Every time I visit Cebu to attend tourism-related events, I always hear this high-energy, fast-tempo song, “I Love Cebu,” which almost always makes me swing along to its beat.
Composed by Russel Alegado from Carcar, Cebu, the song won the Grand Prize for the Best Upbeat/Dance Category in the 34th Cebu Popular Music Festival in 2014. Being a true-blue Cebuano, I can’t help feeling proud of this “jumpy” song, the lyrics of which actually express my own sentiments about my home city.
After being swept into a dance mode by this song during one of the highlights of the recent ASEAN Tourism Forum in Cebu, I reminded myself to find time to see what is new in my home city. The following day, I embarked on a short tour.
From my usual itinerary, starting with a visit to my parents’ gravesite, then proceeding to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu to light a candle, I knew I was off to a good start. It always feels good to see so many devotees flocking to the very site where Christianity in our country began. Seeing in the churchyard the old ladies in red and yellow attire offering to do the Sinulog (prayer dance) for visitors to the church is a source of joy and pride for me because this scene can only be found in my home city.
The next stop was the Heritage of Cebu Monument, located in the city’s historic Parian district. Designed by the famous Eduardo Castrillo and completed in 2000, this concrete, brass, and steel structure portrays three important events in Cebu’s history: the Battle of Mactan, where the first recorded victory of a Filipino over a foreign aggressor took place; the baptism of Rajah Humabon, who, together with his wife, received the famous image of Santo Niño as a gift from Ferdinand Magellan; and the canonization of Pedro Calungsod, a Cebuano who migrated to Guam, converted the Chamorros to Catholicism, and was eventually martyred there.
Nearby is the Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House, one of the oldest residential structures in the country and most likely the oldest Chinese house outside China. Made of coral stone and wood, featuring a mix of Spanish and Chinese architecture, it was owned by merchant Don Juan Yap. It is now a museum displaying antique furniture, centuries-old household items, and religious artifacts. In spite of its age, the house looked very attractive when I got there, as its exterior had many colorful Chinese lamps put up in preparation for the Chinese New Year.
A few meters away is the Colon Obelisk, a 35-meter-high historical marker at the beginning of Colon Street, the oldest street in the country. The national landmark was established in 1565 by the Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi to mark the start of the 1.17-kilometer road named after Christopher Columbus, Cristobal Colon in Spanish.
I had to drive through Cebu’s often-frustrating traffic to get to my next stop, the Temple of Leah, which is up on the hills of Busay. This is a monument of Greco-Roman architecture that features a museum, a library, grand Doric columns, and many statues, plus a breathtaking panoramic view of the city. The entire structure was built by Teodorico Adarna as an expression of his undying love for his late wife, Leah, much like the story behind one of the Wonders of the Modern World, the Taj Mahal.
On my way back to the hotel, I passed by my favorite roadside fruit stand, where I always buy the mangoes I bring back to Manila. I was pleased to see that what used to be a singular fruit stand has now expanded to several meters in size and offers many other fruits.
At the hotel, I decided to have a relaxing sip of my favorite brew while enjoying the breathtaking 360-degree view of the city from the 22nd floor’s al fresco bar. From as far as my eyes could see, tall buildings and other structures dominated the view, which made me realize how busy and commercialized my home city has become. Yet its “small-town” appeal has not been lost on me, and, as the song goes, “I love Cebu, you will always be my treasure!”
For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com
