View source for Cebu

{{Short description|Province in Central Visayas, Philippines}}
{{About|the province in the Philippines|its independent capital city|Cebu City| the city in Malaysia|Sibu}}
{{redirect|Sebu|other uses|Sebu (disambiguation) }}
{{redirect-distinguish|Sugbu|Nasugbu}}
{{Other uses}}
{{pp-move-indef}}
{{Use Philippine English|date=September 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Cebu
| native_name        = {{nativename|ceb|Sugbo}}
| nickname           = ''The Gateway to a Thousand Journeys''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thephilippines.com/p/cebu.html |title=What To Know About Cebu, Philippines |publisher=The Philippines Tourism Board |access-date=August 21, 2016}}</ref>
| settlement_type    = {{PH wikidata|settlement_type}}
| image_skyline      = {{multiple image
| border                   = infobox
| total_width              = 270
| image_style              = border:1;
| perrow                   = 1/2/2/2
| image1                   = Osmeña Peak, Cebu, Philippines.jpg    
| image2                   = MactanShrine.jpg
| image3                   = Kawasan Falls, Cebu, Philippines1.jpg
| image4                   = Cebu Cathedral, Jan 2024.jpg
| image5                   = View of Cebu City from Fuente Hotel de Cebu 002.jpg
| image6                   = Malapascua (island), Tropical beach, Philippines.jpg
| image7                   = Cebu Capitol Compund.jpg
}}
| image_alt          = 
| image_caption      = Left to right, from the top: [[Dalaguete|Osmeña Peak]], [[Mactan Shrine|Magellan Monument]], [[Kawasan Falls]], [[Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral]], [[Cebu City]], 
[[Malapascua|Malapascua Island]], [[Cebu Provincial Capitol]]
| image_flag         = {{PH wikidata|image_flag}}
| flag_size          = 120x80px
| image_seal         = Cebu province seal 2.svg
| seal_size          = 100x80px
| image_shield       = 
| shield_alt         = 
| motto              = {{PH wikidata|motto}}
| anthem             = ''[[Sugbo (hymn)|Sugbo]]'' (Cebu)<br /><div style="display:inline-block;margin-top:0.4em;">{{center|[[File:"Sugbo", Hymn of Cebu Province.ogg]]}}</div>
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-wikidata = yes
| image_map          = {{PH wikidata|image_map}}
| map_alt            = 
| map_caption        = Location in the Philippines
| coordinates        = {{PH wikidata|coordinates}}
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = {{PH wikidata|country}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[Island groups of the Philippines|Island Group]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Visayas]]
| established_title  = [[Date of establishment|Founded]]
| established_date   = {{PH wikidata|founded}}
| seat_type          = Capital<br/>{{nobold|and largest city}}
| seat               = {{PH wikidata|seat}}
| government_type    = {{PH wikidata|government_type}}
| leader_title       = [[List of governors of Cebu|Governor]]
| leader_name        = [[Pam Baricuatro|Pamela S. Baricuatro]] ([[Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan|PDP]])
| leader_title1      = [[List of vice governors of Cebu|Vice Governor]]
| leader_name1       = Glenn Anthony O. Soco ([[One Cebu|1Cebu]])
| leader_title2      = Legislature
| leader_name2       = [[Cebu Provincial Board]] {{PH Town Council
 |  1 = <div style="border-style:solid none; border-width:thin; border-color:Gainsboro; background:#e6e6e6; text-align:center; width:95%; font-variant:small-caps;">1st ProvDist</div>
 |  2 = Antonio Bacaltos Jr.
 |  3 = Lakambini Reluya
 |  4 = <div style="border-style:solid none; border-width:thin; border-color:Gainsboro; background:#e6e6e6; text-align:center; width:95%; font-variant:small-caps;">2nd ProvDist</div>
 |  5 = Stanley Caminero
 |  6 = Raymond Calderon
 |  7 = <div style="border-style:solid none; border-width:thin; border-color:Gainsboro; background:#e6e6e6; text-align:center; width:95%; font-variant:small-caps;">3rd ProvDist</div>
 |  8 = Julius Anthony Corominas
 |  9 = Dason Lorenz Lagon
 | 10 = <div style="border-style:solid none; border-width:thin; border-color:Gainsboro; background:#e6e6e6; text-align:center; width:95%; font-variant:small-caps;">4th ProvDist</div>
 | 11 = Kerrie Shimura
 | 12 = Nelson Mondigo
 | 13 = <div style="border-style:solid none; border-width:thin; border-color:Gainsboro; background:#e6e6e6; text-align:center; width:95%; font-variant:small-caps;">5th ProvDist</div>
 | 14 = Mike Villamor
 | 15 = Andrei Duterte 
 | 16 = <div style="border-style:solid none; border-width:thin; border-color:Gainsboro; background:#e6e6e6; text-align:center; width:95%; font-variant:small-caps;">6th ProvDist</div>
 | 17 = Dason Larenz Lagon
 | 18 = Alfred Francis Ouano
 | 19 = <div style="border-style:solid none; border-width:thin; border-color:Gainsboro; background:#e6e6e6; text-align:center; width:95%; font-variant:small-caps;">7th ProvDist</div>
 | 20 = Cesar Baricuatro
 | 21 = Paz Rozgoni
 | 22 = <div style="border-style:solid none; border-width:thin; border-color:Gainsboro; background:#e6e6e6; text-align:center; width:95%; font-variant:small-caps;">Mandaue City ProvDist</div>
 | 23 = Malcolm Sanchez 
 | 24 = Nilo Seno 
}}
| total_type         = Total&nbsp;{{small|(province)}}
| area_footnotes     = {{PSGC detail|nscb}}
| area_total_km2     = {{PH wikidata|area}}
| area_rank          = 20th out of 81
| area_note          = excludes independent cities
| elevation_max_m    = 1,072
| elevation_max_point = [[Dalaguete|Osmeña Peak]]
| population_footnotes = {{PH wikidata|population_reference}}
| population_total   = 3,400,522
| population_as_of   = {{PH wikidata|population_as_of}}
| population_rank    = 5th out of 81
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_rank = 7th out of 81
| population_blank1_title = {{PH wikidata|electorate_title}}
| population_blank1  = {{PH wikidata|electorate}}
| population_blank2_title = Language
| population_blank2  = {{PH wikidata|language}}
| population_demonym = {{PH wikidata|demonym}}
| population_note    = Population data excludes independent cities
| demographics_type1 = Divisions
| demographics1_footnotes = 
| demographics1_title1 = [[Independent component city|Independent&nbsp;cities]]
| demographics1_info1 = {{Collapsible list
 | titlestyle             = font-weight:normal;text-align:left;background-color:WhiteSmoke;
 | title                  = 3
 |{{plainlist|
* {{small|Highly urbanized cities of}}: <br /> {{bulleted list|[[Cebu City]] | [[Lapu-Lapu City|Lapu-Lapu]] | [[Mandaue]]}} }}
 }}
| demographics1_title2 = [[Cities of the Philippines|Component cities]]
| demographics1_info2 = {{Collapsible list
 | titlestyle             = font-weight:normal;text-align:left;background-color:WhiteSmoke;
 | title                  = 6
 |{{plainlist|
* [[Bogo, Cebu|Bogo]]
* [[Carcar]]
* [[Danao, Cebu|Danao]]
* [[Naga, Cebu|Naga]]
* [[Talisay, Cebu|Talisay]]
* [[Toledo, Cebu|Toledo]]}}
 }}
| demographics1_title3 = [[Municipalities of the Philippines|Municipalities]]
| demographics1_info3 = {{Collapsible list
 | titlestyle             = font-weight:normal;text-align:left;background-color:WhiteSmoke;
 | title                  = 
{{#expr:1+{{#invoke:String|count|source= {{#property:P150}}|pattern=,}}-6}}
 | {{MultiReplace|{{PH wikidata|municipalities}}|*Bogo|*Carcar|*Danao|*Naga|*Taisay|*Toledo}}
 }}
| demographics1_title4 = [[Barangay]]
| demographics1_info4 = {{(!}}
{{!}} style="text-align:right;max-width:2em;padding-right:0;" {{!}} 1,066 {{!!}}
{{!}}-
{{!}} style="text-align:right;padding-left:0;padding-right:0;" {{!}} {{nowrap|+&nbsp; 137}} {{!!}} style="text-align:left;padding-left:0.3em;line-height:0.8;padding-top:0;" rowspan=2{{!}} {{small|including [[Independent component city|independent cities]]}}
{{!}}-
{{!}} style="text-align:right;border-top:solid thin;border-bottom:double medium;padding-left:0.4em;padding-right:0;" {{!}} 1,203
{{!)}}
| demographics1_title5 = [[House of Representatives of the Philippines|Districts]]
| demographics1_info5 = {{bulleted list|[[Legislative districts of Cebu]] | [[Legislative districts of Cebu City]] | [[Legislative district of Lapu-Lapu]]|[[Legislative district of Mandaue]] }}
| timezone           = [[Philippine Standard Time|PST]]
| utc_offset         = +8
| postal_code_type   = [[List of ZIP codes in the Philippines|ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = {{PH wikidata|postal_code}}
| area_code_type     = {{areacodestyle}}
| area_code          = {{PH wikidata|area_code}}
| blank_name_sec1    = {{PH wikidata|income_class_title}}
| blank_info_sec1    = {{PH wikidata|income_class_ordinal}}
| blank1_name_sec1   = {{PSGCstyle}}
| blank1_info_sec1   = {{PSGC detail}}
| blank2_name_sec1   = [[ICAO]]
| blank2_info_sec1   = {{PH wikidata|icao}}
| blank3_name_sec1   = [[IATA]]
| blank3_info_sec1   = {{PH wikidata|iata}}
| blank2_name_sec2   = Patron
| blank2_info_sec2   = [[Santo Niño de Cebu]]
| iso_code           = {{PH wikidata|iso_code}}
| website            = {{PH wikidata|website}}
| image_map1         = 
| subdivision_type2  = [[Regions of the Philippines|Region]]
| subdivision_name2  = {{PH wikidata|region}}
}}
'''Cebu''' ({{IPAc-en|s|ɛ|ˈ|b|uː}} {{respell|seb|OO}}; {{langx|ceb|Sugbo}}), officially the '''Province of Cebu''' ({{langx|ceb|Lalawigan sa Sugbo|links=no}}; {{Langx|fil|Lalawigan ng Cebu}}), is a [[Provinces of the Philippines|province]] of the [[Philippines]] located in the [[Central Visayas]] {{nowrap|(Region VII)}} [[Regions of the Philippines|region]], and consists of a main island and [[List of islands of Cebu|167 surrounding islands and islets]]. The coastal zone of Cebu is identified as a site of highest marine biodiversity importance in the [[Coral Triangle]].<ref name="Asaad18">{{cite journal |last1=Asaad |first1=Irawan |last2=Lundquist |first2=Carolyn J. |last3=Erdmann |first3=Mark V. |last4=Costello |first4=Mark J. |title=Delineating priority areas for marine biodiversity conservation in the Coral Triangle  |journal=Biological Conservation |date=June 2018|volume=222 |issue=2 |pages=198–211|doi=10.1016/j.biocon.2018.03.037|bibcode=2018BCons.222..198A |url= https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006320717310200 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

Its capital and largest city is [[Cebu City]], nicknamed "the Queen (Catholic) City of the South" having the Second Cardinal, the oldest city and first [[capital of the Philippines]], which is politically independent from the provincial government along with [[Mandaue]] and [[Lapu-Lapu City]]. The Cebu Metropolitan Area or [[Metro Cebu]] is the [[List of metropolitan areas in the Philippines|third largest metropolitan area]] in the Philippines (after [[Metro Manila]] and [[Metro Davao]]) with Cebu City as the main center of commerce, trade, education and industry in the [[Visayas]] as well as the regional center of [[Central Visayas]]. Being one of the most developed provinces in the Philippines, in a decade it has transformed into a global hub for business processing services, tourism, shipping, furniture-making, and [[heavy industry]]. [[Mactan–Cebu International Airport]], located on [[Mactan Island]], is the second busiest airport in the Philippines.

Cebu has the most combined cities and municipalities of any province in the Philippines, with 53 in total. With 9 cities in total, it has the second highest number of cities after its neighboring province of [[Negros Occidental]].

== Etymology ==
[[File:Sugbumap.png|left|thumb|upright|A map of Cebu Island in 1521, with the historical polity of Cebu colored in blue.]]
It is unclear whether the island was named ''sugbó'' or the settlement where [[Ferdinand Magellan]]'s crew arrived in 1521. The capital city of the province is also named [[Cebu City]].

The name is possibly derived from a hypothetical [[Proto-Philippine language|Proto-Philippine]] word ''*sug(e)bu'' meaning "to bathe" or "to wade into the water".<ref name=":1" /> The word has evolved in the Cebuano language as ''sugbú,'' meaning "to dive into water" and also exists in other Philippine languages such as [[Tagalog language|Tagalog]] and [[Hiligaynon language|Hiligaynon]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last=Benitez |first=Jiolito Luzano |title=Historicity of City and Town Names in the Province of Cebu |url=https://jhe.cnu.edu.ph/index.php/ojs3/article/view/27 |journal=Cebu Normal University-Journal of Higher Education |publication-date=September 14, 2017 |volume=11 |pages=4 }}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=ACD – Austronesian Comparative Dictionary – Cognate Sets – s |url=https://www.trussel2.com/ACD/acd-s_s1.htm#12691 |access-date=2024-03-16 |website=trussel2.com}}</ref> In fact, there is also another municipality in Batangas, Philippines called [[Nasugbu]], which may also share the same etymological root with the said province.

The modern name is most likely how the first Europeans heard of the name of the place in the 16th–17th centuries, as it was first recorded as Zubu or Çubu, and then eventually it became Cebu. The reason for the spelling change is because Visayans [[Baybayin#Early history|were mostly illiterate in the 16th and 17th centuries]].<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Stanley |first=Henry Edward John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-lTEwgEACAAJ |title=The First Voyage Around the World by Magellan |publisher=The Hakluyt Society |year=1874 |pages=84–105 |language=English}}</ref>
{{Clear left}}

==History==
{{See also|History of the Philippines}}

=== Early history ===
[[File:Visayans 1.png|thumb|left|upright|Depiction of the Bisayan tattooed men, known then as ''[[timawa]]'' in the [[Boxer Codex]] (c. 1590). Cebu was one of the islands referred where "painted people" (referring to the tattoos) resided.]]{{Cleanup|date=March 2024|reason=Citing sources from hoaxes, this entire section needs to be re-examined and rewritten. Note that there are no records, chronicles, or even archaeological evidence that this claim exists.}}
[[Cebu (historical polity)|Cebu]] was a native kingdom that existed prior to the arrival of the Spaniards. Visayan folklore relates it was founded by [[Sri]] Lumay otherwise known as ''[[Rajamuda Lumaya]]'', a half-Malay, half-Tamil from [[Sumatra]].<ref name="Santarita">{{Cite book |last=Santarita |first=Joefe B. |chapter=Panyupayana: The Emergence of Hindu Polities in the Pre-Islamic Philippines |date=2018 |title=Cultural and Civilisational Links between India and Southeast Asia: Historical and Contemporary Dimensions |pages=93–105 |editor-last=Saran |editor-first=Shyam |chapter-url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-10-7317-5_6 |access-date= |place=Singapore |publisher=Springer |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-981-10-7317-5_6 |isbn=978-981-10-7317-5|chapter-url-access=subscription }}</ref> The capital of the nation was [[Singhapala]] (சிங்கப்பூர்)<ref name="Astrid">[https://www.jstor.org/stable/29792596?read-now=1&refreqid=excelsior%3Ae66b04574962dd2277c44e2367352434&seq=28#page_scan_tab_contents ''The Genealogy of Hari' Tupas: an Ethnohistory of Chiefly Power and Hierarchy in Sugbu as a Protostate''] Astrid Sala-Boza page 280.</ref> which is Tamil-Sanskrit<ref>[https://mothership.sg/2016/12/5-other-places-in-asia-which-are-also-called-singapura/ "5 other places in Asia which are also called Singapura"] by Joshua Lee</ref> for "Lion City", the same root word as with the modern city-state of [[Singapore]]. The later Spanish chronicler Antonio Pigafetta mispronounced Singhapala as Cingopola instead.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=6s2z6xNaGbsC&dq=Cingapola%3A+its+chiefs+are+Cilaton%2C+Ciguibucan%2C+Cimaninga%2C+Cimaticat%2C+Cicanbul.&pg=RA1-PA105 ''The First Voyage Round the World, by Magellan''] by Antonio Pigafetta</ref>

=== Spanish Colonial Period ===
{{Cleanup|date=March 2024|reason=History section needs to be re-examined. There are lots of paragraphs here that needed citation and some of which do not come from journals and researchers.}}

==== Report from the Magellan Expedition ====
[[File:Recoletos Church Cebu Philippines.png|left|thumb|The old '''Recoletos Church of Cebu''']]
The arrival of [[Kingdom of Portugal|Portuguese]] explorer [[Ferdinand Magellan]] in 1521 began a period of Spanish exploration and colonization.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.philippinecountry.com/philippine_history/spanish_colonization.html |title=Philippine History – Spanish Colonization |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110108082605/http://www.philippinecountry.com/philippine_history/spanish_colonization.html| archive-date=January 8, 2011}}</ref>{{sfn|information.ph|2009a}} Losing the favor of King [[Manuel I of Portugal]] for his plan of reaching the Spice Islands by sailing west from Europe, Magellan offered his services to King [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles I of Spain]] (Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor). On September 20, 1519, Magellan led five ships with a total complement of 250 people from the Spanish fort of [[Sanlúcar de Barrameda]] en route to southeast Asia via the Americas and the Pacific Ocean. They reached the Philippines on March 16, 1521. Rajah Kolambu, the rajah of [[Mazaua]] told them to sail for Cebu, where they could trade and obtain provisions.

Arriving in Cebu City, Magellan, with [[Enrique of Malacca]] as a translator, befriended [[Rajah Humabon]] a chief of a village in Cebu, and persuaded the natives to ally themselves with the Spanish. On April 14, Magellan erected a large wooden cross on the shores of Cebu. Afterwards, Rajah Humabon was baptized along with about 400 Sugbuanons.

Magellan soon heard of Datu Lapu-Lapu, a native chief in nearby [[Mactan|Mactan Island]], a rival of a chief in Cebu. It was thought that Humabon and Lapu–Lapu had been fighting for control of the flourishing trade in the area. On April 27 the [[Battle of Mactan]] occurred, where the Spaniards were defeated and Magellan was killed by the natives of Mactan<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cebu.gov.ph/?getid=2&getsubid=5&infolinkids=6&GetBodyName=History&rightpdisable=0 |title=Cebu – History |publisher=Cebu Provincial Government}}</ref> in Mactan Island. According to Italian historian and chronicler [[Antonio Pigafetta]], Magellan's body was never recovered despite efforts to trade it for spice and jewels. Magellan's second-in-command, [[Juan Sebastián Elcano]], took his place as captain of the expedition and sailed the fleet back to Spain, circumnavigating the world.

Survivors of the Magellan expedition returned to Spain with tales of a savage island in the [[Indies|East Indies]]. Consequently, several Spanish expeditions were sent to the islands but all ended in failure.

==== Report from the Legazpi Expedition ====
[[File:Colon Street Cebu. P.I. The Oldest Street In The Philippines, KITLV 1401562.tiff|thumb|[[Colon Street|Calle Colon]] in Cebu City is one of the oldest street in the Philippines]]
On April 27, 1565 [[Miguel López de Legazpi]] arrived on the island, and though he also intended to make peace, he was also prepared for a war since these were the same people that had killed Magellan 44 years prior. According to the report, a messenger went to the Spanish ship and informed them that Tupas and "along with 10 other chiefs" would be out to either make negotiations or as a warning to prepare for an upcoming battle. Despite trying to assure the natives that the Spanish were there with good intentions, the natives already armed themselves, both parties were reported to have taunted each other offshore. Legazpi aimed the artillery on the ''[[proa]]s'' which briefly confused the opposing natives causing them to run into the woods thus making the shore clear for the Spanish to land. Salvaging any valuable item that could be found, Juan de Camuz came across an image of the Child Jesus, which was probably the one Magellan presented to the consort of the chief in 1521. From then on, a church was built on the site which would later become the [[Basilica del Santo Niño|Minor Basilica of the Holy Child]]. Twelve days later, on May 8, a fort was established and while the construction was ongoing, the natives frequently launched attacks but were always repulsed until eventually they gave in as soon as they realized the superior armament of the Europeans. Legazpi dealt only with Tupas, after a brief "trial" on grounds of apostasy and Magellan's murder, the Europeans pardoned the natives' chief and included the natives. After the exchange, the two parties then discussed the terms and conditions including confirmation of titles, who receives tax exemptions, land grants, authority and recognition of officials. The crew then left Cebu on June 1, 1565.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Cushner |first=Nicholas P. |date=1965 |title=Legazpi 1564–1572 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/42720592 |journal=Philippine Studies |volume=13 |issue=2 |pages=183–187 |jstor=42720592 |issn=0031-7837 |quote=In the ruins one of Legazpi's men, Juan de Camuz, made what was considered a miraculous find. He came across an image of the Child Jesus, probably the one which Pigafetta had presented to the Queen of Cebu in 1521. [...] Legazpi took counsel with his offices and religious [advisers?] about whether he should pardon the Cebuans' past offenses against Magellan's men and their apostasy from the faith they had embraced.}}</ref> In the 1700s, Cebu housed 625 [[Spanish Filipino]] families and 28,112 native families<ref name="Estadismo2">[https://ia601608.us.archive.org/10/items/bub_gb_ElhFAAAAYAAJ_2/bub_gb_ElhFAAAAYAAJ.pdf "Estadismo de las Islas Filipinas Tomo Segundo"] by Joaquín Martínez de Zúñiga (Original Spanish)</ref>{{rp|113}}

=== American colonial period ===
[[File:Governor Julio Llorente y Aballe.jpg|thumb|[[Julio A. Llorente]], The 1st [[Governor of Cebu]].|218x218px]]
In 1898, the island was ceded to the [[United States]] after the [[Spanish–American War]] and [[Philippine–American War]]. In 1901, Cebu was governed by the United States for a brief period, however, it became a chartered city on February 24, 1937, and was governed independently by Filipino politicians.<ref name="Freeman">{{cite news |last1=Oaminal |first1=Clarence Paul |title=Guests at the inauguration of Cebu City Charter |url=https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/opinion/2016/09/07/1621229/guests-inauguration-cebu-city-charter |access-date=10 February 2024 |agency=The Freeman |date=7 September 2016}}</ref>

=== Japanese occupation ===
[[File:Boljoon Church, Cebu.jpg|thumb|In 2009 Japanese – Filipino [[archaeologists]] in [[Boljoon]] discovered ancient Japanese pottery that has been to believed to been in existence since the early trading activity between [[Japan]] and Cebu in the 16th to 18th century.<ref>{{cite web |date=May 30, 2011 |title=Ancient Japanese pottery in Boljoon town |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/10434/ancient-japanese-pottery-in-boljoon-town}}</ref>|left]]
Cebu, being one of the most densely populated islands in the Philippines, served as a [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] base during their occupation in [[World War II]] which began with the landing of Japanese soldiers in April 1942. 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 "[[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|website=www.awf.or.jp}}</ref> The [[3rd Infantry Division (Philippines)|3rd]], [[8th Infantry Division (Philippines)|8th]], 82nd and 85th Infantry Division of the [[Philippine Commonwealth Army]] was re-established from January 3, 1942, to June 30, 1946, and the 8th Constabulary Regiment of the [[Philippine Constabulary]] was reestablished again from October 28, 1944, to June 30, 1946, at the military general headquarters and the military camps and garrisoned in Cebu city and Cebu province. They started the [[Philippine resistance against Japan|Anti-Japanese military operations]] in Cebu from April 1942 to September 1945 and helped Cebuano guerrillas and fought against the [[Japanese Imperial forces]]. Almost three years later in March 1945, combined Filipino and American forces [[Battle for Cebu City|landed]] and reoccupied the island during the [[liberation of the Philippines]]. Cebuano guerrilla groups led by an American, [[James M. Cushing]], is credited for the establishment of the "Koga Papers",{{sfn|de Viana|2005}} which is said to have changed the American plans to retake the Philippines from Japanese occupation in 1944, by helping the combined United States and the Philippine Commonwealth Army forces enter Cebu in 1945. The following year the island achieved independence from colonial rule in 1946.

=== During the Marcos dictatorship ===
Cebu became a key center of resistance against the [[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' [[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|url-access=subscription }}</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>  [[Ribomapil Holganza Sr.|Ribomapil Holganza]], a prominent leader of Cebu's opposition was also arrested together with his son on Christmas Day, December 25, 1983, on political charges.  He was subsequently released and cleared of all charges.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 26, 2015 |title=Holganza – prominent leader of Cebu's anti-Marcos forces – passes away |url=https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/50581/holganza-prominent-leader-of-cebus-anti-marcos-forces-passes-away |access-date=September 9, 2022 |newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer |language=en}}</ref>

The Marcos era was [[Deforestation in the Philippines#Deforestation during the martial law era|a time of significant deforestation]] in Cebu and throughout the Philippines, with the forest cover of the Philippines shrinking until only 8% remained.<ref name="Dixon2010">{{cite book |last1=Homer-Dixon |first1=Thomas F. |title=Environment, Scarcity, and Violence |date=2010 |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=978-1-4008-2299-7 |page=66 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B6B-3CugWG0C&pg=PA66 |access-date=5 August 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Inoue2013">{{cite book |last1=Inoue |first1=M. |last2=Isozaki |first2=H. |title=People and Forest — Policy and Local Reality in Southeast Asia, the Russian Far East, and Japan |date=2013 |publisher=Springer Science & Business Media |isbn=978-94-017-2554-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nwTuCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA142 |access-date=5 August 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="nhcp3">{{cite web |date=September 20, 2017 |title=EP09 Kayo Ang Hihirap Kami Ang Yayaman |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5reVY2X8PS0 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/5reVY2X8PS0 |archive-date=2021-12-21 |publisher=[[National Historical Commission of the Philippines]] |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In Cebu, two of the major companies given Timber License Agreements (TLAs) to cut down trees during Martial Law were Eurasia Match and Pan Oriental, which were owned by [[Juan Ponce Enrile]].<ref name="nhcp3"/> Enrile was the government official Ferdinand Marcos put in place to approve Timber License Agreements during Martial Law.<ref name="nhcp3"/>

=== Role in the People Power Revolution ===
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 the 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 [[Corazon Aquino]] and [[Salvador 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>

=== Contemporary ===
In 2007, the municipalities of [[Bogo, Cebu|Bogo]], [[Carcar]], and [[Naga, Cebu|Naga]] became component cities. Their respective cityhood laws were ratified in the same year. However, their cityhood status was lost twice in the years 2008 and 2010 after the [[League of Cities of the Philippines|LCP]] questioned the validity of the cityhood laws. Their cityhood status was reaffirmed after the court finalized its ruling on February 15, 2011, declaring their respective cityhood laws constitutional.

In February 2012, Cebu island experienced the effects of [[2012 Visayas earthquake|magnitude 6.7 earthquake]] on the neighboring island of [[Negros]] and was the largest quake in the area for 90 years. The tremor shook buildings but there were no reports of major building damage or loss of life on Cebu Island itself. This tremor was caused by a [[Blind thrust earthquake|previously unrecorded fault]].<ref name="PIVCS">{{cite web |title=Reminiscence of the 2012 Ms6.9 Negros Oriental Quake |url=https://www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/index.php/news/616-reminiscence-of-the-2012-ms6-9-negros-oriental-quake |publisher=Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology |access-date=10 February 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title="Blind" Fault Line Caused Negros Earthquake, Philippine Experts Say |url=https://www.asianscientist.com/2012/02/topnews/philippines-negros-oriental-visayas-earthquake-due-to-blind-fault-line-2012/ |access-date=10 February 2024 |agency=Asian Scientist |date=21 February 2021}}</ref>

In October 2013, Cebu and [[Bohol]] were hit by a record-setting [[2013 Bohol earthquake|7.2 magnitude earthquake]] which left 222 dead and collapsed some buildings, including 5 historical churches.<ref name="WHO">{{cite web |title=Bohol Earthquake: One year on |url=https://www.who.int/philippines/news/feature-stories/detail/bohol-earthquake-one-year-on |publisher=[[World Health Organization]] |access-date=10 February 2024}}</ref><ref name="NBC">{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=M. Alex |title=At least 82 dead, churches destroyed as 7.2 earthquake hits Philippines |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/least-82-dead-churches-destroyed-7-2-earthquake-hits-philippines-flna8c11393871 |access-date=10 February 2024 |agency=[[NBC News]] |date=15 October 2013}}</ref> There were over 700 aftershocks. The northern part of the province was devastated by [[Typhoon Haiyan]] a month later.<ref>{{cite news |title=Aftermath Photos of Cebu in the Wake of Typhoon Yolanda |url=https://asiasociety.org/philippines/aftermath-photos-cebu-wake-typhoon-yolanda |access-date=10 February 2024 |agency=Asia Society}}</ref>

In December 2021, [[Typhoon Rai]] wreaked havoc across the province,<ref>{{cite web |title=Philippines: Super Typhoon Rai (Odette) Humanitarian Needs and Priorities Revision (Dec 2021 – Jun 2022) (2 Feb 2022) |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/philippines/philippines-super-typhoon-rai-odette-humanitarian-needs-and-priorities-revision |website=ReliefWeb |date=February 2, 2022 |access-date=10 February 2024}}</ref> leading to a declaration of "calamity" by the government.<ref name="NPR">{{cite news |last1=McCarthy |first1=Julie |title=Desperation grows in the Philippines in the aftermath of Typhoon Rai |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/pictureshow/2021/12/20/1066049450/super-typhoon-rai-leaves-a-path-of-devastation-and-uncertainty |access-date=10 February 2024 |agency=[[NPR]] |date=21 December 2021}}</ref>

On September 30, 2025, northern Cebu was struck by an [[2025 Cebu earthquake|earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9]], with dozens of fatalities and hundreds of injured.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lacuata |first1=Rose Carmelle |title=Magnitude 6.7 earthquake jolts Cebu |url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/9/30/magnitude-6-7-earthquake-jolts-cebu-2216 |website=www.abs-cbn.com |publisher=ABS-CBN News |access-date=1 October 2025 |date=30 September 2025}}</ref>

==Geography==
{{Infobox islands
| name               = Cebu Island
| local_name         = Sugbo
| map_image          = Ph locator cebu island.png
| location           = [[Visayas]]
| archipelago        = [[Philippines]]
| waterbody          = {{unbulleted list
 | [[Camotes Sea]]
 | [[Visayan Sea]]
 | [[Cebu Strait]]
 | [[Tañon Strait]]}}
| area_km2           = 4467.5
| area_footnotes     = {{sfn|Dahl|1998}}
| rank               = 
| length_km          = 196
| length_footnotes   = {{sfn|Encyclopædia Britannica|2016}}
| width_km           = 32
| width_footnotes    = {{sfn|Encyclopædia Britannica|2016}}
| coastline_km       = 513.9
| coastline_footnotes = {{sfn|Dahl|1998}}
| elevation_m        = 1097
| elevation_footnotes = {{sfn|Dahl|1998}}
| highest_mount      = 
| country            = Philippines
| country_admin_divisions_title = Region
| country_admin_divisions = [[Central Visayas]]
| country_admin_divisions_title_1 = Province
| country_admin_divisions_1 = Cebu
| demonym            = Cebuanos (masculine) / Cebuanas (feminine)
| ethnic_groups      = [[Visayans]] ([[Cebuano people|Cebuanos]])
| population         = {{formatnum:{{#expr:<!-- Cebu Province -->+{{formatnum:{{PH wikidata|population_total}}<!-- Cebu city -->+{{PH wikidata|population_total|Q1467}} <!-- Mandaue -->+{{PH wikidata|population_total|Q1889017}} <!-- minus Bantayan --> +-{{PH wikidata|population_total|Q315771}} <!-- minus Cordova --> +-{{PH wikidata|population_total|Q315965}} <!-- minus Madridejos --> +-{{PH wikidata|population_total|Q316080}} <!-- minus Pilar --> +-{{PH wikidata|population_total|Q316425}} <!-- minus Poro --> +-{{PH wikidata|population_total|Q316275}} <!-- minus San Francisco --> +-{{PH wikidata|population_total|Q316332}} <!-- minus Santa Fe --> +-{{PH wikidata|population_total|Q316370}} <!-- minus Tudela --> +-{{PH wikidata|population_total|Q316564}}|R}}}}}}
| population_as_of   = {{PH wikidata|population_as_of}}
| population_footnotes = {{PH wikidata|population_reference}}
| population_rank    = 
| population_rank_max = 
| density_km2        = {{sigfig| {{formatnum:{{#expr:{{formatnum:<!-- Cebu Province -->+{{PH wikidata|population_total}}<!-- Cebu city -->+{{PH wikidata|population_total|Q1467}} <!-- Mandaue -->+{{PH wikidata|population_total|Q1889017}} <!-- minus Bantayan --> +-{{PH wikidata|population_total|Q315771}} <!-- minus Cordova --> +-{{PH wikidata|population_total|Q315965}} <!-- minus Madridejos --> +-{{PH wikidata|population_total|Q316080}} <!-- minus Pilar --> +-{{PH wikidata|population_total|Q316425}} <!-- minus Poro --> +-{{PH wikidata|population_total|Q316275}} <!-- minus San Francisco --> +-{{PH wikidata|population_total|Q316332}} <!-- minus Santa Fe --> +-{{PH wikidata|population_total|Q316370}} <!-- minus Tudela --> +-{{PH wikidata|population_total|Q316564}}|R}}}}}} / 4467.5 |2}}
| density_rank       = 
| density_footnotes  = 
}}

Cebu is located to the east of [[Negros (island)|Negros]], to the west of [[Leyte (island)|Leyte]] and [[Bohol (island)|Bohol]] islands. The province consists of Cebu Island, as well as 167 smaller islands, which include [[Mactan]], [[Bantayan Island|Bantayan]], [[Malapascua Island|Malapascua]], [[Olango Island Group|Olango]] and the [[Camotes Islands]]. But the highly urbanized cities of [[Cebu City|Cebu]], Lapu-Lapu and [[Mandaue]] are [[Independent component city|independent cities]] not under provincial supervision, yet are often grouped with the province for geographical and statistical purposes.

The province's land area is {{convert|4944|km2|sp=us}}, or when the three independent cities (Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue) are included for geographical purposes, the total area is {{convert|5342|km2|sp=us}}.

Cebu's central location, proximity to an unusually exotic tourist destination, ready access to a diversity of plant, animal and geological wonders within the island, and remoteness from earthquake and typhoon activity are some of the special attributes of Cebu.

===Cebu Island===
Cebu Island is the [[List of islands by area#Islands|126th largest island in the world]]. Cebu Island itself is long and narrow, stretching {{convert|196|km|sp=us}} from north to south and {{convert|32|km|sp=us}} across at its widest point.{{sfn|Encyclopædia Britannica|2016}} It has narrow coastlines, limestone plateaus, and coastal plains. It also has rolling hills and rugged mountain ranges traversing the northern and southern lengths of the island.

Cebu's highest mountains are over {{convert|1000|m}} high. Flat tracts of land can be found in the city of [[Bogo, Cebu|Bogo]] and in the towns of [[San Remigio, Cebu|San Remigio]], [[Medellin, Cebu|Medellin]] and [[Daanbantayan, Cebu|Daanbantayan]] at the northern region of the province.{{sfn|Encyclopædia Britannica|2016}}

The island's area is {{Convert|4468|km2}},{{sfn|Dahl|1998}} making it the 9th largest island in the Philippines. It supports over 5.2 million people,<ref name="Britannica">{{cite web |title=Cebu |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Cebu |website=[[Britannica]] |access-date=10 February 2024}}</ref> of which an estimated 2.9 million live in [[Metro Cebu]].<ref name="USTDA">{{cite web |title=Philippines: Metro Cebu Intelligent Transportation System Master Plan Technical Assistance |url=https://www.ustda.gov/business_opp_oversea/philippines-metro-cebu-intelligent-transportation-system-master-plan-technical-assistance-2/ |publisher=US Trade and Development Agency |access-date=10 February 2024}}</ref>

Beaches, coral atolls, islands, and rich fishing grounds surround Cebu.

Coal was first discovered in Cebu about 1837. There were 15 localities over the whole island, on both coasts; some desultory mining had been carried out Naga near Mount Uling, but most serious operations were at Licos and Camansi west of Compostela and Danao.{{sfn|Abella y Casariego|1886}} Active work ceased about 1895 with the insurrections, and no production was worked on for more than ten years. A topographic and geologic survey of Compostela, Danao, and Carmen took place in 1906.{{sfn|Smith|1907}} The Compostela-Danao coalfield contained about six million workable tons. The tramroads, one from Danao to Camansi, one from Compostela to Mount Licos, were undertaken in 1895, together with a wagon road built in 1877, from Cotcot to Dapdap.

===Climate===
{{Main|Climate of Cebu}}
The climate of Cebu is tropical. There are 2 seasons in Cebu − the dry and wet season.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://kidlat.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/cab/statfram.htm
|title=Weather
|access-date=April 26, 2017
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130525212029/http://kidlat.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/cab/statfram.htm
|archive-date=May 25, 2013
}}</ref> It is dry and sunny most of the year with some occasional rains during the months of June to December. The province of Cebu normally gets typhoons once a year or none.

Northern Cebu gets more rainfall and typhoons than southern Cebu because it has a different climate. [[Typhoon Haiyan]] (Yolanda) hit Northern Cebu in 2013 killing 73 people and injuring 348 others. Though most typhoons hit only the northern part of Cebu, the urban areas in central Cebu are sometimes hit, such as when [[Typhoon Mike]] (Ruping), one of the worst to hit Cebu lashed the central Cebu area in 1990. 31 years later, [[Typhoon Rai]] struck the central and southern portions of the province.

Cebu's temperatures can reach a high of {{convert|36|C|F}} from March to May, and as low as {{convert|18|C|F}} in the mountains during the wet season. The average temperature is around {{convert|24|to|34|C|F}}, and does not fluctuate much except during the month of May, which is the hottest month. Cebu averages 70–80% humidity.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.guidetocebu.com/information/weather.html |title=Weather in Cebu |publisher=Guide to Cebu |access-date=July 30, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100826084032/http://www.guidetocebu.com/information/weather.html |archive-date=August 26, 2010 |url-status=usurped }}</ref>

===Fauna===
{{see also|List of amphibians and reptiles of Cebu}}
[[File:Copsychus cebuensis 1992 stamp of the Philippines.jpg|thumb|Copsychus cebuensis, the Black Shama (locally called ''Siloy''), is a species of Shama bird that is only found in the island of Cebu. It is currently endangered. It has been observed as far in urban areas as Cebu City, but is mainly abundant in the species' last stronghold, the Nug-as rainforest of [[Alcoy, Cebu|Alcoy]]. It can also be found in Casili, [[Consolacion]] and the mountainous areas of the [[N815 highway|Trans Central Highway]]. The bird was once featured on the official stamp of Cebu of 1992.]]
[[Endemic]] species in Cebu include the Cebu Flowerpecker (''[[Dicaeum quadricolor]]''), Cebu Slender Skink (''[[Brachymeles cebuensis]]''), Uling Goby (''[[Sicyopus cebuensis]]''), and Black Shama (''[[Copsychus cebuensis]]'').

There is also a subspecies of [[Idea leuconoe]] that is only endemic to Cebu. ''I. l. jumaloni'' is endemic to the area of [[Kawasan Falls]] in [[Badian, Cebu|Badian]], hence its common name, the ''Kawasan Paper Kite Butterfly''. The subspecies is also named after Julian Jumalon, a Cebuano [[Lepidopterist]] and butterfly artist. The butterfly can also be observed in the Nug-as rainforest.

===Flora===
Cebu has little remaining forest cover. The remaining forest patches in Cebu are composed primarily of the following tree species.<ref>Supsup, Christian & Puna, Nevong & Asis, Augusto & Redoblado, Bernard & Fatima Panaguinit, Maria & Guinto, Faith & Rico, Edmund & Diesmos, Arvin & Brown, Rafe & Mallari, Neil. (2016). Amphibians and Reptiles of Cebu, Philippines: The Poorly Understood Herpetofauna of an Island with Very Little Remaining Natural Habitat. Asian Herpetological Research. 7. 151–179. 10.16373/j.cnki.ahr.150049.</ref>

*[[Mount Lantoy]]: ''[[Carallia brachiata]]'' and introduced species ''[[Tectona grandis]]'', ''[[Swietenia macrophylla]]'', ''[[Gmelina arborea]]'', and ''[[Casuarina equisetifolia]]''
*Palinipinon Mountains: ''[[Carallia brachiata]]'' and introduced species ''[[Swietenia macrophylla]]''
*Nug-as forest: ''[[Ficus]]'' spp., ''[[Artocarpus blancoi]]'', ''[[Macaranga grandifolia]]'', and ''[[Cinnamomum cebuense]]''
*Mount Lanaya: ''[[Carallia brachiata]]''
*Mount Tabunan: ''[[Trevesia burckii]]'', ''[[Voacanga globosa]]'', ''[[Heptapleurum actinophyllum]]'', ''[[Pouteria villamilii]]'', and ''[[Palaquium luzoniense]]''

===Administrative divisions===
[[File:Ph fil cebu.png|thumb|350px|right]]
The province of Cebu has '''3''' highly urbanized cities ([[Cebu City|Cebu]] (the provincial capital), [[Lapu-Lapu City|Lapu-Lapu]], and [[Mandaue]]) which are geographically grouped but governed independent from the province, '''6''' component cities ([[Bogo, Cebu|Bogo]], [[Carcar, Cebu|Carcar]], [[Danao, Cebu|Danao]], [[Naga, Cebu|Naga]], [[Talisay, Cebu|Talisay]], and [[Toledo, Cebu|Toledo]]), and '''44''' municipalities for a total of '''53''' units as listed below:
{{PH town table|top}}
{{PH town table|072201000| [[Alcantara, Cebu|Alcantara]] |Q315636 | 13556}}
{{PH town table|072202000| [[Alcoy, Cebu|Alcoy]] |Q315655 | 14757}}
{{PH town table|072203000| [[Alegria, Cebu|Alegria]] |Q315669 | 22072}}
{{PH town table|072204000| [[Aloguinsan]] |Q315687 | 27650}}
{{PH town table|072205000| [[Argao]] |Q315703 | 69503}}
{{PH town table|072206000| [[Asturias, Cebu|Asturias]] |Q315719 | 44732}}
{{PH town table|072207000| [[Badian, Cebu|Badian]] |Q315733 | 37699}}
{{PH town table|072208000| [[Balamban]] |Q315754 | 71237}}
{{PH town table|072209000| [[Bantayan, Cebu|Bantayan]] |Q315771 | 74785}}
{{PH town table|072210000| [[Barili]] |Q315790 | 65524}}
{{PH town table|072211000| [[Bogo, Cebu|Bogo]] |Q890623 | 69911 |8=cc}}
{{PH town table|072212000| [[Boljoon]] |Q315809 | 14877}}
{{PH town table|072213000| [[Borbon, Cebu|Borbon]] |Q315827 | 32278}}
{{PH town table|072214000| [[Carcar]] |Q315851 |100632 |8=cc}}
{{PH town table|072215000| [[Carmen, Cebu|Carmen]] |Q315882 | 41279}}
{{PH town table|072216000| [[Catmon]] |Q315900 | 27330}}
{{PH town table|072217000| [[Cebu City]]∞ |Q1467 |866171|8=huc}}
{{PH town table|072218000| [[Compostela, Cebu|Compostela]] |Q315923 | 39167}}
{{PH town table|072219000| [[Consolacion]] |Q315945 |106649 }}
{{PH town table|072220000| [[Cordova, Cebu|Cordova]] |Q315965 | 50353}}
{{PH town table|072221000| [[Daanbantayan]] |Q315981 | 74897}}
{{PH town table|072222000| [[Dalaguete]] |Q316001 | 63239}}
{{PH town table|072223000| [[Danao, Cebu|Danao]] |Q1159273|119252|8=cc}}
{{PH town table|072224000| [[Dumanjug]] |Q316019 | 46754}}
{{PH town table|072225000| [[Ginatilan]] |Q316037 | 15327}}
{{PH town table|072226000| [[Lapu-Lapu City]] |Q574903 |350467|8=huc}}
{{PH town table|072227000| [[Liloan, Cebu|Liloan]] |Q316056 |100500}}
{{PH town table|072228000| [[Madridejos, Cebu|Madridejos]] |Q316080 | 34905}}
{{PH town table|072229000| [[Malabuyoc]] |Q316101 | 18426}}
{{PH town table|072230000| [[Mandaue]] |Q1889017|331320|8=huc}}
{{PH town table|072231000| [[Medellin, Cebu|Medellin]] |Q316125 | 50047}}
{{PH town table|072232000| [[Minglanilla]] |Q316146 |113178}}
{{PH town table|072233000| [[Moalboal]] |Q316171 | 27676}}
{{PH town table|072234000| [[Naga, Cebu|Naga]] |Q316197 |101571|8=cc}}
{{PH town table|072235000| [[Oslob]] |Q316230 | 26116}}
{{PH town table|072236000| [[Pilar, Cebu|Pilar]] |Q316245 | 11564}}
{{PH town table|072237000| [[Pinamungajan]] |Q316259 | 57997}}
{{PH town table|072238000| [[Poro, Cebu|Poro]] |Q316275 | 23498}}
{{PH town table|072239000| [[Ronda, Cebu|Ronda]] |Q316289 | 18582}}
{{PH town table|072240000| [[Samboan]] |Q316303 | 18613}}
{{PH town table|072241000| [[San Fernando, Cebu|San Fernando]] |Q316318 | 60970}}
{{PH town table|072242000| [[San Francisco, Cebu|San Francisco]] |Q316332 | 47357}}
{{PH town table|072243000| [[San Remigio, Cebu|San Remigio]] |Q316350 | 51394}}
{{PH town table|072244000| [[Santa Fe, Cebu|Santa Fe]] |Q316370 | 27270}}
{{PH town table|072245000| [[Santander, Cebu|Santander]] |Q316386 | 16105}}
{{PH town table|072246000| [[Sibonga]] |Q316404 | 43641}}
{{PH town table|072247000| [[Sogod, Cebu|Sogod]] |Q316432 | 30626}}
{{PH town table|072248000| [[Tabogon]] |Q316453 | 33024}}
{{PH town table|072249000| [[Tabuelan]] |Q316474 | 22292}}
{{PH town table|072250000| [[Talisay, Cebu|Talisay]] |Q316500 |200772|8=cc}}
{{PH town table|072251000| [[Toledo, Cebu|Toledo]] |Q316527 |157078|8=cc}}
{{PH town table|072252000| [[Tuburan, Cebu|Tuburan]] |Q316547 | 58914}}
{{PH town table|072253000| [[Tudela, Cebu|Tudela]] |Q316564 | 9859}}
{{PH town table|bottom|4=2619362|8=cc,huc}}
{{Center|<small>∞ Largest settlement</small>}}

==Demographics==
{{See also|Cebuano people|List of people from Cebu}}
{{Philippine Census
| align= none
| cols = 3
| title= Population census of {{PH wikidata|name}}
| 1903 = {{PH census population|1903}}
| 1918 = {{PH census population|1918}}
| 1939 = {{PH census population|1939}}
| 1948 = {{PH census population|1948}}
| 1960 = {{PH census population|1960}}
| 1970 = {{PH census population|1970}}
| 1975 = {{PH census population|1975}}
| 1980 = {{PH census population|1980}}
| 1990 = {{PH census population|1990}}
| 1995 = {{PH census population|1995}}
| 2000 = {{PH census population|2000}}
| 2007 = {{PH census population|2007}}
| 2010 = {{PH census population|2010}}
| 2015 = {{PH census population|2015}}
| 2020 = {{PH census population|2020}}
| 2024 = 3,400,522
| 2030 = 
| footnote = {{font|size=110%|text=Excludes independent cities<br />Source: Philippine Statistics Authority}}{{font|size=118%|text={{PH census|2015}}{{PH census|2010}}{{PH census|2007}}}}
}}
[[File:Basilica Minore del Santo Nino.jpg|thumb|The [[Basilica del Santo Niño|Basílica Minore del Santo Niño]] in Cebu, the first church built in the Philippines. Named by the [[Holy See]] as the "Mother and Head... of all Churches of the Philippine Islands".<ref>Basilica del Santo Niño is named by the Vatican as "mother and head of all churches in the Philippines" (mater et caput... omnium ecclesiarum Insularum Philippinarum). See ''[https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/la/apost_letters/documents/hf_p-vi_apl_19650401_ut-clarificetur.html Ut clarificetur]''</ref>]]
The population of Cebu province, according to the [[2020 Philippine census]], was 3,325,385 with a density of {{convert|670|PD/km2|disp=or}}{{PH wikidata|population_reference}}. When the independent cities – Cebu City (964,169<ref name="city population">{{cite web |url=https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/attachments/hsd/pressrelease/R07.xlsx |title=Press release |publisher=Philippine Statistics Authority}}</ref>), Lapu-Lapu (497,604<ref name="city population" />), and Mandaue (364,116<ref name="city population" />) – are included for geographical purposes, the total population is 5,151,274 people, with a population density of 964 inhabitants per square kilometre (2,498/sq mi).

The population of the [[Central Visayas]] is predominantly young with about 37 percent of its population below 10 years old. This is very evident in the very broad base of the population pyramid in the region which has prevailed since 1970 but at a declining rate. A decline of 2.29 percentage points in the proportion of the household population below 15 years old was noted from 1980 to 1995. Conversely, an increase of 3.06 percentage points was observed in the 15–64 age group during the same period. The population of the region is evenly distributed between males and females. However, the male population in the region has been increasing at a faster rate compared to the female population.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.popcom.gov.ph/regions/07/more_on_demographics.html |title=More on demographics |publisher=The Commission on Population of the Philippines |access-date=August 27, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005112554/http://www.popcom.gov.ph/regions/07/more_on_demographics.html |archive-date=October 5, 2011 }}</ref>

In 2010, the median age of the population of the province was 23.0 years, which means that half of the population was younger than 23.0 {{nowrap|years.{{PSGC detail|nscb}}}} This is higher than the median age of 20.8 years that was recorded in 2000.

===Languages===
{{See also|Cebuano language}}
{{bar box
| width    = 275px
| title    = Spoken Languages in Cebu Province<ref>{{cite web |url=http://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/CEBU_FINAL%20PDF.pdf |title=Table 11. Household Population by Ethnicity and Sex: 2010 |publisher= Philippine Statistics Authority}}</ref>
| titlebar = #f99
| left1    = Languages
| right1   = percentage
| float    = right
| bars     =
 {{bar percent|Cebuano/Bisaya/Binisaya/Boholano|Blue|98.8}}
 {{bar percent|Hiligaynon|Green|0.2}}
 {{bar percent|Tagalog|Black|0.2}}
 {{bar percent|Others|Silver|0.8}}
}}
The [[Cebuano language]] is spoken in Cebu, which is also spoken in the rest of [[Central Visayas]] and most parts of [[Eastern Visayas]], as well as most provinces of [[Mindanao]].

In the [[Camotes Islands]], especially in [[Poro, Cebu|Poro]], people there speak their own Visayan language called [[Porohanon]], which has [[Masbateño language|Masbateño]] and [[Waray-Waray language|Waray-Waray]] influences. Some of the residents in Bantayan islands also speak [[Bantayanon]], a Visayan language related to [[Waray-Waray language|Waray-Waray]].

[[Chinese Filipino]]s also speak [[Philippine Hokkien]] privately amongst fellow speakers in [[Metro Cebu|Cebu]], while [[Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin]] ([[Standard Chinese]]) is also taught in Chinese class of [[Chinese school|Chinese Filipino schools]].

===Religion===
{{main|Religion in the Philippines}}

====Catholicism====
[[File:Original Image of the Santo Niño de Cebu.jpg|thumb|left|upright|The original image of [[Santo Niño de Cebú]], an image of the Child Jesus given by [[Ferdinand Magellan]] to Queen Juana and to the [[Cebuanos]] after the First Baptism, now enshrined at the Minor Basilica.]]

The majority of its population are [[Roman Catholicism in the Philippines|Roman Catholic]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cebu.gov.ph/?getid=2&getsubid=24&infolinkids=26&GetBodyName=Culture%20and%20Lifestyle&rightpdisable=0 |title=Cebu – Paradise: Culture and Lifestyle |publisher=Cebu Provincial Government |access-date=December 10, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719055833/http://www.cebu.gov.ph/?getid=2&getsubid=24&infolinkids=26&GetBodyName=Culture%20and%20Lifestyle&rightpdisable=0 |archive-date=July 19, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> followed by roughly 95% of Cebuanos.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Religious Affiliation in the Philippines (2020 Census of Population and Housing) |publisher= Philippine Statistics Authority |url=https://psa.gov.ph/content/religious-affiliation-philippines-2020-census-population-and-housing |access-date=2023-09-28 }}</ref> There are also followers of [[Iglesia Filipina Independiente]], [[Islam]], [[Buddhism]] and [[Hinduism]]. The increasing members of the [[Iglesia ni Cristo]] in the province has 3 subdivided district (Bogo City, Carcar City and Cebu City) chapels, dominating each city and town, while barrio chapels have 2–3% presence in the entire province.

Cebu is the capital of the Catholic faith{{sfn|Bautista|2006}} by virtue of being the first Christian city,{{sfn|Blair|Robertson|Vol 2|page=121}} the first capital of the [[Spanish East Indies]], and the birthplace of [[Christianity in the Philippines|Christianity]] and the Philippine Church. [[Pope John Paul II]], in his Homily for Families in Cebu (February 19, 1981), called the island as the birthplace of Christianity in the Philippines.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/homilies/1981/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_19810219_famiglie_en.html|title=19 February 1981: Mass for families, Cebu City, Philippines – John Paul II|access-date=April 26, 2017}}</ref> At over 3,000,000 adherents, the province of Cebu has the highest number of Roman Catholics out of any province in the Philippines.<ref name=":0" />

The image of ''Santo Niño de Cebú'' (Holy Child of Cebu), the oldest Christian image in the Philippines, is enshrined and venerated at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. According to Philippine historical documents, the statue of the Santo Niño (Holy Child) was given to Queen Humamay (also referred to as Hara Amihan and Queen Juana), the wife of Rajah Humabon (also referred to as Rajah Carlos), the Rajah of Cebu by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. The Cebuanos' acceptance of Christianity is depicted in Cebu's cultural event, the [[Sinulog]] where street parades and loud drum beats preceded by a Christian Mass is celebrated every third Sunday of January. Cebu has a [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cebu|Roman Catholic Archdiocese]] and has several major churches, including the [[Basilica del Santo Niño|Basilica Minor del Santo Niño de Cebu]], [[Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral]], Santo Rosario Parish Church, San José–Recoletos Church, Sacred Heart Church, Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, National Shrine of Our Lady of the Rule, [[Mandaue Church|National Shrine of Saint Joseph of Mandaue]], Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe of Cebu, San Nicolas de Tolentino Church, [[Boljoon Church|Archdiocesan Shrine of Patrocinio de Maria Santissima of Boljoon]], and other Christian churches, as well as several other non-Catholic churches, mosques and temples.
{{clear left}}

==Government==
CEBU PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS 2025–2028:
* Governor: [[Pam Baricuatro|Pamela S. Baricuatro]] ([[Partido Demokratiko Pilipino|PDP]])
* Vice Governor: Glenn Anthony O. Soco ([[One Cebu|1Cebu]])
* Representatives:
**1st District: Rhea Mae A. Gullas ([[Lakas-CMD|Lakas]])
**2nd District: Edsel A. Galeos ([[Lakas-CMD|Lakas]])
**3rd District: Karen F. Garcia ([[National Unity Party (Philippines)|NUP]])
**4th District: Sun J. Shimura ([[Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino|PMP]])
**5th District: [[Duke Frasco|Vincent Franco "Duke" D. Frasco]] ([[One Cebu|1Cebu]])
**6th District: Daphne A. Lagon ([[Lakas-CMD|Lakas]])
**7th District: Dr. Patricia C. Calderon ([[Nationalist People's Coalition|NPC]])
* Board Members:
**1st District:
***Antonio "Jojo" D. Bacaltos Jr. ([[Nacionalista Party|NP]])
***Lakambini G. Reluya ([[Nacionalista Party|NP]])
**2nd District:
***Raymond Joseph D. Calderon ([[One Cebu|1Cebu]])
***Dr. Stanley S. Caminero ([[One Cebu|1Cebu]])
**3rd District:
***Julius Anthony "Oloy" G. Corominas ([[One Cebu|1Cebu]])
***Dason Lorenz A. Lagon ([[Lakas-CMD|Lakas]])
**4th District:
***Kerrie Keane G. Shimura ([[One Cebu|1Cebu]])
***Nelson J. Mondigo ([[One Cebu|1Cebu]])
**5th District:
***Andrei "Red" Duterte ([[One Cebu|1Cebu]])
***Michael Joseph "Mike" T. Villamor ([[One Cebu|1Cebu]])
**6th District:
***Dason Larenz A. Lagon ([[One Cebu|1Cebu]])
***Alfred Francis "Alfie" M. Ouano ([[Lakas-CMD|Lakas]])
**7th District:
***Paz "Lingling" A. Rozgoni ([[One Cebu|1Cebu]])
***Cesar "Sarsi" A. Baricuatro ([[One Cebu|1Cebu]])
**Mandaue City:
***Malcolm A. Sanchez ([[One Cebu|1Cebu]])
***Nilo "Olin" V. Seno ([[Lakas-CMD|Lakas]])
**Ex-Officio:
***SK Federation President: Loren S. Singco ([[Independent politician|Independent]])
***ABC President: Celestino A. Martinez III ([[Independent politician|Independent]])
***PCL President: Ricardo "Nick" D. Pepito ([[One Cebu|1Cebu]])

Former governors of Cebu:
* [[Julio A. Llorente|Julio Llorente]]  1900–1901
* [[Juan Climaco]]  1902–1903
* [[Sergio Osmeña]] 1904–1905
* [[Dionisio Jakosalem]]  1907–1912
* [[Manuel A. Roa|Manuel Roa]] 1912–1922
* [[Arsenio Climaco]]  1923–1930
* [[Mariano Jesus Cuenco]]  1931–1933
* [[Sotero Cabahug]]  1934–1937
* [[Buenaventura Rodriguez]]  1937–1940
* [[Hilario Abellana]] 1941–1943
* [[Jose Delgado (politician)|Jose Delgado]] 1943–1944{{efn-lr|name=r1|1=Appointed}}
* [[Jose Leyson]] 1944–1945{{efn-lr|name=r1}}
* [[Fructuoso Cabahug]] 1945–1946
* [[Manuel A. Cuenco|Manuel Cuenco]] 1946–1951
* [[Sergio Osmeña, Jr.]]  1952–1955
* [[Jose Briones]] 1956–1961
* [[Francisco Remotigue]] 1961–1963
* [[Rene Espina]] 1964–1969
* [[Osmundo Rama]] 1969–1976, 1986–1988{{efn-lr|name=r1}}
* [[Eduardo Gullas]]  1976–1986{{efn-lr|name=r1}}
* [[Lito Osmeña]]  1988–1992
* [[Vicente dela Serna|Vicente de la Serna]] 1992–1995
* [[Pablo P. Garcia|Pablo Garcia]]  1995–2004
* [[Gwendolyn Garcia]]  2004–2013, 2019–2025
* [[Hilario Davide III]]  2013–2019

===Congress===
{{main|Legislative districts of Cebu|}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!width=40px|[[Congressional districts of the Philippines|District]]
! colspan= 2 |[[House of Representatives of the Philippines|Representative]]
!width=120px|[[List of political parties in the Philippines|Party]]
!width=45px|Term
!width=120px|Bloc
|-
|align=center|[[Cebu's 1st congressional district|1st]]
| {{party color cell|Lakas-CMD}}
|Rhea Mae Gullas
| align="center" | [[Lakas-CMD|Lakas]]
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | Majority
|-
|align=center|[[Cebu's 2nd congressional district|2nd]]
| {{party color cell|Lakas-CMD}}
|[[Edsel Galeos]]
| align="center" | [[Lakas-CMD|Lakas]]
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | Majority
|-
|align=center|[[Cebu's 3rd congressional district|3rd]]
| {{party color cell|National Unity Party (Philippines)}}
|[[Karen Flores-Garcia|Karen Flores Garcia]]
| align="center" |  [[National Unity Party (Philippines)|NUP]]
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | Majority
|-
|align=center|[[Cebu's 4th congressional district|4th]]
| {{party color cell|Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino}}
|Sun Shimura
| align="center" | [[Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino|PMP]]
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | Majority
|-
|align=center|[[Cebu's 5th congressional district|5th]]
| {{party color cell|One Cebu}}
|[[Duke Frasco]]
| align="center" | [[One Cebu|1Cebu]]
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | Majority
|-
|align=center|[[Cebu's 6th congressional district|6th]]
| {{party color cell|Lakas-CMD }}
|[[Daphne Lagon]]
| align="center" |[[Lakas-CMD|Lakas]]
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | Majority
|-
|align=center|[[Cebu's 7th congressional district|7th]]
| {{party color cell|Nationalist People's Coalition}}
|Patricia Calderon
| align="center" |[[Nationalist People's Coalition|NPC]]
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | Majority
|}

==Economy==
{{stack|float=left|{{PH poverty incidence}}{{key needed|date=June 2024|post-text=thousands? percentages? what?}}}}
{{See also|Economy of the Philippines}}
[[File:Cebu Business Park and IT Park skyline (Cebu City; 09-07-2022).jpg|alt=|thumb|[[Cebu City]], although independent from Cebu Province (together with [[Mandaue]] and [[Lapu-Lapu City]]), is the largest city and economic hub of the island.]]
"[[Ceboom]]", a combination of ''Cebu'' and ''boom'', has been used to describe the province's economic development. With many beautiful islands, white sand beaches, luxury hotels and resorts, diving locations and heritage sites, high domestic and foreign tourist arrivals have fueled the tourism industry of Cebu. Cebu consistently gets a big share of tourist arrivals in the Philippines and has become the tourist gateway to Central and Southern Philippines due to its central geographic location, accessibility, and natural resources. The province also hosts various national and international conferences every year.

About 80% of domestic and international shipping operators and shipbuilders in the Philippines are located in Cebu. Shipbuilding companies in Cebu have manufactured bulk carriers of up to {{DWT|70,000|metric|disp=long}}, and double-hulled [[fastcraft]] as well. Cebu's industry helps make the Philippines the 5th largest shipbuilding country in the world.

Cebu's extensive port facilities and its proximity to intra-Asian shipping and air routes are major factors which led multinational companies to establish offices or factories on the main island, as well as in the island of Mactan, where they are clustered in special economic zones known as the Mactan Economic Processing Zone 1 (MEPZ-1) and the Mactan Economic Processing Zone 2 (MEPZ-2). Due to its burgeoning furniture-making industry, Cebu has been named as the furniture capital of the Philippines. Cebu's other exports include: fashion accessories, guitars, coconut, coconut oil, dried mangoes, [[carrageenan]], gifts, toys, watches, cameras, electronic components, and housewares.

With a revenue growth rate of 18.8 percent in 2012, the real estate industry is the fastest-growing sector in Cebu. With strong economic indicators and high investors' confidence level, more condominium projects and hypermarkets are being developed in the locality. An additional 100 commercial and residential buildings would be completed by 2015 and another 170 to 200 buildings are expected to be finished by 2017. 64 new hypermarkets will be developed in Cebu.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/334233/real-estate-sector-fastest-growing-industry-in-cebu |title=Real estate sector fastest growing industry in Cebu |date=January 3, 2013 |website=SunStar Cebu |access-date=June 25, 2013}}</ref>

In 2013, Cebu ranked 8th worldwide in the "Top 100 BPO Destinations Report" by global advisory firm, Tholons.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/2013/02/12/cebu-rises-8th-best-site-bpos-267725 |title=Cebu rises to 8th best site for BPOs |date=February 12, 2013 |website=SunStar Cebu |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|url=http://ph.news.yahoo.com/metro-manila--cebu-among-top-global-bpo-destinations-094957693.html |title=Metro Manila, Cebu among top global BPO destinations |website=Yahoo! Philippines |access-date=March 18, 2013}}</ref> The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, an organization of Cebu's businesses, is promoting the city's growth and economy on information and communications technology, with the aim of making Cebu the premier ICT, software and e-services investment destination in Southeast Asia. Data gathered by the National Economic Development Authority (Neda) 7 showed that of the 98 BPO and IT companies operating in Cebu, 32 offer voice operations while 66 companies offer non-voice operations. Of the 95,000 employed by the industry, more than half or 50,000 are in the non-voice sector. In 2012, the growth in IT-BPO revenues in Cebu grew 26.9 percent at $484 million, while nationally, the industry grew 18.2 percent at $13 billion.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/business/2013/05/16/non-voice-overtakes-voice-operation-cebu-282691 |title=Non-voice overtakes voice operation in Cebu |date=May 16, 2013 |website=SunStar Cebu |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><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cebuholdings.com/feature/cebu-park-district|title=Cebu Park District, Cebu Holdings|access-date=April 26, 2017|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130101223915/http://www.cebuholdings.com/feature/cebu-park-district|archive-date=January 1, 2013}}</ref>

Cebu's economy is also driven by the mining and quarrying areas in [[Toledo, Cebu|Toledo]], [[Naga, Cebu|Naga]], [[Alcoy, Cebu|Alcoy]], and [[Danao, Cebu|Danao]].

Cebu even boasts of being a subsidiary of one of the leading ice rink manufacturers in the world. These rinks are engineered and fabricated in Cebu by Ice Rink Supply and shipped worldwide<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.icerinksupply.com | title=Ice Rink Supply, Banilad, Cebu |access-date=April 26, 2017}}</ref> by Freeze Point Rink Services.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.freezepointrinks.com | title=Freeze Point – Ice Rink Supplier, Mandaue, Cebu |access-date=April 26, 2017}}</ref>

Tourism is an important industry for the province. In 2019, Cebu welcomed 1.4 million foreign tourists,<ref>{{ cite news |last=Erram |first=Morexette Marie B. |date=January 25, 2020 |title=DOT: Cebu was 2nd top foreign tourists' destination in 2019 |url=https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/283695/dot-cebu-was-2nd-top-foreign-tourists-destination-in-2019 |work=[[Cebu Daily News]] |access-date=August 31, 2022 }}</ref> and is one of the most visited in the country by both domestic and foreign visitors. Cebu Island has also entered the list of [[Condé Nast Traveler]]'s World's Best Islands rankings thrice: 2016, 2017 and 2019. [[Cebu City]] and Cebu Province, despite being administratively separated from each other, are often marketed as a single tourist destination, combining natural countryside scenery with urban attractions including cultural-historical sites and developing infrastructure.

==Tourism==
===Attractions===
{{see also|Cebu City#Tourism}}
[[Cebu City]] is a significant cultural centre in the Philippines. The imprint of Spanish and Roman Catholic culture is evident. There are also many historically important sights all over the province.

<gallery widths="150" heights="150" mode="packed">
File:Magellan's Cross full.jpg|[[Magellan's Cross]], Cebu City
File:Bagacay Point Lighthouse-cr.jpg|Bagacay Point Lighthouse, [[Liloan, Cebu|Liloan]]
File:Malapascua Island, Sunset on the beach, Philippines.jpg|Bounty Beach, [[Malapascua Island]], [[Daanbantayan, Cebu|Daanbantayan]]
File:Carcar City Museum.jpg|Carcar Museum (formerly Carcar Dispensary), [[Carcar]]
File:Cebu Bahay na bato.jpg|Casa Gorordo Ancestral house Museum
</gallery>

===Cuisine===
Cebu also has a great number of delicacies from every town. Much of the delicacies are either precolonial or influenced by Spanish or Chinese cuisines.

<gallery widths="150" heights="120" mode="packed">
File:Lechon.jpg|Cebu Lechon is one of the two types of lechon in the Philippines. It is served primarily around the [[Metro Cebu]] Area, particularly [[Talisay, Cebu|Talisay City]], but is served throughout the island and other parts of the [[Visayas]].
File:Lechon liempo (pork belly lechon) Philippines.jpg|Liempo is a variation of lechon that contains only the pork belly rather than a whole pig. In Cebu, it is served primarily in Balamban.
File:Rosquillos.jpg|[[Rosquillos]] are Philippine cookies that originate from Liloan.
File:Titay's Rosquillos Corazon.jpg|The Corazon Rosquillos, a special variety of Rosquillos from ''Titay's'' that has a heart-shaped hole instead of a circular one.
File:9668Photos taken during 2020 coronavirus pandemic Baliuag, Bulacan 48.jpg|[[Chicharon]] is a common Filipino Food that is made up of crispy fried pork rinds. In Cebu, it is commonly found in Carcar.
File:Ampao from Carcar, Cebu.jpg|[[Ampaw]] is a Cebuano snack made from fried white rice coated in syrup, usually with Peanuts inside. It originates from Carcar.
File:Puso- Rice from Cebu City.JPG|[[Pusô]] is rice boiled in a woven pouch made from palm leaves. It is common all throughout the Visayas.
File:Humba (Philippines).jpg|[[Humbà]] is a braised pork dish from the Visayas. In Cebu, it is primarily served in [[Ronda, Cebu|Ronda]].
File:Otap.jpg|[[Otap (food)|Otap]] is an oval-shaped puff pastry cookie that originates from Cebu.
File:Masareal (Philippines).jpg|[[Masareal]] is a Cebuano delicacy that is made from a mixture of finely-ground boiled peanuts, coconut syrup ([[latík]]), and water. It originates from [[Mandaue]].
File:Binaki (sweet tamales) in the Philippines.jpg|[[Binaki|Pintos]], also known as ''Binaki'', is a Philippine steamed corn sweet [[tamales]] that is served in both [[Bukidnon]] and Cebu, particularly in Bogo.
Toddy Bottle and Glass.jpg|[[Tubâ]], is a type of Philippine [[Palm wine|Coconut wine]] or "toddy" found in the Visayas. In Cebu, it is found in both [[Borbon, Cebu|Borbon]] and [[Argao]].
</gallery>

===Significant dates===
[[File:Ang Simbahan ng Bantayan on Holy Week.jpg|thumb|One of the [[Passus]] of the [[Good Friday]] procession of the [[Semana Santa]] of [[Bantayan, Cebu|Bantayan]] showing [[St. Longinus]] piercing the side of the [[Body of Christ]]. Bantayan's Holy Week processions and practices are said to be the grandest in the Visayas. Bantayan is also the only town in the Philippines where [[fasting]] is not strictly observed during Holy Week.]]

;Cebu Provincial Charter Day

The province celebrates its charterhood August 6 each year. It is considered a special non-working holiday throughout the entire province, including the three independent city states.

During the monthly celebration of Cebu's provincial charterhood, the province hosts a variety of events in line with the aim for unity among all Cebuanos. As part of the Founding Anniversary Celebration of the province, the capitol hosts the ''Tabo sa Kapitolyo'', a provincial trade fair that features all the products, delicacies, and other specialties from each city and municipality in the province. The province also hosts the ''Pasigarbo sa Sugbo'' Festival of Festivals, a celebration that showcases all festivals from every town of Cebu and is meant to highlight the culture, history, traditions, and way of life of all Cebuanos.

;Semana Santa sa Bantayan

The Semana Santa of Bantayan is the local Holy Week celebration in the town of Bantayan. It is largely considered the grandest celebration of Holy Week in the Visayas. The celebration features lifelike Passus depicting the [[Passion of Jesus|Passion and Death of Jesus]] on top of intricate caroes that are paraded throughout the entire town.

One thing that makes the Holy Week and [[Lent|Lenten Celebration]] of Bantayan unique from other Holy Week observations of other parts of Cebu and the Philippines (and, quite possibly, the world) is that traditional Lenten Fast is not strictly observed during Holy Week. This is because the town of Bantayan has received an exemption from the traditional Lenten fast directly from the Vatican. The exemption or special permission dated July 27, 1824, which is formally known as "Bantayan Indult", was signed by [[Pope Leo XII]] himself. The Bantayan Indult was given through Padre Doroteo Andrada Del Rosario and allows the consumption of meat on days of fasting and obligation. The original document is being kept at the Bantayan Museum on Bantayan Island.

There are several speculations as to why the town made the request for an indult. The most probable reason for having this indult is because people in the town would usually avoid fishing during Holy Week. This is likely because, at the time, all forms of work were prohibited, including fishing and aquaculture. Without anyone supplying fish, the only allowed meat for fasting, to the town, the Bantayanons were left with no choice but to eat the meat that is normally prohibited in Lent. There is also another reason for this based on folk beliefs. Because of the local belief that evil powers and malignant entities are stronger during Good Friday, the day of the death of [[Jesus]], the fishermen of the town would deem it too unsafe to fish, in fear that an evil presence will come upon them at sea.

In truth, the indult has long expired and is no longer valid, however, Bantayanons today still practice eating the usually forbidden meat during Holy Week as it has already become part of their Lenten traditions.

;Gabii sa Kabilin

Translating to "Heritage Night", it is a program initiated by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Incorporated in 2007. Gabii sa Kabilin is an event that aims to help preserve Cebu's rich history, culture and heritage, by encouraging the public to visit the different museums and heritage structures of Cebu. For one night, all the museums and heritage structures of Cebu all open their doors for all people in order for them to learn about the history of Cebu, as well as its heritage and cultural legacy. Although most of the heritage locations that participate in the heritage night are from Cebu City, there are also other locations that are from the other parts of the province. [[Museo Sugbo]], the provincial museum, and the [[National Museum of the Philippines – Cebu|National Museum of the Philippines of Cebu]] are among the participating museums of Gabii sa Kabilin.

===Festivals===
{{main|Festivals of Cebu}}

==Infrastructure==
[[File:Mactan Cebu International Airport (Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu; 09-04-2022).jpg|thumb|Terminal 2 building of [[Mactan–Cebu International Airport]].]]
[[File:CCLEX Bridge (Cebu City; 09-07-2022).jpg|thumb|The [[Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway|CCLEX Bridge]], completed in 2022, is the longest sea-crossing bridge in the Philippines]]
[[Mactan–Cebu International Airport]] (MCIA) on the island of [[Mactan]] serves as the main gateway to domestic and international routes to or from Cebu City and other islands in the [[Visayas]] region. In the last 15 years, MCIA's passenger traffic has grown at an annual average of 21% for international passenger traffic. The airport is the second busiest airport in the Philippines in passenger and cargo traffic. The plan for a new terminal expansion of the airport is underway and is estimated to cost $240 million under a [[public-private partnership]] program of the Philippine government. The new terminal will host international flights while the old terminal will host domestic flights.<ref name=ref2013040306>{{Cite news|url=http://investvine.com/philippine-ppps-queue-up-investors/ |title=Philippine PPPs queue up investors |website=InvestVine.com |date=April 3, 2013}}</ref>

In addition, MCIA Authority (MCIAA) General Manager [[Nigel Paul Villarete]] also proposed to establish a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line to transport airport passengers to and from MCIAA and different parts of Cebu. This will be integrated into the proposed [[Cebu Bus Rapid Transit System|Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) System]] being planned in [[Metro Cebu]].

The [[Port of Cebu]] is the largest shipping hub in the Visayas region.

[[Cebu Pacific]] Air is an airline owned by Cebu-based Gokongwei family. On May 28, 2008, Cebu Pacific was named as the world's number one airline in terms of growth. The airline carried a total of almost 5.5 million passengers in 2007, up 57.4% from 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cebupacificair.com/about-us/pages/news.aspx?id=656|title=Cebu Pacific is world's No. 1 in growth|access-date=August 26, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016215449/https://www.cebupacificair.com/about-us/pages/news.aspx?id=656|archive-date=October 16, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> On January 6, 2011, Cebu Pacific flew its 50 millionth passenger (from [[Manila]] to [[Beijing]]). The airline reached 100 million passengers in 2015.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.airline-philippines.com/674/cebu-pacific-reaches-50-million-passengers-mark/ |title=Cebu Pacific Reaches 50 Million Passengers Mark |website=Airline-philippines.com |access-date=June 26, 2013 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316232819/http://www.airline-philippines.com/674/cebu-pacific-reaches-50-million-passengers-mark/ |archive-date=March 16, 2012 }}</ref> Cebu Pacific commenced international long-haul flights to Middle East and Australia, with flights to Guam starting Q1 2016.

Notable business districts are the [[Cebu Business Park]] and the [[Cebu IT Park]]. This area hosts industries related to the information technology industry such as software development, telecommunications, engineering research and development centers, and business process outsourcing. In 2013, [[Ayala Corporation]]'s affiliate, Ayala Land Inc., announced that it is looking at introducing another business park development within the Cebu City area to optimize the high performance of real estate investments in Cebu.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/business/2013/04/22/cebu-holdings-inc-planning-new-business-district-278943|title=Cebu Holdings Inc. planning new business district |website=[[SunStar]] |date=April 22, 2013|access-date=April 26, 2017}}</ref>

The city's {{convert|300|ha|acre km2 m2|adj=on}} reclamation forms South Road Properties – a mixed-use development south of the city which features entertainment, leisure, residential and business-processing industries.<ref name="About South Road Properties">{{cite web |url=http://www.cebucity.gov.ph/deptsoffices/frontline/srp |title=About South Road Properties |publisher=City Government of Cebu |access-date=February 20, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130301114258/http://www.cebucity.gov.ph/deptsoffices/frontline/srp |archive-date=March 1, 2013 }}</ref> Is the site of [[SM Seaside City Cebu]], the [[List of largest shopping malls in the world|eighth largest mall in the world]] (and [[List of largest shopping malls in the Philippines|3rd largest shopping mall in the Philippines]]), [[Filinvest]]'s Citta di Mare<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cebuinvestment.com/citta-di-mare.html|title=City di Mare|work=Cebu Investment &#124; Condominiums and Condotels in Cebu Since 2007. |date=February 17, 2014 |access-date=April 26, 2017}}</ref> and Il Corso,<ref>{{cite news
| title      = Filinvest's Il Corso mall rises at SRP-Cebu
| last1      = Libotero
| first1      = Sinjin Pineda
| date      = June 7, 2013
| url      = http://www.libotero.com/filinvest-il-corso-mall-rises-srp-cebu/
| access-date      = February 17, 2016
| archive-url      = https://web.archive.org/web/20150831010229/http://www.libotero.com/filinvest-il-corso-mall-rises-srp-cebu/
| archive-date      = August 31, 2015
| url-status      = dead
}}</ref>
and the [[University of the Philippines Cebu College|University of the Philippines – Cebu]] campus.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://upcebu.edu.ph/|title=University of the Philippines Cebu|publisher=University of the Philippines Cebu}}</ref>

In Mactan Island, [[Megaworld Corporation]]'s Mactan Newtown is a 25-hectare business park near Shangri-La's Mactan Resort and Spa. The project will be home to high-tech offices, a retail center, residential towers and villages, and leisure facilities with beach resort frontage.<ref>Mactan Oceantown – Mactan, Cebu City, http://www.megaworldcorp.com/Projects/Office.aspx {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130716101023/http://www.megaworldcorp.com/Projects/Office.aspx |date=July 16, 2013 }}</ref>

Mactan Island is linked to mainland Cebu via [[Mactan-Mandaue Bridge]], [[Marcelo Fernan Bridge]] and [[Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway]], the longest bridge in the Philippines.

==Media==
Cebu is home to a local television station, [[Cebu Catholic Television Network]] (CCTN).{{efn|1=a religious station partly owned and endorsed by the [[Archdiocese of Cebu]]}}

Despite having their own local stations, Cebuanos prefer to watch the Philippines's several dominant television networks, namely: [[ABS-CBN]] (now [[Kapamilya Channel]] and [[A2Z (TV channel)|A2Z]]), [[People's Television Network]], [[Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation|IBC]], [[TV5 (Philippine TV network)|TV5]], [[CNN Philippines]] (now [[RPTV (TV channel)|RPTV]]) and [[GMA Network]].{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}

While national newspapers have a presence on the island, Cebu has English-language local newspapers – ''[[The Freeman (newspaper)|The Freeman]]'' (under the [[The Philippine Star|Star Group]]), ''[[SunStar Cebu]]'' and ''Cebu Daily News'' (under the [[Philippine Daily Inquirer|Inquirer Group]]): and Cebuano-language newspapers – ''SunStar SuperBalita'' owned by SunStar, and ''Banat News'' owned by ''The Freeman''. Each of the local newspapers sell cheaper than their national counterparts.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}

==Education==
{{Main|List of colleges and universities in Metro Cebu}}
[[File:University of San Carlos corner view (Pantaleon Del Rosario, Cebu City; 09-05-2022).jpg|thumb|[[University of San Carlos]], one of the oldest universities in the Philippines.]]
The Philippine elementary school begins in Grades 1 to 6. The high school program takes six years, from Grades 7 through to 12, taken after graduating from elementary school. Cebu is considered as the main education hub in the [[Visayas]]. It has eleven large universities each with a number of college branches mostly throughout the capital, [[Cebu City]], and more than a dozen other schools and universities specializing in various courses such as Medicine, Engineering, Nautical courses, Nursing, Law, Commerce, Education, Computer and IT and other professions.

The most prominent of these universities are (in alphabetical order):
*[[Cebu Doctors University]]
*[[Cebu Institute of Technology–University]]
*[[Cebu Normal University]]
*[[Cebu Technological University]]
*[[Southwestern University (Philippines)|Southwestern University]]
*[[University of Cebu]]
*[[University of San Carlos]]
*[[University of San Jose–Recoletos]]
*[[University of Southern Philippines Foundation]]
*[[University of the Philippines Cebu]]
*[[University of the Visayas]]
*UV Gullas College of Medicine

Other notable institutions include: [[Asian College of Technology]] in Cebu City and [[Talisay, Cebu|Talisay]], Benedicto College, [[Cebu Eastern College]], [[Cebu Institute of Medicine]], a medical school in affiliation with [[Velez College]], The [[International Academy of Film and Television]], established in [[Mactan]] in 2004 and Cebu's first film school, [[Matias H. Aznar Memorial College of Medicine]],  [[Salazar Colleges of Science and Institute of Technology]], among others.

Cebu is home to one fully accredited international school, [[Cebu International School]], a [[K–12]] school established in 1924.
Cebu is considered to be a hub of medical education, with many international students coming to study medicine in Cebu's medical schools. Some of Cebu's well-known medical schools are in [[Cebu Doctors University]] and [[Cebu Institute of Medicine]].

==International relations and sisterhood agreements==
* Cebu hosted two major Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and telecom events, the 12th ASEAN Telecommunications and IT Ministers Meeting (TELMIN) and the 13th ASEAN Telecommunications and IT Senior Officials Meeting (TELSOM) in 2012.
* Cebu hosted the international 4th Dance Xchange, a project organized by the National Dance Committee of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts in 2012.
* Cebu as a member hosted the 11th [[EATOF|East Asia Inter-Regional Tourism Forum]] in 2011<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cebuchamber.org/2011/09/11th-east-asia-tourism-forum-eatof-integrated-academic-tourism-and-business-forum-business-matching/ |title=11th East-Asia Tourism Forum (EATOF) Integrated Academic, Tourism and Business Forum Business Matching &#124; Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry |website=Cebuchamber.org |date=September 12, 2011 |access-date=April 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130704092736/http://www.cebuchamber.org/2011/09/11th-east-asia-tourism-forum-eatof-integrated-academic-tourism-and-business-forum-business-matching/ |archive-date=July 4, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* Cebu joined as a participating member of Inter–Island Tourism Policy Forum in 2011 (ITOP Forum){{sfn| Mosqueda |2011}}
* Cebu hosted the 12th [[ASEAN Summit]] in 2007.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.aseansec.org/19223.htm#Article-3 |title=ASEAN Leaders Sign Five Agreements at the 12th ASEAN Summit, Cebu, the Philippines, 13 January 2007 |publisher=ASEAN Secretariat |date=January 13, 2007 |access-date=January 28, 2007 |quote=12th ASEAN Summit, five. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070128030214/http://www.aseansec.org/19223.htm |archive-date=January 28, 2007 |url-status=usurped }}</ref>
{{Div col}}
* {{flagu|PRC|name=[[Sichuan]]}}, China (2006)
* {{flagu|RUS|name=[[Vladimir, Russia|Vladimir]]}}, Russia (2008)
* {{flagu|SVN|name=[[Ljubljana]]}}, Slovenia (2008)
* {{flagu|KOR|name= [[Gangwon Province (South Korea)|Gangwon]]}}, South Korea (2008)
* {{flagicon|USA}} [[Guam]], United States of America (2008)
* {{flagicon|ISR}} [[Rishon LeZion]], Israel (2009)
* {{flagicon|RUS}} [[Saint Petersburg]], Russia (2009)
* {{flagicon|PRC}} [[Guangdong]], China (2009)
* {{flagicon|PRC}} [[Guangxi]], China (2010)
* {{flagicon|ESP}} [[Barcelona]], Spain (2010)
* {{flagu|Crimea|name=Autonomous Republic of [[Crimea]]}}, Ukraine (2010)
* {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Busan]], South Korea (2011)
* {{flagicon|IRQ}} [[Ninawa]], Iraq (2011)
* {{flagicon|CHI}} [[Valparaíso]], Chile (2011)
* {{flagicon|PRC}} [[Fujian]], People's Republic of China (2018)
{{Div col end}}

;Existing sisterhood agreements
* {{flagicon|PRC}} [[Hainan]], China
* {{flagicon|USA}} [[Hawaii]], United States of America

;Domestic sisterhood agreements
{{Div col}}
* [[Sorsogon City]]
* [[Antique (province)|Antique]]
* [[Aklan]]
* [[Ilocos Norte]]
* [[Iloilo]]
* [[Negros Occidental]]
* [[Bohol]]
* [[South Cotabato]]
* [[Bukidnon]]
* [[Masbate]]
* [[Laguna (province)|Laguna]]
* [[Tagaytay]]
* [[Quezon]]
* [[Parañaque]]
* [[Pangasinan]]
* [[Davao del Sur]]
{{Div col end}}

==Notable personalities==
{{Main|List of people from Cebu}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Philippines}}
* [[List of people from Cebu]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

{{notelist-lr}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin|30em}}
* {{cite book
| first1     = Jovito
| last1      = Abellana
| title      = Aginid, Bayok sa Atong Tawarik
| date       = 1952
| language   = ceb
}}
* {{cite book
| title      = Rápida descripcion física, geológica y minera de la Isla de Cebú
| first1     = Enrique
| last1      = Abella y Casariego
| language   = es
| date       = 1886
| publisher  = Tello
| location   = Madrid
| url        = https://archive.org/stream/rpidadescripcio00casagoog#page/n7/mode/2up
}}
* {{cite journal
| title   = The Rebellion and the Icon: Holy Revolutions in the Philippines
| last1   = Bautista
| first1  = Julius
| journal = Asian Journal of Social Science
| volume  = 34
| issue   = 2
| pages   = 291–310
| date    = 2006
| doi     = 10.1163/156853106777371166
| url = http://scholarbank.nus.edu.sg/handle/10635/21709
}}
* {{cite book
| editor1-last          = Blair
| editor1-first         = Emma Helen
| editor1-link          = Emma Helen Blair
| editor2-last          = Robertson
| editor2-first         = James Alexander
| editor2-link          = James Alexander Robertson
| others                = Historical introduction and additional notes by [[Edward Gaylord Bourne]]
| title                 = The Philippine Islands, 1493–1803
| url                   = http://quod.lib.umich.edu/p/philamer/afk2830.0001.002
| volume                = 2 of 55 (1521–1569)
| year                  = 1903
| publisher             = [[Arthur H. Clark Company]]
| location              = Cleveland, Ohio
| quote                 = Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the beginning of the nineteenth century.
| name-list-style         = amp
| ref                   = {{harvid|Blair|Robertson|Vol 2}}
}}
* {{cite news
| newspaper = Cebu Daily News
| date      = 2011
| title     = Revamp, BRT setup eyed for Mactan airport
| url       = http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=624372&publicationSubCategoryId=107
| access-date      = June 26, 2013
| archive-url      = https://archive.today/20120909103259/http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=624372&publicationSubCategoryId=107
| archive-date      = September 9, 2012
| url-status      = dead
}}
* {{cite web
| title      = Cebu
| url        = https://www.britannica.com/place/Cebu
| website    = Encyclopædia Britannica
| date       = 2016
| access-date = February 10, 2016
| ref         = {{SfnRef|Encyclopædia Britannica|2016}}
}}
* {{cite web
| url         = http://www.information.ph/history_02.html 
| series      = Philippine History 
| title       = Part 2: The first Spanish expedition of 1521 
| archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20090131100830/http://information.ph/history_02.html 
| archive-date = January 31, 2009
| url-status  = dead 
| date        = 2009a 
| ref         = {{SfnRef|information.ph|2009a}}
}}
* {{cite web
| url         = http://www.information.ph/history_02B.html 
| series      = Philippine History 
| title       = Part 3: The Spanish colonization 
| archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20090131100844/http://information.ph/history_02B.html 
| archive-date = January 31, 2009
| url-status   = dead
| date        = 2009b 
}}
* {{cite news
| title       = Cebu joins elite ITOP Forum
| first       = Mars W. |last= Mosqueda
| newspaper   = Manila Bulletin
| date        = October 4, 2011
| url         = http://www.mb.com.ph/node/336607/cebu-join#.UNg5yW_qmBU
| access-date = February 11, 2016
| url-status  = dead
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111023122403/http://www.mb.com.ph/node/336607/cebu-join#.UNg5yW_qmBU
| archive-date= October 23, 2011
}}
* {{cite news
 |title       = PH ranks 5th among world's shipbuilders 
 |newspaper   = Manila Bulletin 
 |author      = Jonas Reyes 
 |date        = January 13, 2015 |url         = http://www.mb.com.ph/ph-ranks-5th-among-worlds-shipbuilders/ 
 |access-date  = February 11, 2016 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20151015164107/http://www.mb.com.ph/ph-ranks-5th-among-worlds-shipbuilders/ 
 |archive-date = October 15, 2015 |url-status     = dead 
}}
* {{cite book
| title      = The Koga papers : stories of WW II
| first1     = Manuel F.
| last1      = Segura
| location   = Cebu City
| publisher  = MF Segura Publications
| date       = 1992
}}
* {{cite journal
| journal       = Philippine Journal of Science
| date          = 1907
| volume        = 2A
| issue         = 6
| pages         = {{nowrap|377 ff}}
| first1        = Warren Du Pré
| last1         = Smith
| title         = The geology of the Compostela-Danao coal field
| editor1-first = Paul C.
| editor1-last  = Freer
| editor2-first = Richard D.
| editor2-last  = Strong
| editor3-first = E. D.
| editor3-last  = Merrill
| url           = http://quod.lib.umich.edu/p/philamer/act3868.0002.00a/478
}}
* {{cite news
| title        = Seechewal inaugurates Punjabi school in Philippines 
| date         = December 3, 2014 | newspaper = Tribune of India 
| location     = Jalandhar 
| url          = http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jalandhar/seechewal-inaugurates-punjabi-school-in-philippines/13649.html 
| archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20141208044233/http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jalandhar/seechewal-inaugurates-punjabi-school-in-philippines/13649.html 
| archive-date = December 8, 2014 | url-status = dead 
}}
* {{cite web
| title       = Islands of Philippines: Cebu
| last        = Dahl | first       = Arthur Lyon 
| url         = http://islands.unep.ch/IHE.htm#890
| date        = 1998
| work        = Island Directory
| publisher   = United Nations Environment Programme
| access-date = February 11, 2016
}}
* {{cite journal
| journal    = Micronesian: Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences
| volume     = 4
| issue      = 2
| date       = 2005
| title      = The capture of the Koga Papers and its effect on the plan to retake the Philippines in 1944
| first1     = Augusto V.
| last1      = de Viana
| publisher  = National Historical Institute in the Philippines
| url        = http://micronesia.csu.edu.au/MJHSS/Issue2005/MJHSS2005_205.pdf
}}
* {{cite book
| first1     = Frederick L.
| last1      = Wernstedt
| url        = https://books.google.com/books?id=hY9XAAAAMAAJ
| title      = The role and importance of Philippine interisland shipping and trade
| year  = 1957
| publisher  = Southeast Asia Program, Dept. of Far Eastern Studies, Cornell University
| isbn       = 9780598547866
}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{wikivoyage|Cebu Province}}
* {{OSM relation|1506936|link=no}}
* {{Official website|http://www.cebu.gov.ph/|name=Official website of the Provincial Government of Cebu}}
* [https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2000766&Itemid=2 The Official Government Portal of the Republic of the Philippines – Cebu]{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
* {{cite journal |author1=G. K. Lowry |author2=A. T. White |author3=P. Christie |title=Scaling Up to Networks of Marine Protected Areas in the Philippines: Biophysical, Legal, Institutional, and Social Considerations |journal=Coastal Management |volume=37 |issue=3 |pages=274–290 |date=2009 |url=https://oneocean.org/download/db_files/Scaling-up-to-MPA-Networks_CMJ_09.pdf |doi=10.1080/08920750902851146 |doi-access=free|bibcode=2009CoasM..37..274L }}

{{Adjacent communities
| Centre    = Cebu
| North     = [[Masbate]]<br />''[[Visayan Sea]]''
| East      = ''[[Camotes Sea]]'' &nbsp;{{pipe}}&nbsp; [[Leyte]]
| Southeast = ''[[Cebu Strait]]'' &nbsp;{{pipe}}&nbsp; [[Bohol]]
| South     = ''[[Bohol Sea]]''<br />[[Siquijor]]
| West      = [[Negros Occidental]]{{pad|3.5em}}<br />{{pad|3em}}[[Negros Oriental]] &nbsp;{{pipe}}&nbsp; ''[[Tañon Strait]]''
}}

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| title = Articles related to Cebu province
| list  =
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{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cebu| ]]
[[Category:Provinces of the Philippines]]
[[Category:Provinces of Central Visayas]]
[[Category:Island provinces of the Philippines]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1565]]
[[Category:1565 establishments in the Philippines]]