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Brief History of Cebu |
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Brief History |
Past & Present |
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Quick Facts |
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Cebu
metamorphosed in more ways than one, but always for
the better. From a sleepy fishing village to a
fledging trading port in 1521, from the first Spanish
settlement named Villa del Santisimo Nombre de Jesus
in 1575 to a municipality in 1901, Cebu finally became
a chartered city on February 24, 1937. Being the first
and oldest city in the country, ante-dating Manila by
7 years, having the oldest school and oldest street
and being the cradle of Christianity in the Far East
(i.e. Magellan's cross planted in Cebu as a symbol of
natives embracing the Christian faith), Cebu is
replete with historical first's.
The streeets of Tres de Abril and V. Rama were the
sites of a fierce battle on April 3, 1898 when General
Leon Kilat of Bacong, Negros Oriental spearheaded the
revolution against Spanish colonialism. The Spaniards
sought refuge at the Fort San Pedro and three days of
relentless attacks would have spelledd victory for the
rebels were it not for the propitious arrival of the
Spanish armada.
Miguel Lopez de Legazpi then urged his men to
construct the oldest and smallest fort in the country:
Fort San Pedro. As Spain intensified its colonization
efforts, indifnant islanders showed opposition by way
of intermittent attacks against the colonizers. Thus
the rebellion paved the way to the construction of
Fort San Pedro, a Spanish military stronghold.
However, the fort fell to the hands of the native
Cebuanos when Americans commanded by Commodore George
Dewey vanquished the Spanish fleet in December 1898 in
the battle of Manila Bay. With the American reign in
full force in 1901, then Senate Pro Tempore and late
President Sergio Osmeņa, Sr. and then Congressman and
majority floor leader in the House of Representatives,
the late Senator Manuel Briones vigorously lobbied for
Philippine Independence. |
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February 24,
1937 was a milestone in Cebuano history as Cebu City
was granted its charter by virtue of Commonwealth Act
No. 58 enacted by Congress on October 20, 1936. The
late Senator Vicente Rama, formerly representative of
Cebu's 3rd district was instrumental as author and
sponsor of the bill. It was at that time that
Secretary of Interior Elpidio Quirino appointed the
mayor and board members of Cebu City in his capacity
as representative of Manuel Quezon.
Shortly after the landing of the Japanese Army in Cebu
City on April 10, 1942, the entire province became the
principal Japanese base due to its strategic location
and substantial population. Cebu finally saw the light
of freedom in March 1945 when American liberation
forces landed in Talisay town. Liberation came in full
circle in March 1946 and to restore law and order, a
civil government dubbed as Philippine Civil Affairs
Unit (PCAU) was established in the city.
In April 1965, the entire Christian world focused its
attention on Cebu City, considered as the cradle of
Christianity in the Far East as it played host to teh
40th Anniversary of Christianity in the Philippines.
The celebration highlighted the contributions of
Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Fray Andres de Urdaneta in
proselytizing Christianity by way of establishing a
Spanish settlement in the province. In a coutnry where
Catholics predominate, the conferment of the San
Agustin Church to the title Basilica Minore del Santo
Niņo proved to be a momentous occasion as Rome sent
its representative Papal Legate, His Eminence
Ildefonso Cardinal Antonuitte. |
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