lies to the east of Negros Island; to the east is Leyte and to the southeast is Bohol province.

Cebu is served by Mactan-Cebu International Airport, which is located in Lapu-Lapu City.

Cebu is subdivided into 47 municipalities and 6 cities.

History

Before the arrival of the Spanish, Cebu, known as Zebu or Zubu, was a thriving fishing village and a busy trading post, with trade routes to China, Siam, Arabia as well as nearby Malay islands.

On April 7 1521, guided by Rajah Humabon of Limasawa Island, Ferdinand Magellan landed on Cebu island and converted Rajah Humabon of Cebu. Now an ally of Humabon, Magellan attempted to win over Caliph Lapu-Lapu of nearby Mactan Island, but Magellan was killed in the Battle of Mactan.

44 years later, in April 1565, Miguel López de Legaspi together with Fray Andres de Urdaneta that the Spanish succeeded in colonizing the islands. Legaspi bombarded the palisades of Rajah Tupas and destroyed the village and called it Villa del Santisimo Nombre de Jesus and became the first Spanish city established by the Spanish Cortes in 1571. Three centuries later, on April 1898 marked the end of the Spanish era and the onset of the American regime. Thus, Cebu became a municipality on the year 1901. Then again, the Filipinos struggled for independence from the American dominance and Cebu turned into a chartered city on February 24, 1937.

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 on April 1942. Three years later on March 1945, an American force landed and liberated the city from the Japanese.

Region: Central Visayas (Region VII)

Capital: Cebu City

Founded: March 10, 1917

Population:
2000 census—3,356,137 (largest).
Density—660 per km² (6th highest).

Area: 5,088.4 km² (19th largest)

Divisions:
Highly-urbanized Cities—2.
Component Cities—4.
Municipalities—47.
Barangays—1,203.

Congressional districts—6, plus the 2 districts of Cebu City.

Languages: Cebuano, Ilonggo, Waray, English

Governor: Pablo P. Garcia (2001-2004)