Back Ground:
My quick, rude take on the history of the Philippines. The USA and the Philippines had a brutal war in the late 1900’s which has pretty much been forgotten with the people of Cebu. Though the US military of the time did some awful stuff and ended up annexing the country as an insular area, The Filipinos in Cebu were unaware of it. When I brought it up to most Cebuanos, they mentioned that the where completely unaware of a Philippine-American war. So you don’t have to worry about filipinos hating Americans for that war because, filipinos really seem to love Americans.
Mostly, Cebuanos remember that America was important in helping them in their fight against the Japanese sponsored puppet government. In fact, the WWII effects of the US fighting the Japanese back are still apparent everywhere in the Philippines. Much of the public transport is in Jeepneys which are basically converted American military trucks from WWII.
Extended history:
When visiting Cebu, know that you came to the place where the ancient ruler of Mactan island, Lapu-Lapu, put Ferdinand Magellan‘s journey around the world to an abrupt halt. If you’re interested in ancient, kick ass explorers like I am; this is an important spot to check out. It’s not everyday that you come across a place in which the indigenous people killed the western explorers. I find this to be fascinating.
Size
All the land in the Philippines is about the size of Arizona… but there is a lot of water in there.
Highest Point
Mount Apo – 2,954 meters
Population
About 106 million or the 12th most populous country in the world
Special notes to know before you travel:
- The Philippines is very poor in areas so your stuff is really valuable
Fun Stuff:
- Lechon – The National Dish of the Philippines
Stories of Adventure Living in Cebu:
- Cebu Booze Cruise
- More to Come…