Sunday, September 7, 2008

Jane's CEBU


There are only a few who can call themselves, pure-bred Cebuanos now-a-days. A lot of the people living in Cebu now actually come from neighbouring islands like Bohol, Leyte, Samar, Negros and Mindanao. I’m pure-bred with my dad side (Quijada) hailing from Guadalupe Cebu City (known for mangoes & CNT Lechon) and my mom side (Bandillo/Villagonzalo) hailing from Alcantara/Ronda towns southwest side of Cebu province. With Cebu rising as the 2nd most important city in the Philippines, local and foreign companies have set head offices and branch offices in the Queen City of the South! This has also spurred a lot of migration of people even from Luzon and “imperial Manila” as a Cebuano would put it.

Being from Cebu and studying in Manila, I got the usual, “ah so you’re from the province” statement from classmates in university. These people sure don’t know their history and haven’t travelled within the Philippines to know where and what Cebu stands for. Cebu was the 1st to defy the Spanish conquistadores, with local Mactan chieftain Lapu-Lapu slaying the Spaniard Magellan in 1521. The battle of Mactan is re-enacted every year during the city fiesta and getting local celebrities to play the lead roles. Ah, those ignorant even in their own country!

I’ve lived away from Cebu to be in Manila for quite sometime now, that I sometimes feel lost when in Cebu on new places to visit and hang-out. For the past two years though, with lower airfare rates, thanks to Cebu Pacific Airlines, my husband and I visit Cebu on long weekends and on special family occasions vs the usual summer and Christmas visits.

My CEBU is a series of write-ups I intend to publish here in my blogsite before I leave for South Africa to talk about the changes I’ve observed in my recent trips back home.

Mrs. Jane B

No comments: