About Cebu island
Cebu…an island in the Pacific. This
used to be the tourism pitch in the late nineties when kidnapping in the South
was rampant. Some have lashed at it saying it sows regionalism and separates the
province from the Philippines. One thing for sure is that Cebuanos are very
proud of their heritage! We are proud to be Cebuano! We are a proud people in a
prosperous island in the Pacific!
The island of Cebu is located in the Central Visayas region (Region 7) and is
surrounded by Bohol island in the east and Negros island to the west (Cebu is
located between 9°25′N and 11°15′N latitude, and between 123°13′E, and 124°5′E
longitude). It has a combined land area of about 5,300 square kilometers and a
total population of almost 4 million people.
Cebu is the gateway to the South, popularly known as the Queen City of the South
as it is the most prosperous city second only to the Philippine capital of
Manila. The Mactan-Cebu International Airport, located in the island of Mactan
and the world-class Port of Cebu are the landing areas for international and
domestic entrants.
Cebu is rich in culture, with a history dating back to 1521 when Magellan and
his men reached the island, interacted with the natives, established the
Christian religion, and was eventually killed by Lapu-Lapu. Festivals are held
in almost all the cities and municipalities, the famous ones include the Sinulog
and Mantawi festivals.