Cebu is an island province in Central Visayas Region or Region 7, Philippines.
Profile of Cebu Province (Geography)
Location –> Central Visayas Region, Philippines (See map below)
Capital –> Cebu City
Area –> 4,943.72 km2 (1,908.78 sq mi)
Population –> 3,325,385 (2020 Census), 5th largest among 81 provinces
Terrain –> Mountainous, Hilly, Narrow Coastal Plain
Industries –> Agriculture, Manufacturing, Tourism
Major Products –> Corn, Rice, Sugarcane, Fish
People/Language –> Cebuano, Tagalog
Cities –> (9) Bogo, Carcar, Cebu, Danao, Lapu-lapu, Mandaue, Naga, Talisay, Toledo
Municipalities (Towns) –> (44) Alcantara, Alcoy, Alegria, aloguinsan, Argao, Asturias, Badian, Balamban, Bantayan, Barili, Boljoon, Borbon, Carmen, Catmon, Compostela, Consolacion, Cordoba, Daanbantayan, Dalaguete, Dumanjug, Ginatilan, Liloan, Madridejos, Malabuyoc, Medellin, Minglanilla, Moalboal, Oslob, Pilar, Pinamungahan, Poro, Ronda, Samboan, San Fernando, San Francisco, San Remegio, Santa Fe, Santander, Sibonga, Sogod, Tabogon, Tabuelan, Tuburan, Tudela
Government Officials
Go here to see the elected provincial officials in Cebu.
Cebu Province History
The name Cebu is derived from the Cebuano term Sugbu which means “scorched earth” or “great fire”. Before the coming of the Spaniards, Cebu was already a thriving kingdom ruled by a Rajah. On April 7, 1521, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his fleet of ships arrived in Cebu and he was welcomed by the native chieftain, Rajah Humabon and his wife Queen Humammay. However, when Magellan tried to befriend Lapu-Lapu, the King of nearby Mactan Island, the latter refused and war erupted on April 27. Historians have since called this the Battle of Mactan where Magellan and hundreds of his men were killed.
In 1565, Spanish Conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi arrived in Cebu and established a colony. Since then, Cebu and the whole archipelago of Las Islas Filipinas came under Spanish Control for more than 300 years. Spanish rule ended only in 1898.
In the First Philippine Legislature, the province of Cebu was represented by Celestino Rodriguez (First District), Sergio Osmeña Sr. (2nd), Filemon Sotto (3rd), Alejandro Ruiz (4th), Troadio Galicano (5th), Casiano Causing (6th), and Pedro Rodriguez (7th District). Sergio Osmeña Sr. went on to be elected as the Speaker.
On October 22, 2009, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed into law Republic Act No. 9726 to separate the highly urbanized city of Lapu-Lapu from the sixth district to form its own congressional district.
On September 17, 2015, President Benigno Aquino III signed into law Republic Act No. 10684 re-creating the seventh legislative district of Cebu which covers the towns of Dumanjug, Ronda, Alcantara, Moalboal, Badian, Alegria, Malabuyoc and Ginati-lan. All of them were from the former second legislative district.
On April 15, 2019, President Rodrigo Duterte approved Republic Act No. 11257 separating the highly-urbanized city from the sixth legislative district in order to have its own independent congressional representation.
Go here to see all the famous people from Cebu Province.
Go here to see the results of the 2022 election in Cebu Province.
Go here to see the candidates and results of the 2019 election in Cebu Province.
Read the history of Cebu Province in Tagalog here.
Economy of Cebu
Cebu is one of the most progressive provinces in the Philippines with Metro Cebu as the most important metropolitan area outside of Metro Manila. Cebu-Mactan International Airport is also the second busiest airport, behind the international airport in Metro Manila.
Although most of the people in the rural areas are still engage in agriculture as their primary source of income, the province is now home to many large manufacturing plants including cement, flour mills, bottling plants, and electronic factories. Other products manufactured in the province are ships, vehicles, furniture, and refined sugar.
Tourism is also an important industry in Cebu. Several five-star hotels and resorts now dot the island.
RELATED: Profile of Bohol Province
See also: List of Philippine Provinces and Capital by Region