1595 The Spanish King, Philip II, issues a royal decree granting to Cebu the title of a city. 1865 Birth in Barili, Cebu, of Cebuano priest-writer Ismael M. Paras (1865-1935). 1899 Santiago Ferraris, presidente of San Nicolas, presents to Col. R.H. Hamer a letter of the town council protesting the American occupation of San Nicolas. […]
Today in the History of Cebu
APRIL 28
1565 In the afternoon of this day, a day after the arrival of the Legazpi expedition in Cebu, a Basque sailor named Juan de Camuz finds the image of the Santo Niño in an abandoned house in the port settlement of Cebu. 1934 The Diocese of Cebu is elevated to the status of an Archdiocese. […]
APRIL 27
1521 The Battle of Mactan takes place. At around 3:00 in the morning of this day, a Spanish force of 60 soldiers and an equal number of Cebuanos reaches Mactan. Faced by a force of some 1,500 Mactan inhabitants, The Spaniards are defeated and their leader, Ferdinand Magellan, is killed. 1565 The Spanish expedition of […]
APRIL 26
1888 “La Esperanza,” an economic association aimed at developing agriculture and commerce in Cebu, calls its first general meeting. Members are of Cebu’s economic elite: Buenaventura Veloso, Victoriano Osmeña, Pedro Cui, Francisco Llorente, Valeriano Climaco, Florentino Rallos, and others. 1930 The first issue of Babaye (1930-40), a Cebu magazine edited by Napoleon Dejoras, comes out. […]
APRIL 25
1836 Talisay, Cebu, is established as a parish, an act confirmed by a Bishop’s decree on Aug. 16 of the same year. 1855 A royal decree establishes Daan Bantayan, Cebu, as a parish, A bishop’s decree confirms the establishment on Aug. 10, 1858.
APRIL 24
1941 In the midst of fears of an imminent war, the National Assembly passes a bill requiring aliens in the Philippines to register and be finger-printed. The bill is aimed primarily at Japanese residents, a number of whom worked in Cebu as shopkeepers and gardeners.
APRIL 23
1594 An order of the Spanish King decree that the Spanish citizens of Cebu could construct one galleon annually at their own expense and dispatch it directly to Mexico. Cebu thus came to participate in the lucrative Galleon Trade. Cebu’s participation in the trade, however, ended by 1604. 1663 Dominican Juan Lopez is appointed the […]
APRIL 22
1875 Birth in Carcar, Cebu, of Vicente Urgello, who served as congressman of the third district of Cebu in 1916-1922. 1891 Birth in Mandaue, Cebu, of Sotero B. Cabahug, congressman of Cebu and member of the Philippine Cabinet. 1917 The Partido Democrata is born with the fusion of the Partido Democrata and the Partido Progresista.
APRIL 21
1956 A fire wipes out more than twenty blocks of residential homes and establishments in Cebu City, rendering about 20,000 people homeless. The fire is caused by the explosion of dynamite in the storeroom of the Philippine Constabulary barracks.
APRIL 20
1899 As head of Cebu’s revolutionary government, Arcadio Maxilom divides the island of Cebu into six zones, each commanded by a brigadier or a major general. 1903 Death of Judge Lynman J. Carlock, prominent American official and resident of Cebu.
APRIL 19
1900 Rizal’s widow, Josephine Bracken, now married to a Cebuano, puts up an ad in the local newspaper El Pueblo, announcing that she is giving lessons in English and German at her residence near Plaza Rizal. The ad identifies her thus: “Josephine Braecking de Abad, Profesora de Lenguas.”