THE CITY | Cebu is ASEAN City of Culture

Clark, not Cebu is 1st ASEAN City of Culture contrary to reports made in the local media. A check with the ASEAN's official website confirmed this. (Check http://www.aseansec.org/24337.htm#Article-9)

Cebu may not be the first but it is still a great honor especially considering the fact that the city was pitted against Manila. In the early 20th Century, Cebu clashed with Iloilo for the title, Queen City of the South. After surpassing Iloilo in volume of trade courtesy of the lucrative export of hemp and eventually, copra, Cebu laid claim to the title and never looked back. Whatever Cebu City did to deserve the ASEAN title, it's really worth keeping it. It's also a good commendation especially for a city which, despite being in the fringes of Philippine national consciousness, struggled to become Southern Philippines' premier cosmopolitan centre.


Cebu City to be launched as ASEAN City of Culture 

by Juju S.Manubag
Reposted from http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=1&t=1&id=43333


CEBU CITY, July 12 (PIA) -- The ASEAN Ministers of Culture and Arts Plus Three (AMCA+3) will formally launched Cebu City as an ASEAN City of Culture this Friday, July 15 at the Sta. Maria Ballroom of the Radisson Blu Hotel here.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama proudly bared the announcement in a recent press conference hosted by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc (RAFI) at the Casa Gorordo Museum.

The forthcoming event will also witness the arrival of 22 ASEAN ambassadors to the Philippines and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)-ASEAN members, this was disclosed during the same presscon.

Rama expressed his pride and gratitude upon knowing of the city’s designation as ASEAN City of Culture by AMCA+3--the first city to host the program.

“Such honor will carry with us forever and such recognition will bring Cebu City to the global map,” Rama said as he thanked the ASEAN for such recognition.

After the launching, there will be a series of activities and events that will take place relative to the ASEAN City of Culture Program which will run until July of next year, this is said.

Cebu City Councilor Margarita Osmeña, head of the city’s organizing committee on the declaration of Cebu City as the City of Culture said that after the formal launching, an exhibit showcasing the best of Cebu’s fashion, jewelry, furniture and virtual arts will be held at the SM City North Wing at 3:00 in the afternoon.

“There will also be a cultural show at 5pm at SM City covered terminal and the Party at the Park entitled “Kasadya sa Sugbo” which are all open to the public,” Osmeña said.

The next day, two activities are lined up namely the Heritage Walk or Pasiyo sa Kabilin and the unveiling of the marker of the ASEAN City of Culture at the ASEAN Friendship Garden, Family Park in Talamban.

A tour to Cebu City’s heritage sites will follow the unveiling rite that will start at 10:00 in the morning.

The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc (RAFI) on the other hand, will host an exhibit on Philippine Nationhood that will focus on Cebuano heroes that is slated in August The following month, RAFI will also organize a Lecture-Forum on Southeast Asian civilizations and cultures at the University of San Carlos (USC), this is learned.

In September, the Cebu City Government will hold the first Korean Festival and Moon Cake Festival while RAFI in October will again host a series of lectures and fora on ASEAN arts and literature.

Rama said it will not be easy to maintain the culture of excellence bestowed on the city and that there’s a lot of work to be done to sustain such image. (FCR/JSM/PIA 7-Cebu)

HISTORY | Cagayan de Oro's Grand Old Man son of a Parian Mestizo

Apolinar Velez, grand old man of Cagayan de Oro City was the son of Blas "Blasito" Velez from Cebu's Parian district. Blasito, son of Blas Velez of Parian married  Saturnina Ramos and moved to Cagayan de Misamis in mid-19th century. He was the brother of Ramon Velez, Sr, father of Aniceto Velez Clarin of Bohol and Ramon Velez, Jr. of Cebu.

Blasito's wife, Saturnina gave birth to Apolinar on Jan 23, 1865. Like many of his class, he carved out, after studies with private tutors, a career in the bureaucracy of the Spanish colonial government. He held various positions from oficial de mesa and defensor depresos pobres to being a second lieutenant of infantry when he enlisted in the Spanish army to repulse Moro invasions of Cagayan. He was decorated with the Medalla de Mindanao.

In 1898, despite his remarkable standing in the Spanish colonial government, he joined Aguinaldo's government and was appointed chief of the division of justice of the Revolutionary Government of Misamis. In 1900, he was assigned the rank of major in the army and appointed as commander of the "El Mindanao" battalion. He later rose to the rank of Colonel.

Battling superior American forces, he won for the revolutionaries the only major victory ever won in Mindanao.

During the American occupation he held the post of provincial secretary after which he was elected governor of Misamis and served for two terms. In 1928-1931, he served as mayor of Cagayan de Misamis. He died on Oct. 21, 1939.

HISTORY | A Parian Mestizo in Bohol

The Clarin ancestral house in Loay, Bohol

BY J. D. VELEZ | Blogger

Oligario Clarin

Aniceto Velez Clarin whose house in the municipality of Loay has been preserved and turned into a museum was a Cebuano Mestizo Sangley. This was confirmed by Clarin's elder brother's grandson, Fernando Velez Delgado, son of Soledad Velez Delgado who was the daughter of Ramon Velez y Flores, elder brother of Aniceto Velez Clarin.

Clarin was the son of Ramon Velez y Santos and grandson of Blas Velez delos Santos who in 1840 owned a cockpit in Loboc, Bohol. He took on the Clarin surname for some reason relevant to the social dynamics of 19th century Bohol. He married a Chinese mestiza who took on the surname Butalid. He became the first governor of Bohol. His son Jose Aniceto Butalid Clarin (Tio Pepe) became Senator of the country's 11th Senatorial District comprised of Bohol, Surigao and Misamis. His grandson, Oligario also became Senator after World War 2.

More ties bind us as our history would reveal. Our petty differences and regionalism dissolve in the face of the fact that our lives as inhabitants of Southern Philippine islands are intertwined.

Below are photos inside the Clarin ancestral house which remind us of Casa Gorordo in Cebu's Parian district.

GALLERY | Pañares' historical paintings

(Clockwise) Spaniards having a blood compact with heavily-tattooed natives; a Chinese trader selling silk and jars to the natives with his junk anchored at sea; native women playing using indigenous musical instruments; a native woman weaving cotton.

ART | Manuel Pañares: Historical Painter

A Manuel Pañares painting on Magellan's arrival

Cebuanos were treated to a gallery of historical Cebuano paintings both at the refurbished Cebu City Museum curated by Connie Cuyos and at the 2nd floor of Fort San Pedro during the 'Gabii sa Kabilin'. The Fort San Pedro exhibit of Manuel Pañares paintings were all reproductions but they still managed to provide Cebuanos a remarkable visualization of their history. Paintings are indispensable in reminding us of our roots especially that most of our pre-Spanish history remain unwritten. How we dress and look are better imagined with the help of historical paintings like those of Pañares.

URBAN PLAN | Moving the Urban Center

Cebu City reaffirmed it is Southern Philippines' premier city after the end of the Marcos regime and some five decades after the end of world war 2. 


Lito Osmeña, first Cebu Grovernor after Marcos left, made tremendous impact on the city, although, he never served as chief executive just like his grandfather, Pres. Sergio Osmena. His conversion of non-productive provincial lots into real estate ventures during his lone term as governor from 1988-1991 paved the way for Cebu City's radical transformation.

To fund infrastructure projects in the province, the provincial government which owned a five-hectare property in Banilad entered into a joint venture with Ayala Land, Inc. and formed the Cebu Property Ventures and Development Corporation (CPVDC), the first of its kind in the country. With land as its equity contribution, the province owned 74.8 percent of CPVDC, the first purely corporate venture by a Local Government Unit in the country.

Osmeña stirred Cebuano pride with Ceboom. Both an economic phe­nomenon and a marketing driver, Lito Osmeña gave a new face to the promdi image. He came out on national television and marketed Cebu or Cebu Equity BondUnits, the first such move by any Local Government Unit (LGU).

The partnership with Ayala land moved the urban center from the historical yet decaying port to Cebu Business Park and I.T. Park in the erstwhile unproductive golf course and airport in Banilad and Lahug. The conversion made the area the city's prime real estate and most modern urban development. In 1990, Cebu City incorporated Cebu Business Park development features in its zoning ordinance.

Before the Asian Financial Crisis hit the country, the provincial government under Pablo Garcia was able to sell the province's share to Ayala Land, Inc raising some P1 Billion. The crisis caused the development of the Cebu Business Park (where the golf course was) to come to a halt for years.

The recovery was slow but steady. Years later, Cebu City would recover from the crisis and experience another era of unprecedented growth which continues to this day.

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The Terraces in Ayala Center Cebu (above), recognized for outstanding achievement in marketing and design development from the International Council of Shopping Centers. It is Cebu City's favorite hangout. It's great for nightlife with a variety of shops, bars, cafes, delis and restaurants.