Cebu

: Cebu is also a variant spelling of the cattle known as Zebu.

People and Culture

The people of Cebu are called Cebuanos and are of indigenous Malayan, Negrito, Spanish, Mexican and Chinese ancestries. Cebu is also home to a number of Spanish and ethnic Chinese communities who play an important economic and marketing role in the Cebuano society. Visayan - Cebuano culture is laid back and easy going; the people are friendly and have preserved strong Spanish-oriented traditions in its cultural life to this very day.

Related Topics:
Malayan - Negrito - Spanish - Mexican - Chinese - Economic - Marketing - Visayan - Cebuano

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Native Language

Linguistically, Cebu is home to the country's second largest native group. Cebuano was originally spoken only in the island of Cebu. However, it is now being spoken in many parts of Mindanao, the eastern part of Negros Island, the western and southern parts of Leyte, Bohol, and in Samar. The term Visayan came from an ancient Malay kingdom, called the Sri Vishayan Empire which ruled some parts of the Philippines in the 14th century before the Spanish conquest in the 16th century.

Related Topics:
Cebuano - Mindanao - Negros - Leyte - Bohol - Samar - Sri Vishayan Empire - 14th century

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Religion

The patron saint of Cebu is the Santo Niño de Cebu, who is Jesus represented as a child. The statue is housed in the country's oldest church, the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. According to historical accounts, the Santo Niño was given by the Portuguese sea captain and explorer Ferdinand Magellan to the wife of the chief, Rajah Humabon as a gift to celebrate their alliance. That act is depicted in Cebu's largest, most popular cultural event, the Sinulog where street-dancing and loud drum beats preceded by a holy mass is the main attraction.

Related Topics:
Santo Niño de Cebu - Jesus - Basilica Minore del Santo Niño - Ferdinand Magellan - Rajah Humabon - Sinulog

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Previously a part of the Archdiocese of Manila, Cebu was later made into a separate diocese, independent of the Manila archdiocese. It has several major churches, including the Basilica, the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, the San Carlos Church, the Sto. Rosario Parish Church, San Jose-Recoletos Church, Sacred Heart of Jesus, etc. as well as several other non-Catholic churches. Most of the population in Cebu are Roman Catholic (as in most Philippine provinces, with the possible exception of Mindanao) though there are some thriving Muslim communities, most of whom are migrants from the islands of Mindanao.

Related Topics:
Archdiocese of Manila - Sacred Heart of Jesus - Roman Catholic - Mindanao - Muslim

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Other religious minorities include Protestant churches of Iglesia ni Cristo, Jehovah's Witnesses, God's Kingdom, the Baptists, United Church of Christ in the Philippines, Latter Day Saints (Mormons), etc.

Related Topics:
Iglesia ni Cristo - Jehovah's Witnesses - God's Kingdom - Baptists - Latter Day Saints

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Population

In the Census of Population and Housing (Census 2000), Cebu City recorded a total population of 718,821 persons, 56,522 more compared to the 1995 Census of Population (POPCEN) results. Cebu City has one of the country's highest annual population growth rate, recording at 1.77 percent for the years 1995 to 2000. At the national level, the city shared 0.94 percent to the total population of 76.5 million as recorded in the Census 2000 within cebu.

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