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 –> 2,938,982 (2015 Census), 4th 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, Cordova, 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
Representative (1st District) –> Eduardo Gullas
Predecessor –> Gerald Anthony V. Gullas, Jr.
Representative (2nd District) –> Wilfredo S. Caminero
Representative (3rd District) –> Pablo John Garcia
Predecessor –> Gwendolyn F. Garcia
Representative (4th District) –> Janice Salimbangon
Predecessor –> Benhur L. Salimbangon
Representative (5th District) –> Vincent Franco Frasco
Predecessor –> Ramon H. Durano VI
Representative (6th District) –> Emmarie Ouano-Dizon
Predecessor –> Jonas Cabungcal Cortes
Representative (7th District) –> Peter John Calderon
Governor –> Gwendolyn Garcia
Predecessor –> Hilario Davide III
Vice Governor –> Hilario Davide III
Predecessor –> Agnes Almendras Magpale
Provincial Board members (Sangguniang Panlalawigan or SP Members)
First District: Raul Bacaltos, Yolanda Daan
Second District: Edsel Galeos, Jose Mari Salvador
Third District: John Ismael Borgonia, Victoria Corominas-Toribio
Fourth District: Horacio Paul Franco, Kerrie Keane Shimura
Fifth District: Andrei Duterte, Miguel Antonio Magpale
Sixth District: Thadeo Jovito Ouano, Glenn Anthony Soco
7th District: Christopher Baricuatro, Jerome Librando
Celestino Martinez III – ABC President (Ex-Officio)
Francis Edward Salimbangon – PCL President (Ex-Officio)
Jerico Rubio – SK Federation President (Ex-Officio)
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.
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