Freedom Park ( flower market) cebu

This place used to be a park, a freedom park no less, where people could meet and assemble without fear of dispersion or warrantless arrests (so the old-timers who grew old in the shadow of its history say). The festive atmosphere of Cebu has kept the cutflower industry a timeless business for nearly all stallholders. Most of the business owners trace their history of selling flowers 20 to 25 years back when they were l chased by traffic officers for setting up makeshift stalls. “The good thing about the flower business is that it never goes out of style. Cebuanos love celebrations and flowers are common fixtures during a celebration Today, it is a sprawling city landmark, of fair trade shops in the traditional sense of the word. Aside from the market of beautiful cutflowers and other ornaments it also offers for handcrafts from Bicol, or handbags from Leyte, carvings from Mindoro, or just about any Philippine native product from raw materials that meets your fancy without the exorbitant add-on prices by (super)mall traders and middlemen, come to Freedom Park.

Sinulog Festival

Sinulog Festival, is the country’s biggest pageantry of sights, sounds and colors, the fiesta of Cebu in honor of the child Jesus, the Santo Nino, celebrated every third Sunday of January. It is Pagan Ritual Dance, in honor of the Gods, that commemorates the Cebuano’s pagan origin, and their acceptance of Christianity. The word “Sinulog” comes from the Cebuano adverb sulog which means "like water current movement”, that describes the forward-backward movement of the Sinulog dance. The dance consists of two steps forward and one step backward, done to the sound of drums. The Augustinian Priest appreciated the native culture and it was preserved but limited to honoring the Santo Nino. The Devotees offering candles and the dancers shouting “PIT SENOR” (Hail the King), they shout to make sure that that they will be heard. Today is a one week celebration of dance, exhibits, culture, concerts and more. And on the last day is the Grand Mardi Gras of Street Dancing , floats and higantes (Giants) participated from different schools and provinces even contingents from other countries.

Taoist Temple of Cebu - popular tourist spot

The Cebu Taoist Temple is located in Beverly Hills Subdivision in Cebu City. The temple was built through the effort of Lao Di Suy family and the] Chinese community. With an elevation of 300 meters above sea level of Cebu. A beautiful towering multi-tiered and multi-hue temple. And it’s accessible by three separate winding routes. Attractions here consist of huge colorful dragon, a replica of the Great Wall of China, Spacious balconies offering scenic views of entire Cebu City and neighboring islands, souvenir shop, mini library with instructional materials and a dozens of escalating steps. The temple is the center of worship for Taoism, the religion which follows the teachings of the 600 BC Chinese philosopher, Lao Tze. The most famous “Give a man a fish and he eats only once, but teach him how to fish and he eats all his life” Another ritual among Taoist devotees, which is the climbing of its 81 steps (representing the 81 chapters of Taoism scriptures) to light joss sticks and have their fortune read by the monks.

Cebu Provincial Capitol

The Provincial Capitol is the seat of the provincial government of Cebu. The building is a Neoclassical edifice designed by Architect Juan Arellano and was built in 1937 during the administration of Governor Sotero Cabahug. The building is marked with a central dome and two wings. Beneath the dome whose interior is painted with sceneries depicting the province and its constituents is, a rotunda with a spacious lobby. The office of the Governor is located on the left wing of the building.. The current President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, take oath as the 14th president of the Philippines in front of the Provincial Capitol.

University of San Carlos

The University of San Carlos (USC) in Cebu City is the oldest school in the Philippines. Founded by Spanish Jesuits in 1595, it is a Catholic institution of higher learning run by the Society of the Divine Word or SVD since 1935. It offers pre-elementary and basic education as well as undergraduate and graduate courses, and a broad spectrum of academic programs through its eight colleges. Inside the have a University Museum, was founded by Father Rudolf Rahman SVD Anthropologist and former President of the University in 1967. It has four galleries: Spanish Colonial, Ethnographic, Archeological and Natural Science. Today this university is one of the best School of Cebu and located in the heart of Downtown Area. Founded by the Spanish Jesuits on August 1, 1595, USC was formerly known as the Colegio de San Ildefonso. In 1769, it was closed upon the expulsion of the Jesuits from the Philippines. It reopened in 1783 along Martires Street on the initiative of Bishop Mateo Joaquin de Arevalo under the name Colegio-Seminario de San Carlos, named after St. Charles Borromeo, the great patron of ecclesiastical training in the Renaissance. In 1867, the Vincentians took over the administration of San Carlos. In 1930, the Colegio de San Carlos (CSC) was transferred to the new P. del Rosario building, while the Seminario de San Carlos remained in Martires Street. Five years after, the Colegio was turned over to the Society of the Divine Word (SVD – Societas Verbi Divini), which managed the school for 70 years now.

Heritage of Cebu Monument

A project of the Church and the Local Government, commissioned National Artist ED CASTRILLO, the designer of EDSA SHRINE. Costing 14 million and the final cost is 40 million. It shows the important events and personalities of Cebu from Christianization, that shows churches; the Trading Communities , Galleon trade; Revolution in Cebu, battle of Mactan; Commonwealth Period, President Sergio Osmena; to the Beatification of blessed Pedro Calungsod.Inaugurated in December 2000. PEDRO CALUNGSOD, is a young Visayan church assistant went to Guam with Jesuit Priest Fr. Diego de San Vitores to spread Christianity both were killed by native Chamorros in April 2, 1672 in Tumohon Bay Guam. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on March 5, 2000.

Casa Gorordo, Museum - popular tourist spots

The residence of the first Bishop of Cebu, Bishop Juan Gorordo (1862 – 1934) born in Barili south of Cebu, this house was built in 1860’s, in Parian District, reputation as the richest and most productive district and also the center of commerce of Cebu, this is also the residence of the prominent families who were aristocratic and religious. The house has a Red Clay roofing, huge post, Haligi of roughly hewn logs. Stone walls in the lower level and Molave in the upper story. The first story- walled stone blocks locally called Bituka Tinablya. Mixture of lime and cement as a thin coating or paletada on the wall surface, they mixed lime, egg whites or sap of the tree Lawat to achieve consistency. Second floor is made of Philippine hardwood, post Tugas and Tugas and Bayong for the floor. The interior and stairs are made up of Narra. Parts of the house are called Sala, Capilla, Comedor, Kusina and Banggera.