View source for Place:Cebu City

{{Short description|Capital of Cebu, Philippines}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = {{PH wikidata|name}}
| native_name        = {{small|''Dakbayan sa Sugbo''}}
| image_skyline      = {{multiple image
| border                   = infobox
| total_width              = 290
| caption_align            = center
| perrow                   = 2/2/2/2
| image1                   = Cebu Business Park and IT Park skyline (Cebu City; 09-07-2022).jpg
| alt1                          = View of Cebu Business Park from Horizons 101
| caption1                    = Cebu Business Park
| image2                   = Cross of Magellan Cebu City.JPG
| alt2                          = Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral
| caption2                    = Magellan's Cross
| image3                   = Cebu Cathedral (front view), Jan 2024.jpg
| alt3                          = Magellan's Cross
| caption3                    = Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral
| image4                   = Fort San Pedro side view (Cebu City; 09-05-2022).jpg
| alt4                          = Fort San Pedro
| caption4                    = Fort San Pedro
| image5                   = National Museum of the Philippines in Cebu, Jan 2024.jpg
| alt5                          = National Museum of the Philippines (Cebu)Basilica del Santo Niño
| caption5                    = National Museum of the Philippines – Cebu
| image6                   = Basilica del Santo Nino.jpg
| alt6                          = Basilica del Santo Niño
| caption6                    = Basilica del Santo Niño
}}
| image_caption      = 
| image_flag         = Flag_of_Cebu,_Cebu.png
| flag_size          = 120x80px
| image_seal         = Ph seal cebucity.png
| seal_size          = 100x80px
| image_map          = {{PH wikidata|image_map}}
| map_caption        = Map of Cebu Province with Cebu City highlighted
| image_map1         = {{hidden begin|title=OpenStreetMap|ta1=center}}{{Infobox mapframe|frame-width=250}}{{hidden end}}
| pushpin_map        = Philippines
| pushpin_label_position = left
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within the {{PH wikidata|country}}
| coordinates        = {{PH wikidata|coordinates}}
| settlement_type    = {{PH wikidata|settlement_type}}
| subdivision_type   = [[Earth:List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = {{flag|Philippines}}
| subdivision_type1  = Region
| subdivision_name1  = {{PH wikidata|region}}
| subdivision_type2  = Province
| subdivision_name2  = Cebu {{small|(geographically only)}}
| etymology          = <!--origin of name-->
| named_for          = <!--named after (if person or place)-->
| nicknames          = {{plainlist|
* Queen City of the South;
* Oldest City in the Philippines;
* First Capital of the Philippines; and
* Creative Capital of the Philippines
}}
| motto              = {{PH wikidata|motto}}
| anthem             = Sugbuanon Ako
| subdivision_type3  = District
| subdivision_name3  = 1st (North) and 2nd (South) districts of Cebu City
| established_title  = Founded<br /><small>{{nowrap|(as Spanish colony)}}</small><br />Reincorporated <small> {{nowrap|(as city)}}</small>
| established_date   = {{PH wikidata|founded|lflf=2}}
| established_title1 = Highly urbanized city
| established_date1  = December 22, 1979
| parts_type         = Barangays
| parts_style        = para
| p1                 = {{PH barangay count | {{wikidata|label|raw}} }}  (see Barangays)
| leader_title       = Mayor <!--mayor-->
| leader_name        = Michael L. Rama (PDPLBN)
| leader_title1      = Vice Mayor
| leader_name1       = Raymond Alvin N. Garcia (BARUG)
| leader_title2      = City Council
| leader_name2       = {{PH Town Council
 | title = Councilors
 | frame_style = border:none; padding: 0;
 | list_style = text-align:left;display:none;white-space: nowrap; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;max-width:100%;font-size:95%;
 | 10 = <div style="border-style:solid none;border-width:thin;border-color:black Gainsboro;background-color:#e6e6e6;text-align:center;font-variant:small-caps;">1st District (North)</div>
 | 2= Nestor Archival
 | 3= Jerry Guardo
 | 4= Joel Garganera
 | 5= Edgardo Labella II
 | 6= Mary Ann de los Santos
 | 7= Joy Augustus Young
 | 8= Noel Wenceslao
 | 9= Pastor Alcover Jr.
 | 20 = <div style="border-style:solid none;border-width:thin;border-color:black Gainsboro;background-color:#e6e6e6;text-align:center;font-variant:small-caps;">2nd District (South)</div>
 | 11= Dondon Hontiveros
 | 12= Jose Abellanosa
 | 13= Jocelyn Pesquera
 | 14= Phillip Zafra
 | 15= Renato Osmeña Jr.
 | 16= James Anthony Cuenco
 | 17= Rey Gealon
 | 18= Pancrasio Esparis
 |991= 
 }}
| leader_title3      = Congress
| leader_name3       = {{PH Town Council
 | title = Representatives <!--congressman or congresswoman -->
 | frame_style = border:none; padding: 0;
 | list_style = text-align:left;display:none;white-space: nowrap; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;font-size:95%;
 | 10 = <div style="border-style:solid none;border-width:thin;border-color:black Gainsboro;background-color:#e6e6e6;text-align:center;font-variant:small-caps;">1st LegDist (North)</div>
 | 11 = Rachel del Mar
 | 20 = <div style="border-style:solid none;border-width:thin;border-color:black Gainsboro;background-color:#e6e6e6;text-align:center;font-variant:small-caps;">2nd LegDist (South)</div>
 | 21 = Eduardo Rama Jr.
 |990 = <div style="border-style:solid none;border-width:thin;border-color:black Gainsboro;background-color:#e6e6e6;text-align:center;font-variant:small-caps;">[https://www.comelec.gov.ph/php-tpls-attachments/2019NLE/ElectionResults/2019NLE_LIst_of_Elected_House_of_Rep_Candidates.pdf Commission on Elections]</div>
}}
| leader_title4      = Electorate
| leader_name4       = {{PH wikidata|electorate}} voters (electorate point in time}}|{{PH wikidata|electorate point in time}})
| government_type    = {{PH wikidata|government_type}}
| government_footnotes = {{refn|{{DILG detail}}}}
| elevation_m        = 34
| elevation_max_m    = 981
| elevation_min_m    = 0
| elevation_max_rank = 
| elevation_min_rank = 
| elevation_footnotes = {{PH wikidata|elevation_footnotes}}
| elevation_max_footnotes = 
| elevation_min_footnotes = 
| area_rank          = 34th out of 145
| total_type         = City
| area_footnotes     = {{PH area}}
| area_urban_footnotes = <ref name="db-worldua">{{Cite web |title=Demographia World Urban Areas (17th Annual Edition, 2021.06) |url=http://www.demographia.com/db-worldua.pdf |access-date=July 29, 2021 |website=Demographia.com}}</ref>
| area_rural_footnotes = <ref name="db-worldua" />
| area_total_km2     = {{PH wikidata|area}}
| area_land_km2      = 
| area_water_km2     = 
| area_water_percent = 
| area_urban_km2     = 205
| area_metro_km2     = 1062.88
| population_footnotes = <ref name="2020Popcen">{{cite web|title=2020 Census of Population and Housing (2020 CPH) Population and Annual Growth Rates by Province, City, and Municipality - By Region|url=https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/attachments/ird/pressrelease/Table%20B%20-%20Population%20and%20Annual%20Growth%20Rates%20by%20Province%2C%20City%2C%20and%20Municipality%20-%20By%20Region_AGBA_0.xlsx|publisher=Philippine Statistics Authority|access-date=July 8, 2021|location=Metro Manila, Philippines|date=July 7, 2021}}</ref>
| population_total   = {{PH wikidata|population_total}}
| population_as_of   = {{PH wikidata|population_as_of}}
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_urban   = 2454000<ref name="db-worldua" />
| population_density_urban_km2 = auto
| population_metro   = 3164337
| population_density_metro_km2 = auto
| population_rank    = 6th
| population_note    = 
| population_demonym = {{PH wikidata|demonym}}
| population_blank1_title = [[Social:Household|Household]]s
| population_blank1  = {{PH wikidata|household}}
| timezone           = PST
| utc_offset         = +8
| postal_code_type   = ZIP code
| postal_code        = {{PH wikidata|postal_code}}
| postal2_code_type  = {{PSGCstyle}}
| postal2_code       = {{PSGC detail}}
| area_code_type     = {{areacodestyle}}
| area_code          = {{PH wikidata|area_code}}
| website            = {{PH wikidata|website}}
| demographics_type1 = Economy
| demographics1_title1 = [[Finance:Gross domestic product|Gross domestic product]] (GDP)
| demographics1_info1 = ₱288.6 billion (2022)<ref name="gdpcenvis2022">{{Cite web|title=All Provinces and HUCs in Northern Mindanao Continue to Expand in 2022; City of Cagayan de Oro Records the Fastest Growth with 9.4 Percent|url=https://psa.gov.ph/statistics/ppa/node/1684061653|access-date=2023-12-09|website=Philippine Statistics Authority}}</ref><br>
$5.099 billion (2022)<ref name="imfdec2022phptousd">{{Cite web|title=PH₱56.598 per dollar (per International Monetary Fund on Representative Exchange Rates for Selected Currencies for December 2022)|url=https://www.imf.org/external/np/fin/data/rms_mth.aspx?SelectDate=2022-12-31&reportType=REP|access-date=2023-12-09|website=IMF}}</ref>
| demographics1_title2 = {{PH wikidata|income_class_title}}
| demographics1_info2 = {{PH wikidata|income_class}}
| demographics1_title3 = Poverty incidence
| demographics1_info3 = {{PH wikidata|poverty_incidence}}% ({{PH wikidata|poverty_incidence_point_in_time}}){{PH wikidata|poverty_incidence_footnotes}}
| demographics1_title4 = [[Finance:Revenue|Revenue]]
| demographics1_info4 = {{PH wikidata|revenue}} {{PH wikidata|revenue_point_in_time}}
| demographics1_title5 = Revenue rank
| demographics1_info5 = 
| demographics1_title6 = Assets
| demographics1_info6 = {{PH wikidata|assets}} {{PH wikidata|assets_point_in_time}}
| demographics1_title7 = IRA
| demographics1_info7 = 
| demographics1_title8 = Expenditure
| demographics1_info8 = {{PH wikidata|expenditure}} {{PH wikidata|expenditure_point_in_time}}
| demographics1_title9 = 
| demographics1_info9 = 
| demographics1_title10 = Liabilities
| demographics1_info10 = {{PH wikidata|liabilities}} {{PH wikidata|liabilities_point_in_time}}
| demographics_type2 = Service provider
| demographics2_title1 = Electricity
| demographics2_info1 = {{PH electricity distribution | {{wikidata|label|raw}} }}
| demographics2_title2 = Water
| demographics2_info2 = 
| demographics2_title3 = Telecommunications
| demographics2_info3 = 
| demographics2_title4 = Cable TV
| demographics2_info4 = 
| blank_name_sec1    = {{PH wikidata|climate_title}}
| blank_info_sec1    = {{PH wikidata|climate_type}}
| blank1_name_sec1   = Native languages
| blank1_info_sec1   = [[Social:Cebuano language|Cebuano]], and [[Social:Hiligaynon language|Hiligaynon]]
| blank2_name_sec1   = Crime index
| blank2_info_sec1   = 
| blank3_name_sec1   = Sister cities
| blank3_info_sec1   = {{Collapsible list
 | title = List
 | frame_style = border:none; padding: 0;
 | list_style = text-align:left;display:none;
 | 1 = '''International'''
 | 2 = Busan, South Korea
 | 3 = Guadalajara, Mexico
 | 4 = Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands
 | 5 = Kaohsiung, Taiwan
 | 6 = Kortrijk, Belgium
 | 7 = Sabrosa, Portugal
 | 8 = Seattle, U.S
 | 9 = St Petersburg, Russia
 | 10 = Vladivostok, Russia
 | 11 = Xiamen, China
 | 12 = Yokohama, Japan
 | 13 = Yeosu, South Korea
 | 14 = '''Local'''
 | 15 = Butuan
 | 16 = Davao City
 | 17 = General Santos
 | 18 = [[Place:Manila|Manila]]
 | 19 = Ozamiz
 }}
| blank4_name_sec1   = 
| blank4_info_sec1   = 
| blank5_name_sec1   = 
| blank5_info_sec1   = 
| blank6_name_sec1   = 
| blank6_info_sec1   = 
| blank7_name_sec1   = 
| blank7_info_sec1   = 
| blank1_name_sec2   = Dominant religion
| blank1_info_sec2   = Roman Catholicism – 80%
| blank2_name_sec2   = Notable festival
| blank2_info_sec2   = Sinulog Festival – Third Sunday of January
| blank3_name_sec2   = Catholic diocese
| blank3_info_sec2   = Archdiocese of Cebu
| blank4_name_sec2   = Patron saint
| blank4_info_sec2   = {{Collapsible list
 | title = List
 | frame_style = border:none; padding: 0;
 | list_style = text-align:left;display:none;
 | 1 = • [[Religion:Our Lady of Guadalupe|Our Lady of Guadalupe]]
 | 2 = • Saint Vitalis of Milan
 | 3 = • Saint Pedro Calungsod
 }}
| blank5_name_sec2   = 
| blank5_info_sec2   = 
| blank6_name_sec2   = 
| blank6_info_sec2   = 
| blank7_name_sec2   = 
| blank7_info_sec2   = 
| short_description  = 
| footnotes          = 
}}
 
'''Cebu City''', officially the '''City of Cebu''' ({{lang-ceb|Dakbayan sa Sugbo}}; {{lang-hil|Dakbanwa sang Cebu}} ;{{lang-fil|Lungsod ng Cebu}}), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the {{wipe|Philippines}}. It is the capital of the Cebu Province, where it is geographically located but is one of three cities (together with Lapu-Lapu City and Mandaue City) that are administratively independent of the provincial government. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 964,169 people,{{PH census|current}} making it the sixth-most populated city in the nation and the most populous in the Visayas.

It also serves as the regional center of Central Visayas, and its metropolitan area exerts influence on commerce, trade, industry, education, culture, tourism, and healthcare beyond the region, over all of the Visayas and partly over Mindanao. It is the Philippines' main domestic shipping port and is home to about 80% of the country's domestic shipping companies. Additionally, Cebu City is the prime trading center of the southern Philippines.

Cebu City is bounded on the north by the town of Balamban and the city of Danao, on the west by the city of Toledo, on the east by the cities of Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue and the towns of Liloan, Consolacion and Compostela and to the south by the city of Talisay. Located at the center of the eastern seaboard of Cebu Island, it is the core city of Metro Cebu, the second largest metropolitan area in the Philippines, which includes the cities of Carcar, Danao, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Naga and Talisay and the municipalities (towns) of Compostela, Consolacion, Cordova, Liloan, Minglanilla and San Fernando. Metro Cebu had a total population of 3,165,799 as of the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous metropolitan area of the nation, after [[Place:Metro Manila|Metro Manila]] in Luzon and Metro Davao in Mindanao.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 19, 2016 |title=Highlights of the Philippine Population 2015 Census of Population |url=http://psa.gov.ph/content/highlights-philippine-population-2015-census-population |access-date=October 31, 2016 |website=Philippine Statistics Authority}}</ref>

The current political boundaries of the city are an incorporation of the former municipalities of Cebu, San Nicolas, El Pardo, Mabolo, Talamban and Banilad in the Commonwealth period.<ref name="Letigio">{{Cite news |last=Letigio |first=Delta Dyrecka |date=February 24, 2020 |title=The crowning of Cebu City, the Queen City of the South |work=CDN Digital |url=https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/289880/the-crowning-of-cebu-city-the-queen-city-of-the-south |access-date=August 17, 2020}}</ref>

In the Precolonial period, the area of what is today Cebu was occupied by the Rajahnate of Cebu which was known to the Ming dynasty as the nation of Sokbu (束務).<ref>[https://www.pacs.ph/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/03-Carmelea-final.pdf SONG, MING, AND OTHER CHINESE SOURCES ON PHILIPPINES-CHINA RELATIONS] By Carmelea Ang See. Page 74.</ref> The capital of which was [[Place:Singhapala|Singhapala]] (சிங்கப்பூர்) which is Tamil-Sanskrit for "Lion City", the same rootwords with the modern city-state of [[Place:Singapore|Singapore]].

The city has experienced rapid economic growth since the 1990s, a phenomenon also known as "Ceboom". Owing to its economic importance and influence in modern times, Cebu City is also popularly referred to as the ''Queen City of the South''.

==Etymology==
The name "Cebu" came from the old [[Social:Cebuano language|Cebuano]] word ''sibu'' or ''sibo'' ("trade"), a shortened form of ''sinibuayng hingpit'' ("the place for trading"). It was originally applied to the harbors of the town of Sugbu, the ancient name for Cebu City. Sugbu or Sugbo, in turn, was derived from the Old Cebuano term for "[[Social:Scorched earth|scorched earth]]" or "great fire".<ref name="macachor">{{Cite journal |last=Macachor |first=Celestino C. |year=2011 |title=Searching for Kali in the Indigenous Chronicles of Jovito Abellana |url=http://cebueskrima.s5.com/custom3.html |url-status=dead |journal=Rapid Journal |volume=10 |issue=2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120703210211/http://cebueskrima.s5.com/custom3.html |archive-date=July 3, 2012}}</ref><ref name="marivir">{{Cite book |last=Montebon |first=Marivir |title=Retracing Our Roots – A Journey into Cebu's Pre-Colonial Past |page=15}}</ref>

==History==

===Founding===
{{Main|Place:Singhapala}}
Before the arrival of the Spaniards, Cebu City was part of the island-rajahnate and trade center of Pulua Kang Dayang or Kangdaya (literally "[the islands] which belong to Baya"), now better known as the Rajahnate of Cebu. It was founded by a prince of the Tamil [[History:Chola dynasty|Chola dynasty]] of Sumatra, the half-Malay and half-Tamil, Sri Lumay. The name Sugbo (shortened form of ''Kang Sri Lumaying Sugbo'', literally "that of Sri Lumay's great fire") refers to Sri Lumay's scorched earth tactics against Muslim Pirates or Moro raiders (''Magalos'').<ref name="macachor" /><ref name="marivir" /> The capital of the Cebu Rajahnate was called [[Place:Singhapala|Singhapala]] (சிங்கப்பூர்) on what is now modern day northern Cebu City.

===Spanish period===
[[File:Magellan's Cross inside front (Cebu City; 09-07-2022).jpg|thumb|left|Magellan's Cross, which is said to be the cross planted by Ferdinand Magellan's expedition in 1521.]]
On April 7, 1521, Portuguese explorer at the service of the Spanish Crown and leader of the first expedition to circumnavigate the world, Ferdinand Magellan, landed in Cebu. He was welcomed by Rajah Humabon (also known as Sri Humabon or Rajah Humabara), the grandson of Sri Lumay, together with his wife and about 700 native islanders. Magellan, however, was killed in the Battle of Mactan, and the remaining members of his expedition left Cebu soon after several of them were poisoned by Humabon, who was fearful of foreign occupation. The last ruler of Sugbo, prior to Spanish colonization, was Rajah Humabon's nephew, Rajah Tupas (d. 1565).<ref name="macachor" /><ref name="marivir" />

On February 13, 1565, Spanish and Novohispanic (Mexican) conquistadors led by Miguel López de Legazpi together with Augustinian friars whose prior was Andrés de Urdaneta, left New Spain (modern Mexico) and arrived in Samar, taking possession of the island thereafter. They Christianized some natives and Spanish remnants in Cebu. Afterwards, the expedition visited Leyte, Cabalian, Mazaua, Camiguin and Bohol where the famous ''Sandugo'' or blood compact was performed between López de Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna, the chieftain of Bohol on March 16, 1565. The Spanish arrived in Cebu on April 15, 1565. They then attempted to parley with the local ruler, Rajah Tupas, but found that he and the local population had abandoned the town. Rajah Tupas presented himself at their camp on May 8, feast of the [[Religion:Michael (archangel)|Apparition of Saint Michael the Archangel]], when the island was taken possession of on behalf of the Spanish King. The Treaty of Cebu was formalized on July 3, 1565. López de Legazpi's party named the new city "Villa de San Miguel de Cebú" (later renamed "Ciudad del Santísimo Nombre de Jesús)." In 1567 the Cebu garrison was reinforced with the arrival of 2,100 soldiers from New Spain (Mexico).{{efn|1=On orders of the King Philip II, 2,100 men arrived from Mexico.<ref name="SpanishExpeditions">{{Cite web |date=2005 |title=Spanish Expeditions to the Philippines |url=http://www.philippine-history.org/spanish-expeditions.htm |website=philippine-history.org}}</ref>}} The growing colony was then fortified by Fort San Pedro. Asides from these Mexican soldiers, the city of Cebu was founded by 80 Spanish colonists from Spain.<ref name="SettlerColonists">{{cite web| url = https://www.gutenberg.org/files/38269/38269-h/38269-h.htm#xd19e3408| title = A History of the Philippines by David P. Barrows| quote = The Largest Cities.—Most of this Spanish population dwelt in Manila or in the five other cities which the Spaniards had founded in the first three decades of their occupation. Those were as follows:—}}</ref>

[[File:Cebu escondrillas.jpg|thumb|left|A 19th-century map of Cebu City]]
By 1569, the Spanish settlement in Cebu had become important as a safe port for ships from Mexico and as a jumping-off point for further exploration of the archipelago. Small expeditions led by Juan de Salcedo went to Mindoro and Luzon, where he and Martín de Goiti played a leading role in the subjugation of the Kingdoms of Tundun and Seludong in 1570. One year later, López de Legazpi departed Cebu to discuss a peace pact with the defeated Rajahs. An agreement between the conquistadors and the Rajahs to form a city council paved the way for the establishment of a new settlement and the construction of the Christian walled city of Intramuros on the razed remains of Islamic Manila, then a vassal-state of the Sultanate of Brunei.

In 1571, the Spanish carried over infantry from Mexico, to raise an army of Christian Visayan warriors from Cebu and Iloilo as well as mercenaries from the Tagalog region, and assaulted the Sultanate of Brunei in what is known as the Castilian War. The war also started the Spanish–Moro Wars waged between the Christian Visayans and Muslim Mindanao, wherein Moros burned towns and conducted slave raids in the Visayas islands and selling the slaves to the Sultanates of the [[Place:Malay Archipelago|Malay Archipelago]] and the Visayans fought back by establishing Christian fort-cities in Mindanao, cities such as Zamboanga City.

On August 14, 1595, Pope Clement VIII created the diocese of Cebu as a suffragan to the Archdiocese of Manila. In 1608, Muslim Moros from Magindanao raided the nearby Visayan province of Carigara in Leyte. Cebu under Commander Salgado led an expedition of 70 Spanish and 60 Pampango marines that had intercepted and destroyed them.<ref>[https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.530346/2015.530346.jesuits-in_djvu.txt "Jesuits In The Philippines (1581-1768)" Page 309] "The naval patrol stationed at Cebu was alerted and sallied forth to intercept with a small force of 70 Spanish and 60 Pampango marines. The commander, Salgado, reported that he found the raiding fleet standing at anchor inside a bay. He drew the enemy out of the anchorage by showing himself and pretending to turn tail ; then, when he had strung them out on the open sea, he turned suddenly and struck at the vanguard with such effect that the rest fled. "</ref> On January 6, 1635; under orders by Juan de Alcarazo the Alcalde-Mayor of Cebu, a force of 50 Spanish and 1,000 Visayan troops, battled  rebels who had uprisings at and settled in Bohol.<ref>[https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.530346/2015.530346.jesuits-in_djvu.txt "Jesuits In The Philippines (1581-1768)" Page 325] "The alcalde mayor of Cebu, Juan de Alcarazo, hurried to the island with a force of 50 Spanish and 1,000 Visayan troops. On 6 January 1622 a pitched battle took place between part of this force and 1,500 of the rebels. As the Spanish muskets turned out to be as effective as ever, the rebels withdrew to the fortified enclosure which they had built, and which contained 1 ,000 houses around the temple of the diuata. Alcarazo invested and took it in two weeks, thus breaking the back of the rebellion. He returned to Cebu, but was compelled to come back six months later to complete the pacification of the island."</ref> At April 5, 1635: Cebu sent a force of 300 Spanish and 1,000 Visayan troops to settle and colonize Zamboanga City under the command of Captain Juan de Chavez.<ref>[https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.530346/2015.530346.jesuits-in_djvu.txt "Jesuits In The Philippines (1581-1768)" Page 325] "The acting governor at the time, Juan Cerezo de Salamanca, saw the
merits of this proposal as soon as it was presented to him, and he decided to put it into execution at once. 50 Toward the end of March 1635, 2 force of 300 Spanish and 1,000 Visayan troops set sail from Cebu under the command of Captain Juan de Chavez. But instead of proceeding to Jolo as in previous years, they went ashore at what is now the site of the city of Zamboanga, and there proceeded to fortify themselves. The date, a memorable one, was 6 April 1635."</ref>

On April 3, 1898, local revolutionaries led by the Negrense Leon Kilat rose up against the Spanish colonial authorities and took control of the urban center after three days of fighting. The uprising was only ended by the treacherous murder of Leon Kilat and the arrival of soldiers from Iloilo and Manila.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cebu Provincial Government |url=http://www.cebu.gov.ph/?getid=2&getsubid=5&infolinkids=6&GetBodyName=History&rightpdisable=0 |access-date=June 24, 2016 |website=The Official Portal of the Province of Cebu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Cullinane |first=Michael |title=Arenas of Conspiracy and Rebellion in the Late Nineteenth-Century Philippines: The Case of the April 1898 Uprising in Cebu |publisher=Ateneo de Manila University Press |year=2014 |isbn=978-971-550-663-2 |location=Quezon City |language=English}}</ref> On December 26, 1898, the Spanish Governor, General Montero, evacuated his troops to Zamboanga, turning over government property to Pablo Mejia.{{sfn|Foreman|1906|p=522}} The next day, a provincial government was formed under Luis Flores as president, General Juan Climaco as military chief of staff, and Julio Llorente as mayor.

===American occupation and World War II===
[[File:Philippine Island - Cebu - NARA - 68155922.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of Cebu, 1936]]
[[File:Aduana Sugbo 1910.jpg|thumb|''Aduana'' (Customs) building in 1910, now known as the National Museum of the Philippines – Cebu. ]]

The signing of the Treaty of Paris at the end of the Spanish–American War provided for the cession of Cebu along with the rest of the Philippine Islands to the United States until the formation of the Commonwealth Era (1935–46). On February 21, 1899, the USS Petrel (PG-2) deployed a landing party of 40 marines on the shores of Cebu.{{sfn|Foreman|1906|p=523}} Cebu's transfer to the American government was signed by Luis Flores although others, most notably General Arcadio Maxilom and Juan Climaco, offered resistance until 1901.{{sfn|Foreman|1906|p=524}} Governor W. H. Taft visited Cebu on April 17, 1901, and appointed Julio Llorento as the first provincial governor.{{sfn|Foreman|1906|p=526}} Juan Climaco was elected to that office in January 1904.{{sfn|Foreman|1906|p=526}}

====Cityhood====
With its city status<ref name="pares.mcu.es">{{cite web |title=Título de ciudad al pueblo de Santísimo Nombre de Jesús |url=http://pares.mcu.es/ParesBusquedas20/catalogo/description/431918?nm |website=PARES {{!}} Spanish Archives |access-date=August 6, 2021}}</ref> granted by the King of Spain in 1594 invalidated by the change of colonial administration, in 1934 the neighboring municipalities of El Pardo, Mabolo, Talamban, Banilad, and San Nicolas were dissolved and merged to become the chartered City of Cebu on February 24, 1937. These former towns were broken up into several barangays, including their town centers which assumed their names (in contrast, Manila and Iloilo preserved their incorporated towns as geo-political districts).<ref name="Letigio"/> Many other Philippine cities such as Dansalan (now Marawi), [[Place:Iloilo City|Iloilo City]], and Bacolod were also incorporated at the same time (see Cities of the Philippines).

====Japanese occupation====
Along with the rest of the country, Cebu came under Japanese occupation of the Philippines during [[Social:World War II|World War II]]. The Japanese encountered opposition from guerrillas and irregular forces led by Col. James Cushing and the Cebu Area Command. A Japanese businessman established Cebu's first "comfort station" during the war, where Japanese soldiers routinely gang-raped, humiliated, and murdered kidnapped girls and teenagers who they forced into sexual slavery under the brutal "[[Medicine:Comfort women|comfort women]]" system.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/11/29/939811000/philippine-survivor-recounts-her-struggle-as-a-comfort-woman-for-wartime-japan|title=Philippine Survivor Recounts Her Struggle As A 'Comfort Woman' For Wartime Japan|newspaper=NPR.org|publisher=NPR|access-date=15 August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9IsBB-RVTlQC&dq=comfort+gay+philippines+japan&pg=PR9|title=The Other Empire: Literary Views of Japan from the Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia|year=2008|publisher=The University of the Philippines Press|isbn=9789715425629|access-date=15 August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.awf.or.jp/e1/philippine-00.html | title=Women made to be Comfort Women - Philippines }}</ref> It was finally liberated with the Battle for Cebu City in March and April 1945. The military general headquarters of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and 8th Constabulary Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary, active from January 3, 1942, to June 30, 1946, was stationed in Cebu City during World War II.

===Post-war years===
[[File:Cebu City.jpg|thumb|left|Skyline of Cebu City in 2009]]
The war virtually razed Cebu City to the ground. Reconstruction, however, was rapid. The city's central business district, which had been confined largely to the coast and the area around the port before the war, had expanded inland. Colon Street, the oldest national road in the Philippines, which was once a residential area in the pre-war years, became the center of a dense and compact area in downtown Cebu City, becoming home to many shopping and business activities, including the city's most fashionable shops, restaurants, and movie houses. In 1962, construction of the Cebu City North Reclamation Area commenced, finishing eventually in 1969, which expanded the port of Cebu and provided the city with more developable land close to the city center. During this time, Cebu also became a prominent educational center for the Visayas and Mindanao regions, and new schools were established in Cebu's uptown areas, such as the Talamban campus of the University of San Carlos.<ref>{{ cite web |title=Vol XII, No. 1 - Urban Expansion Through Land Reclamation.pdf |url=https://www.pssc.org.ph/wp-content/pssc-archives/Philippine%20Planning%20Journal/Vol%20XII,%20No.%201%20-%20Urban%20Expansion%20Through%20Land%20Reclamation.pdf |access-date=August 29, 2022 }}</ref>

===During the Marcos dictatorship===
Cebu became a key center of resistance against the [[Social:Martial law under Ferdinand Marcos|Marcos dictatorship]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mayol |first=Ador Vincent S. |date=December 1, 2016 |title=Cebuanos honor 7 martyrs, 8 survivors of martial law |language=en |newspaper=The Philippine Daily Inquirer |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/849558/cebuanos-honor-7-martyrs-8-survivors-of-martial-law |access-date=March 3, 2021}}</ref> first becoming apparent when the hastily put-together lineup of Pusyon Bisaya defeated the entire slate of Marcos' [[Social:Kilusang Bagong Lipunan|Kilusang Bagong Lipunan]] (KBL) in Region VII.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Almendras |first=Ruben |date=May 14, 2019 |title=The Pusyon Bisaya phenomenon |work=The Freeman |url=https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/opinion/2019/05/14/1917643/pusyon-bisaya-phenomenon |access-date=March 3, 2021}}</ref>

Among the Cebuanos immediately arrested by the Marcos dictatorship when Martial law was announced on September 23, 1972, were columnist and future National Artist Resil Mojares and human rights lawyer and Carcar Vice Mayor Democrito Barcenas, who were both detained at Camp Sergio Osmeña.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Manticajon |first=Atty Ian Vincent |title=Never forget |work=The Philippine Star |url=https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/opinion/2019/02/12/1893062/never-forget |access-date=October 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212194534/https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/opinion/2019/02/12/1893062/never-forget |archive-date=February 12, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Barcenas |first=Democrito |date=October 4, 2014 |title=Cebu's first martial law detainees |language=en |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/642478/cebus-first-martial-law-detainees |access-date=October 15, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Mongaya |first=Karlo Mikhail I. |date=2019 |title=Militant Struggles and Anti-Imperialism in Resil Mojares's The Freeman Columns during the Early 1970s |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/article/743688 |journal=Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints |language=en |volume=67 |issue=3–4 |pages=557–594 |doi=10.1353/phs.2019.0026 |s2cid=213742855 |issn=2244-1638}}</ref>

One of the Marcos Martial Law desaparecidos from Cebu was Redemptorist priest Fr. Rudy Romano,<ref name="MongayaSunStarRemembering">{{Cite news |last=Mongaya |first=Anol |date=September 2, 2017 |title=Mongaya: Inday Nita, Serging, ug Fr. Rudy |language=English |work=SunStar Philippines |url=https://www.sunstar.com.ph//article/161913/Mongaya-Inday-Nita-Serging-ug-Fr-Rudy |access-date=October 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211015152258/https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/161913/Mongaya-Inday-Nita-Serging-ug-Fr-Rudy |archive-date=October 15, 2021}}</ref> a prominent Marcos critic and executive secretary of Cebu's Coalition against People's Persecution, who was accosted by armed men in Tisa, Labangon, Cebu City, on June 11, 1985, and never seen again.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mayol |first=Ador Vincent |date=July 11, 2020 |title=Cebuanos remember Fr. Rudy Romano on 35th year of disappearance |language=en |newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1305358/cebuanos-remember-fr-rudy-romano-on-35th-year-of-disappearance |access-date=October 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414090000/https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1305358/cebuanos-remember-fr-rudy-romano-on-35th-year-of-disappearance |archive-date=April 14, 2021}}</ref><ref name="BantayogProfileRomanoRudy">{{Cite web |date=July 13, 2016 |title=Martyrs and Heroes: ROMANO, Rosaleo B. |url=https://www.bantayog.org/romano-rosaleo-b/ |access-date=October 15, 2021 |website=Bantayog ng mga Bayani |language=en-US}}</ref> Levi Ybañez, Romano's colleague in the Coalition against People's Persecution, was abducted on the same day as Fr. Romano, and was also never heard from again.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mongaya |first=Anol |date=November 27, 2016 |title=Mongaya: To honor Cebu heroes on Nov. 30 |language=English |work=SunStar Philippines |url=https://www.sunstar.com.ph//article/112367/Lifestyle/Mongaya-To-honor-Cebu-heroes-on-Nov-30 |access-date=October 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211015153921/https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/112367/Lifestyle/Mongaya-To-honor-Cebu-heroes-on-Nov-30 |archive-date=October 15, 2021}}</ref><ref name="BantayogProfileYbanez">{{Cite web |date=August 19, 2015 |title=Heroes and Martyrs: YBAÑEZ, Rolan Ylagan |url=https://www.bantayog.org/ybanez-rolan-ylagan/ |access-date=October 15, 2021 |website=Bantayog ng mga Bayani |language=en-US}}</ref>

Later, Cebu would play a key role in the days leading up to the 1986 People Power revolution and the ouster of Marcos. It was from Fuente Osmeña circle in Cebu City that the opposition forces relaunched a civil disobedience campaign against the Marcos regime and its cronies on February 22, 1986. After that, the Carmelite Monastery in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City, served as a refuge for opposition candidates Aquino and Laurel during the first day of the People Power revolution, because it was not yet safe to go back to Manila.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Erram |first=Morexette Marie B. |date=February 25, 2021 |title=Cebu and the days leading to February 25, 1986 |language=en |work=Cebu Daily News |url=https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/365044/cebu-and-the-days-leading-to-the-edsa-people-power-revolution |access-date=March 3, 2021}}</ref>

===Economic boom and contemporary history===
[[File:Cebu Downtown CCLEX top view (Cebu City; 09-07-2022).jpg|thumb|The Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX), the longest sea-crossing bridge in the Philippines as of 2022, connects Cebu City to the municipality of Cordova in Mactan Island.]]
In 1990, Typhoon Ruping (international name ''Mike'') hit Visayas and Cebu in particular, causing considerable damage to the infrastructure of the city and province. The typhoon cut off many of the city's communication lines, and was virtually cut from the outside, causing delays for aid from the national government in [[Place:Manila|Manila]]. This forced local authorities to rethink governmental priorities, and enforced some radical measures, such as food, water, and fuel rations.<ref name="AP10">{{cite news|title=Local Officials Appeal for Government Help in Typhoon-Hit Areas|agency=Associated Press|date=November 15, 1990}} {{subscription required|via=Lexis Nexis}}</ref> However, the city quickly recovered, and by the end of the decade, it was experiencing rapid economic growth,<ref>{{cite book|last1=Hutchinson|first1=Francis|title=Architects of Growth?: Sub-national Governments and Industrialization in Asia|date=2014|publisher=Institute of Southeast Asian Studies|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wJzhAwAAQBAJ&q=Ceboom+typhoon&pg=PA59|isbn=9789814414531}}</ref> dubbed Ceboom.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/338753/has-ceboom-returned| title=Has 'Ceboom' returned?|first= Fernando|last=Fajardo|newspaper= Cebu Daily News |date=January 11, 2013 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20130113042653/http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/338753/has-ceboom-returned| archive-date=January 13, 2013 |url-status=live |access-date=June 19, 2017 }}</ref> The economic growth of the city also spread economic growth to its neighboring cities and municipalities, which spreads from Danao from the north all the way to Carcar to the south.

Within the city, economic growth was observed in other areas as well, and much of the business activity shifted from the old and derelict downtown area to the more modern and more diverse business districts located in other areas of the city, including areas around Fuente Osmeña (colloquially known as "Uptown Cebu"), the Cebu Business Park, and the Cebu IT Park, among other areas. The opening of the aforementioned Ayala Mall and SM City Cebu had also shifted significant retail activities away from Colon, though it remained to serve as an important transit point for public utility jeepneys (PUJ) covering arterial routes within the city.

In 2002, the South Road Properties (SRP) was completed, initially with the intention of being a hub for light industries but gradually shifted to be a hub for mixed-use developments. The Cebu South Coastal Road, which traverses through SRP, has helped alleviate the city's traffic by serving as an alternative to the Natalio Bacalso Avenue. SM Seaside City Cebu opened in 2015, and was one of the largest shopping malls in the Philippines upon opening. The opening of the Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway in 2022, which links the city to Cordova in Mactan, is poised to unlock the SRP's potential as the city's next economic hub. Other infrastructure projects, such as the Metro Cebu Expressway and the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit System, are also in place to help facilitate the city's future growth.<ref>{{ cite news |date=October 1, 2020 |title=Gullas sees 'Ceboom' repeat |url=https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1872084/cebu/local-news/gullas-sees-ceboom-repeat |work=SunStar Cebu |access-date=August 29, 2022 }}</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:Cebu City (Aerial).jpg|thumb|Aerial view of Cebu City in 2021.]]
Cebu City has a land area of {{convert|315|km2|sp=us}}. To the northeast of the city is Mandaue City and the town of Consolacion; to the west is Toledo City and the towns of Balamban and Asturias; to the south is Talisay City and the town of Minglanilla.

Across Mactan Strait to the east is Mactan island where Lapu-Lapu is located. Further east across the Cebu Strait is the island of Bohol.

=== Barangays ===
[[File:Ph fil cebu city.png|thumb|upright|Political map of Cebu City]]
Cebu City is politically subdivided into 80 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

These barangays are grouped into two congressional districts, with 46 barangays in the northern district and 34 in the southern district.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CEBU CITY NORTH DISTRICT URBAN BARANGAYS |url=http://www.cebucity.gov.ph/barangays--brgy-officials/north-district |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160825224902/http://www.cebucity.gov.ph/barangays--brgy-officials/north-district |archive-date=August 25, 2016 |access-date=August 21, 2016 |publisher=Cebu City Official Website}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=CEBU CITY NORTH DISTRICT RURAL BARANGAYS |url=http://www.cebucity.gov.ph/barangays--brgy-officials/north-district?start=1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160825193459/http://www.cebucity.gov.ph/barangays--brgy-officials/north-district?start=1 |archive-date=August 25, 2016 |access-date=August 21, 2016 |publisher=Cebu City Official Website}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=CEBU CITY SOUTH DISTRICT URBAN BARANGAYS |url=http://www.cebucity.gov.ph/barangays--brgy-officials/south-district |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160825225439/http://www.cebucity.gov.ph/barangays--brgy-officials/south-district |archive-date=August 25, 2016 |access-date=August 21, 2016 |publisher=Cebu City Official Website}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=CEBU CITY SOUTH DISTRICT RURAL BARANGAYS |url=http://www.cebucity.gov.ph/barangays--brgy-officials/south-district?start=1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160825225748/http://www.cebucity.gov.ph/barangays--brgy-officials/south-district?start=1 |archive-date=August 25, 2016 |access-date=August 21, 2016 |publisher=Cebu City Official Website}}</ref>

As of the 2020 census, 58 barangays are classified as urban barangays where 888,481 (92.15%) of Cebu City's population lives, while the remaining 22 rural barangays are home to 75,668 residents, representing 7.85% of the total population.<ref name=CebuPSGC>{{cite web |url=https://psa.gov.ph/classification/psgc/?q=psgc/barangays/072217000 |title=Philippine Statistics Authority - Philippine Standard Geographic Code - Cebu City - Barangays |date=2019-02-05 |access-date=2019-08-26 |website=Philippine Statistics Authority}}</ref>

The most populous barangays in the city, as of the 2020 census, are Guadalupe (70,039), Tisa (47,364), and Lahug (45,853), while Kalubihan is the least populous barangay with only 663 residents.

===Climate===
Cebu City has a [[Earth:Tropical monsoon climate|tropical monsoon climate]] under the [[Earth:Köppen climate classification|Köppen climate classification]]. The city has a lengthy wet season and a short [[Earth:Dry season|dry season]], with only the months of March and April falling into the latter season. Average temperatures show little variance during the year with average daily temps ranging from {{convert|27|C}} to {{convert|29|C}}. The city on averages experiences roughly {{convert|1700|mm|sp=us}} of precipitation annually.

{{Weather box
|location = Cebu City (Mactan International Airport) 1981–2010, extremes 1972–2012
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|width       = auto
| Jan record high C = 33.5
| Feb record high C = 34.8
| Mar record high C = 33.9
| Apr record high C = 35.6
| May record high C = 37.0
| Jun record high C = 37.6
| Jul record high C = 35.3
| Aug record high C = 35.6
| Sep record high C = 35.2
| Oct record high C = 34.4
| Nov record high C = 33.8
| Dec record high C = 34.0
|year record high C = 37.6
|Jan high C = 29.8
|Feb high C = 30.2
|Mar high C = 31.1
|Apr high C = 32.3
|May high C = 32.8
|Jun high C = 32.1
|Jul high C = 31.5
|Aug high C = 31.7
|Sep high C = 31.8
|Oct high C = 31.4
|Nov high C = 31.0
|Dec high C = 30.2
|year high C = 31.3
|Jan mean C = 26.8
|Feb mean C = 27.1
|Mar mean C = 27.8
|Apr mean C = 28.8
|May mean C = 29.3
|Jun mean C = 28.8
|Jul mean C = 28.2
|Aug mean C = 28.4
|Sep mean C = 28.3
|Oct mean C = 28.1
|Nov mean C = 27.8
|Dec mean C = 27.3
|year mean C = 28.1
|Jan low C = 23.9
|Feb low C = 24.0
|Mar low C = 24.5
|Apr low C = 25.4
|May low C = 25.8
|Jun low C = 25.4
|Jul low C = 24.9
|Aug low C = 25.0
|Sep low C = 24.9
|Oct low C = 24.8
|Nov low C = 24.7
|Dec low C = 24.3
|year low C = 24.8
| Jan record low C = 19.8
| Feb record low C = 20.0
| Mar record low C = 19.4
| Apr record low C = 22.1
| May record low C = 22.0
| Jun record low C = 22.5
| Jul record low C = 20.8
| Aug record low C = 20.8
| Sep record low C = 21.5
| Oct record low C = 21.6
| Nov record low C = 20.4
| Dec record low C = 20.0
|year record low C = 19.4
| rain colour = green
| Jan rain mm = 105.2
| Feb rain mm = 69.6
| Mar rain mm = 58.6
| Apr rain mm = 48.1
| May rain mm = 95.0
| Jun rain mm = 175.6
| Jul rain mm = 192.9
| Aug rain mm = 143.5
| Sep rain mm = 179.6
| Oct rain mm = 194.8
| Nov rain mm = 161.9
| Dec rain mm = 139.7
|year rain mm = 1564.5
|unit rain days = 0.1 mm
|Jan rain days = 12
|Feb rain days = 9
|Mar rain days = 8
|Apr rain days = 6
|May rain days = 8
|Jun rain days = 14
|Jul rain days = 16
|Aug rain days = 14
|Sep rain days = 15
|Oct rain days = 16
|Nov rain days = 14
|Dec rain days = 14
|year rain days = 146
|Jan humidity = 83
|Feb humidity = 81
|Mar humidity = 79
|Apr humidity = 77
|May humidity = 78
|Jun humidity = 81
|Jul humidity = 82
|Aug humidity = 81
|Sep humidity = 82
|Oct humidity = 83
|Nov humidity = 83
|Dec humidity = 84
|year humidity = 81
|source = PAGASA<ref name="PAGASAnormals">{{Cite web |title=Mactan International Airport, Cebu City Climatological Normal Values |url=https://data.gov.ph/?q=dataset/climatological-normal-values/resource/e1fda842-1ce5-462c-b1cd-3b02d17917a5 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919042924/https://data.gov.ph/sites/default/files/pagasanormvalmacintairportcebu1981-2010.csv |archive-date=September 19, 2018 |access-date=September 19, 2018 |publisher=Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration}}</ref><ref name="PAGASAextremes">{{Cite web |title=Mactan International Airport, Cebu City Climatological Extremes |url=https://data.gov.ph/?q=dataset/climatological-extremes/resource/389566ec-fe40-45f9-be47-25e9fea1719b |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919042814/https://data.gov.ph/sites/default/files/pagasaclimextrmacintlaircebu.csv |archive-date=September 19, 2018 |access-date=September 19, 2018 |publisher=Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{bar box
| width = 24em
||title = Language Generally Spoken at Home (2010)
|titlebar=#f99
|left1=Language
|right1=Inhabitants
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar pixel|[[Social:Cebuano language|Cebuano]]|Gold|99.24||913,324}}
{{bar pixel|[[Social:English language|English]]|Orange|0.25||2,298}}
{{bar pixel|[[Social:Tagalog language|Tagalog]]|Indigo|0.15||1,356}}
{{bar pixel|[[Social:Hiligaynon language|Hiligaynon]]|Green|0.08||724}}
{{bar pixel|Others|Brown|0.29||2,646}}
}}
{{Philippine Census
| align= none
| cols = 3
| title= Population census of {{PH wikidata|name}}
| 2025 = 
| 2030 = 
| footnote = {{font|size=110%|text=Source: Philippine Statistics Authority}}{{font|size=118%|text=<ref name="2020Popcen"/>{{PH census|2015}}{{PH census|2010}}{{PH census|2007}}{{sfn|Gonzales|2004}}}}
}}

The city's population reached 799,762 people in 2007, and at the time of the 2010 census, the population had grown to 866,171 people, who formed at least 161,151 households.{{PH census|current}}

=== Languages ===
The most recent census data on ethnicity and language (from the 2010 census) shows that the vast majority of the city's population speaks [[Social:Cebuano language|Cebuano Bisaya]] as the primary casual [[Social:Vernacular|vernacular]] language.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Statistical Tables on Sample Variables from the results of 2010 Census of Population and Housing – Cebu |url=https://psa.gov.ph/content/statistical-tables-sample-variables-results-2010-census-population-and-housing-%C3%83%C2%A2%C3%A2%E2%80%9A%C2%AC%C3%A2%E2%82%AC%C5%93-cebu |website=Philippine Statistics Authority}}{{dead link|date=June 2023}}</ref> English is also used as the primary [[Social:Prestige (sociolinguistics)|formal]] medium of instruction in schools, besides Filipino class which teaches [[Social:Filipino language|Filipino]] ([[Social:Tagalog language|Tagalog]]) across schools in Cebu and is also understood by the populace through Filipino [[Social:Mass media|mass media]]. There are also a few speakers of [[Social:Hiligaynon language|Hiligaynon]] from nearby Hiligaynon-speaking provinces in Panay and in Soccsksargen region in Mindanao and other speakers of other Visayan languages from nearby regions. Minority speakers of other Philippine languages are also residents in the city, one of them are Ilocanos, a Luzon ethnic group whose native language is the eponymous Ilocano language.<ref><nowiki>https://legacy.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2016/0319_marcos3.asp</nowiki></ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-05-16 |title=Ilocanos in Cebu organize first Fun Run |url=https://www.philstar.com/cebu-sports/2008/05/16/62363/ilocanos-cebu-organize-first-fun-run |access-date=2023-09-11 |website=www.philstar.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Chinese Filipinos also privately use [[Social:Philippine Hokkien|Philippine Hokkien]] among fellow speakers of the language, while [[Social:Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin]] ([[Social:Standard Chinese|Standard Chinese]]) is also taught in Chinese class of Chinese Filipino schools and few other schools in Cebu.

===Religion===
[[File:Basillica Minore of Señor Sto. Niño de Cebu.jpg|thumb|Basilica del Santo Niño, founded in 1565, was built on the spot where the image of the Santo Niño de Cebú was found during the expedition of Miguel López de Legazpi.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Santo Nino Procession and Feast Day |url=https://www.stmarkscatholicchurch.org/filipino-american-santo-nino-association/ |access-date=May 12, 2023 |website=St. Mark's Roman Catholic Church|date=June 14, 2018 }}</ref>]]
The city is considered the birthplace of Christianity in the Far East.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cebu & Philippines |url=http://iec2016.ph/about-us/cebu-philippines/ |access-date=June 24, 2016 |website=International Eucharistic Congress 2016|date=July 2014 }}</ref><ref name="Cebu">{{Citation |title=Cebu—Cradle of the Philippine Church and Seat of Far-East Christianity |date=December 4, 2014 |url=http://iec2016.ph/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Cebu%E2%80%94Cradle-of-the-Philippine-Church-and-Seat-of-Far-East-Christianity.pdf |publisher=International Eucharistic Congress 2016 |access-date=December 4, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Cebu Archdiocese Philippines – Archdiocese of Cebu Philippines |url=http://directory.ucanews.com/dioceses/philippines-cebu/425 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303210209/http://directory.ucanews.com/dioceses/philippines-cebu/425 |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |access-date=June 24, 2016 |website=Ucanews}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Aeon |date=December 29, 2014 |title='Cradle of Christianity' or 'Seat of Christianity' in the Far East? |url=https://philippinechurchhistory.wordpress.com/2014/12/29/cradle-of-christianity-or-seat-of-christianity-in-the-far-east/ |access-date=June 24, 2016 |archive-date=April 9, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409015226/https://philippinechurchhistory.wordpress.com/2014/12/29/cradle-of-christianity-or-seat-of-christianity-in-the-far-east/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cebu is currently the largest archdiocese in the Philippines and in Asia.<ref>{{Catholic-hierarchy|diocese|dcebu|Archdiocese of Cebu|January 21, 2015}}</ref>

Christianity in the form of Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion in Cebu for about 95% of the population, making it the 2nd most Roman Catholic affiliated city among the already majority Roman Catholic nation.<ref>{{cite web |last=Philippine Statistics Authority |date=February 22, 2023 |title=Religious Affiliation in the Philippines (2020 Census of Population and Housing) |url=https://psa.gov.ph/content/religious-affiliation-philippines-2020-census-population-and-housing |website=psa.gov.ph}}</ref> The remainder of the religious population includes various Protestant faiths ([[Religion:Baptists|Baptists]], [[Religion:Methodism|Methodists]], and [[Religion:Presbyterianism|Presbyterians]]), Non-denominational groups, the [[Religion:Philippine Independent Church|Philippine Independent Church]], Iglesia Ni Cristo, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventist and other Christian groups. Other religions include [[Religion:Islam|Islam]], [[Religion:Hinduism|Hinduism]] and [[Religion:Buddhism|Buddhism]].

Within the city is the Cebu Taoist Temple, a Taoist temple located in the Beverly Hills subdivision of Lahug.

==Economy==

[[File:Port of Cebu.jpg|thumb|Port of Cebu is the second busiest port in the country.]]
[[File:Garden Bloc IT Park Cebu City night view December 2020.jpg|thumb|Cebu IT Park at night. ]]
The term '''Ceboom''', a portmanteau of "Cebu" and "boom", has been used to refer to the rapid economic development of both Cebu City and Cebu Province from the early 1990s to the early 2000s.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cebu Daily News |first=Fernando Fajardo |date=January 11, 2013 |title=Has 'Ceboom' returned? |url=http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/338753/has-ceboom-returned |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130113042653/http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/338753/has-ceboom-returned |archive-date=January 13, 2013}}</ref> Cebu City is considered to be the prime trading center of the southern Philippines.<ref>{{cite book |last= |first= |author= Cleotilde Alday, Carolina Odvina |editor= George Paine, Michael James Anderson |date= 1987|title= Marketing in the Philippines|url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Marketing_in_the_Philippines/NswnUeX0tNMC?hl=en |location= [[Organization:University of California|University of California]] |publisher= International Trade Administration|page= 4|isbn=}}</ref>

With Cebu City's proximity to many islands, beaches, hotel and resorts, diving locations, and heritage sites, high domestic and foreign tourist arrivals have fueled the city's tourism industry. Due to its geographic location in the middle of the country, accessibility by air, land and sea transportation, Cebu City has become the tourist gateway to central and southern Philippines. Its port, Port of Cebu, is the country's second largest seaport.<ref name="casestudy">{{Cite journal |last=Victorina Zosa |date=August 2004 |title=Philippine – Japan Economic Linkages: A Case Study of Cebu |url=http://dirp3.pids.gov.ph/ris/dps/pidsdps0433.pdf |journal=Discussion Paper Series No. 2004-33 |publisher=Philippine Institute for Development Studies |access-date=March 16, 2017 |archive-date=August 8, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808185242/https://dirp3.pids.gov.ph/ris/dps/pidsdps0433.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The city is a major hub for the [[Business process outsourcing|business process outsourcing]] industry of the Philippines. In 2013, Cebu ranked 8th worldwide in the "Top 100 BPO Destinations Report" by global advisory firm Tholons.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Cebu rises to 8th best site for BPOs |work=Sun Star Cebu |url=http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/2013/02/12/cebu-rises-8th-best-site-bpos-267725 |access-date=March 18, 2013 |archive-date=March 17, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130317032726/http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/2013/02/12/cebu-rises-8th-best-site-bpos-267725 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Metro Manila, Cebu among top global BPO destinations |url=http://ph.news.yahoo.com/metro-manila--cebu-among-top-global-bpo-destinations-094957693.html |access-date=March 18, 2013 |publisher=Yahoo! Philippines}}</ref> In 2012, the growth in IT-BPO revenues in Cebu grew 26.9 percent at $484&nbsp;million, while nationally, the industry grew 18.2 percent at $13&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Non-voice overtakes voice operation in Cebu |work=Sun Star Cebu |url=http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/business/2013/05/16/non-voice-overtakes-voice-operation-cebu-282691 |access-date=June 25, 2013 |archive-date=June 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130605162445/http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/business/2013/05/16/non-voice-overtakes-voice-operation-cebu-282691 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Aboitiz Equity Ventures, formerly known as Cebu Pan Asian Holdings, is the first holding company from Cebu City publicly listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange. Ayala Corporation, through its subsidiary Cebu Holdings, Inc. and Cebu Property, both publicly in the PSE Index, developed the Cebu Park District where the mixed-used development zones of the Cebu Business Park and Cebu IT Park are located. Both master planned areas are host to regional headquarters for various companies in the banking, finance, IT and tourism sectors among others.

Shipbuilding companies in Cebu have manufactured bulk carriers of up to {{convert|70,000|MT|sp=us}} deadweight (DWT) and double-hulled fast craft as well. This industry made the Philippines the 4th largest shipbuilding country in the world.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 7, 2013 |title=Philippines Now the Fourth Largest Shipbuilding Country in the World |url=http://ph.news.yahoo.com/philippines-now-fourth-largest-shipbuilding-country-world-091605468.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130428114600/http://ph.news.yahoo.com/philippines-now-fourth-largest-shipbuilding-country-world-091605468.html |archive-date=April 28, 2013 |publisher=Manila Bulletin}}</ref>

With a revenue growth rate of 18.8 percent in 2012, the real estate industry is the fastest growing sector in Cebu. With the strong economic indicators and high investors' confidence level, more condominium projects and hypermarkets are being developed in the locality.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Real estate sector fastest growing industry in Cebu |newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer |url=http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/334233/real-estate-sector-fastest-growing-industry-in-cebu |access-date=June 25, 2013}}</ref>

The South Road Properties (SRP) is a {{convert|300|ha|abbr=out|adj=on}} prime property development project on a reclaimed land located a few metres off the coast of Cebu's central business district. It is a mixed-use development that will feature entertainment, leisure, residential and business-processing industries.<ref name="About South Road Properties">{{Cite web |title=About South Road Properties |url=http://www.cebucity.gov.ph/deptsoffices/frontline/srp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130301114258/http://www.cebucity.gov.ph/deptsoffices/frontline/srp |archive-date=March 1, 2013 |access-date=February 20, 2013 |publisher=City Government of Cebu }}</ref> It is registered with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and is funded by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation(JBIC).<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Official Cebu City Government Forum |url=http://www.cebucity.gov.ph/srp/srp.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100109001546/http://www.cebucity.gov.ph/srp/srp.htm |archive-date=January 9, 2010 |access-date=January 12, 2010 |publisher=Republic of the Philippines: Cebu City Government}}</ref> Traversing the property is a {{convert|12|km|adj=on|sp=us}}, four-lane highway known as the Cebu Coastal Road that provides the motorists with a good view of Cebu's south coast and the nearby island of Bohol.
[[File:Colon Street-Osmeña Boulevard intersection close-up (Cebu City; 09-05-2022).jpg|thumb|left|Colon Street in downtown Cebu, is considered as the oldest street in the Philippines]]
Colon Street, the oldest national road in the Philippines, as well as its neighboring streets and surrounding areas, collectively known as Downtown Cebu, is an important center of commerce for the city. It is home to many malls, stores, and stalls selling various goods and services. Carbon Market is the city's oldest and largest farmer's market, and is set to be redeveloped to include other lifestyle and mixed-use developments. The redevelopment is scheduled to be finished by 2025.<ref>{{ cite news |last=Cacho |first=Katlene O. |date=February 15, 2022 |title=Megawide hikes capex of Carbon redevelopment project to P8B |url=https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1921071/cebu/business/megawide-hikes-capex-of-carbon-redevelopment-project-to-p8b |work=SunStar Cebu |access-date=August 30, 2022 }}</ref> The Pasil Fish Market, located in Barangays Pasil and Suba, is a major fish wholesale market, sourcing fresh catch from different parts of the Visayas.

Cebu City, and Metro Cebu as a whole, is one of the Philippines' major shopping destinations. The Gaisano family, which operates Gaisano Capital, Gaisano Grand Malls, Gaisano Malls, and the Metro Retail Stores Group, traces its roots to the city.<ref>{{ cite news |date=August 9, 2014 |title=The taipans of Cebu |url=https://www.rappler.com/business/industries/65479-taipans-cebu/ |work=Rappler |access-date=August 30, 2022 }}</ref> There are four major super-regional malls in the city. SM City Cebu, located in the North Reclamation Area, opened in 1993, and is the first SM Supermall in the Philippines located outside [[Place:Metro Manila|Metro Manila]]. Ayala Center Cebu, opened in 1994, is a shopping mall at the Cebu Business Park. More than 85,000 people visit the mall every day, with the figure increasing to 135,000 daily on weekends.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Philippine Daily Inquirer – Cebuanos develop shopping, leisure habits |url=http://www.cebuholdings.com/ViewNewsItem.do?newsID=32 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090226231824/http://www.cebuholdings.com/ViewNewsItem.do?newsID=32 |archive-date=February 26, 2009}}</ref> SM Seaside, opened in November 2015, is located in the South Road Properties and is one of the largest shopping malls in the Philippines. Robinsons Galleria Cebu opened in December 2015 and is in close proximity to the Port of Cebu. Other notable retail establishments include Ayala Malls Central Bloc in Cebu IT Park, Il Corso, Gaisano Mall of Cebu, and Gaisano Country Mall, among others.


==Government==
[[File:Cebu City Hall (Plaza Sugbu, Cebu City; 01-21-2023).jpg|thumb|Cebu City Hall, the seat of city government.]]
[[File:Mayor of Cebu City Mike Rama.webp|thumb|149x149px|Hon. Michael “Mike” Lopez Rama as Mayor of Cebu City. ]]
Being a highly urbanized city, Cebu City (along with neighboring Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu) is independent from Cebu province. Its electorate do not vote for provincial officials. There were proposals during the time of Governor Emilio Mario Osmeña to establish an "administrative district" that would be independent from Cebu City. This would mean carving out Cebu City's Capitol Site barangay, where the provincial capitol and other provincial offices are located. The plan, however, did not go through and was even followed by other proposals like the transfer of the capital to Balamban.

Cebu City is governed by a mayor, vice mayor and sixteen councilors (eight representing the north and eight representing the south districts). Each official is popularly elected to serve for a three-year term. The chief of the Association of Barangay Captains and the president of the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation also serve in the city council. The day-to-day administration of the city is handled by a city administrator.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 10, 2008 |title=Davide is acting Cebu City mayor Osmeña in US, Rama off to Korea |work=Cebu Daily News (Inquirer.net) |url=http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view/20081010-165704/Davide-is-acting-Cebu-City-mayor |url-status=dead |access-date=October 10, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011011530/http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view/20081010-165704/Davide-is-acting-Cebu-City-mayor |archive-date=October 11, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Osmeñas leave for US amid prayer |newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer |url=http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view/20081008-165293/Osmenas-leave-for-US-amid-prayers |url-status=dead |access-date=October 8, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011080249/http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view/20081008-165293/Osmenas-leave-for-US-amid-prayers |archive-date=October 11, 2008 }}</ref>

; Current city officials (2022–2025)
* Mayor: Michael L. Rama (BARUG)<ref name="cebudailynews.inquirer.net">{{Cite news |title=Labella, Rama take oath as Cebu City's new top execs |language=en |newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer |url=https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/242153/labella-rama-take-oath-as-cebu-citys-new-top-execs |access-date=July 3, 2019}}</ref>
* Vice Mayor: Raymond Alvin N. Garcia (BARUG)<ref name="cebudailynews.inquirer.net" />

; 19th Congress
* House of Representatives
** 1st District (North): Rachel B. del Mar (NPC)
** 2nd District (South): Eduardo R. Rama Jr. ([[Social:PDP–Laban|PDPLBN]])

==Culture==
[[File:Interior of the Basilica del Santo Niño.jpg|thumb|left|Devotees inside the Basilica del Santo Niño.]]
Cebu City is a significant cultural center in the Philippines. The imprint of Spanish and Roman Catholic culture is evident. The city's most famous landmark is Magellan's Cross. This cross, now housed in a chapel, is reputed to have been erected by Ferdinand Magellan (Fernão Magalhães) when he arrived in the Philippines in 1521.<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Cebú|volume=5|pages=592–593|noicon=yes}}</ref> It was encased in hollow [[Biology:Afzelia rhomboidea|tindalo wood]] in 1835 upon the order of the Augustinian Bishop Santos Gómez Marañon to prevent devotees from taking it home chip by chip. The same bishop restored the present template or kiosk, located at Magallanes Street between the City Hall and Colegio del Santo Niño. Revered by Filipinos, the Magellan's Cross is a symbol of Christianity in the Philippines.

A few steps away from Magellan's Cross is the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño (Church of the Holy Child). This is an Augustinian church elevated to the rank of basilica in 1965 during the 400th anniversary celebrations of Christianity in the Philippines, held in Cebu. The church, which was the first to be established in the islands, is built of hewn stone and features the country's oldest relic, the figure of the [[Religion:Santo Niño de Cebú|Santo Niño de Cebú]] (Holy Child of Cebu), who is Jesus Christ as a Child.
[[File:Viva Pit Senyor for Our Beloved Nation.jpg|thumb|Sinulog Festival is the one of Grandest Festival of the Philippines honor of Senor Santo Niño]]
This religious and cultural event is celebrated during the island's cultural festivities known as the Sinulog festival. Held every third Sunday of January, it celebrates the festival of the [[Religion:Santo Niño de Cebú|Santo Niño]], who was formerly considered to be the patron saint of Cebu. (This patronage was later changed to that of Our Lady of Guadalupe after it was realized that the Santo Niño could not be a patron saint because he was an image of Christ and not a saint.) The Sinulog is a dance prayer ritual of pre-Hispanic indigenous origin. The dancer moves two steps forward and one step backward to the rhythmic sound of drums. This movement resembles somewhat the current (sulog) of the river. Thus, the Cebuanos called it Sinulog.

When the Spaniards arrived in Cebu, the Italian chronicler Antonio Pigafetta, sailing under convoy with the Magellan expedition, offered a baptismal gift to Hara Amihan, wife of Rajah Humabon. She was later named Juana, the figure of the Santo Niño. The natives also honored the Santo Niño de Cebú in their indigenous sinulog ritual.{{citation needed|date=June 2011}} This ritual was preserved but limited to honoring the Santo Niño. Once the Santo Niño church was built in the 16th century, the Christianized-Austronesian natives started performing the sinulog ritual in front of the church, the devotees offering candles and indigenous dancers shouting "Viva Pit Señor!"{{citation needed|date=June 2011}}

In the 1980s and 2000s, the city authorities of Cebu added the religious feast of Santo Niño de Cebú during the Sinulog Festival to its cultural event.

The city joined [[Organization:UNESCO|UNESCO]]'s Network of Creative Cities as a Design City on October 31, 2019, on the occasion of World Cities' Day.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 30, 2019 |title=UNESCO celebrates World Cities Day designating 66 new Creative Cities |url=https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-celebrates-world-cities-day-designating-66-new-creative-cities |access-date=November 5, 2019 |website=UNESCO |language=en}}</ref> Cebu City was also recognized by the British Council as the Creative Capital of the Philippines.<ref>{{cite web |title=DOST Cebu Supports Cebu's Creative Sector |url=https://region7.dost.gov.ph/dost-cebu-supports-cebus-creative-sector/ |website=DOST Region VII |publisher=DOST VII |access-date=August 6, 2021}}</ref> In 2019, it joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a City of Design.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cebu City |url=https://en.unesco.org/creative-cities/cebu-city |website=UNESCO Creative Cities Network |publisher=UNESCO |access-date=August 6, 2021}}</ref>

===Music===
Cebu City is regarded as the birthplace of BisRock, a term coined by Cebuano writer Januar E. Yap in 2002.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 31, 2006 |title=BISROCK: Where it all began |work=The Philippine Star |url=http://www.philstar.com/cebu-entertainment/377832/bisrock-where-it-all-began?nomobile=1 |access-date=August 1, 2017}}</ref> Notable BisRock bands include Missing Filemon, Junior Kilat, Phylum, Rundown Genova, and Scrambled Eggs, among others. Popular Filipino bands Urbandub and Cueshé also hail from Cebu, but mostly sing their songs in English, and in the latter's case, also in [[Social:Tagalog language|Tagalog]].

The Cebu Reggae Festival is a popular Filipino Reggae and Roots music festival, it now has become one of the Philippines' largest annual Reggae Festivals.

Lifedance and Sinulog Invasion are rave music festivals held in the city in the days before the Sinulog Festival. These music festivals are regarded as among the biggest music festivals in the country.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cabiluna |first=Pearl |title=Top Sinulog Parties! – Everything Cebu |url=http://www.everythingcebu.com/attractions/festivals/top-sinulog-parties/ |website=Everythingcebu.com |date=November 6, 2014 |access-date=August 1, 2017 |archive-date=January 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118143805/https://www.everythingcebu.com/attractions/festivals/top-sinulog-parties/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The Cebu Pop Music Festival is an annual music festival, founded in 1980,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Costanilla |first=Sam |date=September 11, 2016 |title=Costanilla: Cebu Pop Music Festival names top 12 songs |work=SunStar |url=http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/entertainment/2016/09/11/costanilla-cebu-pop-music-festival-names-top-12-songs-497036 |access-date=August 1, 2017}}</ref> showcasing Cebuano-language pop songs. Like Lifedance and Sinulog Invasion, the music festival is also held in the days before the Sinulog Festival.

On Cebuano musical heritage, the Jose R. Gullas Halad Museum in V. Gullas St. (former Manalili) corner D. Jakosalem St. in Cebu City, holds musical memorabilia of Cebuano composers in the early 20th century, the likes of Ben Zubiri (composer of Matud Nila), Inting Rubi (Kasadya Ning Taknaa) and Minggoy Lopez (Rosas Pandan).

Since 2013, Cebu has hosted the Visayan Pop Songwriting Campaign, an annual songwriting competition that aimed to showcase songs written in the Cebuano language. Founded by multi-awarded artist Jude Gitamondoc, Ian Zafra, Cattski Espina, and Missing Filemon's front-man Lorenzo Niñal through the Artists and Musicians Marketing Cooperative (ArtistKo) with the support of the Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Vispop, or sometimes Visayan pop, later on evolved from being associated with the music festival to a genre of the new wave of Visayan pop songs that gained nationwide popularity, even those songs that were not exclusively produced for or presented in the contest.

===Sports===
[[File:Cebu City Sports Center (R. Landon, Cebu City; 09-05-2022).jpg|thumb|The Cebu City Sports Complex]]
The Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. is based in the city. Its member schools are located within the Metro Cebu area. It is often considered one of the Philippines' strongest college sports league.

The city has an active boxing scene. ALA Gym, one of the most famous boxing gyms in the Philippines, is based in the city, at the Banilad district. In addition, ALA Gym's promotion arm, the ALA Promotions, organizes the Pinoy Pride boxing series.

The Aboitiz Football Cup is the longest-running association football competition in Cebu. The cup has been considered to be one of the most prestigious association football tournaments in the Philippines. The tournament is organized and supported by the Aboitiz family, one of the Philippines' richest families, and owners of one of the Philippines' largest conglomerates, the Aboitiz Equity Ventures.

The Cebu F.C. is the only professional sports club based in the city. It has played in the Philippines Football League (PFL) in 2021. The club is the second professional football club to be based in Cebu, after Global F.C., which also played in the PFL. The club plays its home games at the Dynamic Herb Sports Complex in nearby Talisay.<ref>{{ cite news |last=del Carmen |first=Lorenzo |title=PFF gives Cebu provisionary license; Laos given deadline to fulfill requirements |url=https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/pfl-gives-cebu-provisionary-license-laos-given-deadline-to-fulfill-requirements/215491 |work=The Tiebreaker Times |date=July 31, 2021 |access-date=August 9, 2021 }}</ref>

Former professional sports teams include the following:
* Global Cebu F.C., which played in the now-defunct Philippines Football League (PFL). They played their home games at the Cebu City Sports Complex. They have since moved to Makati, changing their name correspondingly into Global Makati F.C.
* Cebu City Chiefs, a rugby league team that participated in the Philippines National Rugby League
* Cebu Dragons, a rugby union team in the Philippine Rugby Football Union
* Cebu Gems, a basketball team that played in the now-defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA). The Gems played their home games at the Cebu Coliseum.
* Cebu City Sharks, a basketball team that used to play in the South Division of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL). The team has taken a leave of absence from the MPBL since 2021.<ref>{{ cite news |last=Rosal |first=Glendale G. |date=June 3, 2021 |title=Cebu Sharks to take an official leave in MPBL |url=https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/380740/cebu-sharks-to-take-an-official-leave-in-mpbl |work=CDN Digital |access-date=May 16, 2023 }}</ref> The team played its home games at the Hoops Dome in nearby Lapu-Lapu City, Aznar Coliseum in Barangay Sambag I, and at the USJ-R Coliseum, located in Barangay Basak Pardo.

==Tourism==

Tourism is a thriving industry in Cebu. It hosted the 1998 ASEAN Tourism Forum. The city also hosted the East Asian Tourism Forum in August 2002, in which the province of Cebu is a member and signatory.

Views of Cebu City and its skyline can be seen from villages and numerous gated communities located on its mountainsides.

There is a significant number of Filipino-Spanish heritage buildings in Cebu City such as Fort San Pedro, Basilica del Santo Niño, Magellan's Cross, and the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.<ref name="tourism">[http://www.lakbay.net/dot/cebu.html Department of Tourism Philippines official website page on Cebu] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090515140134/http://www.lakbay.net/DOT/cebu.html |date=May 15, 2009 }}.  Accessed September 28, 2009.</ref> The city hosts the Museo Sugbo and Casa Gorordo Museum. The Cebu Taoist Temple is also situated within the city.

<gallery>
File:View from the upper level (9235039861).jpg|Cebu Taoist Temple
File:Colon Street Obelisk and Historical Marker.jpg|Colon Street Obelisk and Historical Marker
File:Night shot of Casa Gorordo.jpg|Night at Casa Gorordo Museum
File:Magellan's Cross Cebu (cropped).jpg|Magellan's Cross Pavilion
File:Museo Sugbu (MJ Cuenco Avenue, Cebu City; 09-07-2022).jpg|Museo Sugbo
File:TEMPLE OF LEAH (UPLOAD LOCALLY).jpg|Temple of Leah
File:Cebu downtown, capitol view from Tops Lookout (Cebu City; 09-06-2022).jpg|Aerial view at Tops Lookout
File:Sirao Pictorial Garden 026.jpg|Sirao Garden
File:Cebu Fuente Osmeña Circle top view (Cebu City; 09-09-2022).jpg|Fuente Osmeña Circle and at the end of point in of Osmeña Boulevard above of them is Cebu Provincial Capitol 
</gallery>

==Infrastructure==
===Transportation===
[[File:Mactan–Cebu International Airport Terminal 2.jpg|thumb|Interior of the Mactan–Cebu International Airport terminal 2.]]
[[File:Osmeña Boulevard-CNU (Cebu City; 09-05-2022).jpg|thumb|Osmeña Boulevard, a major arterial thoroughfare in Cebu City.]]
Mactan–Cebu International Airport, located in Lapu-Lapu, is the country's second-busiest airport and serves direct international flights to Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, China, Taiwan, Dubai and South Korea, with charter flights to {{wipe|Russia}} and domestic destinations.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cebu Pacific Air |date=July 18, 2006 |title=Cebu Pacific adds flights to Cagayan de Oro, Tacloban and Tagbilaran to meet demand |url=http://cebupacificaircorporate.com/pages/news.aspx?id=810 |access-date=July 4, 2017 |archive-date=November 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191101131106/https://cebupacificaircorporate.com/pages/news.aspx%3Fid%3D810 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Mactan Cebu airport to set aside P300M for expansion |newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer |url=http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/enterprise/view/20080820-155792/Mactan-Cebu-airport-to-set-aside-P300-M-for-expansion |url-status=dead |access-date=August 21, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080916223549/http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/enterprise/view/20080820-155792/Mactan-Cebu-airport-to-set-aside-P300-M-for-expansion |archive-date=September 16, 2008}}</ref> Many international and cargo airlines fly to Cebu. There are also direct transfer flights via the capital's Ninoy Aquino International Airport that readily connect the city to other destinations in the world.

The city is served by a domestic and international port which are handled by the Cebu Port Authority. Much of the city's waterfront is actually occupied by the port with around {{convert|3.5|km|sp=us}} of berthing space. The city is home to more than 80% of the country's island vessels traveling on domestic routes mostly in the Visayas and Mindanao.<ref name="casestudy" />

Transportation throughout the city and the metropolitan itself is provided by jeepneys, buses and taxis. The Cebu City Government conducted a 2012 feasibility study on implementing a bus rapid transit (BRT) system that will ease the transportation of the residents in the city and throughout the entire Metro Cebu area.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mosqueda, M. W. |date=May 30, 2014 |title=NEDA okays bus rapid transit system for Cebu |work=Manila Bulletin |url=http://www.mb.com.ph/neda-okays-bus-rapid-transit-system-for-cebu/ |access-date=September 23, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=August 27, 2014 |title=Funding for Cebu Bus Rapid Transit system approved |work=Rappler |url=http://www.rappler.com/business/industries/208-infrastructure/67415-cebu-brt-project-funding |access-date=September 23, 2015}}</ref> Aimed to serve an estimated 330,000 passengers per day, the project would have a capacity of 176 buses running through 33 stations along Bulacao until Talamban with a link to South Road Properties.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Agcaoili, L. |date=June 8, 2015 |title=DOTC eyes consultant for P10.6-B bus rapid transit system in Cebu |work=The Philippine Star |url=http://www.philstar.com/business/2015/06/08/1463306/dotc-eyes-consultant-p10.6-b-bus-rapid-transit-system-cebu |access-date=September 23, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=October 31, 2014 |title=Gov't signs WB loan for Cebu bus rapid transit project |work=Rappler |url=http://www.rappler.com/business/industries/208-infrastructure/73674-govt-loan-cebu-bus-rapid-transit-project |access-date=September 23, 2015}}</ref> The project is currently branded as TransCebu and is expected to be fully operational by 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Montalbo, C. M. |date=April 10, 2015 |title=The dignity of travel: The Cebu BRT project |url=http://www.up.edu.ph/the-dignity-of-travel-the-cebu-brt-project/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150424054520/http://www.up.edu.ph/the-dignity-of-travel-the-cebu-brt-project/ |archive-date=April 24, 2015 |access-date=September 23, 2014}}</ref> {{As of|March 2017}} it was two years late, and the price had increased to ₱9.04B (US$180M).{{sfn|Bunachita|2017}}

In March 2019, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board announced the opening of a new Premium Point-to-Point Bus Service in Cebu City with three express bus routes to Lapu-Lapu, Danao and Sibonga.<ref>{{Cite news |last=San Juan, Alexandria Dennise |date=March 19, 2019 |title=LTFRB opens 28 P2P routes for franchise |work=Manila Bulletin |url=https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/03/18/ltfrb-opens-28-p2p-routes-for-franchise/ |access-date=March 23, 2019 |archive-date=March 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323092336/https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/03/18/ltfrb-opens-28-p2p-routes-for-franchise/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

A new light railway is expected to start its construction in 2022.{{update inline|date=January 2024}}

===Utilities===

The city mostly gets its power from an interconnection grid with the Leyte Geothermal Power Plant, which also powers the majority of the Visayas.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rivera, D. O |date=November 18, 2013 |title=Yolanda-hit Leyte geothermal plant key to restoring power in Visayas |work=GMA News |url=http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/336015/money/economy/yolanda-hit-leyte-geothermal-plant-key-to-restoring-power-in-visayas |access-date=September 23, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Felicitas, P. D. H. |date=February 6, 2014 |title=Cebu still has ample supply |url=http://archive.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/2014/02/06/cebu-still-has-ample-supply-326911 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117022510/http://archive.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/2014/02/06/cebu-still-has-ample-supply-326911 |archive-date=November 17, 2015 |access-date=September 23, 2015 |newspaper=Sun.Star}}</ref> Cebu is also powered by a coal-fired thermal plant with two units each generating 52.5-MW and 56.8-MW,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lectura, L. |date=October 1, 2014 |title=SPC is new owner and operator of Naga power plant in Cebu |url=http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/spc-is-new-owner-and-operator-of-naga-power-plant-in-cebu/ |access-date=September 23, 2015 |newspaper=Business Mirror}}</ref> a 43.8-MW diesel power plant and 55-MW land-based gas turbine plants located at the Naga power complex which is planned to be rehabilitated and replaced with 150-MW coal units by 2016 and to be completed by 2019.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Garcia-Yap, A. |date=May 30, 2015 |title=New P25-B power plant to rise in Naga in 2019 |newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer |url=http://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/58212/new-p25-b-power-plant-to-rise-in-naga-in-2019 |access-date=September 23, 2015}}</ref>

Telecommunication facilities, broadband and wireless internet connections are available and are provided by some of the country's largest telecommunication companies.

In 1998, the {{convert|15|ha|adj=on}} Inayawan Sanitary Landfill was constructed to ease garbage disposal within the city. After 15 years, the landfill reached its lifespan and the Talisay city government recently allowed Cebu to temporarily dump its garbage in its own {{convert|2|ha|adj=on}} landfill.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Quintas, K. B. |date=January 23, 2015 |title=Talisay allows Cebu City to use its sanitary landfill |work=The Philippine Star |url=http://www.philstar.com/cebu-news/2015/01/23/1415865/talisay-allows-cebu-city-use-its-sanitary-landfill |access-date=September 23, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=January 23, 2015 |title=Talisay OKs Cebu City to Use Sanitary Landfill |url=http://metrocebu.com.ph/2015/01/talisay-oks-cebu-city-to-use-sanitary-landfill |access-date=September 23, 2015 |publisher=MetroCebu News}}</ref> In 2015, Cebu appropriated a total of ₱2.5M to close and rehabilitate the landfill at Inayawan.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Quintas, K. M. |date=June 6, 2015 |title=City allocates P2.5M for landfill closure, rehab |work=The Philippine Star |url=http://www.philstar.com/cebu-news/2015/06/06/1462763/city-allocates-p2.5m-landfill-closure-rehab |access-date=September 23, 2015}}</ref>

==Education==
{{multiple image
| align             = right
| direction         = vertical
| image1            = University of San Carlos (Pantaleon Del Rosario, Cebu City; 09-05-2022).jpg
| caption1          = University of San Carlos
| image2            = University of San Jose Recoletos (Magallanes, Cebu City; 09-05-2022).jpg
| caption2          = University of San Jose – Recoletos
| image3            = Cnu new02.jpg
| caption3          = Cebu Normal University in Osmeña Boulevard
}}

Cebu City, and Metro Cebu as a whole, is an important educational hub in Southern Philippines. Cebu City itself is currently home to ten large universities each with a number of campuses throughout Cebu province and more than a dozen other schools specializing in various courses.

Among these schools is the University of San Carlos, one of the most highly regarded educational institutions in the Philippines. It claims to trace its roots to Colegio de San Ildefonso, which was founded in 1595. It has five campuses around Cebu City, including the Downtown Campus (formerly Main Campus) and the Talamban Campus (TC), both of which are home to the school's college programs. It is currently headed by the Society of the Divine Word.

The University of the Philippines Cebu, located at Barangay Camputhaw in the district near Lahug currently has eight courses and has plans of expansion and development. The U.P. Board of Regents elevated the status of U.P. Cebu as a constituent university of the University of the Philippines System on October 27, 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |title=UP Cebu is now UP's 8th Constituent University |url=http://www.up.edu.ph/up-cebu-is-now-ups-8th-constituent-university/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128134535/http://www.up.edu.ph/up-cebu-is-now-ups-8th-constituent-university/ |archive-date=November 28, 2016 |access-date=March 19, 2017}}</ref>

Another Catholic university in Cebu City is the University of San Jose–Recoletos which was established in 1947.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History |url=http://www.usjredu.blogspot.com/p/history.html |access-date=April 27, 2013 |publisher=University of San Jose-Recoletos}}</ref> It is currently headed by the Augustinian Recollects and has two different campuses within the city, excluding a new campus outside the city located in the municipality of Balamban.

Cebu Normal University (CNU) was established in 1902 as a provincial normal school, a branch of the Philippine Normal School. It became an independent institution in 1924, a chartered college in 1976, and a university in 1998. CNU offers academic programs at the nursery, kindergarten, elementary, junior high, undergraduate, and graduate levels. CNU is designated by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as Center of Excellence (COE) in both Nursing Education and Teacher Education.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ched.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/List-of-COE-COD-as-of-May-2016.pdf|title=Table 8. List of Centers of Excellence (COEs) and Centers of Development (CODs) as at May 2016|website=Ched.gov.ph|access-date=26 July 2022|archive-date=June 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628013939/https://ched.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/List-of-COE-COD-as-of-May-2016.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Cebu Doctors' University (formerly Cebu Doctors' College) was granted university status in November 2004. It is the only private school in the Philippines to achieve university status without a designated basic education (pre-school&nbsp;– high school) curriculum; it caters mainly to courses related to the health services field. It was relocated to a nine-story building in 2007 at the Cebu Boardwalk (now Dr. P.V. Larrazabal Jr. Avenue) in neighboring city of Mandaue, thus closing its old campus near the then Cebu Doctors' Hospital (now Cebu Doctors' University Hospital). {{As of| 2016}}, the university now offers senior high school (grades 11 and 12)

The University of Cebu (UC) has four campuses located within the city: Its main campus, located in Sanciangko Street, offers degree programs such as a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT), HRM, Computer Engineering, BSED and others. The Maritime Education & Training Center (METC), located in Barangay Mambaling, which hosts the university's maritime programs, was opened in 1991. Its third campus, in Barangay Banilad, was opened in June 2002. A fourth campus, the Pardo–Talisay campus, located in Barangay Bulacao Pardo, near the boundary between Cebu City and Talisay, was added to the UC network in 2021 after the university's acquisition of St. Paul College Foundation, Inc.

Also located in the city is the University of the Visayas, established in 1919, and is considered to be the first educational institution in Cebu which was granted with a university status. It was granted an autonomous status by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in 2010 and currently offers basic education and a number of courses in the tertiary level including medical courses (Medicine, Nursing, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Midwifery, and Health Care Services) which are housed in its campus in Banilad area. Aside from its campuses within Cebu City, it also has numerous campuses located around the province of Cebu.

Other noteworthy institutions in the city include the Cebu Institute of Technology – University (formerly Cebu Institute of Technology), the main campus of Cebu Technological University (formerly the Cebu State College of Science and Technology), Southwestern University, University of Southern Philippines Foundation in Lahug and Mabini, Asian College of Technology (formerly Asian Computer Institute), Benedicto College, Cebu Eastern College, Cebu International School, Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion, College of Technological Sciences - Cebu, Don Bosco Technical College–Cebu (DBTC), Saint Theresa's College of Cebu, Sacred Heart School - Ateneo de Cebu, Salazar Colleges of Science and Institute of Technology, and Velez College (together with its independently administered medical school arm Cebu Institute of Medicine), among others.

Cebu City has 68 public elementary schools, 23 national high schools and 28 night high schools. These night high schools are operated by the city government.

The Cebu City Public Library and Information Center is the only public library in Cebu.

==Sister cities==
===International===
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*{{flagicon|China}} Chengdu, China<ref name="Cebu, Chengdu sign sister-city pact">{{Cite news |title=Cebu, Chengdu sign sister-city pact |work=SunStar |url=https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/149098 |access-date=July 29, 2019 |archive-date=July 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727182119/https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/149098 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*{{flagicon|United States}} Chula Vista, California,  United States<ref>{{Cite web |title=International Friendship Commission |url=https://www.chulavistaca.gov/departments/city-clerk/boards-commissions/boards-commissions-list/international-friendship-commission |access-date=July 29, 2019 |publisher=City of Chula Vista}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|Mexico}} Guadalajara, Mexico<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sister Cities, Public Relations |url=http://www.guadalajara.gob.mx/dependencias/relacionespublicas/versioningles/sistercities.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302011742/http://www.guadalajara.gob.mx/dependencias/relacionespublicas/versioningles/sistercities.html |archive-date=March 2, 2012 |access-date=March 12, 2013 |publisher=Guadalajara municipal government}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|United States}} Honolulu, Hawaii, United States<ref>{{Cite web |title=International Relations and Sister-City Program: Cebu, Philippines |url=https://www.honolulu.gov/cms-oed-menu/site-oed-sitearticles/28246-city-of-cebu.html |access-date=July 29, 2019 |publisher=City of Honolulu |archive-date=February 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210221000025/https://www.honolulu.gov/cms-oed-menu/site-oed-sitearticles/28246-city-of-cebu.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*{{flagicon|Netherlands}} Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands<ref name="Haarlemmermeer Officials sojourn here">{{Cite web |title=Haarlemmermeer Officials sojourn here |url=http://cebucity.gov.ph/index.php/40-news/3374-haarlemmermeer-officials-sojourn-here |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221061147/http://cebucity.gov.ph/index.php/40-news/3374-haarlemmermeer-officials-sojourn-here |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 21, 2016 |access-date=December 9, 2016 |publisher=City of Cebu }}</ref>
*{{flagicon|Taiwan}} Kaohsiung, Taiwan<ref name="Sister & Friendly Cities of Kaohsiung">{{Cite web |title=Sister & Friendly Cities |url=https://secret.kcg.gov.tw/masterpage-sistercityen |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180706104447/https://secret.kcg.gov.tw/masterpage-sistercityen |archive-date=July 6, 2018 |access-date=July 6, 2018 |publisher=Kaohsiung City Government}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|Belgium}} Kortrijk, Belgium<ref name="Cebu City renews sister city ties with Belgium">{{Cite news |title=Cebu City renews sister city ties with Belgium's Kortrijk |publisher=Cebu Daily News |url=https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/52050/cebu-city-renews-sister-city-ties-with-belgiums-kortrijk |access-date=July 29, 2019}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|Australia}} Parramatta City, Australia<ref>{{Cite news |title=Cebu City renews sister ties after 18 years |work=The Philippine Star |url=http://www.philstar.com/cebu-news/2015/06/24/1469415/cebu-city-renews-sister-ties-after-18-years |url-status=dead |access-date=July 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151122221725/http://www.philstar.com/cebu-news/2015/06/24/1469415/cebu-city-renews-sister-ties-after-18-years |archive-date=November 22, 2015}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|Portugal}} Sabrosa, Portugal<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 2, 2014 |title=Cebu City, Sabrosa formalizes sister-city agreement in Ferdinand Magellan's birthplace |url=http://philembassy-lisbon.com/embassy-news23.aspx |access-date=July 29, 2019 |publisher=Embassy of the Philippines in Portugal}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|United States}} Salinas, California, United States<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sister Cities |date=July 15, 2016 |url=https://www.cityofsalinas.org/visitors/sister-cities |access-date=July 29, 2019 |publisher=City of Salinas |archive-date=February 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210221000033/https://www.cityofsalinas.org/visitors/sister-cities |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*{{flagicon|United States}} Seattle, Washington, United States<ref>{{Cite web |title=Seattle International Sister City: Cebu, Philippines |url=http://www.seattle.gov/oir/sistercities/cebu.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322181940/http://www9.seattle.gov/oir/sistercities/cebu.htm |archive-date=March 22, 2014 |access-date=June 7, 2014 |publisher=City of Seattle}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|Russia}} Saint Petersburg, Russia<ref>{{Cite news |title=Let's not reject old allies |work=SunStar Cebu |url=http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/2016/10/24/lets-not-reject-old-allies-505021 |access-date=December 10, 2016 |archive-date=December 27, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161227204519/http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/2016/10/24/lets-not-reject-old-allies-505021 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*{{flagicon|Russia}} Vladimir, Russia<ref>{{Cite web |title=Russian-Philippines Relations |url=http://www.philippines.mid.ru/relations.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130915044442/http://www.philippines.mid.ru/relations.html |archive-date=September 15, 2013 |access-date=July 29, 2019 |publisher=Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Philippines}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|China}} Xiamen, China<ref name="Rama renews ties with Xiamen City">{{Cite news |title=Rama renews ties with Xiamen City |work=The Philippine Star |url=http://www.philstar.com/cebu-news/2014/03/29/1306438/rama-renews-ties-xiamen-city |access-date=July 12, 2014}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|Japan}} Yokohama, Japan<ref name="Cebu Yokohama Cities joint survey mission">{{Cite web |title=Cebu Yokohama Cities joint survey mission |url=http://cebucity.gov.ph/index.php/home-new/news-announcements/chactivities/1652-cebu-yukuhama-cities-joint-survey-mission |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221055758/http://cebucity.gov.ph/index.php/home-new/news-announcements/chactivities/1652-cebu-yukuhama-cities-joint-survey-mission |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 21, 2016 |access-date=December 9, 2016 |publisher=City of Cebu }}</ref>
*{{flagicon|South Korea}} Yeosu, South Korea<ref name="Sokor execs in Cebu City to strengthen partnership">{{Cite news |title=Sokor execs in Cebu City to strengthen partnership |work=The Philippine Star |url=https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/cebu-news/2018/05/28/1819269/sokor-execs-cebu-city-strengthen-partnership |access-date=July 29, 2019}}</ref>
{{div col end}}

===Local===
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
{{ubl
|Butuan, Agusan del Norte
|Davao City, Davao del Sur
|[[Place:Iloilo City|Iloilo City]], Iloilo
|Bacolod, Negros Occidental
|Koronadal, South Cotabato
|General Santos, South Cotabato
|[[Place:Manila|Manila]], Metro Manila
|Parañaque, Metro Manila
|Ozamiz, Misamis Occidental
|[[Place:Cabanatuan|Cabanatuan]], Nueva Ecija}}
{{div col end}}

==See also==

*List of parishes in Cebu
*List of people from Cebu
*Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cebu
*Metro Cebu

Owing to its economic importance and influence in modern times, Cebu City is popularly called ''Queen City of the South''—a sobriquet adopted from [[Place:Iloilo City|Iloilo City]] after its economic decline in the mid-1900s.{{efn|Iloilo City was originally known as the "Queen City of the South," a title that evolved from another Iloilo title, "Queen's Favored City of the South." From being the Queen Regent of {{wipe|Spain}}, Maria Christina's favorite city in the south of [[Place:Manila|Manila]] in the late 19th century. Iloilo became the second-most important city in the Philippines at that time, giving it a reason to evolve to the title of "Queen City of the South" until the mid 20th century, after [[Social:World War II|World War II]], leaving the city devastated and causing investors to flee to nearby Cebu City. Cebu later claimed the title after it surpassed Iloilo's economy in the 80s. Although some people disagree with Cebu's claim since the title is of historical significance to Iloilo alone and not for which city is the next second-most important in the country.<ref name="Daily Guardian">{{cite news |title=A glimpse into Iloilo City's colorful past |url=https://thedailyguardian.net/opinion/a-glimpse-into-iloilo-citys-colorful-past/ |date=August 22, 2011}}</ref>|name=G. Nye Steiger, H. Otley Beyer, Conrado Benitez, A History of the Orient, Oxford: 1929, Ginn and Company, pp. 122–123.}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==

{{reflist}}

==Sources==

{{refbegin|indent=yes}}

*  {{Cite web |last=Cebu Daily News |first=Doris C. Bongcac & Tweeny M. Malinao |date=June 22, 2012 |title=Guadalupe plebiscite scheduled on July 28 |url=https://cebudailynews.wordpress.com/2012/06/22/guadalupe-plebiscite-scheduled-on-july-28/}}
* {{Cite news |work=Cebu Daily News |first=Jose Santino S. |last=Bunachita |date=January 3, 2017 |title=Road right-of-way costs up for BRT |url=http://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/117860/road-right-way-costs-brt |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170227013141/http://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/117860/road-right-way-costs-brt |archive-date=February 27, 2017}}
* {{Cite book |last=Foreman |first=John |url=http://www.gutenberg.org/files/22815/22815-h/22815-h.htm |title=The Philippine Islands. A political, geographical, ethnographical, social and commercial history of the Philippine Archipelago and its political dependencies, embracing the whole period of Spanish rule |publisher=Charles Scribner's Sons |year=1906 |edition=3rd |location=New York}}
* {{Cite journal |last=Gonzales |first=Glenda R. |date=December 2004 |title=Metro Cebu: A Metropolitan Area in Need of Coordinative Body |url=http://dirp4.pids.gov.ph/ris/dps/pidsdps0449.pdf |url-status=live |journal=Discussion Paper |series=2004–49 |publisher=PIDS |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310103202/http://dirp4.pids.gov.ph/ris/dps/pidsdps0449.pdf |archive-date=March 10, 2016 |access-date=February 16, 2016}}
* {{Cite news |date=May 16, 2007 |title=A 'megadome' for Cebu City: Councilor Jack |work=SunStar |url=http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2007/05/16/sports/a.megadome.for.cebu.city.councilor.jack.html |url-status=dead |access-date=June 11, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100116011353/http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2007/05/16/sports/a.megadome.for.cebu.city.councilor.jack.html |archive-date=January 16, 2010 }}
* {{Cite news |date=August 1, 2012 |title=Wenceslao: Banawa-Englis dream shot down |work=SunStar |url=http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/opinion/2012/07/29/wenceslao-banawa-englis-dream-shot-down-234689 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120801004117/http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/opinion/2012/07/29/wenceslao-banawa-englis-dream-shot-down-234689 |archive-date=August 1, 2012 |ref={{harvid|SunStar|2012}}}}

{{refend}}

==External links==
* [{{NSCB detail}} Philippine Standard Geographic Code]
* [https://cebucity.sharephilippines.com Cebu City on SharePhilippines.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025045359/https://cebucity.sharephilippines.com/ |date=October 25, 2020 }}
* [https://sea.lib.niu.edu/islandora/object/SEAImages%3AUSCImages/ Historic photographs of Cebu city]
{{S-start}}
{{S-new|First
}}
{{s-ttl
| title = Capital of the Philippines
| years = 1565-1569
}}
{{s-aft
| after = [[Place:Iloilo City|Iloilo City]]
}}
{{S-end}}

{{Geographic location
| Centre    = Cebu City
| North     = Compostela
| Northeast = Liloan
| East      = Consolacion<br />Mandaue<br />''Mactan Channel''&nbsp;{{pipe}}&nbsp;Lapu-Lapu
| Southeast = ''Cebu Strait''
| South     = Talisay
| Southwest = Minglanilla
| West      = Toledo
| Northwest = Balamban
}}

{{Navboxes
|title = Articles Related to Cebu City
|list  =

}}

[[Category:Former national capitals]]

{{Sourceattribution|Cebu City}}