Cebu: Let’s Look Back
Posted on 10 November 2009 by Aimee Segun
About thirty thousand years ago, Aetas crossed the Asian continents through land bridges. They were the earliest inhabitants of the Philippines. But as the land bridges disappeared, islands started to emerge. One of those isles is Cebu.
Early inhabitants referred this island as Zebu or Sugbu, whose trade or commerce reached as far as China, Thailand, and other neighboring countries. The people lived in lanky houses made of bamboo, wood, and nipa. They used porcelain wares and earthen jars to contain wine and water. Men were hugely tattooed, and they wore bahagui at the lower torso and silk turbans on their heads. On the other hand, women wore a sack-lined blouse (chambara) on tops of a square length cloth skirt around their waist. They were abundantly ornamented with jeweleries and other knick-knacks to embellish themselves and their clothes. Others did not even wear anything from waist up, but they painted their lips and nails, decorated their hair with multicoloured turbans and flowers, and adorned themselves with jeweleries.
Before the Spanish colonization, the city was the center of commerce in the south, where Chinese ships disembarked with porcelains and silks which they bartered for honey, gold, wood and spices from Mollucas. However, during Spanish colonization, trade restrictions caused the rapid decline of Cebu as a trading port. But, in the 19th century, restraints were revoked and the commercial life of the city was brought back.
The arrival of Fernando de Magallanes in the later part of the year 1521 marked the Spanish era and the baptismal to Christianity of Datu Humabon and Queen Juana, together with their followers. Fernando de Magallanes was a Portuguese voyager who sailed under the Spanish expedition of five vessels and more than two hundred men. Consequently, he died in the hands of Datu Lapu-Lapu, a tribal chief in the island of Mactan. The legendary combat marked the Filipinos’ repugnance to foreign supremacy and rule. Forty-four years later, after Magallanes’ death, when the expedition of Don Miguel Lopez de Legaspi and Fray Andres de Urdaneta (April 1565) that Christianization and Spanish colonization took place. Legaspi bombarded the palisades of Rajah Tupas, shattered the village, and called it Villa del Santisimo Nombre de Jesus and the Spanish Cortes established the first Spanish city in 1571.
In April 3, 1898, General Leon Kilat of Bacong, Negros Oriental, organized a rebellion against the Spanish colonialism. The Spaniards then decided to build a shelter for themselves. It was Legaspi who insisted on building a fort, which is now recognized for being the smallest fort in the country, the Fort San Pedro.
Although the revolution did not last, the Spanish-American War finally ceased the Spanish rule when the Americans won in the Battle of Manila Bay. Spain formally turned over the Philippines to the Americans in the Treaty of Paris.
The American set the country to a semi-autonomous rule when the Philippine Commonwealth was establish in 1935, with Manuel Quezon as president and Sergio Osmeña, a Cebuano, as vice-president.
Cebu, being the most densely populated island in the country, served as a vital Japanese base during the Japanese occupation in the Second World War, which began, with the landing of the Japanese Imperial Army on April 1942.
Today, Cebu City is an important economic center not only for Cebu Island but for the Visayas Islands, and Mindanao as well. Cebu Island’s economy includes agriculture, mining (coal, copper, limestone, silver), and small-scale manufacturing, such as food processing, textile, footwear, and furniture. Cebu City is also the educational center of the southern Philippines, with several major universities and colleges. The city has an international airport, and the port has maintained its international importance through the centuries.
Photo by Michael Sinjin Pineda
Filed under | All About Cebu, History, People, Tourist SpotsTags | cebu, cebu history, hitory of cebu
November 10th, 2009 at 12:22 PM
“In April 3, 1898, General Leon Kilat of Bacong, Negros Oriental, organized a rebellion against the Spanish colonialism.”
He was actually Pantaleon Villegas. Leon Kilat was his “nom de guerre” (war alias name). A street in Cebu called Tres de Abril was named after the April 3 (Palm Sunday) revolution. “At 3 o’clock in the afternoon of April 3, 1898 (Palm Sunday) marked an exciting moment in the history of Cebu. Cebuano Katipuneros led by Leon Kilat fought their battle of a lifetime.”
A street in Cebu City called Leon Kilat is named in honor of the great contribution of Pantaleon Villegas to the history of Cebu.
The most comprehensive online resource on this was Emil Justimbaste’s “The untold story of Leon Kilat and Cebu’s Revolution in 1898″ in Geocities.com. Geocities has been shut down and I don’t know where can we found now the work of Emil Justimbaste.
More about Leon Kilat and Cebu revolution:
http://max.limpag.com/2005/08/16/who-was-leon-kilat/
http://insoymada.wordpress.com/2008/03/04/discovering-kilat/
http://gervacio.wordpress.com/2008/04/02/leon-kilat-and-tres-de-abril/
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November 10th, 2009 at 12:30 PM
Miss Aimee this is a fantastic article. I agree with you that Cebu City is an important economic center.
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Jing Reply:
November 10th, 2009 at 4:29 PM
As had been, as is now, and still will be…for ages and ages…
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November 10th, 2009 at 1:28 PM
@Sir Earl
It’s Aimee, Sir, not Sinjin.
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Earl Reply:
November 10th, 2009 at 2:49 PM
Opps! Sorry for that. Great work Aimee!
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November 10th, 2009 at 2:22 PM
This is interesting, some writers mentioned Zubu (please see Wikipedia). I can’t see reference that mention Zebu. Can you help me find it?
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November 10th, 2009 at 2:23 PM
“In April 3, 1898, General Leon Kilat of Bacong, Negros Oriental, organized a rebellion against the Spanish colonialism.”
He was actually Pantaleon Villegas. Leon Kilat was his “nom de guerre” (war alias name). A street in Cebu called Tres de Abril was named after the April 3 (Palm Sunday) revolution. “At 3 o’clock in the afternoon of April 3, 1898 (Palm Sunday) marked an exciting moment in the history of Cebu. Cebuano Katipuneros led by Leon Kilat fought their battle of a lifetime.”
A street in Cebu City called Leon Kilat is named in honor of the great contribution of Pantaleon Villegas to the history of Cebu.
The most comprehensive online resource on this was Emil Justimbaste’s “The untold story of Leon Kilat and Cebu’s Revolution in 1898″ in Geocities.com. Geocities has been shut down and I don’t know where can we found now the work of Emil Justimbaste.
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November 10th, 2009 at 9:49 PM
@batangbuotan: I’m not sure where else to find it online. But I believe articles/books like these can be found in the public library. I remember having gone through such books during my college days.
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batang buotan Reply:
November 11th, 2009 at 12:52 AM
I’ve read history books but I can remember only ZUBU not ZEBU. That’s why this becomes an interest to me since ZEBU sounds closely to CEBU but not to SUGBO because it sounds closely to ZUBU.
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clarence Reply:
November 11th, 2009 at 11:45 AM
same here. Zubu
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November 11th, 2009 at 3:54 AM
@Jerry
Visit this link: http://www.nhi.gov.ph//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=195
In that article Cebu is stated as equivalent to Zebu.
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batang buotan Reply:
November 11th, 2009 at 2:40 PM
@Empress:
Thanks! History authors don’t agree on some things. Now the quest begin why ZEBU or ZUBU. LOL.
Great!
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McCoolot Reply:
November 11th, 2009 at 7:41 PM
I remember, I wrote an article before about Sinulog, and I did mention about Zubu…
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Empress Reply:
November 11th, 2009 at 10:38 PM
@Jerry
Naa’y explanation si Debbie nganong Zebu. Basaha iyang comment sa ubos.
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November 11th, 2009 at 4:58 AM
This is a very well organized and interesting post, I really enjoyed reading it.
When you Google the Geocities reference that Batang Buotan mentioned you get many returns:
http://www.google.com/search?q=The+untold+story+of+Leon+Kilat+and+Cebu%E2%80%99s+Revolution+in+1898
could this one be what you are looking for:
http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Leon_Kilat
Be well.
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batang buotan Reply:
November 11th, 2009 at 2:36 PM
@Ted, thanks! The Wiki entry gives a glimpse of Pantaleon Villegas. Emil Justimbaste’s work in Geocities was comprehensive. I’ve read it two years ago. Now, it’s gone.
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November 11th, 2009 at 9:24 AM
thanks for the link agnes.
if my memory serves me right.
apparently, cebu used to be rich in oil, otherwise known as zebu/sebu (grease), which is why the name.
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November 11th, 2009 at 10:00 AM
@Debbie
Nagwonder jud pud ko Debs, nganong Cebu. Mao diay…karon pa ko…hehehe…
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November 14th, 2009 at 4:02 PM
Whew! That was a mouthful of History! But I’m proud to be in Cebu. She’s truly my second home.
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July 24th, 2010 at 5:10 AM
Greetings to all the Baconganons who is now occupied and busy embracing the fast approaching birthday celebration of the Great revolutionary hero “LEON KILAT”..More power to all the residents of Bacong and all the resposible officials and people in organizing this big event..Yes, i just heard that the town is getting ready for the big day!! we the concerned residents are overwhelmed with the great story about the hero.. Upon reading his life story of Pantaleon Villegas, we do feel how grateful we are to have a son like him who defended such against the Spaniards and we really feel how he was killed either..It’s painful to imagine..Cebu [Sugbu]is so lucky that this young energetic stranger has fought i’til the end .. GOD BLESS HIS HOMETOWN AND HIS SOUL AS WELL… HAPPY BIRTHDAY ONCE MORE AND MORE POWER TO THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE TO HONORING HIM EVERY YEAR.. WE WILL MISS THE WHOLE DAY AFFAIR..GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS ALWAYS ESP. TO THE BACONGANONS….,
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