The Queen City of the South
Cebu City, also known as the Queen City of the South, celebrates its 83rd Charter Day today.
The municipality turned into a city by the charter pushed by Don Vicente Rama on February 24, 1937 has come a long way from being just a small city to being the most influential center of politics and economics in the Philippines outside of Metro Manila.
Those who were alive then can barely recognize Cebu City now. From a sleepy fledgling city it is now a small metropolis with tall buildings, countless small and big businesses, and places of amusement and entertainment. A virtual concrete jungle in many areas.
That development did not come without a cost. Cebu City paid for it with a quickly growing population, heavy traffic, squalor, and, of course, crime. The trappings that seemingly come with rapid urbanization.
But despite all this, Cebu City is still a good place to live in.
What makes Cebu City special? It’s tempting to measure the success of Cebu City in terms of businesses we have, the attractions we can show our tourists, how much money we make, or even our place in the country’s history and faith.
Yes, those also factor in. However, what makes Cebu City special is its people. As a city, it is almost right smack in the middle of everything; right smack in the middle of the island it’s on, right smack in the middle of the region it’s in, and right smack in the middle of the country also.
That central location makes it a stopover, a melting pot, a meeting place of different kinds of people from all over the province, the region, and the country. And it is precisely because of this that its people have learned to become tolerant and friendly. They have learned to deal with all kinds of people and eventually welcome them as well as their ideas.
This is not to say Cebu City and its people are perfect. Much still needs to be done to keep our city on top in the region and outside Metro Manila. However, with the current lineup of city officials we have, it seems that for now we are being steered in the right direction.
So, congratulations to the Queen City of the South on her 83rd birthday, may her reign be long and prosperous.